New Fowler

[Bear62]

Here are some pictures of the fowler I recently finished. Cherry stock, Colrain .62 smooth octagon to round swamped, Chambers Large Queen Anne lock with brass lock plate,
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Detail of raised carving around the rear ram rod entry pipe.
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The side plates were in limbo for some time before I made these. Also, you can see the turkey wing feather I used in the beavertail area. ,
 I couldn't find a heart shaped front sight at Dixon's so I made this one up, it has a silver blade with a brass base.

Detail of the raised carving around the tang.

The gun is slightly under 60 inches.

Silver wire around the fore end pin.

Silver wire in the butt stock is mirrored on each side.

 A Jim Chambers large Queen Anne lock with a brass face really goes nicely in this cherry wood.



I am planning a spring turkey hunt with it!!

Thanks for looking, comments (and constructive criticism in a nice way) are always welcomed.

[wattlebuster]

Well I like it. Nuff said

[Joe S.]

nicely done,pretty cherry wood

[staggerwing]

Very nice!  I love the cherry wood!  I am in the middle of my first fowler build, second build overall.  It's a Chambers Penn Fowler, 20 ga. and I was able to get a highly figured piece of walnut.  You have offered me some inspiration!  I love the feathers behind the lock and side panel!  Nice touch.  Have you shot it yet?  I hope to have mine done for a Spring hunt as well.  Good luck to you! 

[Bear62]

I really JUST finished it last week and have been busy teaching a Hunting Safety class so I haven't had a chance to burn any powder through it as of yet. Hoping to at least "bust it's cherry" (forgive the pun!) at the Dutch Mess next weekend.

[Bear62]

I finished the ram rod today and ran about 100 round balls can't wait to try it out!

[staggerwing]

Please let us know how she shoots! 

[oldtravler61]

Bear62 that gun will be unfair to use. Dem turkeys will line right up to get dusted with such a fine lookin smoothie as yours. Well done!

[bowkill]

that is very nice...

[Bear62]

Please let us know how she shoots! 

 I loaded with 80 gr. of 2fg powder and patched a .60 round ball with pillow ticking. She shoot a bit low but was right in line left to right. I haven't decided if I'm going to try bumping up the powder charge or filing down the front sight. 

[Bear62]

Any loading advice (for round ball and shot loads) would be helpful as I am new to smooth bore guns.

[moleeyes36]

Please let us know how she shoots! 

 I loaded with 80 gr. of 2fg powder and patched a .60 round ball with pillow ticking. She shoot a bit low but was right in line left to right. I haven't decided if I'm going to try bumping up the powder charge or filing down the front sight. 

You might want to shoot the gun for awhile, working on finding the best grouping load and establishing a consistent anchor point, before you file down the front sight.  Once you take the file to the sight, you're committed.

Mole Eyes

[PPatch]

Please let us know how she shoots!  

 I loaded with 80 gr. of 2fg powder and patched a .60 round ball with pillow ticking. She shoot a bit low but was right in line left to right. I haven't decided if I'm going to try bumping up the powder charge or filing down the front sight.  

What moleeyes said: The usual black powder procedure is to find your best grouping load before adjusting your sights. This involves not only your powder charge but finding the best patch/ball combination. Try shooting for tightest groups by dropping that 80gr charge down a bit (60-65)  and then increasing your load in 5 grain increments and see how she groups. Is the patched ball tight? How hard is it to push down the barrel? It should require some muscle but no pounding or extreme arm work to travel down the bore and seat atop the powder, if it is just sliding down real easy like (especially after a few shots) you might want to try a thicker patch before shooting for groups. Typically it goes like this - wide groups go smaller until they begin to open with increased powder charge. You then go back to the charge that gave the best group. Once you find that then adjust the sights for bullseye.

Hope that helps.

dave

[rfd]

lovely!  congrats on a fine build.

[gunmaker]

nice one bear,  What did you stain it with ? like that color & cherry....Tom

[moleeyes36]

nice one bear,  What did you stain it with ? like that color & cherry....Tom

Like Tom said; very nice color on that wood.  I usually don't care for how stain looks on cherry, but that came out nice without being too red in color.  Even when the sunlight starts to darken that cherry, it should look good.  What stain did you use on it?

Mole Eyes

[Bear62]

People have been asking about the color on this Fowler.
 I used the Laurel Mountain stains. Took a medicine cup and filled it about 3/4 full of Laurel mt. NUT BROWN then I added some ( one squirt from a glass eye dropper) Laurel Mt. CHERRY and mixed it up real well. Also, I used a foam brush and NOT a rag to apply the stain. The foam brush gave me a more even coat of stain over all (as well as keeping my hands a bit cleaner). I let the stain rest for about 15 or 20 min. and then used some fine (000) steel wool dipped in Watco's Danish Oil with walnut tint. I rubbed the oil/steel wool all over the stock, this helps to bring out the highs and lows in the grain, it also "bleeds" some of the stain out of the wood. After the first coat of oil I let the stock rest over night and applied more Danish Oil over all (with a soft rag this time), once in the morning and again in the evening for two days. Then a few coats of Linseed oil were rubbed in, after that I let the wood "rest" for a few days. Finally, I use a mixture of Linseed oil, pure Turpintine and Bees Wax. I wipe a light coat of this on and hand rub it till my hand feels warm (friction heat), then move on to another part of the stock until it's all done. I wipe any excess off to keep it from getting sticky.
The last part, with the oils is how I do my stocks. I'm sure there is some other way to finish them but this is the way that I have found works best for me, hope this helped.
Chris Miller