Author Topic: Turkey gun is done! (Read 2297 times)

Mauser06 · « **on:** August 25, 2018, 05:38:26 AM »

Once again, I want to thank you all for putting up with me. I'm learning as I go...and without this forum, I probably wouldn't have even attempted to stock a gun.

I was shooting for it to be in the style of J.P. Beck. I will let you guys tell me if it's close. I know the carving and such aren't so much...

Critiques are welcome. I can't learn to do better without knowing where to improve.

One thing I know is the forend could been lowered a smidge. I tried and the forend was flaking away...it's paper thin where it meets the barrel. Figured I better leave it alone before i broke it all off...

Carving could be better...but, for my first attempt, I was happy enough to finish it.

Patch box lid...I forgot to put the notch in the end lol...I plan to make a couple more anyways.

All in all, I'm pleased with the overall look I achived..first longrifle and first time doing any carving. My last project was a half stock precarve where more work was done than this one.

Chowmi · « **Reply #1 on:** August 25, 2018, 06:10:58 AM »

Mauser,
I like it very much, the finish looks good, and from what I can see from the not so close pictures, the inletting and wood to metal fit is good.
The architecture lines look crisp and clean to me.

Your first attempt at carving is above average I think, and way better than my first attempt.
A few things jump out to my novice eye regarding the carving. Bear in mind that yours is better than my first, and I have not carved my second!!
I am also far from an expert on JP Beck, but am familiar.

I think you probably see where your background cleanup needed to be better, smoother, particularly in the upper left hand side of your double C-scroll aft of the cheek piece.
The bottom right spiral is a bit out of round and so is not as graceful as it could be. You sometimes see them on originals that are a bit stretched etc, but they are still graceful. Yours has a few flattish spots which detract.
The curve that goes from the back end of the cheek rest on your gun seems to curve towards the front end of the butt plate return. If that didn't describe it right, I mean the transition curve from the carving surface behind the cheek rest to to actual cheek rest.. Make sense?
Anyway, I think with your carving design, that curve would have looked better if it curved and terminated pointing at the corner of the butt plate return and the back of the butt plate. In other words, have it curve toward the upper right hand corner of the carving area.
If you did that, it would follow the natural line of the major C-scroll that you carved. Instead, you have two curves that are side by side but are divergent. Hope I explained that well. I think it would have flowed better if the cheek piece curve had been like I described.

In front of the cheek piece, I think your C-scroll could have split from the comb moulding a bit later, and followed the curve of the transition from the front of the cheek rest a bit better. Essentially a similar concept to the back end of the cheek rest.
To me, the front C-scroll stands a bit too separated from the cheek rest and has a different curve than the transition on the front of the cheek rest. This makes it look like a disparate element, rather than flowing with the architecture of the rifle.

These points are intended as constructive, as overall, I think you did a great job on your rifle. Wish my first carving was anywhere near yours.

Cheers,
Norm

webradbury · « **Reply #2 on:** August 25, 2018, 06:31:15 AM »

Looks a heck of a lot better than my first one! Nice color. Give us some details...caliber, length, wood

Mauser06 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 25, 2018, 06:52:55 AM »

Chowmi, thank you! You picked up on the few areas that stuck out to me as well that just looked a little off...

Really didn't mean to take the pics today. Had her in the sun while I was mowing...I like to do that a few days to make sure the finish is completely cure. When I was done, the lighting seemed nice to show the rifle well without shadows or bright reflections.

I really struggled at drawing and layout. Definitely need to practice that and my carving. I should have never attempted to learn on a gun stock...let alone THAT stock. The wood was not the hardest of maple and presented it's own challenges.

I am learning. The most important thing for me is the gun fires! Lol. I'm no artist...I'm a hunter and enjoyed the first project enough to try to learn more and become better. I have the next project ready to go...and it's from a plank...so, back to the learning! Lol

Mauser06 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 25, 2018, 07:08:25 AM »

Webradbury,
It's a 38" 20ga Colerain Turkey barrel
Lock is a Chamber's Deluxe Siler
Stock and barrel came from Rufowkes on here. I believe he said Mark Wheland cut the barrel channel and did the precarve.

Finish was 2 coats of tannic acid and 2 coats of iron nitrate followed by several coats of Chamber's oil. I actually expected it to go darker than it did...I barely rubbed back the stain at all except in a few areas. I wanted a darker stock..the stock appeared relatively plain so I was really surprised that it was moderately curly after it was stained. I know that style of finishing isn't everyone's cup of tea..I wanted it to have that warm used but well cared for look...I'm very pleased with the overall look and colors I got.

Steel was also finished to have an aged look. I let it rust good for a week or so...then scrubbed it all off and cold blued it and rubbed it back. Rounded off the top barrel edges and such as well...the brass, I'm still not completely happy with...but a trip to the range will have it tarnished enough. Initially I tried cold bluing it...just didn't get the look I wanted...I took most of it off...last night I took some black powder outside and lit it off...wiped the residue up with a wet piece of rag and rubbed the brass. Gave it a nice soft yellow..will work on it a bit more as I shoot it. Lol

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #5 on:** August 25, 2018, 04:08:14 PM »

It's a good gun. I like the color and your metal finish. Your carving is pretty good too considering it's your first. the only thing that really bothers me is your barrel is buried too deep.
Nice gun, you'll have a lot of fun with it.

Mauser06 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 25, 2018, 05:25:52 PM »

Awww come on! That's like the nicest thing I've seen you say on here Mike Brooks!

Seriously...I appreciate it and it means a lot. I've learned that you will be truthful on posts like these...but, that's what got me to turn out what I did.

Remember my first carving I thought I was happy with? "Rasp that off." Was your response. Lol. I did. And I'm glad I did now...though it was tough to do.

The side rails could definitely be lower. I shaped the forend with the barrel in and upside-down. The rasp ate quicker than expected and it truly is paper thin. That section is curly and when I tried to lower it, it was breaking away. Now that it's hardened up with some finish, I could possibly lower gently lower it. Probably wouldn't be too difficult to use a stain to color it and finish it again.

PPatch · « **Reply #7 on:** August 25, 2018, 06:38:17 PM »

That will be a fine turkey gunne Mauser. You've done well overall. Chowmi has given you a spot on critique and I second Mike on the barrel exposure.

ENJOY! Brag on yourself too.

dave

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #8 on:** August 25, 2018, 07:44:54 PM »

Quote from: Mauser06 on August 25, 2018, 05:25:52 PM

Awww come on! That's like the nicest thing I've seen you say on here Mike Brooks!

Seriously...I appreciate it and it means a lot. I've learned that you will be truthful on posts like these...but, that's what got me to turn out what I did.

Remember my first carving I thought I was happy with? "Rasp that off." Was your response. Lol. I did. And I'm glad I did now...though it was tough to do.

The side rails could definitely be lower. I shaped the forend with the barrel in and upside-down. The rasp ate quicker than expected and it truly is paper thin. That section is curly and when I tried to lower it, it was breaking away. Now that it's hardened up with some finish, I could possibly lower gently lower it. Probably wouldn't be too difficult to use a stain to color it and finish it again.

You need to give yourself more credit. My first dozen or so weren't near that good. I do remember that first carving you had on it. Once you did some research into some historically correct patterns and put some effort into it you did real well.

Iktomi · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2018, 01:11:50 AM »

That's a fine gun looking at from here. A fine result for so early in your gun building career. I, too, am primarily a hunter, I'm interested in seeing the gobblers you bag with that gun.

Mauser06 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2018, 01:48:03 AM »

Mike, like I said, I owe a lot of it to you guys and this forum as well as others that have put together reference materials...the Kentucky Rifle Foundation discs, Eric Von's prints, your tutorial, I own a small library of books and DVDs. All that is readily available now and really helps a guy learn and turn out fine longrifles early on.

Kinda like trapping...I started fur trapping about 10 years ago. I talked to some old time trappers that said back when they started, if you asked a guy how to catch a fox, you were lucky if he replied "by the foot".

I'm definitely thankful for the resources and information shared. I try to put it to work. I don't ever see myself doing this as a business or anything...but I still desire to turn out nice work and carry on the tradition of stocking the American Longrifle.

Many say I was born a couple hundred years too late...fur trapping, stocking rifles, etc. I think I was born at an appropriate time. I'm 31 now. Some things just shouldn't be lost and forgotten.

Lktomi, spring gobblers with a flintlock is an absolute blast. I've taken 2 with flintlocks in the spring. I had a turkey choke barrel and loved the pattern and hated cleaning it. I had it reamed and jugged. Now I love cleaning it and love shooting roundballs but it shortened my range by a good 10 yards. Figured I'd do a dedicated turkey gun and once I'm done patterning, I will only be cleaning it a few times a year.

smylee grouch · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2018, 03:46:42 AM »

I don't know much about JP Beck and if you came close or not to his style but you have a very nice gun that looks like it was put together quite well. Congrats and enjoy.

TommyG · « **Reply #12 on:** August 26, 2018, 04:29:00 AM »

Mauser - great job on your Beck turkey gun. I like it. Considering where you were with it a few months back, you pulled off a real nice recovery with the carving and overall it looks great.... one thing I noticed is the lower forearm looks a bit slab sided in the one pic of the lock side. That's a tough thing to get correct, at least for me. I think part of it might be from the side rails being to deep.
Keep up the good work. What's next?

k gahagan · « **Reply #13 on:** August 26, 2018, 04:50:42 AM »

Mauser, I know you agree Mike telling you to rasp off THAT carving was great advice. I'm glad you took that the way it was intended and turned it around to something you should be proud of. The difference is day and night. Very good job overall. Hope you keep at it.

Mauser06 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 26, 2018, 05:15:52 AM »

Thanx guys!

Tommy, up next is my first plank build. I have a 58cal 44" Hoyt barrel that Fred Miller inlet into one of Allen Martin's planks. I really like Allen's "pre-rev Lancaster" and he was ki d enough to trace the butt onto my plank. It'll be an early gun and possibly styled after the Andreas Albrecht rifle. I have a Chamber's Dale Johnson lock, a Stan Hollenbaugh single set trigger and all the furniture for it...so I'm actually ready to put her in the vice.

And you're right..I'm not completely happy with the forearm and forestock... really didn't realize how fast a fine cut Iwasaki cuts lol. Lessons learned. Its thin enough I wasn't comfortable trying to get anymore shape out of it too..bottom was thinking enough the front of the trigger guard broke into the ramrod hole.

I definitely plan to stick with it and keep learning. After the 58 I have a 36cal 38" Rice in another one of Allen's planks. I try to collect parts and such as I find them if they are something I feel id want to turn into a gun.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #15 on:** August 26, 2018, 04:49:24 PM »

Quote from: Mauser06 on August 26, 2018, 01:48:03 AM

Mike, like I said, I owe a lot of it to you guys and this forum as well as others that have put together reference materials...the Kentucky Rifle Foundation discs, Eric Von's prints, your tutorial, I own a small library of books and DVDs. All that is readily available now and really helps a guy learn and turn out fine longrifles early on.

Kinda like trapping...I started fur trapping about 10 years ago. I talked to some old time trappers that said back when they started, if you asked a guy how to catch a fox, you were lucky if he replied "by the foot".

I'm definitely thankful for the resources and information shared. I try to put it to work. I don't ever see myself doing this as a business or anything...but I still desire to turn out nice work and carry on the tradition of stocking the American Longrifle.

Many say I was born a couple hundred years too late...fur trapping, stocking rifles, etc. I think I was born at an appropriate time. I'm 31 now. Some things just shouldn't be lost and forgotten.

Lktomi, spring gobblers with a flintlock is an absolute blast. I've taken 2 with flintlocks in the spring. I had a turkey choke barrel and loved the pattern and hated cleaning it. I had it reamed and jugged. Now I love cleaning it and love shooting roundballs but it shortened my range by a good 10 yards. Figured I'd do a dedicated turkey gun and once I'm done patterning, I will only be cleaning it a few times a year.

A couple of your remarks are notable. I have been suggesting gathering loads of reference materials to new guys here and been getting a whoopin' for it. You are proof my advice has merit, thanks for listening.
When I was 31 I had 18 guns under my belt. When I was 39 I had built just over 80 and was still a "hobby" builder. Watch out, this stuff can get away from you!
I don't know who did your jug, but I have a guy that can do better than that. All jugs are not created equal.

Ed Wenger · « **Reply #16 on:** August 27, 2018, 03:49:53 AM »

LOTS more good than bad. I know you mentioned the forend, and being fearful of tearing out wood because it’s so thin, but I would bet just some sandpaper on a sanding block would be able to take the wood down. That would also allow you to round that area a little more. That’s a nice piece of work, and I look forward to seeing more!

Ed

Mike Lyons · « **Reply #17 on:** August 28, 2018, 07:44:06 AM »

That turned out beautiful. Your finish makes it look more like an original work horse rather than a rich guys presentation piece. I seem to be drawn more towards the work horse look. Very nice rifle and Congratulations on hitting the finish line on that one.

BOB HILL · « **Reply #18 on:** August 28, 2018, 09:13:31 PM »

What Ed said. Thanks for posting
Bob

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #19 on:** August 29, 2018, 01:39:34 AM »

Mike, you ARE having a good effect on our passion. One of the first things I read on here was a comment from you to someone else about getting some books and doing some research. I took it to heart, even tho you weren't addressing me. And your work has an effect also - love to see the things that you make.

Mauser, I've watched as you built, and read your comments, especially to Mike. Lots of good advice going both ways there, and I was pleased when Mike told you to rasp the carving off. You did! And you, and many others of us, benefitted from listening to a craftsman who knew whereof he was speaking.

I consider myself to really have received a gift when I joined the group - LOTS of great advice here, if you just take the time to listen to it.

So - many thanks!

Mike Lyons · « **Reply #20 on:** August 29, 2018, 02:02:57 AM »

Quote from: Craig Wilcox on August 29, 2018, 01:39:34 AM

Mike, you ARE having a good effect on our passion. One of the first things I read on here was a comment from you to someone else about getting some books and doing some research. I took it to heart, even tho you weren't addressing me. And your work has an effect also - love to see the things that you make.

Mauser, I've watched as you built, and read your comments, especially to Mike. Lots of good advice going both ways there, and I was pleased when Mike told you to rasp the carving off. You did! And you, and many others of us, benefitted from listening to a craftsman who knew whereof he was speaking.

I consider myself to really have received a gift when I joined the group - LOTS of great advice here, if you just take the time to listen to it.

So - many thanks!

Hear! Hear!! I’ll second that.

News:

Author Topic: Turkey gun is done! (Read 2297 times)

Iktomi