AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Dennis Glazener on January 04, 2012, 11:13:17 PM
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I finished this Cherry stocked Mathew Gillespie just before Christmas. The original has no buttplate nor patchbox but the customer wanted both. Some of Mathew's later guns had buttplates so I thought I could use my Gillespie buttplate, couldn't make it work without changing the profile of the butt and I didn't think that would work so I made a buttplate for this one. After finishing that using my little Mapp gas 2 fire brick forge I realized I didn't want to tackle the trigger guard so I had Marc Tornichio copy the original guard and I used that on this rifle. I had seen an original Mathew that had this type of cover over a grease box so I decided to make one like it for this rifle. I am not sure that it was original to the Mathew G. rifle, it may have been added but since the customer wanted one I copied it here.
Most early Gillespie's were 40-46 caliber but this one has a 42" Rice "C" profile .54 caliber barrel, Large Davis triggers and a Chambers Late Ketland lock. As light weight as it is (about 7.5 lbs) there was not much recoil with 80 grains of 3 F. I suspect that is due to the fairly straight stock (for a mountain rifle).
Oh, I did stain the rr darker after the photos were taken.
Dennis
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Very nice Dennis. Classic style.
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Gee nice, I plan on taking down a couple of old Cherry trees this winter and store the wood in the barn for a wile to take up for cracking. I may just put them in the pond for a year this works great to prevent cracking an cures the wood to a great look. I learned when i was kid and my brother made lamp from a piece of mansonita.
Walt Davies
PS
will let you all know when the wood is ready.
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Very pretty. I would like to see more close-ups if you have them. One thing that catches my eye is the angle of the PB -- it gives the comb a longer, higher look that I think is attractive, and I have associated it somewhat with SW Va.. Did the Gillespies often mount their boxes that way? I think I've only seen G.'s with grease-holes.
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I would like to see more close-ups if you have them
Wish I did but the customer came to pick the rifle up a day early and I had not made anymore and I didn't want to hold him up to take more.
One thing that catches my eye is the angle of the PB -- it gives the comb a longer, higher look that I think is attractive,
The one rifle had the patch/grease box cover with that angle. Most of Mathew's rifles had a tear drop shaped grease hole, drilled on an angle and opened up with a gouge so your thumb could easily wipe a patch with backward stroke. Most were very near the butt.
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The only (original) full 4 piece patch box that I have seen on a Gillespie was one made by Philip, Mathew's son. I am sure it was original to the rifle since the same decorative stamp that he used on the barrel was also used on the brass patchbox. I have reason to believe this may have been his personal rifle.
Dennis
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Dennis, is this TG the same size as the casting you sent?? It looks bigger than the casting??
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Good looking rifle, classic lines.
Tim C.
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Rich,
Marc forged this guard by a tracing of the one on my original Mathew rifle. The guard that I sell was a copy of the guard on Earl Lanning's unsigned Gillespie. Except for the guard and one having a vee shaped forearm they are pretty close to being identical. Am sure the stocks were cut from the same template.
I did not own my rifle when I had the mold made for the Gillespie guard that I sell.
Dennis
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Dennis, real nice. What did you use for a stain (if any) and finish on the Cherry? Thanks, Bob
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Dennis,
Very sweet rifle, simple lines.
I'd be interested in what you used on the stock also, as I have a cherry stocked Tennessee going right now.
Mark
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Really nice Dennis. Man, I love those Gillespies.
Ez
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Real clean looking rifle!
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Dennis, real nice. What did you use for a stain (if any) and finish on the Cherry? Thanks, Bob
I'd be interested in what you used on the stock also, as I have a cherry stocked Tennessee going right now.
I first applied a solution of Red Devil lye, forget how I originally mixed it since I have had it for several years. I wanted it a little darker and instead of using more lye water, which can cause the wood to have a weathered look, I put a coat of Laurel Mountain Forge Nut Brown on it. Then three coats of Chambers oil finish then a final coat of Permalyn sealer, caution it took three days for the Permalyn to dry! I was getting concerned but finally it dried.
Dennis
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Dennis, I don't know much but I know your rifle looks great. Elegant in it's simplicity. Tim
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I like it Dennis. Very crisp. Good call on the hardware decisions.
Curtis