AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Curtis on August 13, 2017, 08:27:27 AM
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Howdy folks! This is a rifle I built for a fella here in Missouri - my creative thoughts behind this gun were to emulate a southern Ohio style rifle with strong western Pennsylvania influences.
The barrel is a 42", 13/16ths Colrain .40 cal, Lock is a L&R Manton, triggers are Davis small double set. The patchbox, sideplate, toeplate, thimbles, and many of the inlays were hand made from sheet brass, the wedge escutcheons, trigger guard and buttplate were purchased. The barrel wedges are captured. The barrel was hand inlet.
Patchbox and sideplate engraving were influenced by original work of Thomas Allison and Samuel McCosh. Engraving on the lock plate was inspired by an original Ketland lock I have on a rifle that had been converted to percussion. Remaining engraving was done to try and carry a theme. Triggers, rear sight, cock screw and most other screws were hot blued using potassium nitrate, lock plate was blued with Brownell's Oxpho blue and rubbed with fine steel wool. The stock was stained using aqua fortis over tannic acid, and then Laurel Mountain stain after blushing the AF. Finish is Permalyn sealer rubbed back with Behelen rubbing compound, similar to what has been often mentioned on this site by Bill Shipman and Ed Wenger.
If you are still awake after reading all of that, how about a few pictures?
(https://image.ibb.co/cMZSXF/P8112210.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/krQCzv/P8112212.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/k3qO6a/P8112161.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/nbCECF/P8112158.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/gJX36a/P8112216.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/f29i6a/P8112220.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/cf4i6a/P8112230.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/hXgwRa/P8112185.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/gmMVma/P8112272.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/fzHQKv/P8112256.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/h3RVma/P8112252.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/hLZGRa/P8122333.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/bCWwRa/P8122344_2.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/iWYXzv/P8122336.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/gCf1sF/P8112240.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/k5gVma/P8112247.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/cyoXzv/P8112243.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/dXs36a/P8112225.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/hB5qma/P8112226.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/knU5Kv/P8112180.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/m82QKv/P8112255.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/hsxgsF/P8112279.jpg)
(https://image.ibb.co/fi5Czv/P8112284.jpg)
Sorry, got kinda carried away with the pics. I will be happy to try and answer any questions. Thanks for looking!
Curtis
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Very neat little rifle, well done !
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Great looking rifle! I like the patch Box.
Best regards
Rolf
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Nice Curtis! Love the moon.
dave
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Very nice work, Curtis. Fine fit and finish. Thanks for sharing. Bob
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Well, that's a fine lookin' piece. Nice job on the pics, too.
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Nicely done,like the patch box and the moon as well.
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Curtis, Very Nice!! I like it!!
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Fantastic piece Curtis! Really like everything about.
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I too like the rifle. Nice in all the right places. Was it hard to engrave that trigger?
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I really like that one, looks very well done. The engraving is great but all, fit and finish is too.
Tim C.
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Really stylish, and well executed. Classy all around.
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Wow seriously impressive. Your engraving fits well. Along with your artistic execution. I was always drawn to these federal period guns. BJH
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Thanks for your kind words fellas. The trigger metal was fairly hard wich made it somewhat difficult to engrave - I chose not to anneal and re-harden. This was my first four piece patchbox, it was fun to make and engrave, but somewhat of a pain to inlet. :D I forgot to mention all engraving was done with a hammer and chisel, the primary lines and much of the shading was done using a 90 degree graver. Artwork was drawn on the object to be engraved with a pencil. When I got a design I was happy with I cut it. The customer requested all brass mountings and inlays.
Curtis
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Wow, Curtis! It all flows together nicely. I'm impressed.
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Interesting, not many people doing stuff like this. I give you 10 points for bravery. ;)
Personally I like this gun. I plan to build a WV gun sometime in the future that is very similar...now you have stolen my thunder.... ???
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Lots to like on this!
May I ask where you got the trigger guard from?
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Charming.
Too few Ohio rifles are built. Too bad too they are more comfortable to shoot than one might guess.
The trigger guards on Ohio rifles are the best ,a spot for every finger .
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Interesting, not many people doing stuff like this. I give you 10 points for bravery. ;)
Personally I like this gun. I plan to build a WV gun sometime in the future that is very similar...now you have stolen my thunder.... ???
Mike, let me borrow your Woo Woo stick and I can help you restore that thunder! 8) This rifle will long be forgotten by the time you finish the WV gun....
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Beautiful rifle,Curtis. I have an old Ketland lock plate,always wondered what the engraving looked like before the capflash had obliterated it. Great fit and finish,I really like ol man Moon. Best regards, Dave 8)
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Lots to like on this!
May I ask where you got the trigger guard from?
Okieboy, many thanks! The trigger guard and buttplate came from Muzzleloader Builder Supply. They are made to be paired with each other and were nice, soft brass!
Here is a link to the TG: https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs3cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=2918413.25900&p_id=21030&xm=on (https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs3cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=2918413.25900&p_id=21030&xm=on)
And buttplate: https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs3cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=2918413.25900&p_id=21040&xm=on (https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs3cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=2918413.25900&p_id=21040&xm=on)
Curtis
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Good looking rifle. I like it
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Interesting, not many people doing stuff like this. I give you 10 points for bravery. ;)
Personally I like this gun. I plan to build a WV gun sometime in the future that is very similar...now you have stolen my thunder.... ???
Mike, let me borrow your Woo Woo stick and I can help you restore that thunder! 8) This rifle will long be forgotten by the time you finish the WV gun....
Thanks for that vote of confidence in my speed.... ;) You know, I used to be known as one of the fastest builders around!
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You'll never be able to dodge that rep Mike...
The rifle - just lovely! I too have a Western PA rifle in queue, and always enjoy seeing contemporary examples. This one, with its Ohio flair is nicely made. The stock staining is perfect.
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Curtis,
I don't think you mentioned the barrel finish. It looks browned and I like it. What did you use?
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Mike, no lack of confidence in your speed, I just figured you had another week or two before the Doc gave you a release! :P
Taylor, thank you and I'm looking forward to seeing your Western PA gun when it's finished!
Oakridge, glad you like the barrel finish. I draw filed the barrel, polished it to about 600 grit, then used Birchwood Casey Plum Brown for a hot brown finish. First time I hot browned a whole barrel and I will probably use it again. I went over it 3 or 4 times with the plum brown, rinsed and dried the barrel, then coated it with linseed oil and let it hang and cure overnight before handling it. Looks as good or better that the cold browns I have done and was much quicker. I decided to try it on a whole barrel after using the Plum Brown in some restoration work.
Curtis
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I think this is about the nicest looking rifle I've seen in a while ! how did you decide on the front sight placement/location?
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Thanks Goo! I looked at a couple pictures of T. Allison's guns in my copy of "The Longrifles of Western Pennsylvania: Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties" and guestimated the front sight placement based on the relation to the muzzlecap.
I think it will be a shooter! Here is a group of 5 shot from a rest at 25 yards. I never had to touch the sights! It should be of interest to you shooters out there that the three balls touching in the bull were all shot with a dirty barrel. I wiped the bore twice during the string of 5 shots, and those two shots went a bit high and wide, and not the same way! Using the same load I rang gongs at 50 and 100 yards. (got some hanging steel plates on my range)
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fpreview.ibb.co%2FjHm0nF%2FP8132348.jpg&hash=8c8df170f5bcd55754f6685ab4e6edb6fb8d63a2) (http://ibb.co/j9321a)
Curtis
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Curtis, I love this gun, very nice, and the fit, and finish, is superb. Yes, that barrel color is why the old timers call most of their browning solutions plum brown, instead of s**t brown. What did you end up using on the wood. It really brought out the curl.
I hope the .40 cal. Barrel I got from you shoots this well. TTYL.
Hungry Horse
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Very nice rifle, Curtis! Many nice little details all around. Excellent rear sight. As been mentioned, not a lot of these being done, and yours is an excellent rendition. I have one of these I need to get started on asap, thanks for the inspiration!
Ed
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Superb! Refreshing. Love the detailing on the rear sight.
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Hungry Horse - The stock was stained using diluted aqua fortis over tannic acid solution, and then Laurel Mountain maple stain after blushing the AF. The stock was then whiskered with sandpaper and grey scotchbright and rubbed back with same till it matched what looked good on a test piece of the stock wood. Finish is Permalyn sealer rubbed back with Behelen rubbing compound, then waxed with wax from an ancient can of Minwax brown floor wax. I probably did at least eight coats of permalyn sealer. I used the Behelen rubbing compound instead of rotten-stone and paraffin oil like Ed Wenger and Bill Shipman suggest because it's what I had on hand.
Ed - glad you liked it, looking forward to seeing yours. At the rate you are building these days it should be finished next week? You are giving Mike Brooks some serious competition in speed building! BTW, can I borrow one of your apprentices for a couple of weeks? I could really use the help around here! 8)
JonnyFM - thanks! I just started drawing things on the rear sight and the arrow seemed to fit.
Curtis
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beautiful rifle curtis thats the style i like.
take care paul
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Nice work Curtis! A far cry from the Carolina Guns we built in Jack Brooks class. tisk, tisk
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Much appreciated Paul. What ya working on these days?
Nice work Curtis! A far cry from the Carolina Guns we built in Jack Brooks class. tisk, tisk
Thanks Gunlock! That's where it all started for me - and it hooked me for life. It's been a long time since I heard from you, thought maybe you fell off the face of the earth. Looks Like you got a shiny new username. ;)
Curtis