New work on an old project.

[davec2]

More than 10 years ago, I wanted to take up building another longrifle or two.  I had a couple of straight barrels and a few pieces of, what looked to be, nice stock maple and just set to work.  What I was doing was based on the first rifles I had built in high school 30 years before that.  Although I still have both of the early rifles, and they do shoot straight, they have all the architectural finesse of barreled fence posts.  Due to job and time constraints, the work on the new rifles went very slowly, but it was fun to tinker at it whenever I had the time.

I was fairly far along when I discovered how much I didn't know about rifle architecture, etc.  However, when I saw what many others of you were doing, I stopped work immediately.  I was so far off in so many directions, that I knew I needed to learn more before I wasted any more time and material.

All during the past four or five years I have been trying to decide whether to just throw away the two rifles I had started or complete them as a training exercise (you can tell I’m ex Navy) incorporating as many improvements as I could.  I decided that the stocks would make a nice evening’s fire, the straight barrels could be sold, and the locks could be re-used on better designed rifles.    In preparation, I bought new stock wood and a few swamped barrels.  I even got so far as inletting two of the swamped barrels and rough shaping the stocks more in keeping with what I had learned here.

But I never quite got around to that evening’s fire made up of stock wood.  The rifles sat on a rack above my bench and the exterior of the barrels began to brown the oldest fashion way”¦what to do”¦.what to do”¦..???

About a month ago I finally decided, “Oh, hell, why don’t I just finish the darn things and be done with it”.  They will shoot OK and they will look a damn sight better than the first fence posts I made”¦and they will be good carving and engraving practice to boot.

So here is some of the recent progress. This particular rifle is nothing to write home about, but it isn’t fence post grade either.  And trying to save it has made me employ every “how would you fix this” trick I have learned from all of you over the past few years.  Thanks again to all of you.

P.S.  Any and all critiques are welcome”¦I am still a long way from knowing what the hell I am doing here.

 

[hoochiepapa]

You are very talented. And I am very jealous.

 

[buford87]

Wow!.................watch yer top knot..................

 

[bowkill]

yea ??????????????

 

[asbrown]

I absolutely love your work. Was the "Compass Rose" on your patchbox a common decorative on period guns. I've been contemplating using it on a future build?

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

WOW!!! :shocked2: :shocked2: :shocked2: Beautiful! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[The New Guy]

Words cannot begin to describe what i feel when looking at this gun. Wow! I have a few scraps of firewood I'd love for you to work on and send back.

 

[The New Guy]

Did you also engrave the bottom of the trigger guard as well?

 

[wattlebuster]

I beg to differ. Looks to me like ya know plenty. Great job :bow: :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[BigDumbAnimal]

I don't know much, but I know that's some nice work.



Semper Fi
BDA

 

[Moose Guide]

How horrible, after it is complete just send it to me and I will see that it never embarasses you :rotf: That is one beautiful rifle!

 

[davec2]

Smoothbore,

I don't know if a compass rose was a very traditional decoration. I use it because I spent a quarter century finding my way about the world's oceans with a compass and a sextant (long before GPS). The compass rose has special significance for me "finding my way in the world."

New Guy,

Yes, I have engraved the trigger guard and butt plate as well. I will post some pictures in a day or two.

Thanks to all for your kind comments.

 

[silly goose]

You are very humble. Beautiful.

 

[kaintuck]

dave...beautiful work!...and i like the 'reverse' toe plate behind the trigger guard!!! neat idea for a more brass look to this area!!!
:thumbsup:

what are your fav tools in carving?

 

[asbrown]

Yah, it holds some significance for me as well. 6 years in the ARMY as a scout, on the ground and in the air. Every airfield had one at the end of the runway, always was a sign that you were home.

 

[cutshurt]

Ya know I as thinking I was going to scrool down and see some ... God awful club :barf: .... & I was right !!!! so please send it to me waste no time in doing so, I will burn it for you.

WOW YOU ARE A GUNMAKER :bow:

Darrel

 

[asbrown]

Just showed my wife the pictures of your handywork. She was absolutely floored.
First question-honey, can you do that?
Second-Can you pay him to do that for you?
Third-You dont have to send me the whole rifle, just send the brass :haha: :haha: :haha: :hatsoff: :bow:

 

[Birddog6]

Absolutely Awesome............

:hatsoff:

Keith Lisle

 

[Baxter]

Just gorgeous! I envy you not the metal and the wood but your skills.

 

[davec2]

Well, I finished some of the last engraving work required and started the metal and wood finishing work.  Going slowly now...don't want to mess this up any more than I have.

Engraving progress:

Start of stain and finish on the stock: