"barn gun"

[pathfinder]

Great looking "simple" gun! and I hesitate to use the term"simple",getting a gun as right as that one is NOT simple! I LOVE the spur on the trigger guard.

[deano]

Dave C when you find out what the Reaves number is on that guard be sure to let us know it's a great looking guard.

[davec2]

Deano,

Will do.

[B Shipman]

Barn gun covers a lot of range in my mind. Some were nothing more than a roughed out stock with barrel , lock, and trigger sold to a tinker (traveling salesman) who would add a crude guard and quickly varnish the thing. And I've seen a J.P. Beck whom I doubt ever compromised, made completely plain, and as well done sans anything fancy, as his best. And anything in between. Jim just has the Beck philosophy. It's, in my mind ,completly plauseable.

[B Shipman]

Oh-- yes it's gorgeous. Great architecture.

[David Rase]

Jim,

If I wanted to order one of the trigger guards from Reaves, what would I ask for?  Is there a number or name associated with it?

Thanks

Dave C

Dave.
I looked at my Reeves triggerguard list and triggerguard #40 is called Wally Gusslers pattern; Virginia Rifle.
David

[davec2]

David,

Thanks !

DC

[HardBall]

Jim,

Can you tell me what type of stain/finish you used on the wood?  And with what/how you finished the lock and barrel with that beautiful antiqued look?

Thanks

[Jim Kibler]

Time for a break from standing at the bench...  The wood was scraped to a finished state and stained with ferric nitrate (aquafortis).  It was then sealed with some fo the oil Eric Kettenburg cooked up a while back and was offering for sale.  This was thinned considerably with turpentine.  The stock was then burnished pretty heavily.  It was also rubbed back quite a bit, more so in some areas than others.  The darkening was primarily from bone black (drop black) worked into the finish.  I also used some aniline dyes (transtint) to color the finish and add more of a warm color to the stock.  After sealing, I used the Tried and True Oil Varnish as a finish.  I like this stuff.  Goes on easily, dries well and looks appropriate in my view.  The barrel and lock were rusted for about a week, maybe a little less.  The rust was then scrubbed off and a solution designed to darken brass parts (Historic House Parts Brass Darkening Solution) was applied.  This turns the metal sort of a gray color and it can then be buffed off certain areas to create the look you want.  This is a quick description of course and if there are any more specifics you're interested in just ask.

Jim

[HardBall]

The barrel and lock were rusted for about a week, maybe a little less.  The rust was then scrubbed off and a solution designed to darken brass parts (Historic House Parts Brass Darkening Solution) was applied.  This turns the metal sort of a gray color and it can then be buffed off certain areas to create the look you want. 

I've got the brass darkening solution ordered.  I'm going to try it out, first, on a old factory ML barrel I've got, I'll strip the blue and file it down a bit first.  So, you rust brown it first, then apply the brass darkening solution ...got it. 

Thanks for the help, this looks like the finish I've been trying to come up with for a build I'll be starting soon.

[Meteorman]

This is a quick description of course and if there are any more specifics you're interested in just ask.
Jim

Based on my brief but purposeful 2.5 years of watching this board:

When it comes to the full suite of pure technical craftsmanship, balanced artistry, and an unassuming willingness to help and share with others, there may be some who are Jim Kibler's equal, but there are none better.

/mike

[deano]

This is a quick description of course and if there are any more specifics you're interested in just ask.
Jim

Based on my brief but purposeful 2.5 years of watching this board:

When it comes to the full suite of pure technical craftsmanship, balanced artistry, and an unassuming willingness to help and share with others, there may be some who are Jim Kibler's equal, but there are none better.

/mike

Amen to that!

[deano]

Hi Jim,

I have a question about the wrist area. Is it shaped more oval or like a round cylinder? and is is an illusion or does the height of the wrist decrease slightly as it enters and merges into the forward part of the butt stock?

Ken

[Jim Kibler]

Deano,

It's more or less round, having a width and height in the same ballpark.  The wrist height does decrease as it approaches the comb. 

Jim

[SPG]

Gentlemen,

On the topic of "barn guns"...

Consider the old saying that a good Viking was never more than six feet from a weapon.

People spent a lot more time in their barns back in the day. Probably as much as they spent in their house. One would want a firearm anywhere he spent much time, and not just in pioneer days. My grandfather's "barn gun" was his '97 Winchester 12 gauge. He kept it clean, oiled, loaded and hanging in the milking parlor just like the '86 .33 he kept clean, oiled, loaded and hanging in the porch (porch gun?) of the house as well as the '06 .22 that was in the shop (shop gun?). Gramps was never too far from a loaded gun..

I think too many people think that a "barn gun" was some crude thing that was covered in dust and never looked after. "Barn gun" just meant that it lived in the barn where it would be ready-to-hand.

Just my thoughts,

Steve