I'm changing my name to "apprentice wood & metal butcher 4th class." I just began my first rifle from a blank (on my lonesome) & have done both good & evil. The good: work with the bandsaw getting the profile roughed in. The evil: tang inletting too wide on one side & screwed up installation of touch hole liner (got the countersink too deep for the Chambers liner).
Barrel is now a 41" Rice instead of a 42", but the bp & liner are back in correctly. Lessons are being learned quickily, but painfully. Never use a drill press for that job
At least it gives my machinist friends something to shake their heads about. This rifle will have nice lines & shoot straight, but I don't think I can hope for much more. When finished, this will be a Tenn. style rifle with a nice, curly, Dunlap maple stock, Chambers late Ketland, 13/16 .45 Rice barrel, & over the counter iron furniture with banana patch box. Don't lose sleep guys, there ain't no competition here.
Roger B.