Al.......the approach I always use is to make the gun look like a plain gun built by a known builder, but made without some
of the normal, more difficult parts, for example....no buttplate, sideplate, entry pipe, nosecap. We also just finished one
where the trigger fit into nice wood slot, so I eliminated the trigger plate, used a wood screw down thru the tang. You
wouldn't believe how much this speeds up the building process, but still give you a great feeling gun. Also, by eliminating
some of these parts it is possible to get a great 44" swamped barrel gun that weighs in the 6 1/2 to 7 pound range. I
still will not make a gun that looks more like a HOE than a gun........put a brass or steel trigger guard on it...........Don