Finished CH. OERTER 1774

[t.caster]

I just finished up this Christian Oerter, 1774 Christian's Spring/Moravian rifle and sent it to it's new home in Pa.
Young Mr. Oerter didn't do a lot of carving on these rifle but he made up for it with lots of silver wire where the carving would normally be. There are 6-8 similar rifles still existing. This was a different and challenging build for me because I love to carve, but the wire work (sterling silver) while intimidating to start, was fun once I got it going. It uses a Colerain .50 cal x 42" brrl. and Chambers Chr. Spring flintlock, Davis dbl. set triggers and kinda soft curly maple stock blank with brass furniture. Aqua fortis with honey maple stain was applied with a sealer and Tru-oil finish that was rubbed down with rotten stone and LO. to smooth and cut the high gloss. Barrel and lock got some light browning to show a little age.

[Robert Wolfe]

Well done. A pleasure to see a gun like that.

[Big Bubba]

Very nice!

[Tim Crosby]

 Dang Tom, That is Beautiful, I have always liked the "Sturdy" for lack of a better word look of the C.S. work. Somebody is going to be Very Happy.

    Tim

[J. Talbert]

Nicely done!
Very credible representation.

I like it,
Jeff

[Mike Brooks]

Nifty.

[Percy]

Very nice work.

[hortonstn]

Beautiful As always

[TommyG]

Very well done.  Your wire work really pops with that warm finish.

[Majorjoel]

Very well done Tom!  Your wire inlays are inspiring! 

[bama]

Great looking rifle Tom. Your wire work looks top notch.

[Ats5331]

This is an amazing rifle. Tom is a true craftsman; the wirework is excellent. The stock, a perfect patina. Well done, sir. You deserve a victory lap!!

Thank you,
Allen

[t.caster]

Thanks everyone, that was so much fun to build I have a chance to build another one someday.

[t.caster]

Here is something that might spark a controversy. My client wanted me to put my name on the barrel just like Oerter did with Christian's Spring and date of 1774. First off Oerter used stamps that I don't have and I thought it unethical. I compromised and engraved my name and C. S. 1774~2021 so someone down the road wouldn't try to pass it off as an original from that time period. The sunlight doesn't show the 2021 very well, but it is there.
I also engrave my name and "in MICH." and date-serial no. bottom flat of barrel as is my normal practice.

[rich pierce]

I like the way you signed the top of the barrel. I think Oerter engraved his as well. It would be tough to stamp letters that big.

[JTR]

Yep, engraved, as I remember.

[blienemann]

Re Christian Oerter's signatures, we need to look at each one carefully, and they vary. The Oerter found recently in Germany, his rifle for Hankinson and the rifle in Windsor Castle use a few stamps - I and P, and possibly C. The I is then used to make T, H, N and so on, and a return added to the P makes R. The C, if a stamp, then makes a G.

Trying to carefully copy signatures with both uniform stamps plus the engraving is quite a challenge! Bob

[Ken G]

Beautiful rifle.  Very well done.  Thanks for sharing. 

Ken