"Antique" East Tennessee Squirrel Rifle

[E.vonAschwege]

Hey Folks,
   I built this rifle a few months ago and wanted to share it here for some feedback.  I've never built an East Tennessee rifle, but picked up this stock as a project from another gunsmith after it was discovered the buttstock and toe had severe open stress cracks.  The blank had already been inlet for a 3/4" 42" barrel, 5/16" rr, and a Ketland lock (with the tail).  While I was inspecting the work, Stan Hollenbough came over and said jokingly "what are you doing with that piece of firewood??", to which I replied "Challenge Accepted"  ! 
   Instead of scrapping the project, the cracks were stabilized and the rifle was built as a "fake", in an attempt to mimic the look and patina found on original walnut stocks of the period.  With that combination of tiny barrel and the large earlier style lock, this isn't an exact copy, and is instead built "in the style" of those from Eastern Tennessee with a few smaller western North Carolina traits thrown in for fun - perhaps a gunsmith that was trained in East Tennessee but had seen the work of NC mountain gunsmiths as well - or the other way around.  I stabilized the cracks in the buttstock prior to shaping by tipping the stock on its muzzle, wrapping the buttstock in tape, and pouring hot-stuff CA glue into the cracks.  The last inch of toe was like swiss cheese, and has several patches in it that were hidden when the stock was darkened.  The first bandsaw blade met an untimely demise when it encountered unseen pebbles in the toe and under the buttplate.
   The biggest challenge has been (and still is) to create a believable texture to the wood and steel.  The photos of original Southern iron mounted riles in the ALR library were very helpful as I developed the patina.  I'm happy with the rifle but I think the patina is still a work in progress.  Thoughts or critique are welcome. 
-Eric

Larger resolution photos on my website:
http://www.neahkahnieflintlocks.com/appalachian-rifle.html

[Gun_Nut_73]

Beautiful rifle.  It has almost all the items I would want in an E. Tennessee rifle:  Simple (in appearance, not in execution) clean lines, browned iron fittings, double set trigger, crescent butt, flint lock. 

I have found that wiping the surfaces with a used cleaning patch will hasten the patina.

If it is not too indelicate to ask: What would such a rifle run for in .34 cal?

[Vomitus]

  Really cool gun, Eric!  Not sure what draws me to this style but I loves dem! No flash, no googaws, just great architecture. Looks like you nailed it!

[iloco]

Very nice. I like it a lot.

[kaintuck]

AH HA!...a in-the-barrel front sight aren't the cool!!?

I like that rifle.....I think YOU won the bet, he owes you a donut.

marc n tomtom

[Daveco]

Wow! I'm a newbie and major greenhorn, but that is beautiful!! To me, it looks like a well loved and cared for OLD rifle. I'm with kaintuck, it looks like you won the bet. Did I say WOW already???

[whitebear]

Nice job.  I'll bet you are a heck of a poker player too!

[Bob Roller]

OUTSTANDING rifle.Definetley my kind of long rifle.

Bob Roller

[blackbruin]

Only thing I see is you missed blowing out a barrel pin hole! Nice...

[rhbrink]

Great job I just love this type of rifle but I do have a question? Would that type of fore end cap have been found on a rifle of tis type? Just curious?

Richard

[JBJ]

Good gracious! My kind of rifle!
J.B.

[PPatch]

Nailed. That architecture is fine as frogs hair Eric. She's a slim lil gal, and looks like a mean shooter.

dave

[mountainman70]

Very nicely done!!!I love it when someone throws down the gauntlett on projects such as this.I have several long rifles made in sucha challenge,came out well considering the stock boo boos that needed attention.I have,oops-had- a nice SMR I built from a curly stock that had been sorta preshaped,and inlet.Came out to a nice flint 40 cal ,one of my shootin buddies took it home with him.Really like your work.Best regards,Dave F

[oakridge]

Okay, come clean and tell us the truth. You bought a fine old SMR, and now you're trying to convince us that you made it. Yeah, right!   

[David Rase]

That turned out nice Eric.  Glad I got to see it finished.  I remember it well when it was in the white.  The nice flat profile underneath the lock panel looks super.  Nice little detail on the front trigger.  Nice job of not overkilling the distressing.  I know when I do one I lay out the books and try to duplicate original wear and tear and damage.  I always have to take a big breath before making that first mark on the stock.
David 

[Dennis Glazener]

Eric,
Very nice, looks great. The metal needs some aging to go with the wood but I am sure you will get that worked out.
Dennis

[iloco]

What is the caliber.....?

[C Wallingford]

Great job Eric! My kind of rifle.

[WadePatton]

Atta Boy!

[E.vonAschwege]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.  I really had fun with this one.  This has a .36 cal straight Green Mountain barrel. 

Richard, I'm not sure how correct the chevron and jagged pewter muzzlecap is - there's definitely some fantasy in this rifle.  I have seen chevrons, vertical stripes, and solid pewter nosecaps with the jagged edge - I just decided to combine them.   Dave, That first mark on the stock is the most difficult!  Same with the first dents, dings, and vise marks on the barrel and hardware.  After the initial distressing, adding some walnut dye, soot, oil, finish, rubbing back, and burnishing, then adding more dents, it all starts to come together and look pleasing.  It's tough marring the steel barrel and parts because they're a lot tougher than wrought iron.  

 I think on the next fake I'll play with a heat gun and steam to try to keep the stock from becoming so smooth.  If I had a fireplace I'd hang the completed rifle from the top of the chimney and let it smoke for a day.  
-Eric

[tlallijr]

That is sweet !! Love the steel furniture and the perfect patina you put to it .

[Marcruger]

That is a beautiful rifle with sleek architecture.  I really like it! 

Working with that stock reminds me of a horn Ron Hess made.  He was told a certain raw horn was useless, and he made a silk purse out of it. 

Your work with that stock is to be commended.  I dare say someone will buy it off of you in no time. 

God Bless,   Marc

[WadePatton]

Now that i've had time to look it over-and over, I do very much like the gun.  I'm with Dennis on the metal though, bbl aging is great, but the screws are too perfect.  I really interested to see what you can do with the heat gun.

Oh and I have a chimney, just ship that thing over and i'll take care of your smoking it. 

[Bart]

Good looking gun, but I would have cut the muzzle back past that radius at the flats, re-crowned it, and finished out like an original gun of that period. Looks like a Green Mountain Barrel? Thanks for posting the pictures.

Bart

[David Rase]

Dave, That first mark on the stock is the most difficult!  Same with the first dents, dings, and vise marks on the barrel and hardware.  After the initial distressing, adding some walnut dye, soot, oil, finish, rubbing back, and burnishing, then adding more dents, it all starts to come together and look pleasing.  It's tough marring the steel barrel and parts because they're a lot tougher than wrought iron.  

 I think on the next fake I'll play with a heat gun and steam to try to keep the stock from becoming so smooth.  If I had a fireplace I'd hang the completed rifle from the top of the chimney and let it smoke for a day.  
-Eric

My next fake is going to get hung in my chicken house!  A couple of weeks as a roost for a dozen birds ought to do the trick!
David