Gillespie Project

[Ken G]

Here's a fun project I just finished up.  This was a rework of a rifle I did several years back.  The project goals was to experiment in aging, not spend any additional money for parts or a new stock and end up with a better looking gun.  There are still many flaws but it was fun to do and an opportunity to see what I would do different years later.
Cheers,
Ken

[gibster]

Ken - That's a nice rifle.  I really like the color/finish of the stock.  The only problem that I see with it is it's not mine .  Bet she's a good shooter.
Gibster

[Ken G]

Gibster,
She should be a shooter but i haven't taken it to the range yet.  She has one of the old Rice straight barrels.  7/8 by .50 cal. and I suspect will be a deer killer.
I guess I should have posted a couple of the before pics to see the difference so here they are.

[Buffler Razz]

All in all, a very nice looking gun, both before and after. Personally, I am quite partial to the aged look. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Razz

[sz]

Very nicely done Ken.  My sincerest complements.

[jim m]

looks great, those iron worms sure ate up a lot of that side plate. looks fantastic both before and after. was it patterned after the mathew gillespie

[Ken G]

The original was roughly patterned off a Mathew gun.  I guess you would say it is a mix now.  Early straight tang and the later Gillespie side plate and grease hole.   Yes, the Iron worms really got after the side plate.  I like the smaller one much better and I think is better known as a Gillespie side plate I think. 
It was just a fun project reworking an old gun.  It amazed me how much wood I removed.
Ken

[jim m]

thanks for the reply, that's the first side plate like that I have seen. do I have your permission to save those pics for reference

[Ken G]

Gosh yes, save all you want.  Here's some more.
http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y298/Packdog1/Mathew%20Gillespie/

Dennis's website has some wondeful pictures also.
http://www.gillespierifles.com/

[Bill of the 45th]

Dang, Ken.  When you said that you removed the old finish on that rifle with a rasp, I knew there was a lot of wood, but it's down right sexy now.  How did you hide the front lock nail, I can't see the plug, even on my 40" LCD screen.  I'll give you a ring tonight, or tomorrow, about your schedule at Bookies.

Bill

[Bill of the 45th]

OK time to share.  The rifle is mine, recently bought from a fellow on another site.  It's one of Ken's earlier guns, and he wasn't happy with it the way it was.  I had it sent to Ken, and let him have his way with it.  In the previous post I asked Ken how he hid the front lock nail ( the old terminology for screw), and he sent me pic's of how he did it.  Pretty cool, can you guess.  Bondo, or wood putty are not correct answers.  Any how I'm releasing it to Ken as Payment, and some barter maybe for a future build, so It's up to Ken what happens to it.    By the way it's still an unfired virgin, after all these years.

Bill

[northmn]

I've got one I have to redo.  It isn't my first one it is my last build.  I got tired and kind of burned out and just wanted to get the thing shooting.  Don't build guns you want to shoot right away, allow plenty of time.  One good thing is that most can stand a little more rasping.  Your redo looks pretty nice, although I admit I am more fond of giving them the used look by shooting the h--l out of them.

DP