Just Finished

[Roger Fisher]

[bdixon]

Southern rifle?  Looks good!  Big drop, long and lean hog shootin machine.

[Rick Sheets]

Roger!
Sweet mountain rifle. I see Dennis' trigger guard, but I do not recognize the butt plate. Did you forge it? Seems to have a bit more belly in the line than some. I really like it, very southern, but individual too.
Rick

[ehoff]

Roger, she looks really good.

[Roger Fisher]

Roger!
Sweet mountain rifle. I see Dennis' trigger guard, but I do not recognize the butt plate. Did you forge it? Seems to have a bit more belly in the line than some. I really like it, very southern, but individual too.
Rick

Butt plate from Dennis also.  This rifle is my idea of a Southern Mt Rifle by Gillespie, that he may have built out in the shed behind the outhouse, in a fair and workmanlike manner (Meaning far from fancy)  Started in Oct and can only do her an hr at a time due to oncoming cataracts and the magnifiers giving me a headache.  She fought me most of the way.     She was built to show some wear but not overly done.
Rubbed back in the wear areas etc.

Alright I want you guys and gals (if any) to pick her apart and post here., for all to see $#*! I'm not proud and I know my place   A fancy rifle is beyond me.!  What I build have so far put them where I point if I do my part.  This is the first time I used Jim's oil finish and works good..

[rich pierce]

What- no grease hole?   
Looks good- give us the specs.

[bdixon]

I will bite on picking it apart.  Ship it to me and I will take it out for a few days to see how it shoots and then I will let you know.

Brett.

[Mike Brooks]

I sure can't find anything wrong with it, Nice gun!

[Ken G]

Roger,
That's a good looking western NC rifle.  Looks like it is right from the slopes of the Appalchia Mt's.  Great job.

[Bill-52]

Roger,

A question:  Why are there two pins at the muzzle?  They're not for the ramrod pipe - is the barrel double pinned?  Please excuse my ignorance, I'm still working on my first rifle.  I'm actually in the process of shaping the stock/ramrod channel at the muzzle so was admiring the way you did it.

Bill

[Roger Fisher]

Roger,

A question:  Why are there two pins at the muzzle?  They're not for the ramrod pipe - is the barrel double pinned?  Please excuse my ignorance, I'm still working on my first rifle.  I'm actually in the process of shaping the stock/ramrod channel at the muzzle so was admiring the way you did it.

Bill

Oh so you noticed that    The barrel shrank an inch or more!!



Well, I mentioned she fought me most of the way!  Started out as a cussion gun (after the barrel was lugged and pinned Ended up as a flinter.  Breech cut off and rebreached and barrel moved back in the stock.     I'll let you ponder the reason why

[Dennis Glazener]

Roger,
Nice job. The only things I would mention, and they are picky, is that I have not seen a tang like that on a Gillespie or other western NC rifle. Spear pointed, lollipop/dolls head and plain straight rectangular or mostly what I see used.

The other is the nose cap, maybe I am wrong but it looks like its one of the oval shaped ones like you see on many PA style rifles. Most of the early Gillespie's had short (about 1 inch) round shaped (viewed from front) caps. The later ones longer rounded ones around 1.40 inch in length.

As to Rich's comment about a grease hole, most Gillespie's had oval/teardrop shaped grease holes. The real early ones normally used rectangular holes (look a lot like mortar boxes).
Dennis

[Roger Fisher]

Roger,
Nice job. The only things I would mention, and they are picky, is that I have not seen a tang like that on a Gillespie or other western NC rifle. Spear pointed, lollipop/dolls head and plain straight rectangular or mostly what I see used.

The other is the nose cap, maybe I am wrong but it looks like its one of the oval shaped ones like you see on many PA style rifles. Most of the early Gillespie's had short (about 1 inch) round shaped (viewed from front) caps. The later ones longer rounded ones around 1.40 inch in length.

As to Rich's comment about a grease hole, most Gillespie's had oval/teardrop shaped grease holes. The real early ones normally used rectangular holes (look a lot like mortar boxes).
Dennis

That barrel tang kind of just happened with me really not thinking about it seems I was really engrossed in what I was doing.  I seem to recall thinking of shaping that wider and the end old style tang to rectangular but didn't do it....It was all my own idea..

Never thought much of using a short muzzle cap, just used what I had laying around.  I really don't think I would have gone with a stubby cap anyway.  The longer cap helps make the girl look long and slim (the way I likem!)  I did have the problem then of getting enough wood off the gals upper sides being locked in by that oval cap.   Thanks for pointing that out.  This is the way we all learn.

Not too late for a grease hole hmmmmm.  I'll think about that.. 

This is why I had the photos posted to have the warts etc pointed out.  More photos to follow of muzzle and opposite lock side.....Still looking for critique!  Thanks again Dennis.

[Jeff Peters]

Rodger,
What did you do to age the brass
Let us know how she shoots
Jeff

[Scott Semmel]

Thats not your trademark rear sight! Really like the trigger guard and buttplate. If I ever get done with my current projects might be a southern gun in my future with a lock on the other side.

[billd]

Is that one off those L&R triggers with the historically correct allen head set screw in it?  Looks good!


Bill

[projeeper]

Roger,
 I,m liking those southern rifles more & more and yours just gives me another reason.
 Get those cataracs fixed it takes only 15-20 mins. to have it done and theres no pain!When you take the patch off UNBLEVIABLE!!!! You don,t know what your a missing.

[Roger Fisher]

Rodger,
What did you do to age the brass
Let us know how she shoots
Jeff

Wot brass-no such thing on this piece!   You in the jug again

[Roger Fisher]

Thats not your trademark rear sight! Really like the trigger guard and buttplate. If I ever get done with my current projects might be a southern gun in my future with a lock on the other side.

Nope they take so long cutting and filing I went with a store bought ol timey
sight/sights!  Probably more fitting on a N Carolina Gillespie anyway!

[Roger Fisher]

Is that one off those L&R triggers with the historically correct allen head set screw in it?  Looks good!


Bill

My brain is stuck.  I've been scratching at this gal so darn long; but I do believe it is a double sett L&R - but no allen screw/screws.  You had me thinking there for a moment.

[chuck-ia]

Roger, really like all your posts. As for the gun, looks good to me. pretty much like the one I finished a year ago, got my parts from Dennis allso. Looks like a late ketland lock on that gun? That is what I put on mine. Really would like to hear what you think of the lock. On my gun, after shooting it a bit, my first thoughts were what a piece of $#@* this lock is, really ate up the 5/8" flints, could get maybe 16 shots from a flint, but went boom every time. Just for the heck of it I tried a used 3/4 by 7/8" flint, got around 20 shots from it. If I put a new 3/4 by 7/8" flint in I will get around 30 shots. I have grown to really like this lock. chuck

[billd]

Is that one off those L&R triggers with the historically correct allen head set screw in it?  Looks good!


Bill

My brain is stuck.  I've been scratching at this gal so darn long; but I do believe it is a double sett L&R - but no allen screw/screws.  You had me thinking there for a moment.

The last L&R I bought had a allen head set screw for the adjustment screw.     Just about a year ago.

[B. Hey]

Great looking rifle! Would you care to mention how you treated the metal ... browned? Thanks ... Bill

[Roger Fisher]

[bdixon]

Roger, what tool did you use to mark the muzzle?  I want to do this.