One down - Thank you Mr. Kibler

[Molly]

OK, no fancy stuff.  Several things to address still.  Don't care for the black screws on the butt plate, don't like the finish on the butt plate and will probably re-do it.  Need to put the new screws in the toe plate not the "build screws".  But I'm going to pull the trigger next week before fixing those things.

Kibler and crew are #1.  We have several associates who plan to order one and we may get another for a winter project this coming winter.

The barrel is an "aged white".  Not quite like Roger's but it looks pretty good.  Appears brighter in direct sunlight but the actual tone is brownish white.

[iloco]

That is a fine looking rifle. What caliber did you choose.

[Molly]

Thanks.  It's a 40.  Was a toss up between 36 and 40.  It's such a "splinter" of a stock.  LOVE IT!!

[Carolina_Skinner]

Wow, that's a beauty.  Congrats, and good job!

[smart dog]

Beautiful Molly!!
Nice work.

dave

[g2608671@verizon.net]

Very nice. Did you polish any parts of the lock?  What is "aged white" relative to the barrel and how is this finish achieved?  I have one of these kits on order and looking for possible ways to finish the metal.

[Molly]

I did polish the lock using a small Drummel wire brush.  The lock was disassembled, naturally, and then I applied a very light coat of the Laurel Mt degreaser/browner but watched it and cleaned it off after maybe 30 minutes, then another coat which was cleaned off after maybe 60 minutes.  It turned out a "cool" gray tone but nothing like the casting finish as it came.

The barrel was a pain.  First of all I used the same Laurel Mt product on two scrap pieces of barrel.  It was applied and they were allowed to "cook" for about 2 days in a very moist environment.  The result was a nice even brown and it was so easy I decided to do it that way.  But then I got some help from a forum member on his "French Gray"...sort of a gray-blue with a little surface pitting.  We tried that on another section of scrap barrel but we are not as good as he and it did not come out quite like we wanted.  So I reverted to the Laurel Mt. product and did a full application.  The directions caution you on rubbing as it produces a copper tone which inhibits the browning so I guess the error in application was mine and the copper color was predominate.  I applied and removed that product 3 or maybe 4 times.  The finish was a mess...irregular brown/greenish and "white" showing through with copper as well.  But the last time I applied the Laurel Mt product I let it set maybe 12 hours then applied a little more and set another 12 hours.  That resulted in a generally awful look HOWEVER this time rather than sanding it back to white I used a Scotch brite pad and rubbed until my fingers were sore.  AS I did that it began to show signs of coming out OK.  After that I washed it down with water and baking soda.  It seems that over several days it continued to show a very gradual color change and I began to like what I saw.  So I rubbed it down some more and continued to watch it.  By the end of the week I did a final rub and oiled it.  Right now it just has a cool mellow look like maybe an original barrel left in the white but used and weathered over many years.  In addition to too heavy of an application I think the metal was too smooth.  The directions suggest sanding with 180 or 220 before application but over the several times I applied and removed the stuff I did resort to wet sanding with 400 grit...the directions will be read next time BEFORE HAND!  I think a lighter application of the browner AND a sweat box on a surface sanded with 220 grit would have yielded a better "brown"...if that's what I wanted.

I would certainly suggest getting a small section of scarp barrel to practice.  Funny however in that it did not seem to help me!

[g2608671@verizon.net]

Hey Molly - thanks for the detailed and very informative response. 
 

[Dave Patterson]

Molly, I can certainly relate to all the head-, and hand-aches, and all the frustration involved... but it surely did come out nice in the end.

I've come to think of results like that as "happy accidents":  wasn't at all what I had in mind when I started, but I do like the way it all came out.

To my uneducated eye, it looks exactly as you describe:  a well-loved, well-cared-for hand-me-down.  Just the way I like 'em! 

Nice, nice job.

[Jim Kibler]

Molly,

You did a great job.  Congratulations!  I'm glad it was such a success and you are satisfied. 

All the best,
Jim

[Molly]

Thanks to all for the kind words.  I like the "happy accident" remark and in many ways that was really a part of it, esp on the metal finish and to some degree the wood as well.  BTW, the metal solution offered by Jim Kibler is very easy to use and the results are very consistent.  I used that on the rod end and the thimbles and they look great, matching the color of the lock even though that was done differently.  Next time I will probably try it on the barrel and as the instructions say, "play with it a bit".  One thing about the Laurel Mt browner that seemed odd was that it came out differently on each metal piece that I tried it on.  The trigger guard came out perfectly browned, even and great color.  The butt plate came out irregular, spotty and heavily pitted in some spots and in others the metal seemed to have been barely affected.  The toe plate was done about 3 times before it came into matching the trigger guard.

The next one will probably be walnut and ordered around Oct/Nov.  And I'll be willing to take more time with it.  Several in our shooting group also plan to order one but all wanted to see the kit before hand AND then after it was finished.  No one has any doubts about the quality and easy of the assembly process.  Other than a drill most of the wood work was done with a paperboard finger nail file, it's just that exact.

BTW, hubby had a big hand in this thing as well but he would have been just as happy to purchase another already built.  This one is going to be "old #12" and it is so vastly different form the other 11.  I think it will get it's test firing 4-11-2017 and make it's public debut on April 22 at our first event for the season.

And, Mr. Kibler, I wish you more success with this endeavor that you ever imagined.  It gives regular people an opportunity to actually feel like a participant in the hobby rather than just a spectator.  BTW, I'm getting some engraving tools and on wet summer days I'll be practicing that.  We'll never get where most of you folks are but we'll enjoy trying.

REGARDS,

MAS and ACS

[g2608671@verizon.net]

Keep us posted Molly.  I am very interested in your report on the shooting results.
 

[Molly]

Just a "temporary" report.  Went to the range 4-11 but was only able to get off two shots as the grass cutting crew came in and closed the range.  The first shot was good, 3 inches off dead center to the left.  Was not comfortable with my position so I re-set myself and made ready for #2.

Absolute dead center perfect.  Only a 25 yard shot but without question it was the best shot EVER out of a newly acquired rifle.  We're going to call it "Old #12" but as to accuracy, it looks like maybe "old #1" is a better description!

[g2608671@verizon.net]

 

Thanks!