Author Topic: What I'm Working On - Cherry Smoothbore (Read 6196 times)

Keb · « **on:** August 02, 2016, 03:32:49 AM »

I'm currently making my idea of an American made smoothbored gun. The wood is cherry. The barrel is a 28 gauge by 48" Burton. The lock is Chambers Christian's Spring lock. The butt plate is one from Track that they call Early Bethlehem. I'm using a used Brown Bess trigger guard and side plate and will add a wrist escutcheon when I get that far. It's gonna be a nice light little smoothbore. It currently tips the scale at a mere 7 lbs. 13 1/2" pull is typical for me.

SingleMalt · « **Reply #1 on:** August 02, 2016, 04:14:45 AM »

I like it! When the cherry is finished, it's gonna look great.

thimble rig · « **Reply #2 on:** August 02, 2016, 03:19:37 PM »

That looks sweet.How did you like inletting the butt plate?I had the same one on my bucks county rifle kit from tracks.I hated that butt plate.

Keb · « **Reply #3 on:** August 02, 2016, 04:07:28 PM »

Actually, the entry pipe was far more difficult than the butt plate.
I've still to finish fitting the trigger guard & pin plus a couple more ramrod pipes and a lot of wood working.

KC · « **Reply #4 on:** August 02, 2016, 08:47:18 PM »

I like it a lot. Like SingleMalt said, I'll bet that cherry is going to look great when you get the finish on it.

Keb · « **Reply #5 on:** August 07, 2016, 04:42:51 AM »

I got the color on today.

Jeger Justnes · « **Reply #6 on:** August 07, 2016, 12:20:58 PM »

How about that, looks smooth so to speak. Nicely done, sir :-)

Regards, Tor

bama · « **Reply #7 on:** August 07, 2016, 02:11:00 PM »

Nice job on the smoothie. The color came out nice. What did you use to color the stock?

BOB HILL · « **Reply #8 on:** August 07, 2016, 02:33:32 PM »

Nice looking gun there, Keb. Thanks for posting.......Bob

Joe S. · « **Reply #9 on:** August 07, 2016, 02:53:14 PM »

Looking good,Keb,like your color on the cherry wood

wattlebuster · « **Reply #10 on:** August 07, 2016, 03:14:42 PM »

Im not a big fan of cherry but this one looks good to me. Good work

Keb · « **Reply #11 on:** August 07, 2016, 03:55:58 PM »

This is the color of cherry I like. However I'm not completely sold on cherry as a good wood for a gun. I used EASY OFF. There are 2 kinds of EASY OFF which I didn't know. The lemon scent has no lye in it. I used the heavy duty one with lye. I used the other before and it turned the cherry a muddy color. The gun tips the scale at 7 1/2 lbs. and holds nice with 1/4" cast off. This is my 1st Burton barrel. I hope it shoots good. I still have the wrist escutcheon to make. :/

wattlebuster · « **Reply #12 on:** August 07, 2016, 04:14:45 PM »

Keb I think you will like the Burton barrel. I have 4 of them, 3 rifle an 1 smoothbore an all are shooters. If an when I need another barrel it will be a Burton

alex e. · « **Reply #13 on:** August 07, 2016, 04:18:44 PM »

I like it. I'd like it more if the triggerguard were inlet. It would give it a more cleaner look.Its the first thing I notice and detracts from rest of the nice work. IMO only a very few select trade guns pull it off not being inlet. Best regards.

Keb · « **Reply #14 on:** August 07, 2016, 05:41:13 PM »

It's not too late to inlet that guard. In fact, I'm still debating on whether to use the heavy Bess guard or a lighter fowling gun guard.

SingleMalt · « **Reply #15 on:** August 07, 2016, 07:47:27 PM »

I thought you may have used lye on the stock. As an alternative to oven cleaner, you can use "Red Devil" lye powder in water. With that method, you can control the concentration and color better. The Bess guard is a good idea. The British had thousands of Brown Bess muskets over here before the Revolution. Many that were otherwise unusable were stripped for parts. If it were my pick, I'd go with the Long Land Pattern 1730 guard. It's nicer looking.

Hemo · « **Reply #16 on:** August 07, 2016, 08:47:48 PM »

Very nice looking all around! Color came out very rich. Never heard of using Easy Off to color wood. Is that the only color you used?
I think the guard would look better inlet, too.
Good job!

Gregg

Keb · « **Reply #17 on:** August 07, 2016, 09:04:05 PM »

Yes only easy off and some linseed oil. Nothing else.

Robby · « **Reply #18 on:** August 07, 2016, 09:31:09 PM »

Nice lines Keb, trim and graceful.
Robin

Keb · « **Reply #19 on:** August 08, 2016, 01:03:57 AM »

Thanks for the comments. I inlet the guard. It looks much better.

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Author Topic: What I'm Working On - Cherry Smoothbore (Read 6196 times)

thimble rig

Jeger Justnes

Hemo