Author Topic: West Virginia Rifle (Read 11672 times)

tallbear · « **on:** January 31, 2010, 10:53:58 PM »

This is a West Virginia rifle I just finished up for my 13 year old son.Was supposed to be done by Christmas but I'm a little late!!It's based on a rifle attributed to William Britton and featured in Jim Whiskers book on West Virginia Rifles.It has a 34" tapered and flaired .50 cal barrel,12 1/2" LOP and Jim Chambers late Ketland lock.The stock was scraped and finished with aqua-fortis and Eric K's boiled oil.

Mitch

Dr. Tim-Boone · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2010, 11:12:03 PM »

Can i be your kid?..... I can wait for the next gun!! That is very nice work!! I like your slight improvement of the side plate design on the patchbox!! much prettier. A nice, faithful representation!!

Thanks for posting!

Rick Sheets · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2010, 11:41:47 PM »

I like that little bit of nose on the the comb. It is just beautiful overall. How about a picture of your son shouldering the rifle?
Rick

eagle24 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2010, 11:42:22 PM »

Quote from: DrTimBoone on January 31, 2010, 11:12:03 PM

Can i be your kid?..... I can wait for the next gun!!

Me too! A fella can never have too many dependants come tax time. That is a beautiful rifle Tallbear.

Lucky R A · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2010, 12:26:48 AM »

Hey Mitch,
You done good! Nice job overall, I am sure your son will be very proud to have such a nice gun.

Ron

Larry Luck · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2010, 12:52:29 AM »

Mitch,
Very nice work. I'm working on a youth rifle and getting the proportions right is a challenge. You have done it nicely.
I particularly like the engraving on the lock.
Well done.
Larry Luck

John SMOthermon · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2010, 02:24:30 AM »

Great job !

msmith · « **Reply #7 on:** February 01, 2010, 04:09:58 AM »

Great gun, William Britton would be proud.Lucky boy.

VP · « **Reply #8 on:** February 01, 2010, 04:13:39 AM »

Mitch
Great rifle! I like what you you did with the lock and carving. I have often admired this rifle in Whisker's book, being from WV.

Van

B Shipman · « **Reply #9 on:** February 01, 2010, 07:09:21 AM »

Mitch, love it. It's cool, unique, beautifull architecture, great finish, looks like flawless workmanship, well balanced carving. Really good.

J.D. · « **Reply #10 on:** February 01, 2010, 07:32:55 AM »

Dang Mitch, that is nice. I'm open for adoption, though I might be a little older than you. However my wife says I'm going through my second childhood. Does that count?

I really like the architecture of those SW VA rifles, and that is a nice one.

God bless

Long John · « **Reply #11 on:** February 01, 2010, 04:58:48 PM »

Your son is a lucky lad, indeed. Really fine work!

JMC

RWood · « **Reply #12 on:** February 01, 2010, 10:34:53 PM »

Mitch,

Hope you are planning on bring this rifle and the one you finished from Wallace's class with you to Bowling Green this year. Would love to see them in person.

Ron

tallbear · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2010, 10:57:28 PM »

Thanks guys

I talked over the possible adoptions with the wife.She said she has enough trouble keeping track of my son and me.Sorry

Ron
Regreatably I'm not going to make Bowling Green this year.The economy done caught up with me!!!

Pic for Rick.I'll post some more when we go shooting

Mitch

Roger Fisher · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2010, 11:26:53 PM »

I notice that you made certain the lad was pictured with the frizzen open and hammer down. We like to see that - good start in training gun handling. Lucky kid!

Gene Carrell · « **Reply #15 on:** February 02, 2010, 03:44:16 PM »

Beautiful workmanship. I think the carving is extraordinary.

hanshi · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2010, 08:07:34 PM »

Hmmm, I'm envious of your son. That nice little rifle would fit me fine.

M Tornichio · « **Reply #17 on:** February 03, 2010, 08:18:49 PM »

Mitch,
Thanks for sharing pictures of your rifle. It looks great. I look forward to the day when I build my son a rifle. Now that I am thinking about it I might need to start working on it now to get it done by the time he can use it.
I think your engraving look very nice.
Marc

WV_Mountaineer · « **Reply #18 on:** February 05, 2010, 01:25:59 AM »

Tallbear,

Beautiful recreation of a West Virginia Rifle. From the pictures, I can't tell if the Britton has a rounded forestock or v-shaped forestock? Also, would like to know what type of moulding pattern on the upper forestock? Any help will be appreciated.

Artificer · « **Reply #19 on:** February 05, 2010, 01:44:07 AM »

Looking at the first picture, it is almost like being in a time with two rifles made by the same hand one after the other. then jumping back and forth between the centuries to look at one when it was new and one today.

That's a fine rifle your son will be proud to use and hand down to his boy/s some day.

Gus

bama · « **Reply #20 on:** February 05, 2010, 03:14:20 AM »

That is a great rifle and I know your son is proud to have it. Sorry to hear that you won't be in Bowling Green. I hope things pick up for you and all that are going the through the down economy.

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #21 on:** February 05, 2010, 03:15:31 AM »

Mitch,

That was a real nice job. It might even be better than the original.

Mark

paa · « **Reply #22 on:** February 05, 2010, 03:19:16 AM »

Hey Friend, Well done! Though it is nice to own the original rifle, and have it on your bench while you recreate a copy, in my experience, there are few students that can notice the fine details that make all the difference between a fine rifle and an "also-ran". Your architecture, fit and finish of your parts, your engraving, are all fine! I particularly appreciate your carving. You have correctly noted that the carving behind the cheekpiece on the original has been worn by time, and correctly added just that bit of height on your recreation. As for the incised carving forward of the cheek piece - it's perfect, not only on form, but in execution. Peter A. Alexander

tallbear · « **Reply #23 on:** February 08, 2010, 04:12:53 PM »

Been away at the Lewisburg show.Just wanted to say thanks for all the words of encouragement.I will post some pics of my son shooting it next weekend for the first time in the shooting forum!!

All The best.
Mitch

Jim Kibler · « **Reply #24 on:** February 08, 2010, 04:20:59 PM »

Hey Mitch,

Think you did a good job on this rifle. It's nice to see that you were pretty faithful in recreating a design you would rarely see made today. Keep up the good work!

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Author Topic: West Virginia Rifle (Read 11672 times)

eagle24

msmith

J.D.

RWood

WV_Mountaineer

paa