Build #3 done - seeking critiques

[Meteorman]

Been a little intimidated to post over on this forum, but a man's gotta jump in the deep end sometime.
This was my first build with curly maple - 1st two were cherry - sure got schooled that CM is bit of a different cat than cherry.

42" .50 cal B Rice barrel.

Pecatonica pre-carve - the recipient of this rifle said price wasn't an issue, so I asked Mr. Greensides to send me the best piece he had - I think he did well. 
As for my buddy the recipient, payin that money to put the piece in my amateur hands - well, that's a different story, I told him he gets what he gets.

Simple trigger, pinned thru the stock.

Ferric nitrate crystals dissolved in alcohol, plus Permalyn sealer and Chambers oil finish.

Also used the ferric nitate crystals in water to patina the brass.

I'm not 100% sold on the LMF rust blue barrel treatment, but that's what my buddy wanted. 
may take it back to gray after a year or two if he's OK with it.

Plenty of mistakes, including one at the end that brought tears to my eyes, but...  I'll never tell.

Tried to keep the carving simple.  But I know it still has issues.

Wood was so nice, I omitted the patchbox.  Don't really know if that's a cardinal sin or not, PC/HC-wise.

Anyway, seeking constructive criticism - I've been wrestling with lock panel and wrist shape (as much as you can with a pre-carve) and am open to all comments and critiques.   
I really wanna get better at this craft and need feedback from the pros.

much obliged,
MM





















My buddy's initials are MM, as are mine, so I worked an "M" into the toeplate.

[Bill of the 45th]

@!*% fine gun, and the pic's make the rust blue look good.  That looks like a "W" to me, not an "M"

Bill

[Ed Wenger]

MM,

Please don't be intimidated about sharing your work, all of us want to get better.   

I think someones going to be very happy with their new rifle.  A couple things I noticed that you might want to consider.  The front of the sideplate lock panel, I think, could be a little more symmetrical, and thinner.  The other thing is the forearm looks a little flat sided.  You can correct that next time by taking a little off the top and bottom, to create more of a rounded forearm.

Personally, I think you did a pretty good job with the wrist area.  Nice tight lock inlet as well.  I also think your well on your way with the carving.  Like anything else, that just takes practice, and I think you're on the right path.  You're also doing well with the overall craftsmanship and finish.  There's a huge learning curve associated with your first few builds, at least there were for me...  Study the fine points of rifles you like, and compare them to your work, using them as a guide as to how you can get better.

Keep up the good work and share it with all here!


             Ed

[Tom Currie]

That's a fine rifle and thanks for posting. One suggestion I'll make is that the cheekpiece seems a bit convex rather than concave making it look rather thick , maybe even somewhat bulky. Something to think about next build.

[California Kid]

Every gun gets better, keep at it!

[James Rogers]

Looking good.
The only suggestion I can give as a novice myself is to jump right in on the next gun and do not wait around. Keep it fresh in your mind so you don't begin to jump back into the same mud puddles.

[Goldhunter]

I like it MM.  That Ferric Nitrate/alcohol mixture is what I used on my last one and liked the outcome.   

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Many very nice things about the gun and your workmanship.  Get hold of loys of originals to fell and draw.  Then draw carvings ans and common long rifle lines over and over again on paper, old stscrap stocks etc and only then practice carving them.....I am trying to listen to this advice as I write it.......  What is the next one going to be??

[okieboy]

 Mister Meteorman, I am not qualified to critique your rifle with respect to school or carving or many details, but I would like to say how much I like the plainness and the balance of elements. The wood is nice, but finished with subtleness, such that it does not distract the eye from the clean strong architecture of the overall gun. Foregoing a patchbox was both brave and bold. Ultimately I think a rifle is a balance of materials and elements. Pieces that allow one element to overwhelm the whole are not unusual and often leave one with a vague, curious disappointment of the whole, even while impressed by each individual element.
 I like your rifle and am excited by prospect of your future pieces.

[msw]

looks good to me. my only suggestion would be to cut back on the shine, but that's going to be dictated by the customer.  my wife's rifles all have a high gloss shine.  mine have had that knocked down with the use of OOOO steel wool or scrubbie pads.

overall, a great looking rifle- keep building, and make good smoke!

[Jerry V Lape]

I think you have a very nice rifle.  Carving has a couple issues you could address on next one.  The carving needs a little more molding. As it it looks unnaturally flat  or stiff especially the tang.  Might want to  visualizie it as a living leaf which would usually be curved in multiple directions.  The cheek piece side butt carving doesn't appear to grow out of the wood at any point.  Has more of a stuck on look.  Might want to try and grow the carving like a living thing out of the wood and the lines of the stock more so it seems like something you found in the wood as you shaped it to a rifle.   Still, as I said at the start, very nice rifle none the less. 

[wattlebuster]

Very Very Very Nice

[Karl Kunkel]

Meteorman,

What ratio did you use for your ferric nitrate and alcohol stain?

[digger]

Very nicely done.

[Meteorman]

Meteorman,

What ratio did you use for your ferric nitrate and alcohol stain?

2.5 parts denatured alcohol to 1 part FeNO3 (by volume).
i.e 10 ml ferric nitrate crystals (gently packed) dissolved in 25ml alcohol.
2 coats; heat treated after each, of course.