.50 Caliber PA Style Rifle

[Hawken62_flint]

All, I have this rifle posted elsewhere, but I would also like to have some comments on it.  And before you reply, Taylor, I know that the lock panels are too wide, but I am not sure how to get them slimmer.  I took them down as much as I thought I could, but in the end I failed again.  Must not have learned anything from the last build--but here are the specs

Bill Large .50 caliber tapered barrel  15/16" at breech, tapering to 3/4" at muzzle
L & R Classic lock
Davis Triggers, sand cast butt plate and trigger guard
Curly maple pre-carved stock
All brass aged, some incised carving, and stock fore-end was fluted during pre-carving
Fire away !!!

[Dogshirt]

To my eye, it looks like you could slim them quite a bit by bringing up the "tail point" of the lock panel up
into a horizontal line with the point on the lock. This would let you remove more from the bottom of the panel.
Just the way MY eye sees it.

[E.vonAschwege]

Hey Hawken,
    Lock panels are a tough one to envision without handling some original guns (or some very well made contemporary guns).  There are a few small tricks to ensuring slim lock panels and an appropriately sized stock.  Some are easier to do than others, but I'm just going to go down a list: 

Precarved stocks - not all precarves are made equal:  It looks like the lock is positioned correctly on the barrel flat, but you still have loads of wood underneath it.  This either means the web between the RR and barrel is very thick, or that you have lots of wood between the triggerguard and the ramrod.  Before inletting the TG, I'll drill a 1/16" hole into the RR channel where I know the forward extension of the guard will cover, and I measure the thickness.  Figure out how much you're going to inlet the triggerguard, then add a small bit.  It varies by gun, but I like to have no more than 5/32 web at the breech, and about 1/8-5/32" thickness between the ramrod hole and the bottom of the stock.  My guess is the stock you have has much heavier sections in these locations.   

Pin the triggerguard tab from inside your lock mortise.  This cleans up the exterior look and allows you to slim away without interfering with the pin hole (and unless your TG has an incredibly short tab, it also is a good mental reminder of how much wood needs to be removed from the stock)

Keep the wood adjacent to your tang and triggerguard perfectly flat, then add carving and details.  See photo below.  Do this on the lock side and repeat on the side panel as well - bring it right down to about 1/16-1/8" from the top edge of your sideplate. 

Lastly - with most precarved stocks, try to consider the lines and moldings as "guidelines" more than actual rules - just about every precarved stock I've handled has required much wood removal around the lock panels and especially forestock. 

Go out and have fun shooting the thing, then build another 

This image below isn't of any specific rifle, but gives you an idea of what I'm talking about for shaping. 
   

[greybeard]

Hawken:It looks like your trigger guard needs to be inletted deeper. I got lazy on my second last build and Taylor kindly pointed out this error to me. The guard needs to be inletted flush into the stock. I got it right on my last build and it looks so much better thanks to Taylor.
     Your gun looks like it will be a good shooter.
           Bob

[pushboater]

Hawken,
     I really like the color of your stock. What did you use for stain and how did you achieve the color?

Capt. David

[Pete G.]

The key, as stated above, are the flat areas below the panels and behind the barrel flats also. These don't show up well in photos from the side, as typically shown in all the books,  and are easy to miss.
Incidentally, the pointed treatment on the front of the molding is more typical of a Virginia style, but it is your rifle, so build what is pleasing to you.
Now you have two options

A. Continue to remove wood from this rifle and then refinish.

or

B. Start another build.

Most guys end up with B.....again, and again, and again.

[rich pierce]

Your fit and finish are really good.  Just too much wood beneath the barrel, web and ramrod hole.  From the triggers forward it could lose 3/16".  I usually drill a test hole where the guard extension will cover it to determine where the ramrod hole is then trim accordingly leaving no more than 1/8" blow the ramrod hole.

[Hawken62_flint]

thanks all for the comments--I am working on my next rifle and will take all the comments into that build and hopefully come out with a nicer, more correct build. 

Pushboater, I used LMF nut brown for my base stain, then 24 hours later, I followed it with a coat of Homer Dangler's dark brown.  Then after another 24 hours, I used 0000 steel wool and LMF stock finish to rub it out to the color I wanted, wiping all of that finish away with a clean cloth.  Then I applied LMF stock finish rubbing it in by hand.  When I was satisfied with that finish, I rubbed it back with 0000 steel wool to give it the satin look that it has.

[pushboater]

Thanks Hawken.  It looks great.

Capt. David

[necchi]

Hawken,
     I really like the color of your stock. What did you use for stain and how did you achieve the color?

Capt. David

He never did come back an tell us did he?

[Dogshirt]

"Pushboater, I used LMF nut brown for my base stain, then 24 hours later, I followed it with a coat of Homer Dangler's dark brown.  Then after another 24 hours, I used 0000 steel wool and LMF stock finish to rub it out to the color I wanted, wiping all of that finish away with a clean cloth.  Then I applied LMF stock finish rubbing it in by hand.  When I was satisfied with that finish, I rubbed it back with 0000 steel wool to give it the satin look that it has"

Yes, he did.

[Mark Elliott]

I think you did a really good job with this gun, except for the lock panels.   That is an easy fix, so I would just fix it and refinish.   You can do most of the work with a rasp.    You start at the edge of the barrel tang and the edge of the trigger guard or trigger plate and angle your rasp in to take wood away around the lock.   You don't touch the wood right next to the barrel tang, trigger plate or trigger guard.  Toward the middle of the lock you use the flat side of the rasp.   To the ends of the lock you use the round side of the rasp to get your inward curves to the lock panel.   I use gouges to shape the lock panel from the front of the pan to the front tip of of the lock panel.   Pick a gouge with the radius you want to the edges of the lock panel.    I usually use a couple of radiuses and use round scrapers to finish.   You should always use scrapers to do the final shaping of the lock panels.   That way,  you shape and finish at the same time.    The only thing preventing you from getting the lock panels thin enough is fear.   Be brave and attach that extra wood head on. 

[Hawken62_flint]

Mark, thanks for the comments and vote of confidence to get me motivated to "rasp away" on my next project.  I know that I am almost always too conservative when taking wood off.  I appreciate all the comments that I have received on this build--thanks to all.