Hawken-esque Plains Rifle Build - Pics of Finished Rifle Added

[Steeltrap]

I can't say anymore. Great work!

[Bob Roller]

Stands out like a goose egg in a bucket of coal .Great craftsmanship.Maybe you can apply it to an English style hunting or long range rifle in the future.Tools are a treasure to me and any other crafts men or women in whatever endeavor they're involved in.In lock making I was glad to be able to purchase lathes,metal cutting band saws,drill presses and milling machine.I still have them.Figuring out the hard way to do anything has never been a good idea and TOOLS are the solution,home made or bought,get them and having too many isn't possible.
Bob Roller

[ScottH]

Beautiful rifle and work! Thanks for sharing the pics!

[Curtis]

Thank you Dennis, that means a lot to me coming from you!

And a big thanks to everyone else who posted.  Your comments are truly appreciated.

Richard, I admire your work as well! I hope my son-in-law will not be afraid take this thing out and hunt with it, life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun.     Here is one more bit of rope border I forgot to post...



Curtis

[Steeltrap]

That engraving is simple and elegant.

[reddogge]

Beautiful rifle and thanks for posting those full pictures. I like the fact it shoots so well with a 70-grain charge. Everyone shooting the Kibler Woodsrunners seems to gravitate towards heavy charges to get any kind of accuracy.

[bama]

Curtis, you have done a fabulous job with this whole project. It is hard to post the boo boo’s to let the world see but you did. You also demonstrated the mark of a true master, you posted the fix. Anyone that says that they never made a boo boo in a build is a liar. Most will not own up to it and even fewer will post it for the public to see. Your work stands tall my friend, hold your head high, you have earned that right.

I once hand painted a church bus with the name of the church on both sides. On one side I left out the second “C” in the word church. I didn’t notice until I delivered the bus to the church, the pastor pointed it out immediately. Embarrassing for sure, but it didn’t kill me. An engraving mistake is very hard to recover from but you did an admirable job of it. I’m still looking for the magic engraving eraser. 😜

You have done a great job and again, the rifle looks fabulous. I love the crosses.

Jim

[Curtis]

Thanks Steeltrap and Reddogge!  Steeltrap, I had to reign myself in a bit, after I engraved the patchbox and toeplate I was rarin' to engrave the heck out of the rest of the gun...  Had t remind myself that sometimes "less is more".  I'm glad I went with less!

Bama, it was good to see you at the CLA show.  I greatly appreciate your post, what you said there in a couple of short paragraphs means a lot to me!  And I think my son-in law will have a real appreciation of the crosses as well!


Curtis

[Dphariss]

Nice work.  I am glad its not the over sized things that everyone tends to make especially from kits. The early J&S rifles, beaver trapping Mountian Man era were not the same rifle that we see in the Carson, the (in my opinion misdated) Modena and Bridger rifles. The Bridger at least is perhaps not even made by Sam Hawken its that late, at least the mid-1850s.
I like it.
Here is one I built longer ago than I like to think about, about 1978-79. Stock pattern off the “ETC” early J&S in Helena.

[Dphariss]

Thanks Steeltrap and Reddogge!  Steeltrap, I had to reign myself in a bit, after I engraved the patchbox and toeplate I was rarin' to engrave the heck out of the rest of the gun...  Had t remind myself that sometimes "less is more".  I'm glad I went with less!

Bama, it was good to see you at the CLA show.  I greatly appreciate your post, what you said there in a couple of short paragraphs means a lot to me!  And I think my son-in law will have a real appreciation of the crosses as well!


Curtis

I have been known to fall into this “There’s a blank space” thing myself. 

[Curtis]

Thanks Dan! I think my Son-in-law will be happy with how this rifle handles and carries, especially compared to some of the real "chunker" later rifles.  That is a fine looking rifle you have pictured in your post, and apparently it shoots well to boot.

I sent you a PM.

Curtis