Gillespie rifle in progress - Finished

[davebozell]

Note from the Moderators:  Davebozell's original post below has prompted many great replies showing a lot of cool and diverse projects, and that's a great.  That's what ALR is all about.  But there are so many great projects in this thread, and so many followup questions, the moderators thought each project deserved it's own thread, making it easier to follow the individual projects.

I always like to see what other members are working on, so I thought I would show my current project and see who else would like to join in.  My current project is a walnut Gillespie using Dennis' plan and brass hardware.  It has a 40 cal A weight barrel that I am currently inletting. 





I have finished one pistol from a blank, but this is my second rifle.  It's my first from a blank.  I added the "stocking bench" to my old planing bench by adding a 4 X 4 and a couple small vises mounted onto dovetailed 2 X 6's.  Seems to hold the stock pretty securely.

(Title changed to reflect the project.)

[Ky-Flinter]

DaveBozell, thanks for getting so many of the members to post their current projects!

Here’s an index of the replies to this thread that have been moved into individual threads.

Current project by Swab - German silver blunderbuss
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40239.0

Current project by David Rase - Queen Anne screw off barreled Carbine
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40248.0

Current project by Captchee
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40230.0

Current project by Boompa
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40249.0

Current project by P.W. Berkuta - Plains Rifle
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40242.0

Current project by Flehto - Bucks County Rifle
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40232.0

Current project by Jerrywh - Double barrel Russian pistol
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40236.0

Current project by Smart Dog
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40245.0

Current project by PPatch - Plains Rifle
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40235.0

Current project by Chowmi - Chamber's Isaac Haines
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40238.0

Current project by Frogwalking - 'Nuther Tennessee mountain rifle
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40243.0

Current project by Bama - Ladies Rifle
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40247.0

Current project by Rolf - Beck Rifle and a pair of "Big Bang" Dragoon pistols
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40233.0

Current project by Curtis - Christian's Spring rifle inspired by RCA #43
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40237.0

Current project by JoeS - toe plate for hawken rifle
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40244.0

Current project by Tim C. - a Pair of Pocket Pistols
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40241.0

Current project by Keb - 10ga Bess barreled gun
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40240.0

Show us your current project - Odds and Ends by Dphariss, Brooks, Bogart and Treichel
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40231.0

[Mike Brooks]

You forgot my "garden" project. I'm hurt.....
Never mind I found it. Now I feel all better about myself again!

[Ky-Flinter]

You forgot my "garden" project. I'm hurt.....
Never mind I found it. Now I feel all better about myself again!

Omission corrected.  Sorry Mike.

-Ron

[davebozell]

Okay, so I have a dumb question.  When inletting a barrel, how deep is deep enough?  I'm about halfway down the side flat, and I intend to show about 2/3 of the flat.  Is that deep enough, or should I keep going?  

Here's some pictures:

At the breech:



Lock side:



Cheek side:

 

[Robert Wolfe]

As a general rule, I think you want a little more than half of the barrel showing - but - I'm willing to be corrected! For some schools you want even more showing.

[bama]

I always go deeper than the center line of the bore with my inlet at first. Then as the build progresses and I start that to take the stock down from the rough shape to the finish shape I then take the top of the forearm down to just lower than the center line of the bore. This helps me to keep from buggering up the top edge of the forearm while I do all the other operations in the rough stocking.

Make sure you have your ram rod and bottom of stock located this should be done along with locating the bottom of the barrel channel.

[54ball]

 Bama gives good advice.

 I think you are getting ahead of yourself a little bit. The height of the barrel rails and little architectural details like that can come later.

 I'm on the last part of my Gillespie build. I used one of Dennis' Mathew stocks with the barrel already set and the rammer groove and hole already done. There was still plenty to remove from the barrel rails when I got to that point.

 In my opinion you need to go a little deeper and get the basics of the rifle done like the ramrod groove and hole. Going a little deeper gives you a safety margin as does keeping it in the square until you are ready to add those Gillespie details.



 As it is right now you may not have enough of the rails to work with. Notice how many ridges and valleys you have sighting down the side flat. I think you need a little surplus right now on the rails because that area needs to be cleaned up and straightened to be the clean base to start those architectural details......When the time comes for that.

   

[davebozell]

As the world's slowest rifle builder, I figured it was time for an update.  My Gillespie is finally starting to actually look like a rifle.  The walnut has been a real challenge as it is extremely hard in some spots and soft (crumbly) in others.  I have had to reinforce the wrist with a threaded rod due the appearance of a "crack" in that area.  Trigger and trigger guard are next.

The grain on this side looks really good, but boy is it hard!  The grain direction changes every half inch or so.  I've had to stick with rasps and scrapers to get everything formed up.





I'm using Dennis' plans so hopefully I'm staying architecturally close to the original rifle.


Comments and critiques welcome.

[Joe S.]

pretty piece of walnut,can't wait to see it when your done

[Nordnecker]

Yeah, that looks like a piece of wood with it's own agenda. It'l be worth the effort ,though, when you get done. I've woked with a lot of walnut- it's a wood I'm very comfortable with. Others say they hate it. I am not comfortable with cherry. I've never built a rifle out of hard sugar maple. I built a mandolin out of it, though.
Good thread. Keep it going.

[Mike Brooks]

Looks great to me. I built a gun out of walnut with a knot in the same place, turned out fine.

[n stephenson]

Nice Work!!!!   Looking good keep us posted   . Thanks Nathan

[somehippy]

@!*% purdy wood

[Clowdis]

I do love these old Southern rifles stocked in walnut. Looking good!

[Mike Brooks]

I'm going to stock up a Gillespie-esque bear rifle this winter in .58. I altered the typical Gillespie architecture by limiting the drop to 2 3/4" at the heel. I just can't shoot those guns with all that drop the originals have, although I love the way they look.

[Dennis Glazener]

Mike,
My original Mathew Gillespie is a bit shy of 3.25" at the heel and it is about as straight stocked as any mountain rifle I have ever run across. (I rest the barrel upside down on the front/rear sights on a desktop, then measure the distance from the heel to the desktop) I feel sure you have tried a stock with that small amount of drop (2 3/4) but I would have expected a straight stock like that to feel like a trap gun to a man of your size!

I do find the straight stocked rifles much more comfortable to shoot, at least for me.
Dennis

[Mike Brooks]

My "Game Creeper's Gun" Has 2 1/2" drop at the heel...I believe. I spent alot of years behind several english  shot guns and just got used to a pretty straight stocked gun I guess. I really find not having a solid check weld difficult, can't get a good weld with much drop. Just me I'm sure.

[WaterFowl]

My "Game Creeper's Gun" Has 2 1/2" drop at the heel...I believe. I spent alot of years behind several english  shot guns and just got used to a pretty straight stocked gun I guess. I really find not having a solid check weld difficult, can't get a good weld with much drop. Just me I'm sure.

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Mike I'm drinking the kool-aid.
.love a good cheek weld and short drop.

[Mike Brooks]

My "Game Creeper's Gun" Has 2 1/2" drop at the heel...I believe. I spent alot of years behind several english  shot guns and just got used to a pretty straight stocked gun I guess. I really find not having a solid check weld difficult, can't get a good weld with much drop. Just me I'm sure.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike I'm drinking the kool-aid.
.love a good cheek weld and short drop.

You're probably another closet shotgunner too.

[WaterFowl]

My "Game Creeper's Gun" Has 2 1/2" drop at the heel...I believe. I spent alot of years behind several english  shot guns and just got used to a pretty straight stocked gun I guess. I really find not having a solid check weld difficult, can't get a good weld with much drop. Just me I'm sure.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike I'm drinking the kool-aid.
.love a good cheek weld and short drop.

You're probably another closet shotgunner too.

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 I have been outted..
 add a flat wide butt plate and I'm in.  No pointed curves please...Thank you.
Love the way they look ..don't care for the marks they leave in me shooting big roundballs fast.

The  Gillespie family style of rifle is on my build list...Dave slow and steady wins the race..Looking good.
beautiful walnut ....You won't regret pinning the wrist.

OH Dave..how or why can you see the top of your work bench???...

[davebozell]

There might be one square foot of open space in that picture!  If it makes you feel better, I did just add another chisel tray that pretty much takes up that last square foot.  I am trying to get a little more organized.  I'm getting tired of loosing things that are right under my nose!

[davebozell]

Another step closer tonight.  I successfully (to me) drilled the grease hole.  Used a 1" spoon bit in a hand brace.  It sounds like it should be pretty simple, but the hole is out pretty far from where I could support it in my vise.  If you haven't used a spoon bit before, they kind of have a mind of their own about where they start, especially on really hard wood.  Luckily I got this one started in about the right spot and it came out okay.

[Dennis Glazener]

Looks good, those angled grease holes can be tricky. I have stood stocks on end, swung the head around on my small bench drill press and drilled the hole starting with a small bit and worked up to my largest 1", then worked the rest with a gouge.  I had the stocked secured with clamps to the bench leg

Dennis

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Very nice.  Looks great.