Author Topic: Tennessee rifle  (Read 9959 times)

Offline Ted Kramer

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Tennessee rifle
« on: March 25, 2011, 10:58:58 PM »
Here are some photos of a Tennessee rifle I just finished. It has a .50 caliber H&H barrel, 40" long X 7/8" across the flats. Davis double set triggers, L&R Bailes flint lock. I wish I had used the Tennessee guard with a longer grip rail or forged one myself but this was what I had on hand so used it. Haven't test fired it yet but the little Bailes throws a nice shower of sparks. As you can see in the background, it's springtime in MN!





Offline rich pierce

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2011, 11:03:33 PM »
Love it.  Great lines.  I am beginning to get the itch to build one.
Andover, Vermont

Offline bjmac

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2011, 11:06:25 PM »
beautiful and I really like the finish on the wood and metal. Details, please. Thanks.
BJ

Offline Dr. Tim-Boone

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2011, 12:19:22 AM »
That gun just needs to be down here in the Appalachians!!!  beautiful Ted!!
De Oppresso Liber
Marietta, GA

Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others. – William Allen White

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Offline Glenn

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2011, 12:50:10 AM »
Beautiful rifle Ted ... GOOD JOB !!!

Great selection of wood especially ... beautiful burl and nice crisp lines.  Thanks for sharing !!!   ;D
Many of them cried; "Me no Alamo - Me no Goliad", and for most of them these were the last words they spoke.

Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2011, 01:35:25 AM »
Nice looking gun Ted: really like that long tang, was it hard to get the tang inlet?

Offline wattlebuster

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2011, 01:52:33 AM »
Great looking rifle :)
Nothing beats the feel of a handmade southern iron mounted flintlock on a cold frosty morning

Offline A.Merrill

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2011, 02:42:32 AM »
    Now that is one fine looking gun :o  What stain did you use?     AL
Alan K. Merrill

Offline bama

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2011, 03:00:02 AM »
Nice looking rile, very well done.
Jim Parker

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Offline Ted Kramer

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2011, 04:48:02 AM »
Thanks everyone, glad you like it.

Here's some info on the finish, etc.

The barrel, trigger guard, butt plate, toe plate and rod pipes were all browned using Wahkon Bay Tru-Brown using the 3-4 hour cycle method over 24 hours or so. Killed the rust with a very hot soda water scrub, then applied beeswax which melted and flowed nicely to seal it. Excess wax was wiped off while still melted.

 The nose cap (not shown in the photos) is poured tin, nothing fancy, just a regular shaped nose cap. (The Aqua-Fortis put an immediate patina on it!)

The lock and trigger bar were colored using a small pin-point flame on my acetylene torch to get some spots and swirls of varying color, then applying BC Perma-Blue all over the warm parts, then polishing with OOOO steel wool and motor oil. Sort of a faux CCH color. The triggers were hardened according to Davis' instructions, then polished and cold blued.

The maple stock was mostly scraped, some areas were sanded. Wahkon Bay's Aqua-Fortis was applied and heated w/heat gun to make the wood blush. Then it was rubbed with OOOO steel wool. Next, a coat of a mix of 50/50 walnut and cherry LMF stain was brushed on and wiped back off while still damp. Let it dry for 24 hours and applied Tru-Oil with OOOO steel wool for the first coat, then the next few coats were rubbed in with a soft cloth.

This was the first time I used a lollipop tang. It wasn't as bad to inlet as I thought it may be. The skinny waist seems pretty fragile while taking it in and out of the wood.

Ted K



Offline pathfinder

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2011, 08:07:18 AM »
From one Ted to another,Nice job! I love the Tennessee style. 90% of the guns I build are this style. They just scream to be taken to the woods! You did a fine job on this one.
 The patch box release looks a little different,have any pic's of it?
Not all baby turtles make to the sea!  Darwinism. It’s works!

Offline Ted Kramer

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2011, 12:10:14 PM »
pathfinder-

Thanks.

I don't have a closeup of the PB catch right now. It's just a stud riveted to the underside of the lid (you can see the riveted part on the outside of the lid) which engages an "L" shaped spring screwed to the floor of the cavity. The spring has  a curl at the top which pops into a matching notch on the stud. Snaps it shut securely.

Ted

Birddog6

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2011, 02:21:03 PM »
Great job on the Tenn. rifle.   Especially like the color of it and also like the sideplate/washers, different & fit in very well with he rifle.  You mention you wanted a longer handrail on the guard, next time just cut it in half & add a piece to it, just wire weld it in & file to match, takes about 20 min. & never know see it was added in. 
Nice work on a fine looking rifle.   ;)

Keith Lisle

Offline KLMoors

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2011, 03:04:12 PM »
Real pretty work! Man, those tangs must be a bear to inlet. :o

Offline Ray Nelson

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2011, 06:34:02 PM »
Ted,

As always, your guns are super nice! Has WCY seen it yet?

Those Bailes locks have been real quick in lock time and reliable for me in past guns made. You might want to consider using it when I finally host another ML shoot this spring. I will fit it in between the shoots you and WCY have scheduled already for this spring. I expect it will be later in May after Turkey hunting ends.

Ray

Offline Dan Herda

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #15 on: March 26, 2011, 07:22:20 PM »
Ted,
         
           Beauty !, I too like the side plate ideas. Is the butt plate the one from track?

wetzel

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #16 on: March 26, 2011, 11:41:11 PM »
Ted,
The gun looks great, you'll have to let us know how she shoots.  I just ordered some parts to build me a Tennessee rifle, hope to make it look as good as yours.

Offline Ted Kramer

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #17 on: March 27, 2011, 03:55:39 AM »
Thanks again guys. 

Birddog6-good idea on extending the grip rail.

Ray-I wish I could keep the rifle but she's down the road in week or so. My .40 will have to do at your match, it's almost done now.  I have another .50 planned too but it'll never be done by late May, so it's the .40 or nothing. Perfect for your woods walk (hint, hint).

Take care,
Ted




Offline pathfinder

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #18 on: March 28, 2011, 01:17:39 AM »
I keep looking at this gun and other Southern Guns and think, @!*%,they are beautiful! I know how ya feel about sending guns down the road. I shoot in the guns I build and sometimes there's one that I REALLY have a hard time letting go of. This looks like it could be one of those guns!
Not all baby turtles make to the sea!  Darwinism. It’s works!

wetzel

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #19 on: March 28, 2011, 02:19:29 AM »
Wouldn't it be nice if you could afford to keep the ones you fall in love with?  In a perfect world I guess.

Offline Glenn

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #20 on: March 28, 2011, 07:23:17 AM »
Yes, I agree with the concensus here.  This beauty would be hard to sell, especially if it shot as great as it looks !!!  ;)
Many of them cried; "Me no Alamo - Me no Goliad", and for most of them these were the last words they spoke.

FRJ

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #21 on: March 28, 2011, 09:30:56 AM »
Another beautiful rifle!!!!I am in total awe of you guys that can build such beautiful pieces of art and hope someday to be showing one of mine that may compare to the quality that you demonstrate. Frank

Offline Frank Barker

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Re: Tennessee rifle
« Reply #22 on: March 29, 2011, 04:24:04 AM »
Ted....Your gun is beautiful, I love that finish. Those country rifles are hard to beat.