MountainSmoke
40 Cal.
60 hours later here it is. Standard grade sugar maple stock. This is my first attempt at putting together a muzzleloader kit. What a experience it was! I found myself constantly visiting this forum searching up old threads for guidance and help. Would have been vastly more difficult without it so huge thanks to the forum and it's members. Of course, Jim Kibler's YouTube videos were invaluable as well. I started this project expecting every step to go perfectly and quickly learned that I'd better be happy with" good enough" or I was going to drive myself crazy. There were victories and there were defeats, all part of the experience. Even long before I started this kit I had a vision in my mind of how I would want a rifle to look based on personal preference and authenticity. Dark plain maple stock with a scraped finish,a few tool marks here or there wouldn't bother me. Metal parts finished in the white. Brass not too polished. No carving. Just a plain old workhorse rifle that is going to see a lot of time in the mountains. Some details: 54 caliber, stock was stained with two fairly heavy coats of iron nitrate and then heat was applied. Tried and True varnish finish 3 coats so far but may add another one or two. If your on the fence about putting together one of these kits like I was, just do it! The experience and knowledge learned is priceless and you will have a beautiful quality made longrifle that you can be proud of forever. Thanks Jim Kibler for giving folks that opportunity.
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