The Plains Rifle completed

[P.W.Berkuta]

I finished rust bluing the barrel today and took some pictures . For some unknown reason this build gave me fits all along the way. I am pleased at the way it turned out and when I sighted it in last Friday it grouped 4 round balls into a 1-1/2 inch grouping at 50 yds all in the 9 ring between 12:00 & 1:00. That was all the time I had at the range before it closed but it was enough time for me to see how it performed.

[davebozell]

Nice looking rifle!  Can you share some specifics, like caliber, barrel length, lock, etc?

[greybeard]

Looking good sir.
    Bob

[PPatch]

Well done!

[conquerordie]

Man that is sleek looking. Beautiful job.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Nice looking rifle!  Can you share some specifics, like caliber, barrel length, lock, etc?

It is a .50 caliber Green Mountain barrel cut to 34". The lock is an L&R which was not cut for the "snail". The L.O.P. is 13-1/2". Wood came from Dunlap about 10 or 12 years ago. I made a lot of the odds & ends parts and I had to make new screws for the lock internals as they were not sized correctly (sloppy fit). Trigger & trigger plate was hand made.

[smart dog]

Very nice rifle, PW!

dave

[Old Ford2]

Hello Paul,
Very fine looking plains rifle!
You did good!
Fred

[The Baron]

Very nice!

[P.W.Berkuta]

Very nice!

Your "moniker" was my high school nick name !!!
And thank you all for the kind words this customer liked it so much that he wants another with at least as nice a piece of wood as this one has. I think I got just the blank for him .

[Whaleman]

Very nice. I don't know how anyone builds these type of rifles and makes money. I have so many hours in mine I would be working for pennies an hour. I like the single trigger and the stock.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

That is a very fine rifle Paul.  In a way, I like your departure from the Hawken style, while maintaining much of its flavour.  Having read Jim Gordon's Volume III, there were many Western gunmakers, particularly in St. Louis, that made rifles just like yours.

[P.W.Berkuta]

That is a very fine rifle Paul.  In a way, I like your departure from the Hawken style, while maintaining much of its flavour.  Having read Jim Gordon's Volume III, there were many Western gunmakers, particularly in St. Louis, that made rifles just like yours.

I thank you for those kind words Taylor - coming from a master builder it means a lot. I am not one for copying someones work because I have my own style & nuances - also I don't want to insult anyone living or dead .