finished Great Plains Rifle makeover

[obsidian]

It's a good day when you can hang the hardware on the stock!  Bought this gun couple years ago already assembled.  Thought it was really neat to finally have a flintlock rifle after shooting in-line for 8 years.  Over a year later found out about this great resource and haven't looked back.  Really got bit by the bug to build and decided the first thing was to cut my teeth on this Lyman with it's poor lock and no shaping done to the stock.  Big thanks to all of your discussions on here-probably spent several hours reading here for every hour spent on the gun.  The knowledge on this forum is incredible.       
Wish I could have done my own tang and butt plate inlet.  Also, didn't get the L&R replacement lock fit perfect.  Probably learn the most lessons on your first gun.  Feel really good about the old school methods of cider/iron stain and BLO done right.  Both concepts were supported with great technical detail from guys like John and Dan.  I decided to leave my steel "nearly white".    Rusted it with vinegar and sea water a number of times each time taking it back some with steel wool.  Guess I can always rust further if I decide I don't like it.  Also, thanks to Taylor for some very clear, direct answers to some direct questions on this project.  Hope I did it a little bit of justice.  Would enjoy hearing some of your thoughts on what I can do better next time.

Best to all.
Rich

[Smoketown]

Rich,

Nice job on the GPR!

What to do better next time?
Why more photos of course … Close-ups too!

Seeing how this is a test bed type of project, and you’re not happy with the fit of the butt plate.
Shorten the stock just a bit and re-fit the butt and toe plates.  (Maybe 1/8 – 1/4”?)
You’re probably going to have to fit them on your next build anyway.
Why not experiment on this one?

Cheers,
Smoketown

[JB2]

I really like the way that finish shows off the wood.  You've just convinced me to mix up a batch of vinegar/iron stain.  Looks a lot more like a 'working gun' now.   Shoot it and drag it through the woods this deer season and that metal will assume a nice patina as well.  Great place to start, and when it functions well, it's a nice bonus too.   

[mountainman70]

A while back,I  picked up a couple of these in 54 perc,with intentions of doing the same things.Got busy with other stuff,and sold em both,made a few bucks,too.I really like the way it looks.My motto on re working these guns,like asking dad for money or car keys-nuttin ventured,nuttin gained.Keep up the good work.Nice job,Dave

[Longshot]

I really like the contrasts in that rifle.  Appears, to me, more authentic than the factory blue, and more 'fetching' than many of the rust-brown redos.
I'm staring at my somewhat modified GPR and I think I hear her whispering about some further work.......
Nice job!

[KLMoors]

That looks real nice. Great finish and color.

[Dave Marsh]

Your GPR looks great.  Did you do anything to the L&R lock like tear it down and polish it??  If so how did you find that as far as time spent.  Did you do the same to it finish wise as the barrel?   I have one that I am thinking about doing the same type of redo.  Thanks.

[sweed]

What all them fellers said twice again, B U T  I'd shore be carfull with that wrist. Grain there seems to be begging for an excuse to seperate!!    Just my 2cw.

[Darrin McDonal]

Very nice job. I see alot of (up coming) fun built into that rifle. I took my first deer with my .54 GPR. 54 is still my favorite all around choice. Watch out flintlocks are addicting!!!!
Darrin

[obsidian]

Yes Darrin, I found out when I bought this gun couple years ago how much of an addiction there can be to flint.  Case in point-I have the barrel and chunk of walnut for the 1730's Fusil De Traite which is next.  Will be a much bigger stretch to start with a blank but I am totally excited about it.  With what you have done lately I humbly accept the kind words.

Sweed, I also hope I am not making a wrist repair to this gun soon.  And I even saw the wood before I bought it......will be more careful next time!

Yes, Bear, I did tear down the lock, fit, sanded and  rusted before reassembly.  Takes time but not hard to do.  Rusted it with vinegar and homemade sea water along with all the other iron except for the escutcheons and wedges-they were left in the white.  I would sure encourage you to work yours over if you are so inclined.  There is a good bit of info on here especially from Taylor on how to make a GPR more authentic.  Doesn't cost you much.  A replacement lock if your experience is like mine.  Chewed up flint and didn't spark reliably.  This L&R has sparked couple dozen times with no damage to the flint and a good shower of sparks.

Longshot, the iron was actually all rust browned previous to the makeover.  In the midst of it all I also was drawn to the contrast on some guns of dark walnut and light iron.  Saw it on a few of the Hawkens rifles I looked at here. 

Yes, Jim, seems like magic to put iron in vinegar and get that result on wood.  Couple weeks with rusty nail in vinegar and had to cut the strength in half twice to tame it down to this color.  First walnut test piece turned black.  Gave it four coats of 1/4 strength.  Then couple coats of heavy BLO I had cooked down with Japan drier, couple more with a thinner mix which had maybe 20% turpentine that was left open few days.  Followed up with cooked BLO/turpentine mix with about 50% Grumbachers(little goes a long ways).  Dan in the archives does a fantastic job of laying that process out for which I was very grateful.

Thanks for the kind words on this project.  Can't wait for the next one.
Rich

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Obsidian...really nice job on your rifle.  I especially noticed the much improved tang area from the breech to the comb.  These rifles are noted for their fine accuracy and having one that looks good too, is a great boon.  Well done and thanks for showing us.

[rickevans]

I have one of these GPRs that I am "re-finishing"and really like the way your work turned out.  Nicely done.

[dogcreek]

Nice job on the hawken, Obsidian. The only critique I would offer is that the wood grain doesn't flow through the wrist, as others have mentioned, which creates a weak spot. Keep an eye on it. If necessary, you could reinforce it by drilling lengthwise through the wrist and epoxying a steel rod in place. What caliber is this gun? Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[obsidian]

Might want to consider that dogcreek.  Anyone else glue a rod through the wrist to prevent problems?  Ounce of prevention.....   I'd guess a 5/16" rod couple inches past the front of the comb would do.  Need to miss the screws....will think on that one.   
It's a 54 cal.

[Bill Paton]

Nice hunting rifle, Obsidian! I strongly agree about the wrist. I reinforced a cracked wrist like that successfully. A hickory dowel in the lower wrist starting at the butt end of the barrel channel would help, and the trigger inlet can be re-cut where the dowel enters it. Be very certain to use slow set and thin epoxy, a loose fit, and cut a relief channel in the dowel, or you will have a hydraulically bad time getting the rod down the hole. Then a smaller steel rod in the upper wrist, starting in the tang inlet and epoxied in the same manner will add a lot of strength. Consider something like 1/4- 20 or larger all-thread for this as it carries the epoxy down the hole so well, and the rod won't be subjected to repeated flexing, so the stress-rizing threads won't be a big problem. It may survive its first fall from a tree stand then! That rifle will look better and better as it spends more time shooting deer! I'll bet you rightfully will become very attached to it. Bill Paton, Anchorage, currently in Chicago on our 12 month, 48 state tour.

[Miguel]

Obsidian, great job! I re-did a GPR a number of years ago and one thing I did to give it a more authentic Hawken look was to separate the rear of the trigger guard from the little plate, clean it up and installed a screw thru the back of the plate into the trigger guard.  Looked really good when I got done. 

[WadePatton]

Looks great, and I'd let that sucker ride just exactly as it is.  Spend all your "re-fixin" time on _making a new one_.

Congrats on the work so far.