Lefty and Righty

[George F.]

My next project is going to be matching Beck rifles, a Lefty for me and a Righty for my adult son. Has anybody attempted a lefty- righty pair in a long rifle? Is it difficult keeping lines and stuff the same? Just interested in the problems I could run into.   ...Geo.

[T*O*F]

Is it difficult keeping lines and stuff the same?

Do you suppose Beck's guns were all exactly alike?  I wasn't aware that he had a production shop with a stock duplicator.

Just interested in the problems I could run into.

Any problems you incur will be of your own doing.

[sz]

Hi George.
I have done it, and it's not hard to do at all.
But, unless you and your son are the exact same size, you might not want to make them exactly the same.
I'd be glad to talk you through it.  It's pretty easy actually.
e-mail me at szihn@wyoming.com if you want.

Steve

[keweenaw]

The main problem with doing a left and right pair has nothing to do with making them look alike.  The problem is that on one, for me the left one, everything is done backwards.  For example I like to draw the carving to the rear of the cheek piece from left to right but on a left hand rifle, the flow of the rifle would be more natural if you drew it from right to left.  Likewise with the stock shaping, etc.  It's really difficult if your shop isn't set up so that you can work on either side of your vise with equal ease.

Tom

[t.caster]

I've done it as well with Becks. At the time I did the lefty (first) the only viable left lock was a Durs Egg which I modified some because it wasn't really right for a Beck, but the owner didn't care about that. My other 3 righty Becks have used Deluxe Silers. Use cast-on with the lefty & cast-off with the righty. You have to make your own side plate for lefties, but I never buy them anyway. They won't look like mirror opposites anyway if they have different drop & pull lengths.
What kind of patchboxes will you use? wood or brass?

[George F.]

Well thanks for the pep talk. I'm the lefty (right handed- left eye dominant) My son is normal. I picked up a real pretty piece of hard maple from Freddie Harrison a few years ago for a graduation present for my son, layed it out but somehow I can't get a cheek piece on it for a right handed gun.  Oh I forgot to mention that the barrel is already inletted in the stock. I guess I goofed som how. Well I have another real  nice piece of Fredies wood,  so I ordered  another Beck profile barrel from Rice and when I get that I'll start my project. I ordered a Beck print from Dave Keck of Knob Mountain. I guess I have allot of work ahead of me. I'm sure it won't progress like David Prices projects though.  ...Geo.