Author Topic: 2013 Peep Shoot with my Bridger Hawken  (Read 3633 times)

Offline Herb

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2013 Peep Shoot with my Bridger Hawken
« on: April 22, 2013, 04:55:50 AM »
Jim held his annual Easter Peep shoot today, a few weeks late.  Here he is shooting.  Brian at left in black is shooting my Green River Leman .45.

Dave shooting the peeps (marshmallow chicks) while Terry and Margery score.

A view of the peep targets on top of the plank.

Here I am with my new Bridger Hawken, finished it yesterday.  Sure like that 1/2" ramrod, but need to work on the sights.  I only came in 5th place out of 12 shooters, score of 13 of 25, the rest were 14 and 3 tied at 15.

Our prizes are Easter Baskets.  Looks like a good bottle of cabernet sauvignon.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2020, 04:59:42 AM by Herb »
Herb

Offline Mtn Meek

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Re: 2013 Peep Shoot with my Bridger Hawken
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2013, 08:21:38 AM »
Nice job on the Bridger, Herb.

Looks like you tried to duplicate the original's wear pattern in the stock finish, right?  How did you finish the metal parts such as the lock?
Phil Meek

Offline Herb

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Re: 2013 Peep Shoot with my Bridger Hawken
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2013, 04:53:02 PM »
Yes, I want it to look like Jim's rifle does now.  I tried to dye the varnish but that was too thin a color.  Used Fiebing's dark brown oil leather dye to stain the stock dark, that is just the right color.  I steel wooled and sanded the edges to feather them.  There is a coat of Track's Original Oil finish on the light parts, where the dyed varnish is worn off Old Gabe's stock.  Doc White told me he likes this product.  I put a coat of varnish over the dyed wood at the back of the stock.  Steel wooled it.  The leather dye went through that when I needed to feather an area.  The dark area finish is too thin, may put on another coat of leather dye.  Was going to drag it down the gravel road behind by pickup to give it more wear, but I don't have a pickup.  Doc told me the barrel was browned, the other steel parts color cased.  So I browned the barrel with 9 coats of Laurel Mountain Forge Barrel Brown and Degreaser, except for the breech.  I heat blued the breech, tang, lock, butt plate, toe plate, trigger plate and trigger guard and screws and bolts with a propane torch.  Left the entry pipe, nose cap and escutcheons and lock bolt escutcheon unblued.  Will post more detailed photos later.
Herb

Offline doulos

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Re: 2013 Peep Shoot with my Bridger Hawken
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2013, 02:57:07 AM »
Herb
nice rifle
how about a little info about the rifle
what caliber is it?
maker of the barrel?

Offline Herb

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Re: 2013 Peep Shoot with my Bridger Hawken
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2013, 03:26:07 AM »
It has a Green River Rifle Works .54 caliber barrel, 1 1/8" x 31".  It weighs 10 3/4 pounds.  I got the barrel from another maker, who had started it but didn't finish it.
Photos of the original Jim Bridger rifle at GRRW in Nov 1975.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2020, 05:00:43 AM by Herb »
Herb

woodburner

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Re: 2013 Peep Shoot with my Bridger Hawken
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2013, 06:35:13 AM »
Herb; nice rifle, nice view! :)Tim