FRANKENSTEIN LIVES

[LURCHWV@BJS]

 
   Oh how the Grang Illusion of a spectacular first build fades into a functional Rifle.  As many of you know this has been the case for me  I put er together knowing what I'll hear.  I just had to finish.  


                                                Be Honest





                Rich

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Congratulations Rich!  It's Alive!!

I've see originals that were not built as well, so relax.

Stock architecture...with such a short barrel, you could have really shortened up the lower forend.  That would have put the upper forend into better proportions.  The line of the comb is a little angular, right where the terminus of the butt plate return joins the comb.  I can see what happened as you built the rifle...you inlet the butt plate and then found that if you continued in a straight line, the comb would have been too high.  this is where a drawing or blueprint using the parts you have on hand, would have foreseen that.  Next time, you might consider bending the casting to lessen the angle which will also increase the pitch of the rifle.  On these hunting rifles, the comb line is often almost parallel to the bore, so that in heavy recoiling rifles, the comb does not clobber your cheek bone.
More later...

[LRB]

  I have seen much worse. Way much worse. There's always the next one!

[northmn]

A lot of my builds have the desire to use the thing factored in sush that I tend to finish up sooner than I should.  I now shoot them in pretty near built shape and finish later.  I agree with Taylor.  shorter forestock.

DP

[LURCHWV@BJS]

Thank you Gentlemen,

   Symetrics and Architecture are two thing I wish to study in depth. I'm hoping the local library can find the RCA vols.  A Blueprint will be a must next time.  I will not try to justify anything on Frankenstein other than saying I have ALOT to learn.   I do believe I will be going with a precarve on either an I. Haines or J.P. Beck.... Or Verner Too Many Choices....

   Rich

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I noticed something about this build.  You did it in record time.  Your end result may be more like the mind picture you had when you started, if you slowed down.  You can't put it back once it's laying on the floor in little chips.
You can make your own drawings and blueprints.  Follow what is being described in the Build a Chunk Gun thread, and you'll see how easy it is.

[b bogart]

Hey Rich are you enjoying it?  Keep at it bud.  It'll get better!

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Rich, Does it shoot??  then enjoy it and buy a kit  and then take your time...You are going to build many more and each will be better...mostly,   .... so no need to rush or worry about the style. Just pick a clasic and go.

[Long John]

Rich,

It is better than my first.

You learned a lot and there is much more for all of us to learn.

It seems that you are smitten with the gun-building bug.  The only way to manage this disease is to start researching what you want to make next.  Further treatment will require the acquisition of the parts for another gun as well as the tools you discover are useful in the building endeavor.  There is no cure - the only thing you can do is manage the disease is to continue to build ever more challenging guns.  I know - you are wondering what will happen if you stop.  Don't ask - it is not a pretty picture!


As for the next riflegun -

The drop at the heel of the butt (the distance between the top corner of the butt and the plane of the sights) on this one seems quite large to me.  My rifleguns usually have a drop at the heel (DAH) of about 3 inches.  Much larger than this and the gun rises during recoil and can bang you in the side of the face.  When you take it out to shoot start with light loads.


Best Regards,

JMC

[Acer Saccharum]

Rich, I am glad you now have something to show for your efforts. This started out as being your perfect gun, and along the way, bit by bit, that perfection got tarnished as something didn't go right with this or that. But that is part of the bigger lesson, in that we do get to try again, and each time, improvements are made, lessons are learned, and we start on the new perfect rifle idea. That's what keeps me going. Always a challenge, always some compromises when things don't work out the way I wanted them to, so then I learn to live with what I've done. After a number of rifles, these 'mistakes' get smaller, and unless you tell somebody about them, only YOU know what they are.

I give you a great big Congratulations! for finishing up your project.

Regards,
Tom

[volatpluvia]

Rich,
My first gun only survived for a few years.  I took the parts out of the stock and gave the stock to my son to play with.  I cut five inches off the GM barrel and gave it to the son.  Then I built a really nice gun that was the practice for the yeager I built a year or so later.  That yeager is the best I ever built.  That is how bad my first build was.
If you can enjoy shooting this one, keep it and give it to your son, daughter, grandson...
That is after you build the one you want to keep forever.  And you will.
volatpluvia

[frogwalking]

Rich,

I have been building guns since I was a teenager back in the '60s.  Needless to say, I have really built some toads.  They all shot, most of the shot decently, and a few really well.  I have now made around 30 total and am getting to be decent, as long as I keep it simple.  Your posts have given me some hope and realization that I am not the only one who does not build a masterpiece on the first effort.  When I view the beautifuly crafted pieces displayed as the builders first attempt I silently question the authenticity of the assertion, or wonder if he has honed his craft building violins for the past 30 years.  Thanks for being possibly the only completely honest person on this site.

[BrightEyes]

Looks good..honest glad its done...still very proud of the fact you finished it out regardless of everything you had went through to finish...that speaks volums to me. Know for me dinner please...LOL
Brighteyes

[Mike Brooks]

Symetrics and Architecture are two thing I wish to study in depth. I'm hoping the local library can find the RCA vols.

These are books you need to buy , not borrow. They are indispensable if you want to build KY rifles.

[LURCHWV@BJS]

Gonna have to Mike... The library Dosen't have em and never heard of Schumway.


   Rich

[Acer Saccharum]

Back when the RCA series was out of print, I tried to borrow them on inter-library loan. I think there was a set four states away, but they were not available.

Get them while they are still in print.

Tom

[g.pennell]

I bought my set directly from Shumway Publishing last winter...best @!*% money I've spent in a long time.

Greg

[Berks Liberty]

CONGRATS RICH! Don't give up and keep pressing on!  Now shoot something with it. 

Jason

[flehto]

All of Frankenstein's mothers think he's a doll so "beauty' is in the eye of the beholder"  I've also got my  first built MLer but  her name is "Ugly" but for some unkown reason,  others think she's good looking. Go figure. Yes the lower forend is way too long  but it's all in the learning process....Fred

[LURCHWV@BJS]

  Curious, is there a formula for figuring how long the lower for end should be?  Or is that something that just comes with exprience?

   Rich

[Joe Stein]

  Curious, is there a formula for figuring how long the lower for end should be?  Or is that something that just comes with exprience?

   Rich

Rich,
It probably has something to do with The Golden Mean.

-Joe

(Moderators, I think we need a "smiley" with devil horns for posts like this.)

[okieboy]

 a simplified version of the Golden Mean 3 to 5 would be a place to start. For example a length of 30". Divide by 8 = 3.75". 3.75 x 3 equals 11.25". 5 x 3.75 = 18.75". This would probably work on a short gun, but might produce too long a grip rail on a long gun. Sometimes though you just need a place to start to allow your eye to correct from.

[LURCHWV@BJS]

Joe,

  The joke is on you,  I've never heard the phrase, "The Golden Mean"

    Rich

[Joe Stein]

Joe,

  The joke is on you,  I've never heard the phrase, "The Golden Mean"

    Rich

Rich,
    I was only half joking, and I was not poking fun at you. I'm sorry if you took it that way.  Okieboy gave a good answer regarding how it could be related to the Golden Mean, the approximately 3 to 5 ratio that is found in nature and relates to pleasing-to-the-eye proportions in plants and more, and in art.  You really need to Google "Golden Mean" to get a good explanation.
    The joke was that almost any time the Golden Mean is cited on this forum it turns into a long debate about whether the Golden Mean applies to gun building.  Do a search here for "Golden Mean" and you'll see what I mean.  It should have a lot of entertainment value.

I am impressed with your tenacity on this build.   It was a lot to take on for a first build.  The result is not bad for a first build from a blank.  I'm sure you learned a lot.
 
-Joe

[R.W.D.]

I like it.  The longish forend gives it a real musketoon look.  Are you going to put a sling on it?  Those lock panels can be a real pain.  The Gunsmith of Grenville County book really helped me with the lock panels.  That is after I really read it and followed the instructions.  My first rifle is currently awaiting a rebuild.