AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: davec2 on June 03, 2024, 04:33:20 AM
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It's been over a year since I had the time to post anything about actual gun building. Since I have received a few emails asking if I was still alive, and since I have had some time between test contracts to do a little gun building, I thought I would post some recent progress. Nine or so years ago now I made a close copy of a beautiful rifle that Jim Chambers had originally done. It was not the same caliber, etc., but I did copy the engraving and carving on the rifle I made up from parts I had on hand. (Original link https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=37186.0 )
One of the changes I made was to use a much smaller caliber. I had a .36 cal Rice barrel and a 25 year old piece of stock wood and geared everything else around that. That rifle shoots great and having never built a muzzle loader as small as a .36, I became quite enamored with the caliber. Don't get me wrong, I like all the others from my .45s all the way up to my 2.75" bore cannon....but I really enjoyed the .36.
Fast forward nine years and I have a little time between rocket testing contracts to start in on another rifle....just to keep my sanity and step out of the highly technical propulsion world and into the 18th century.....for a little peace and quiet. So I pulled out a lovely piece of maple stock wood I bought from Tom Fornica in 2017 and another .36 caliber Green Mountain swamped barrel I bought from Tip Curtis about the same time frame. I also had on hand a Lancaster trigger guard and butt plate from Jim Chambers along with ram rod pipes, a spare trigger plate, trigger, nose cap, etc., etc.
(https://i.ibb.co/JHzPnyX/IMG-1198.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1T9xZdH)
Quite some time ago now I had sent the rough shaped stock and the barrel to Dave Rase and had him inlet the barrel and drill the ram rod hole for me. (This was before the US Postal Service drove David to madness and he quit doing this kind of work.... >:( ) Then I got busy again with work and the stock / barrels sat in a corner again. Long story short, a couple of weeks ago I had time to make some actual progress.
Here the stock shape is being refined on a band saw......
(https://i.ibb.co/XJ4JpL3/IMG-0810.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cTvTt3C)
Also using the band saw, the initial prep for the butt plate is made by cutting away a lot of excess wood.....
(https://i.ibb.co/jy8xpqr/IMG-0819.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hBgnqrm)
(https://i.ibb.co/bbJQW23/IMG-0820.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wcsB0wL)
After careful final fitting of the butt plate with chisels, I bedded it with AcraGlas. (Not PC I know, but I always bed the butt plate and the barrel breach to absolutely seal the end grain in those locations with epoxy and to get a perfect fit of the barrel breach.)
(https://i.ibb.co/LhQ7Mwc/IMG-1292.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Qj8wZBT)
Next up was to get the barrel lugs installed on the barrel. I wanted to use barrel keys on this rifle, so I used loops. The barrel dovetails were milled in place, the loops fitted closely and then soldered permanently in place.....
(https://i.ibb.co/M6Cmj1G/IMG-1061.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2NkTLMs)
(https://i.ibb.co/QmyxVxc/IMG-1066.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ryDXhXt)
While I was at it with the milling, I cut the dovetails for the front and rear sights.....
(https://i.ibb.co/Ypcgn8d/IMG-1656.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9sbPK24)
(https://i.ibb.co/2vHVPG7/IMG-1657.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1rjyKFf)
With the barrel loops installed, I used Taylor's method of drilling and then burning in the barrel key slots......
(https://i.ibb.co/TqPvZZd/IMG-1658.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6JDn22L)
(https://i.ibb.co/PN1tkbc/IMG-1660.jpg) (https://ibb.co/474JkD8)
(https://i.ibb.co/VM08WBY/IMG-2123.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ssprv39)
Well....that's it for the running start. I need to decide on a lock for this rifle but I think I have something in mind. I'll save that for the next installment.
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I and many others here I'm sure will be looking forward to the follow along Dave. Thanks for including us. :)
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Oh YEAH!
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I'm looking forward to seeing more of your progress, dave. I'm a fan of the .36 and probably fire my .36 more than any other rifle I own.
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On the subject of the lock.....quite some time ago I modified a Chambers late Ketland lock for a half stock English rifle that is still in work. I had another unmodified Ketland on hand and decided just to go ahead and do the same esthetic modifications to it. Here is the unmodified version......
(https://i.ibb.co/tBth32M/Chambers-Late-Ketland.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CBZtW95)
First thing I wanted to do was to change the curl on the top of the cock....no reason....I just like it facing the other way. So I welded on a blob of steel again so that I could make it like the cock on the right from another lock I made many years ago...
(https://i.ibb.co/vk02fnk/Chambers-Late-Ketland-Cock-Mod-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BB08vMB)
Here is the re-contoured top curl......
(https://i.ibb.co/S30vxYK/Chambers-Late-Ketland-Cock-Mod-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MCpNhwR)
Then I wanted to reshape the pan into a more "waterproof" version so I cut away as much steel as I could that didn't look like a waterproof pan.....started out like this:
(https://i.ibb.co/16nrf6d/IMG-0941.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Wt3kWtP)
(https://i.ibb.co/0QZtqrr/Chambers-Late-Ketland-Pan-Mod-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qx95Bpp)
Ended up like this....
(https://i.ibb.co/QNm7BxM/Chambers-Late-Ketland-Pan-Mod-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Fw7kvdz)
Then I wanted to add moldings to both the lock plate and the cock......cut with gravers and then cleaned up a bit with files and stones.....
(https://i.ibb.co/rmfwLW1/IMG-3310.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zrH4Lk0)
(https://i.ibb.co/xsTYmXn/IMG-3312.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7zmQgj3)
(https://i.ibb.co/4TtcCPd/IMG-3313.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qsjzhk5)
(https://i.ibb.co/MpCV6LP/IMG-3316.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ftxpv7r)
(https://i.ibb.co/G7190QJ/IMG-3317.jpg) (https://ibb.co/318v7ms)
(https://i.ibb.co/rwZDTXK/IMG-3318.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pL3YGk6)
Not sure what I want to do as far as engraving goes yet.....need to think about the whole rifle design some....
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OH MY!
Cant wait to see how this progresses.
Bob
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Wow! What an awesome project. It’s already beautiful.
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Awesome!!!
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Fitting a butt-plate on a blank looks a whole lot easier than fitting one on a pre-carve.
Bob
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You do BEAUTIFUL work Dave - Jerry Huddleson would be proud of you!
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I’m in awe of your work, again. Dave you are amazing.
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Thank you all for the encouragement....it's nice to get back into the shop for a bit. Not sure how fast this will go before i need to return to the trenches, but I'll do my best.
Bob, thanks for the compliment and I want to tell you that I have several horns that I have made in the past, most mounted in sterling silver, but that I have not scrimshawed do to lack of design inspiration. I have been saving photos of several of your recent horns and, if you don't mind, I would like to plagiarize some of your design features.
PW, I think of Jerry every time I pick up a graver and ask Jerry to look over my shoulder. He was gruff, brutally honest, and one of the most talented people I have ever met. Despite his "curmudgeon-ly" exterior at times, he was in fact a very kind, helpful, and giving man.....I miss his talent, his sense of humor.....and his friendship....
Leatherbark.....much easier, in my opinion, to put a butt plate on a blank than to fight the inevitable misfitting on a pre-carve. Side note: Not really a pre-carve, but I must also say that on the two Kibler kits I have (and two others I have helped some others with), the combination of the miracle of CNC machining and Jim's attention to detail provide as perfect a butt plate to stock fit as I think can be had.
Meanwhile back at the bench, I did get the barrel tang inlet and bedded, the ram rod pipes installed, and started in on the lock inletting......
(https://i.ibb.co/vwB3k1g/IMG-2126.jpg) (https://ibb.co/w0LS4y3)
(https://i.ibb.co/58dHK3V/IMG-2124.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9TJ5Z0j)
(https://i.ibb.co/YkB83DR/IMG-2125.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Snw0PQs)
(https://i.ibb.co/HhtvH93/IMG-2127.jpg) (https://ibb.co/y46TQx7)
With all of that out of the way, I started in with a plane and a spoke shave to release the .36 caliber rifle that I know is buried inside that maple plank.....
(https://i.ibb.co/60Bw4wM/IMG-2115.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d4gMQMT)
(https://i.ibb.co/whM9xTb/IMG-2116.jpg) (https://ibb.co/F4gSj9f)
(https://i.ibb.co/84cyZr9/IMG-2118.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2YNz4vd)
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Please continue posting images and progress updates, especially any problems that present along the way. It is inspiring seeing other's work and also workbench/shop images.
Jason
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This is going to be fun to watch as it comes together. I have installed a key on a halfstock Vincent, but I am curious of the "burning in" you speak of on the barrel keys. I'm always watching and learning.
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Nice shop Dave, looks like plenty of light and that’s a great idea of your bench top on all those neat rollaways with all that drawer space.
Cheers Richard
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Flint45: Here is an excellent tutorial on making slots for the barrel keys..... https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=10171.0 If you do a search, Smart Dog has some great posts about this topic as well.
Richard & Jason: In 2018 I built a small outbuilding in my back yard. Not huge (18' x 23') and about a third of it has industrial steel shelving for storage. Well insulated, heated, air conditioned, attic storage. One long wall has sink, 12 feet of standup bench and two sit down benches for jewelry, dental, and engraving work. I have a bunch of other tools in a separate location (welder, lathe, mill, band saw, table saw, planer, etc.) so the situation is not ideal but it is light years ahead of working in a corner of a 118 degree garage as I have been for the last 30 plus years.
(https://i.ibb.co/gZsdpDP/IMG-5746.jpg) (https://ibb.co/chzwHNC)
(https://i.ibb.co/LpfcsGN/IMG-8494.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HgQb9Jh)
(https://i.ibb.co/3fJ9gbf/IMG-2779.jpg) (https://ibb.co/s5Bd845)
(https://i.ibb.co/yWgD2jK/IMG-2778.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Fg89pTc)
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That’s a really nice shop. You have some nice equipment. Looking forward to seeing the completed rifle.
Lynn
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Bouncing back and forth between the cannon re-build and this rifle....so moving a little slower than usual on each. (This quite a transition each day moving from a bore of ~3 inches to a bore of .36 inches).
Had a chance last evening to get the muzzle cap placed and then start in on shaping the forearm. There are three tasks on a build that are not my favorite...installing the butt plate, installing the rear ram rod pipe, and fitting the muzzle cap. This is the last of those, so the rest of the project should be more enjoyable... :)
In this first photo you can see how things start out. The cap is a prefabricated piece I purchase quite some time ago from Track of the Wolf and had on hand when I started gathering parts for this rifle. It fit the Green Mountain barrel well so I decided to use it. With a jeweler's saw I made cuts on both sides of the end of the forearm and vertically down to the ram rod groove. Some of the wood that needed to be removed I cut away with chisels. However, because the wood starts to get very thin, and because the very curly grain wants to go where it will, most of the wood removal was done with a fine rasp and then files.
(https://i.ibb.co/JcfbfCM/IMG-2172.jpg) (https://ibb.co/S6h1hJ9)
(https://i.ibb.co/0FHRg0B/IMG-2173.jpg) (https://ibb.co/D80HxBG)
In order to get a precise fit between the rear end of the muzzle cap and the forearm wood I get the bulk of the wood removed and then slowly dress the transition point between wood and metal. In this second photo you can see that I have not started to remove that wood to the rear of the cap. In addition I usually have a problem with the transition from the bottom of the ram rod groove to the cap. I like to keep the web between the bottom of the barrel channel and the bottom of the ram rod groove no more that ~ 0.100 inches to keep the rifle forearm slender and graceful. However, that usually requires some reshaping of the muzzle cap at the open rear end to make sure that there is a smooth transition between wood and metal at the bottom of the ram rod groove.
With the cap now defining the shape of the forearm at the muzzle end, I could start removing wood on the forearm. I do the bulk of the stock removal with a large spoke shave. Finer shaping is done with a much smaller spoke shave and then a scraper. To keep the surfaces straight, I run a few pencil lines down the length of the forearm. Then, using a 12" long by 2" wide flat piece of oak with 120 grit paper glued on, I sand the forearm a bit lengthwise. The sanding will take away the pencil lines on the high spots immediately and the remaining lines show the low spots. I sand until all the pencil lines are gone.
Major stock removal......
(https://i.ibb.co/xjGp5fD/IMG-2177.jpg) (https://ibb.co/J72fkyK)
(https://i.ibb.co/gMBPqBG/IMG-2175.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PZf9XfR)
Fine tuning the shape with a much smaller spoke shave.......
(https://i.ibb.co/xSZrWss/IMG-2176.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bgtGT33)
(https://i.ibb.co/bFDsKgT/IMG-2174.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DYT9RDh)
Tomorrow I'll start in on shaping the stock in the area of the rear ram rod pipe. Enough for tonight.
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Will you be doing barrel key escutcheons?
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Longcruise......sorry I missed your question...I'm not sure yet if I will use barrel key escutcheons. I didn't on the last rifle I used keys on but may on this one.
While waiting for paint to dry on my cannon wheels I had the time to rout out the patch box on this .36 rifle. Not CNC by any means, but I clamped the stock with screwed wood blocks to a plywood base and then set it up in the mill to remove all the patch box cavity wood. Does a nice neat job....
(https://i.ibb.co/d60ns55/IMG-2221.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VDWX0qq)
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Lock is inlet so I started to work on the trigger. I have never been much of a fan of pinning the trigger directly through the stock. I know it's very traditional.....but perhaps I just got too used to a cleanly detachable trigger group on an M-1 Garand.... ;)
At any rate, I like to attach the trigger directly to the trigger plate. The first photo is just a look at a very small piece of steel cut from 1/16" sheet. This will be used to form a "U" shaped bracket that will enclose the forward edge of the trigger. The bracket is silver soldered to the trigger plate. A pivot pin will then be run through the bracket and the trigger attaching the two into one unit.
Small piece of thin steel sheet.....
(https://i.ibb.co/crLfkYC/IMG-2294.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5RFpGKn)
Bracket formed.....
(https://i.ibb.co/r4vqDvt/IMG-2295.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nzR4xR0)
Bracket silver soldered to back side of the trigger plate......
(https://i.ibb.co/BgrpzJP/IMG-2298.jpg) (https://ibb.co/RCBFvKS)
Pivot hole drilled......
(https://i.ibb.co/tYHzV3J/IMG-2299.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GCd9zF5)
Trigger plate and attached bracket inlet into the stock.......
(https://i.ibb.co/3RVh7tQ/IMG-2300.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VwbBtX5)
After some minor adjustment, the lock and trigger / trigger plate installed and functioning properly.....
(https://i.ibb.co/J3nzxwd/IMG-2301.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hYsKXJM)
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I like that trigger and plate a lot, I will be shamelessly copying that effort on my next rifle.
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Dave, do you get your desired pivot-to-sear contact distance using this setup?
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Rich,
Yes. I make up the trigger / plate assembly and then inlet it into the stock to get the distance to the sear I want. No more difficult to lay out than the conventional pinning through the stock....with the added advantage that I don't have a hole showing up at an inconvenient location on the opposite side of the stock when I inlet the side plate..... ;)
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Dave, I’m blown away at the molding you did that surrounds the lock plate , cock too. How did you do that, please don’t tell me “just needle files and rifflers” or I’ll leave just shaking my head lol. That is beautiful work.
(https://i.ibb.co/rwZDTXK/IMG-3318.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pL3YGk6)
Not sure what I want to do as far as engraving goes yet.....need to think about the whole rifle design some....
[/quote]
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Rich,
Yes. I make up the trigger / plate assembly and then inlet it into the stock to get the distance to the sear I want. No more difficult to lay out than the conventional pinning through the stock....with the added advantage that I don't have a hole showing up at an inconvenient location on the opposite side of the stock when I inlet the side plate..... ;)
Thanks! Basically as we would a trigger pinned through the stock.
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Flatsguide,
Dave Pearson did this on one of his locks and was kind enough to explain the process to me.....so my thanks again to Dave for his expertise and generosity in helping me.
Both the lock plate and the cock had a beveled edge. Where it wasn't beveled quite enough, I filed it a little wider. Then, with a 90 degree graver, I cut a deep groove right along the very top edge of the bevel and another at the very bottom edge. Then I used a wide flat graver to shape the steel between the two edge cuts removing material and rounding toward the center. This is, of course, a little "lumpy" and I tried very hard not to remove too much steel in any one place. To smooth out the surface now I used needle files, riflers, and then some soft stones that took on the shape of the molding. Didn't really take all that long....it only amounts to a few inches of molding total.
As is my usual MO, it has been a while since I picked up a graver, so I always start on the trigger and trigger plate to get the feel back. If I really mess up, these parts are easily replaced.....and if I only mess up a little (as in this case) I'm ok with it since the engraving is hard to see once the rifle is assembled. (I know....I know....do your best work.....but sometimes "good enough" is.....well.....good enough.... ;) )
Trigger and plate....a little touch of kinda OK engraving....and then I case hardened the trigger bar.....
(https://i.ibb.co/hdZNRrN/IMG-2354.jpg) (https://ibb.co/T0bGBJG)
(https://i.ibb.co/f2ZvFC7/IMG-2356.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TkJL2H5)
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Dave and Dave Pearson, thanks for sharing the technique you use to sculpt the lock molding. I’ll put that to use. Thanks again.
Very nice engraving, always a pleasure to see your work.
Cheers Richard
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Got the trigger guard bent to fit the contour of the stock and inlet....
(https://i.ibb.co/w0Zkfj1/IMG-2429.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DVPJZTn)
Then went to work removing any wood that didn't look like it belonged on a very slender .36 caliber rifle.....
(https://i.ibb.co/CQ6BYwQ/IMG-2428.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NKrxJFK)
(https://i.ibb.co/R3WNfkS/IMG-2430.jpg) (https://ibb.co/v38hp6B)
(https://i.ibb.co/7YpS9k4/IMG-2431.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5Mj17KF)
(https://i.ibb.co/ZcPPhy0/IMG-2432.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Jr44zX9)
(https://i.ibb.co/sqphgzV/IMG-2434.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Yh46NwL)
(https://i.ibb.co/zJYYKQT/IMG-2435.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8cppFNL)
Next step is to make lock bolts, a tang bolt, ram rod ends, and then modify the barrel keys for their spring retainers. After all that comes the hard part....trying to decide the designs for what to carve and what to engrave.... :-\
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Most of the shaping done. Some sanding done. I decided to cut a decorative molding on the forstock as I usually do. I like a more complicated molding including a concave surface. I used the brass tool I made to run in the ram rod groove and make a nice clean, easy to do, concave cut all along the groove. Then made a second cut with a sharper edged cutter to make a second cut line......
(https://i.ibb.co/37NfzgX/IMG-2446.jpg) (https://ibb.co/W6yDtm9)
(https://i.ibb.co/Sf13YyT/IMG-2447.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dm35CM9)
Molding done.....
(https://i.ibb.co/QMwMQBk/IMG-2448.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tDrDKfz)
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As noted previously, now starts the hard part.....the design of carving, engraving, patch box, etc., etc. Twelve years ago I posted the following picture here on ALR. Two rifles, the top one by John Noll and the bottom one by George Nunnamacher 1797. I asked back then if anyone had a lead to more detailed photos of either (or better yet both) of these rifles.
(https://i.ibb.co/r0D0yFT/Noll-Nunnamacher-Rifles.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qjTj17X)
I didn't have much luck and thought I would ask again as I would like to incorporate some of these design elements in this new rifle. In 2012 I made a rifle for my brother-in-law. On that rifle I partially mimicked the Noll patch box design here.....
(https://i.ibb.co/c8KRDp3/Gary-Rifle-24-copy-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/X5f6SdL)
But I would like to do something a bit different this time around and would like to see other parts of the Noll and / or Nunnamacher rifles. Does anyone have a lead on more and better pictures of these rifles ??
Thanks
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That Nunnamacher is killer. I've always loved it. Seems I remember financial problems or some other issues as his life progressed. Can't remember the details. Maybe someone else knows. I guess this is the only example of his work?
Jim
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Dave,
The Nunnamaker rifle is at the Winterthur Museum. It can be viewed in the digital library under Object No. 1997.0037. There are about a dozen photos, some not too bad. I believe someone recreated this rifle sometime in the last 10 years or so and posted some specifics regarding the build on this site, but I haven't looked for it. I have always been intriged by this rifle, but doubt I'll ever get around to trying to build it.
Regards, Bill
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Hi Dave,
It is hard to beat John Nolls. There are two wonderful Nolls' guns in David Hansen's book "An Intimate Look at the American Long Rifle". I think it is sold by the Kentucky Rifle Foundation. They also sell fantastic CDs with detailed photos of hundreds of long rifles. Their volume 1 issue 6 has a nice Nolls gun but I suspect they have many more.
dave
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Been hoping you'd get back to that Nunnamacher!
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Dave I've always been impressed with you an smartdogs workmanship.!
My reason for comment is I make all my trigger plates similar to yours.
Just because I've goofed up the pin through the stock trick. lol
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Been a hectic few days. Medical issues for a family member....will require some recovery.....
Meanwhile, I wanted to thank those of you who sent info and comments about the Nunnamacher and Noll rifles. Found some additional photos. Not sure where I am going with this yet but at least have more information to work with.
While I am deciding, I completed the barrel keys. As I have done in the past, I milled a slot in the body of the keys and then riveted a very thin leaf spring in the slot. Eliminates the issue of fitting keys "just right" and then having things wear or having the change in humidity make the keys too loose or to tight.
(https://i.ibb.co/0MpQWGR/Barrel-Key-with-spring-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k8VMrSs)
(https://i.ibb.co/BydDLn6/Barrel-Key-with-spring-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7n8cvkp)
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That’s a clever idea using a leaf spring to take up slack Dave.
I’m getting ready to fit a barrel tenon and noticed that most folks here use a dimensional copy of the tenon and carefully burn the mortise for a close fit. My question is is the “burning” done all the way through from one side of the stock to the other? Years ago I had a beautiful Nock 14 ga. SxS that I hunted with for years and after more than 100 years the tenon still was a smooth snug fit and one did not need any tool to remove the tenon…I hope I can replicant that fit.
Thanks Richard
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Peter Alexander had a few photos of that particular John Noll rifle in his book by the Gunsmith of Grenville Co. there were various photo aspects throughout the book. I had asked him questions about that specific rifle in his book, and that's when he showed me the various photos in his book, when I asked about the original and the possibility of getting a closer look he seemed rather evasive. I made 2 copies, or at least tried to make it as close as I could to the original, the hardest part was to get the exact details on engravings and the shape of the thumbpiece on the top end of it, although you see it on a bottom angle.
Since then I've talked to others, to my understanding that original is owned by a private collector somewhere in western Pennsylvania, who is not really interested in an exhibit.
Sure would be nice to see it in public someday.
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Dave, I enjoy all your fine work!
How thick of a spring do you use on the barrel keys?
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Flatsguide....I did burn the mortise all the way through the stock from one side and the barrel keys fit fine...in the unfinished stock. On a previous rifle I built in 2014 with a walnut stock, I did the same thing and the key fit was great. But when the weather changed, the keys either got too loose or to tight. I'm not sure how the old masters did this, but having only done this on two rifles now, I'm not that good at it. The springs make up for what I lack in talent.... ;)
Mountainman....Thanks for the additional information on a Noll rifle. I have that book but did not remember there were some pictures of a Noll rifle in it. I will take a look. I seem to be attracted to rifles like this that are in the private hands of owners that don't want anyone else to see much about the rifle design. I posted the following picture trying to track down some additional photos of a contemporary rifle built by Stephen Alexander. One of the members here sent me an old MuzzleBlasts magazine with a few additional, very small, black & white photos. After some considerable effort, I finally tracked down Stephen and he led me to the photographer who took the pictures for the "Man at Arms" magazine ad. The photographer only had the one photo and Stephen told me the owner of the rifle didn't ever want to show it to anyone or have any additional photos taken. Just my luck I guess.
(https://i.ibb.co/v1VRKLH/English-Rifle-Scan-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2qWHfcy)
Bsharp....Thanks for the kind words. The springs are cut from 0.010" thick spring stock.
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Never thought of using springs in the barrel keys but it sure looks like a great idea.
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The last rifle I built I used keys. The idea of a spring to hold the keys when in the process of pulling or replacing the barrel is a great one. Invariably one of the keys will slide back in when I try to remove the barrel or vice-versa when I go to reinstall it.
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Well, still havent decided where to go with engraving and carving on this rifle.....so, as usual, I'm just going to "wing it" andf start in. The designs will have to grow and morph as they develop. First step was to put on the lower butt stock molding lines. I used a trick I learned here on ALR to lay them out this time. I used a strip of label maker tape to establish the first line and then just ran a small knife edge file along the tape for a few strokes......worked great....
(https://i.ibb.co/pvjdX9J/IMG-2586.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XZxtJvS)
After the initial groove was established, I used a tiny bead scraper I made to make the second line and shape the bead......
(https://i.ibb.co/BK3PwcC/IMG-2587.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zHx5NQ4)
Then decided I would do something different with the cheek piece edge. I usually do some sort of concave / convex molding. This time I ran two beads (with the same scraper) and then did a rope like decoration on a convex surface between the beads.....don't know if I like it yet...?
(https://i.ibb.co/vqC31gX/IMG-2590.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JtWvn03)
(https://i.ibb.co/DksV38H/IMG-2591.jpg) (https://ibb.co/K7R0CLp)
While I'm deciding, I went ahead with the lock panel molding start.......
(https://i.ibb.co/N6V4sbp/IMG-2589.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wN0vRjC)
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Crisp. Meticulous. Beautiful. Very consistent with all of your work David. Enjoying this thread. :-)
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That gun is looking almost too nice as is to stain and finish!
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Im enjoying this. The tutorial is great.
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Watching and following in awe.
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Thanks for the encouraging words. One thing I forgot to take pictures of when I was shaping the butt area around the cheek piece.....for the first time I used this.....
(https://i.ibb.co/HXYMjMv/IMG-2636.jpg) (https://ibb.co/stQDZDS)
Like a computer, this angle grinder, with a 36 grit disk, will allow one to screw things up at the speed of light. However, I hate removing the wood on the cheek piece side in slow motion with chisels so I thought I would try this method. It worked great to rapidly remove a lot of unwanted wood and get me very close to a surface that did not take much additional wood removal with a small spoke shave and scrapers to get this.....besides, I am old enough where I can't afford to move too slowly. Eight bells might call me out before I get the next rifle done... :o
(https://i.ibb.co/Z8fk4np/IMG-2434.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9TpCKFk)
So....on with a little more peripheral carving while trying to decide on some major carving issues....Using the same technique as the molding on the lower edge of the butt, I ran a molding bead along the fore stock upper edge from the lock beaver tail to the rear ram rod pipe.
(https://i.ibb.co/XLKnBGG/IMG-2611.jpg) (https://ibb.co/c3ZW5ss)
(https://i.ibb.co/DfSS2h3/IMG-2612.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Mk330rq)
I also took a whack at a sketch of the carving around the barrel breach tang.....Haven't decided if i like it yet....
(https://i.ibb.co/yVxKY12/IMG-2621.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fQTZn5J)
While I am deciding, I made up the hinge for the patch box. In other posts I have explained how and why I do this, b ut is has become my usual method for making a patch box hinge and is, to me, much simpler and less trouble than bending the knuckles out of the box plates themselves. First step is the take two pieces of 1/8" brass rod and drill them lengthwise with a 1/16" through hole, and then cut two pieces of 1/16" thick pieces of brass plate ~ 3/8" wide and 1 1/2" long.
(https://i.ibb.co/r3RXkLf/IMG-2598.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1Mt4ZpJ)
(https://i.ibb.co/rFgwFfP/IMG-2599.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6r2WrJh)
The two rods are then silver brazed to the edges of the plates....
(https://i.ibb.co/QkmzhMp/IMG-2600.jpg) (https://ibb.co/42N9CpK)
(https://i.ibb.co/ZmXDSbF/IMG-2604.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bJm9FGC)
Acid pickled and cleaned up......
(https://i.ibb.co/D1MJWQ1/IMG-2606.jpg) (https://ibb.co/K5sPhW5)
Cutting and filing the knuckles.......
(https://i.ibb.co/ZmM41gq/IMG-2607.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zJ49H2q)
Finished hinge. I will show later how this hinge is prepared for and attached to the box parts in a historically correct manner.
(https://i.ibb.co/YyfrSxL/IMG-2608.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TbPCGsg)
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Making a side plate is not really any big deal (unless elaborately carved and cast in silver like some of Smart Dog’s plates) but is often a bit of a challenge from both the design and the size standpoint. Unless you purchase a side plate that has the hole spacing that is compatible with the lock you are using, you will have to make or modify a side plate.
The design is often an issue for me as well. I know it is not required, but I like to match the lock side and the side plate side stock profiles. I do that by first inletting the lock where I want it, drilling and tapping for the lock bolts, and then shaping the area all around the lock. Then I take a piece of clear mylar type material and punch two holes in it that line up with the lock bolts. I put the plastic sheet in place with the lock bolts and trace around the lock molding with a fine tipped Sharpie on the plastic. The plastic is then cut out with scissors on the traced line and placed on the opposite side of the gun, again using the lock bolts for alignment, so that its outline can be traced on that side of the gun.
Often, for me at least, various side plated designs just don’t look good with the panel outline. I end up making many sketches of potential side plates before I settle in on one that is both a design that I like and that balances with the space available on the stock panel. Here are a couple of pictures of the mylar template…..
(https://i.ibb.co/4thDSVg/IMG-2657.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KhTQsrz)
(https://i.ibb.co/1qb44tW/IMG-2658.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LtvssX7)
And here is the side plate being cut out of 0.090” thick brass stock with a jeweler’s saw….
(https://i.ibb.co/8bbbPJq/IMG-2644.jpg) (https://ibb.co/m000hmk)
(https://i.ibb.co/bKSGxkN/IMG-2645.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d5dHSRk)
(https://i.ibb.co/Df2DXmP/IMG-2650.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QvwFBh7)
The finished plate (minus the engraving to come yet).
(https://i.ibb.co/RQ6H151/IMG-2651.jpg) (https://ibb.co/frN0bcb)
(https://i.ibb.co/1n8RT0Z/IMG-2659.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0XhYrnq)
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Beautiful work, David, and chock full of good tips and ideas. I do envy you for all the precision on the parts/pieces. You turn wood and metal into eye-pleasing artwork.
Body no longer capable of much of what you teach with words and pictures, but my mind is still capable of passing the ideas and how-to's along to others.
Many thanks - Craig
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Thanks for the encouraging words. One thing I forgot to take pictures of when I was shaping the butt area around the cheek piece.....for the first time I used this.....
(https://i.ibb.co/HXYMjMv/IMG-2636.jpg) (https://ibb.co/stQDZDS)
That's just an oversized Dremmel. :o ;D ;D
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Haven't had much time lately to work on this rifle.....but I did get the side plate installed (inlet ....or is it "inletted"?) last night.....
I'll post pictures when the "imgbb.com" thingy is working again.....it just told me to, basically, buzz off.....???.....OK.....Now it will let me upload pictures
(https://i.ibb.co/Mn1qx8G/IMG-2732.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xhgVtmf)
(https://i.ibb.co/HNYdrds/IMG-2733.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k301h1f)
(https://i.ibb.co/Pw24GQR/IMG-2738.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZWQKzm3)
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Inlet is proper Englais.
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Daryl,
Thanks....I just had a mental block there for a minute (or an hour.... :o )
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Most everyone our age has them. I call them senior moments.
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Daryl,
I call them "brain murmurs".....you think you have the correct answer... but then suspect that there is something wrong with it. And then, in a flash of inspiration, you figure out what the correct answer is...only to discover later that your inspiration was wrong.... >:( :o
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First cuts.......
(https://i.ibb.co/grD9GjH/IMG-2757.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HKr40F1)
Starting the refining process. Not done yet but getting close.....
(https://i.ibb.co/M2qsyPF/IMG-2758.jpg) (https://ibb.co/YRv34fH)
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Daryl,
I call them "brain murmurs".....you think you have the correct answer... but then suspect that there is something wrong with it. And then, in a flash of inspiration, you figure out what the correct answer is...only to discover later that your inspiration was wrong.... >:( :o
Or you already forget the correct answer before you write it? :o :o ;D
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Dave
Placing a photo in a topic is always useful if you click on it and enlarge the photo.
It helps you and gives you a different view of your work.
Good start
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Time has come to make some of the required screws. Made the two lock screws and the tang screw today. The forward lock screw has a reduced diameter in the middle. The web between the bottom of the barrel channel and the top pf the ram rod hole is very thin, so the necked portion allows the ram rod to pass without tapering the end of the ram rod.
(https://i.ibb.co/TMz0rfR/IMG-2760-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HTmPXSY)
(https://i.ibb.co/BGm7Dxr/IMG-2760.jpg) (https://ibb.co/W0Qd9wP)
Completed screws. Then setting up in the slotting jig for saw cutting slots. Also counter bored the side plate for the screw heads......
(https://i.ibb.co/C6dyjJS/IMG-2762.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2S2rz8p)
(https://i.ibb.co/0hLc7Fp/IMG-2764.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KFgXPLc)
(https://i.ibb.co/4gzJDg2/IMG-2765.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0VTQWVK)
(https://i.ibb.co/kKdXJFk/IMG-2768.jpg) (https://ibb.co/v1tkh8g)
(https://i.ibb.co/4KdR6Vg/IMG-2766.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jbRkcrZ)
(https://i.ibb.co/CsfTqBv/IMG-2767.jpg) (https://ibb.co/x8NRyhG)
(https://i.ibb.co/PGgBRFb/IMG-2763.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k2XYp5r)
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The tang carving is exceptional. Superbly done. The machining on the screws is very nicely done as well.
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Did the preliminary carving around the rear entry pipe.....pretty much a duplicate of the barrel tang carving...here is the start....
(https://i.ibb.co/KwV8MFh/IMG-2784.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vYLM7Zq)
Nearing completion......
(https://i.ibb.co/rtSLzt8/IMG-2787.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wLXbPLG)
Pencil layout for the carving behind the cheek......
(https://i.ibb.co/FJdy3Xp/IMG-2843.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zbtBxFd)
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Oh! That's going to be nice.
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And it begins.......just the start but beginning to take shape.....
(https://i.ibb.co/9w38wDr/IMG-2849.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LQhkQFZ)
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Very nice distribution
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Nice work 8)
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Wow! Going to be a dandy one :)
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Getting closer to a finished background and starting sculpting. In the past I would work like crazy to get the background as flat and smooth and possible and then have to start all over again after whiskering. Now I get everything close and then wet the carving....do a quick re-smooth...wet again...let dry...and then do the final "beat yourself senseless" work to get the sculpting and background as good as possible. Here is the current state of the butt carving with the first application of water. Waiting for it to dry now.....
(https://i.ibb.co/YBHyg2Q/IMG-2853.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HT5xZ74)
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OK.....done for now. I usually go back several time to try to correct things I see along the way while I'm doing other things on the rifle.....but for now, I'll stop futzing with it before I mess something up/
(https://i.ibb.co/G224YTw/IMG-2856.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jMMP0RK)
(https://i.ibb.co/ZYBDDpV/IMG-2857.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QCPww3f)
(https://i.ibb.co/N7JwR7M/IMG-2855.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9G1RPG7)
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Bravo Dave - and a vote in favour of the rope detail.
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More like a hawser! Nice crisp carving Dave. I particularly like the carving around the entry pipe.
Cheers Richard
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Special!! :o 8)
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That is absolutely stunning.
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Thank you for the kind words. Need to finish up brass parts....patch box, toe plate, new ram rod tip (I messed up the first one I made). The decisions about a thumb piece ? Inlay in the cheek rest ? Engraving designs for all of it.....????? Doing the carving / engraving / designing is the hard part. Execution is fairly straight forward.... ??? ??? ???
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Had some time to go back to work on this rifle....thought I would carry on with the toe plate. Took some measurements and cut the plate out of a strip of 1/16" thick by 3/4" wide brass strap. All looked good.....
(https://i.ibb.co/dQcvLFj/IMG-2860.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SKxgdb5)
(https://i.ibb.co/Vv6M2wG/IMG-2861.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Zh9cW2r)
My usual method is to drill the plate for the screws and screw it into place on the stock before I start to cut in around the plate with a knife....
(https://i.ibb.co/MN1QQnt/IMG-2862.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rypNNkz)
I began the inletting and was making good progress ....and here, because I apparently wasn't paying enough attention, I made an absolutely rookie mistake !!! The stock toe is tapered and gets narrower toward the lower edge of the stock. As I removed material to inlet the plate, the recess for the straight end of the plate gets wider....and was soon wider than the plate !!! Options to correct the stupid mistake: 1) Cut a new plate and try to fit it into the existing inlet. 2) Just make a plain rectangular toe plate and cut away the inlet completely. 3) Reshape the lower edge of the stock from the trigger guard all the way to the toe. 4) Widen the existing toe plate.
I picked option 4 and ended up silver brazing two very tightly fitted, very narrow brass strips along both sides of the toe plate. Here is the plate with the brazed on edges...
(https://i.ibb.co/zJW5fD6/IMG-2863.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SrDxvGf)
Back in place on the stock for filing to match the existing stock contour.....
(https://i.ibb.co/kKdS4YN/IMG-2864.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PxS6cBq)
Final fitting completed.....
(https://i.ibb.co/CQgvNvQ/IMG-2865.jpg) (https://ibb.co/M7rpWp7)
The additional brass is now very narrow and should disappear in the border engraving that will be applied to the toe plate. No one but me (and whoever across the entire world who reads this post) will know I messed the toe plate up by being inattentive to detail.... :o
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I didnt see a thing...
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Nice recovery, That existing silver solder line might be a good place for an engraved line for maybe something like a nick and dot border???
Cheers Richard
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I saw that issue when you first placed the toe plate on the stock - been there done that. For mine which the plate was a simple one I made a new one.
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Second, third, or fourth the nice recovery
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now all the rest of the brass furniture is gonna want those fancy-schmancy silver borders too ;)
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A skilled worker knows how to fix mistakes.
And you can carve a stock for me any old time. Just no "braided" Dacron ropes o mine...
Sincerely, David, you are doing some remarkable work on that squirrel and rabbit rifle. Going to take it with you on your next trip to the range? Might find a Jackalope running loose out there.
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Not much time to work today. Thought I would do a little file work wedding band decoration on the muzzle cap and now repaired ram rod end. Although I could do the file work with needle files and the lathe on the ram rod tip, I had to try to match the bands on the muzzle cap with just a jeweler's saw and needle files......took me a while.... ???
(https://i.ibb.co/sJvH5mt/IMG-2908.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5xWFYM2)
(https://i.ibb.co/mcnhyrV/IMG-2909.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qrHmgL3)
Ultimately there will be some engraving as well and the whole thing will look much better with a little applied patina....By the way, the photos make it look like the bands do not match between the ram rod and the cap, but they do...and the cap and ram rod end are exactly the same length. Optical delusion in the photos.
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Beautiful Dave and just look at that crown.
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Daryl,
Ever since I really learned how to load and shoot a muzzle loader from you and your brother, I am very particular about the crowns on all of my rifles. Thanks again to both you and Taylor for your kind, patient, and generous tutelage on patch thickness, ball diameter, wet lubes, and muzzle crowns. It is so much more fun to spend almost all of the time shooting than it is to spend at least half the time wiping and cleaning so the next round can be loaded.....and having the appropriate crown is a huge part of being able to easily load a tight patch / ball combination and completely eliminate all that wiping between shots. ;)
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Dave , Daryl, could you share some of that info on how you load and get that crown ?
Thanks Richard
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Richard,
There are tons of posts by Daryl and Taylor on how they crown their barrels, how they pick a ball diameter / patch thickness combination, and how they almost never need to wipe between shots by virtue of the method they use of lubricating patches to that each loading cleans any powder residue from the last shot. If you do a search you'll come up with dozens of posts by each of them on the subject. I just do what they say to do and it all works great. The only thing I have done any different is build a hand operated tool to crown muzzles. Here is a link
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=33236.msg318860#msg318860
These first crowns with this tool were a little heavy handed but worked great at easily swaging the ball / patch into the bore. Now I grind the cutter with a smaller radius but it all works the same way.
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Dave, thank you for your link, neat tool!
After I posted requesting info I started searching and found a bunch of links that Daryl posted on regarding loading and crowning.
Thanks Richard
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Being an artillery nut, I have to ask for details on your cannon project. I have a functional replica of the swivel howitzer that is in the USS Constitution Museum. I regret that it doesn't get fired as often as it should.
...While waiting for paint to dry on my cannon wheels ...
~jtk
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jykirkland,
Here is probably more than you wanted about the cannon project....
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=71250.0
Do you have a picture of the swivel howitzer? If you do can you send it via PM....or on the cannon thread above ? Thanks
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Made a decision to duplicate a patchbox I did on another rifle in 2012 and gave away. I don't have one like it and I like the asymmetric design. Here is the layout.....
(https://i.ibb.co/jR8PR7h/IMG-2978.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gVrLVsy)
The door in 0.050" material. The side pieces are cut out of .032" brass.....
(https://i.ibb.co/Jq1g0R8/IMG-2985.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ScjGWXH)
Then I contoured the door to the curvature of the stock and prepared one side of the hinge I made earlier for silver soldering to the door.....
(https://i.ibb.co/nrZrXZZ/IMG-2986.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Q9z9Wzz)
(https://i.ibb.co/H22LHLf/IMG-2987.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vBBCjC6)
(https://i.ibb.co/wssX1Nx/IMG-2988.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TLLS5BF)
(https://i.ibb.co/c1BwKh8/IMG-2989.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Qfgk7vH)
(https://i.ibb.co/1XCbwHv/IMG-2990.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jwCH176)
(https://i.ibb.co/mJkB3nN/IMG-2991.jpg) (https://ibb.co/D4hbZBr)
I ran out of the appropriate thickness of brass sheet to make the top of the box. Material is on order. Once that is cut out and contoured, I will attach the opposite side of the hinge in the same way.
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I just received an email from a fellow asking if I had given up on this rifle. I told him no but this rifle was for me and since I started it I have received two gun building commissions and two engraving jobs....so my own rifle has had to take a back seat for a bit.....but I'll be back on this one as soon as I can.... ;) (The material did come in for the top of the patch box, so tht counts as progress... :o)
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Still in Nashville but heading to St Louis today. I will be out of the shop for a couple more weeks (other contract work to do) so I will pick this up again in early November. Except for the cheek rest, all the design decisions have been made including the engraving….. and that is what usually slows me way down. I’m anxious to get back to work on this and get it finished.
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That looks beautiful
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Snakeman,
Thanks for the note. I am still traveling at the moment but will get back on this rifle in a little more than a week. I'm anxious to get it completed.....but life has been consistently in my way... :o
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Snakeman,
Thanks for the note. I am still traveling at the moment but will get back on this rifle in a little more than a week. I'm anxious to get it completed.....but life has been consistently in my way... :o
I feel ya there.
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OK....back in the shop for a while. Will start posting additional work on finishing this rifle...finally !!!
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When work called me away I had the parts for the patch box made except for the top finial....I was out of time and out of the right thickness of brass sheet. The brass sheet came in over a month ago, but by then I was gone for a month and more. Today I had a chance to print out a copy of a patchbox I did on another rifle (in 2012 or 2014), scaled it to size, printed it, and glued the print on the sheet brass. Got it cut out with a jeweler's saw and mostly cleaned up with needle files. Needs a little more work before I contour it to the stock and start the inletting.
(https://i.ibb.co/q94V6W3/IMG-3754.jpg) (https://ibb.co/K7QSnLp)
(https://i.ibb.co/SJD7XXp/IMG-3755.jpg) (https://ibb.co/g6bFMMC)
(https://i.ibb.co/2Ww1PVG/IMG-3756.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9cJk2KQ)
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Great work, Dave. Thanks for sharing.
Am I understanding your hinge prep and attachment correctly? Contour top of hinge flange by filing to match curve of pbox lid. Bottom of hinge flange stays flat. Hinge knuckle stays flat. Solder or braze hinge flange to bottom side of pbox lid so the contoured surfaces fit.
What type of glue do you use to attach your print to your brass?
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HighUintas,
Correct on the hinge assembly. Here is a repeat from an old post of mine with different pictures if a hinge.....Oh, I have used regular rubber cement to stick a pattern to the brass but contact cement works better....it doesn't come loose as you are sawing.
********************** Old post on a patch box hinge***************
My personal take is that the guys who built these things 200 years ago were....a) very clever.....and b) made their guns the best way they knew how. I try to do the same while keeping within the framework of building an 18th century rifle. As for patch box hinges, I have bent them, but only at the edges....I always keep the center / working part of the hinge straight. The following has become my favorite way to do this after seeing a photo of an original with a separate riveted on hinge.
I make the hinge (as wide as the patch box door) from two pieces of 1/16 inch thick brass plate and two lengths of 3/16 inch (or even smaller) diameter brass rod, each the full width of the hinge. I put both pieces of brass rod in the lathe in turn and drill a 1/16 inch hole through them lengthwise for the hinge pin. I then silver solder the two rods to the two pieces of brass plate. Then I cut away alternate pieces of the brass rod to form the hinge knuckles. All of these parts are nice and straight, so this work is easy to do.
Independently, I bend both the patch box finial and the door to match the contour of the stock as closely as I can. Now, I file the plates on the hinge sides to match the contour of the underside of the door and the finial. The hinge looks like this at that point......
(https://preview.ibb.co/eHo0mk/IMG_2336.jpg) (http://ibb.co/gpOY6k)
(https://preview.ibb.co/jAcRRk/IMG_2333.jpg) (http://ibb.co/ch6aK5)
At this point, the hinge halves can either be soldered to the door and the finial or they can be riveted. Both are traditional methods. Now I have a door and a finial that are curved to the stock but a perfectly straight hinge. But it looks like its curved somewhat because the surrounding brass is. If you want the hinge to look even more like it is curved, file off a little of the brass hinge knuckles on both ends. Here it is just before assembly......
(https://preview.ibb.co/cPmaK5/IMG_2332.jpg) (http://ibb.co/gWfPCQ)
And here is the finished patch box......
(https://preview.ibb.co/bZgxXQ/IMG_2343.jpg) (http://ibb.co/hykPCQ)
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OVER THE TOP, Dave, over the top. WOW!
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Finished the assembly of the door / hinge / finial of the patch box. Finished shaping the finial after cutting it out. Then burnt off the pattern and annealed the brass. By hand bending and the use of a small rubber hammer, I contoured the finial roughly to the stock shape. Filed the second half of the hinge to fit the curve of the finial plate and then hard soldered the hinge half in place. With all the parts made, I can start the inletting of the box......always fun !
(https://i.ibb.co/Bt2xhKd/IMG-3773.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yXF1zBG)
(https://i.ibb.co/M5dgCSz/IMG-3774.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tPRHJK0)
(https://i.ibb.co/94ZHnVX/IMG-3776.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QHDv9CB)
(https://i.ibb.co/v32dMRq/IMG-3777.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Cbx9SD8)
(https://i.ibb.co/84zBwmm/IMG-3778.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VpHNGLL)
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Always tedious to inlet complicated brass patch box parts....but a little at a time it gradually gets done. Door and finial in....side plated are next....then the latch assembly.
(https://i.ibb.co/Fm9WkkG/IMG-3793.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k5pyVVY)
(https://i.ibb.co/WkFHkpC/IMG-3795.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qN9DNF6)
(https://i.ibb.co/NVC9WPg/IMG-3796.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4mt84Gw)
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Always tedious work.....at least for me.....
(https://i.ibb.co/5hFR8r3/IMG-3838.jpg) (https://ibb.co/whszWSq)
(https://i.ibb.co/s9y33sM/IMG-3857.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B2qssTS)
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Dave - do you do all of the engraving on the gun or off?
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P.W.,
I always engrave the box off the gun.....along with anything else I can. The thin brass parts will need to be well supported to keep from deforming them so I usually attach them to wood blocks with "cold cure" dental acrylic or just super glue them to well fitted hardwood blocks. Either will release quickly with a little heat. Like these photos from Reply 113 on a past topic of mine.....https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=61759.100
(https://i.ibb.co/zJJvWRK/image-50444545.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k11CV8Y)
(https://i.ibb.co/4Jrg7dk/image-50361601.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZND1Vm9)
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Patch box parts fitted and then removed from the stock for mounting and engraving.....
(https://i.ibb.co/stKZhv1/IMG-3889.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GFWqXvM)
Also installed the patch box closure spring in the stock and mounted the closure stud on the door lid. Cut a square hole in the lid, filed a square shank end on the stud, and then peened the stud into the hole. Also silver soldered the stud on the underside of the door.....
(https://i.ibb.co/vXmCMxG/IMG-3898.jpg) (https://ibb.co/g4wbcMp)
(https://i.ibb.co/9qzw1bR/IMG-3895.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zSj8BXK)
(https://i.ibb.co/WWqxTyV/IMG-3897.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wN30vWc)
Back to engraving.....did the layout dye thing and then sketched the general outlines (very lightly) with a scribe point.....Started in on the side plates. Not done with all the details yet but have the general outlines and some shading done. Will get the finial and door to the same place and then go back for the finishing touches.
(https://i.ibb.co/GctLR8b/IMG-3904.jpg) (https://ibb.co/86dp9fS)
(https://i.ibb.co/2dnJYQG/IMG-3903.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dDWZJq8)
(https://i.ibb.co/Pmx6qY1/IMG-3906.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mDJcfBh)
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Dave, your work never ceases to absolutely amaze me.
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Wow!!!
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My goodness, that's stunning work! Beautiful!
J.B.
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Thank you all for the kind words.....Here is the finial for the box.....almost done. Still some details to go. On the door I will probably do an engraved silver onlay. Haven't quite decided yet...:)
(https://i.ibb.co/s6P1Mpz/IMG-3913.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mXByMrg)
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I think it takes a rocket scientist to do work like that! :o
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I need to do a lot more engraving practice.
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Once again, David, your work totally astounds me. Great precision throughout. Thanks for sharing!
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Got the bulk of the patch box engraving completed today including sweating on the sterling silver onlay. Still some details to attend to and the photo below of the whole box is just loosely placed on the stock. The final fitting still needs to be done. Need to plan out the rest of the engraving on the trigger guard, toe plate, ramrod pipes, etc., and get those done.
(https://i.ibb.co/z44YZzg/IMG-3919.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fxx5HsW)
(https://i.ibb.co/SRDqCp8/IMG-3922.jpg) (https://ibb.co/f4Vmw75)
(https://i.ibb.co/kSDXRqX/IMG-3924.jpg) (https://ibb.co/YLdhzfh)
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Back from traveling for a while and had some time to work on getting ready to stain and finish this rifle. There was a recent thread on applying iron nitrate solution more than once, how long to let an application dry before heat blushing, etc, etc. And of course, anyone who has ever used a stain on wood knows that the wood gets a vote as well. Different pieces of even the same species of wood will take stain differently. In addition, different ways of preparing iron nitrate solutions will give different results. The following is not an exhaustive study by any means, but it sufficient for me to decide how I want to stain this particular rifle. I post it here as it may be useful to others.
To start, the strip of wood I am using came off the left side of the stock along the barrel. The surface was sanded to 320 and then four different solutions of iron nitrate were used to stain short sections of the wood. The fifth solution was 70% nitric acid only cut 50 / 50 with water just to see what effect nitric acid alone would have on coloring the wood. The following picture shows all five solutions and the result of a single application of each solution which was then allowed to dry. Subsequent heat blushing left each solution as you see it. No finish was applied but the surface was wetted with mineral spirits before the picture was taken. PS....click on the pictures and make them larger.....easier to see the resulting stain color.
(https://i.ibb.co/GdT6ys2/IMG-4347.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hgf6bXW)
Let me describe how each iron nitrate solution was prepared. Starting from the left:
1) The first solution is the plain 35% nitric acid alone containing no iron at all. As a note, I should have also tried the full strength 70% acid as well....but I didn't.
2) The second bottle contains an iron nitrate solution I prepared in 2009 in accordance with information Bill Knight had published. In short, it involved dissolving nails in concentrated nitric acid in an ice bath (to keep the solution temperature from getting too high) and adding nails until the acid was exhausted. The bottle was kept loosely caped for several weeks as the reaction continues for some time and can build pressure in the bottle.
3) The third bottle contains an iron nitrate solution made by adding 14 grams of ferric nitrate crystals to 150 milliliters of denatured ethanol. The ferric nitrate goes immediately into solution but after a few days an orange precipitate forms. When applying the solution, I shook the bottle and applied the precipitate with the solution.
4) The fourth solution was prepared, again with ferric nitrate crystals, this time added to distilled water until the solution was saturated (i.e.no more ferric nitrate would disolve at room temperature).
5) The last bottle contains a much weaker solution of ferric nitrate made with 1 teaspoon of ferric nitrate in 200 milliliters of water.
The top photo here shows the wood strip and all the bottles of various solutions. The next two pictures show closer pictures so that you can see the effect of each stain a little better. All thee photos were taken in afternoon sunlight.
(https://i.ibb.co/SP6P8hX/IMG-4348.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mGRGwLC)
(https://i.ibb.co/Z11BsN8/IMG-4349.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wrrSHYW)
Personally, the two most concentrated solution produced a color I liked the best (#2 and #4). Not surprising that they would produce the darkest color in one pass. However, the Bill Knight version (#3) came out a little more brown while #2 and #4 were a little more red. The weak solution (#5) is very brown and did not produce a very pleasing color or accentuation of the grain (in my opinion).
Just thought others might like to see the results of this quick test. One final note, actual finish would make the stain results show even better. Wetting with mineral spirits was just a quick expedient.
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Patch box final fitting completed.....will replace the screws with new ones on the final installation.....
(https://i.ibb.co/ZRWqVz9m/IMG-4383.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hxD3yF0f)
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Dang!!! I wish I could engrave like that. Impressive work as usually.
Best regards
Rolf
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Awesome work here. Just wow. Great job!!
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Just like the blunderbuss post....back in the shop and trying to get this rifle finished as well. Here I made a sterling silver thumb piece. Machined a female threaded insert and sliver soldered it to the back. Made a screw to pass through the stock from the rear of the trigger plate to hold the thumb piece in place.....
(https://i.ibb.co/CpG2FHP9/IMG-4801.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1YW6xmzX)
(https://i.ibb.co/0RqgvC3v/IMG-4810.jpg) (https://ibb.co/q3BtVNwV)
(https://i.ibb.co/fzLgdmmZ/IMG-4811.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Vc51YXXb)
Got it installed........
(https://i.ibb.co/hxP8Y5zt/IMG-4816.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZRnT2sDk)
(https://i.ibb.co/Xk4P6KsJ/IMG-4932.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mFBKd2qz)
Decided to add a sterling silver cheek piece inlay......
(https://i.ibb.co/5XQkGG2X/IMG-4912.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rKB3FFvK)
(https://i.ibb.co/yFktGw2g/IMG-4914.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DfMhsxdw)
(https://i.ibb.co/wfwhMsM/IMG-4930.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nFnMzCz)
Mounted the inlay in dental acrylic to start engraving......
(https://i.ibb.co/TBM1XNhL/IMG-4931.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QFvkBxmd)
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Dave your work is beyond impressive...!
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Phenomenal. Thank you for documenting this. I have certainly learned a lot.
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Dave, You do such nice work!
John
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Silver thumb piece installed.....
(https://i.ibb.co/twK7V5L6/IMG-4932.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZRXnqC2r)
While I'm deciding on the rest of the engraving, I started on the stock finish. Here is the butt stock in the process of whiskering and adding the ferric nitrate solution.....
(https://i.ibb.co/Kjs6jjmK/IMG-4976.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gMWyMM64)
After the first heat blush......
(https://i.ibb.co/BVDv5fCY/IMG-4977.jpg) (https://ibb.co/272R1Fkp)
After some touch up and a second heat blush.......
(https://i.ibb.co/GQXyzVRq/IMG-4978.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HT065rqj)
After the first coat of finish......
(https://i.ibb.co/FLtJcvRn/IMG-4979.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hJvHr53C)
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Dang!!! I wish I could engrave like that. Impressive work as usually.
Best regards
Rolf
Only reason he can do it and you cannot is because he practiced more. If he can do it, so can you.
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After several coats of Sutherland & Wells wiping varnish (diluted 25% with gum turpentine per Dave Pearson's suggestion) and curing in the sun on my stock rotisserie the wood is finished.
(https://i.ibb.co/k6QftjpW/IMG-5014.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qFkfvKzP)
After a final drying in the sun for a couple more days, I installed the patch box.....
(https://i.ibb.co/vx41sVDZ/IMG-5016.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Kjx6NbmF)
There were several parts on the bench that I had not engraved yet, so I started in on the sterling silver cheek piece inlay and got that installed....
(https://i.ibb.co/QySd8Zv/IMG-5010.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Wm8tDQv)
(https://i.ibb.co/rGMWM9pq/IMG-5011.jpg) (https://ibb.co/27PbPJMR)
(https://i.ibb.co/T9X4D28/IMG-5017.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yHT6mPy)
Then I started on and finished the trigger guard....
(https://i.ibb.co/S71LgHBv/IMG-5019.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k6rdTzXc)
(https://i.ibb.co/nqhr7fZf/IMG-5020.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JWXnv202)
(https://i.ibb.co/1jRqMNn/IMG-5021.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CDV76yt)
Side plate, lock, and nose cap left to go.....
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WOW! Not much else to say....
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That's absolutely beautiful
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As done as I intend to be on this one......between working around a hand injury and coming up with a severe case of "engraver's block" (as far as coming up with designs), I'm just glad to get it done and in a shootable condition....on to something else now.
(https://i.ibb.co/8gkq9Dv6/IMG-5062.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xqZW6S9J)
(https://i.ibb.co/FkCv49nW/IMG-5063.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XfMBx9V4)
(https://i.ibb.co/TDMZqcCM/IMG-5064.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Mykb5nXk)
(https://i.ibb.co/5XcQzV3Y/IMG-5065.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dsKN3yvb)
(https://i.ibb.co/n87D9WHX/IMG-5066.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JFvzVhfY)
(https://i.ibb.co/JSGYx0g/IMG-5067.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bGC4HqD)
(https://i.ibb.co/0VB6CZHq/IMG-5068.jpg) (https://ibb.co/93w1b2Qn)
(https://i.ibb.co/84fmJ1Nq/IMG-5069.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XkKW9cj1)
(https://i.ibb.co/dqwsgHV/IMG-5070.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vG6CYMT)
(https://i.ibb.co/KjtpWJ03/IMG-5071.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xSnt6NCR)
(https://i.ibb.co/vCxBYykx/IMG-5072.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GfvJTYRv)
(https://i.ibb.co/tMKQ7X6M/IMG-5074.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Z6XGnmr6)
(https://i.ibb.co/vvBFMztK/IMG-5075.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2Y69pKbf)
(https://i.ibb.co/1JPF20Nm/IMG-5076.jpg) (https://ibb.co/prMYX1TL)
(https://i.ibb.co/hJDvF0x5/IMG-5077.jpg) (https://ibb.co/q3kwY6LG)
(https://i.ibb.co/SXkDFJj4/IMG-5078.jpg) (https://ibb.co/C5jpRWc3)
(https://i.ibb.co/0RMcYTVx/IMG-5079.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bMBPNTRk)
(https://i.ibb.co/V0MX8DPR/IMG-5080.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DPw3nkSh)
(https://i.ibb.co/h112xJ6V/IMG-5081.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yBBgmc9q)
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Shootable condition, eh? LOL!
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Dave,
A wonderful example of contemporary long rifle building. I would be proud to own that gun!
Cheers!
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Beautiful work as always Dave!!
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Very nice!
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Mind blowing!!! Very lovely!
Al J.
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Excellent rifle. Compared to your shop, mine is right out of the Stone Age.
(https://i.ibb.co/nqjqqZsx/DSCN0480.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gbJbbHMk)
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Now, THAT is a MASTERPIECE! In.my.most.humble.opinin, of course.
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Love seeing the process behind these builds. Great start!
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STUNNING ;D SIMPLY STUNNING
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Exquisite!
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Sure is purty!!!!!!!!!!
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Squirrels will be proud to be killed by such a fine rifle!