New flinter

[Waksupi]

Here's is one I finished up this week. I didn't follow any particular design, just made what I like. I guess it would be called the Flathead County school.
I got the blank from a friend back east, and had a .40 caliber Bauska swamped barrel sitting around. I got a Queen Anne lock from Chambers. Good sparker!
I did brave the weather, and shot it today. I was getting a group of 1 1/2" at 50 yards. I suspect it will do a bit better, as my patch/ball combination was a bit loose.

[Madcaster]

 Great job Ric!

[Acer Saccharum]

Very different from the norm. Lots of character. I like your carving, looks very crisp and well done. It treads a line between rococo and folk art. Neat.

Tell me more about Flathead County, this is the first I've heard of it.

Thanks for posting your work.

Tom

[Waksupi]

Tom, I live in Flathead County, Montana, county seat of Kalispell.
 This has always been a real gun builders mecca. Some of the builders in the area are Jerry Fisher, Monte Mandarino, Tim Mitchell, Lee Heglund, and John King, to name a few of the better known custom makers. Monte Kennedy used to live just south of me. I imagine there are at least two dozen active builders in this county easily, plus several top notch engravers, like Barry Lee Hands, and Larry Merical. Dan Goodwin and Franz Marktl also lived here. 
Along with that, are several firearms manufacturers, barrel companies, and machine shops making gun parts. There is enough business of this type, that a reamer rental business moved here recently.
This is said to be the most heavily armed county in the United States.
Between Flathead, Saunders, Lincoln, and Lake counties here in the northwest corner of the state, I would say there is a definite school and style of building firearms.
I imagine the reason more isn't known about the builders in this area, many never really leave the area, or have private clientele that they build custom work for.

[SR James]

Beautiful rifle, very well done.  I like the lines.  Glad to hear it shoots good.  I had a Les Bauska barrel I put on a rolling block back in the '80s.  Waited nearly two years for it.  Les lost my order at least twice.  Finally got it and never good get it to group well.  Finally re-barrled it a few years ago.  At the time, Bauska was supposed to be one of the better barrel makers around.
Nice choice on the wood...just enough figure to add interest without overwhelming the carving.  Nice job.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Well if you are embarrassed  to have all those great builders and collectors up there see it, you can send it to my address here in GA!!   

Very nice work. Distinctive contemporary work! 

[northmn]

Nice job.  Kind of fun to do your own thing.  Your Flathead school may be catching.

DP

[Cory Joe Stewart]

What style of trigger guard do you call that.  Would a guard like that be suitable for a Virginia Style rifle?

Coryjoe

[B Shipman]

Ric, that's Don King. Yes it's the biggest hotbed of gunbuilding short of central PA. I'm considering moving there when I retire. Get away from Obama.

[Waksupi]

Joe, I found that trigger guard at Track of the Wolf. I'm not an expert on southern Mountain rifles by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't believe it would be correct for those.

B. Shipman, no, two different guys. John specializes in BPCR and benchrest rifles, but also builds some muzzleloaders.

S.R., no wonder things got lost in Les' shop. It was generally quite cluttered. I had several barrels made there over the years, and always had good luck with them.  Here is a look inside shortly before they closed. That is Steve Williams in the picture. He did all the barrel work the last few years of business, as Les was too infirm.