Kibler .36 Squirrel Rifle hot off the bench. Christian Symbolism.

[Bob McBride]

I know this is only half a 'build' but here it is anyway. .36 Kibler SMR with some light reshaping. Finished and patina'd with Kibler Aqua Fortis (topped with LMF Lancaster Maple), Tannic Acid, Bone Black, and Chamber's Finish Oil. Scraped/burnished stock. Patch box made and engraved by Jim Parker. Lock engraving by Jerry Rice. Iron toe plate and 2"
 nose cap by me. All iron heavily rusted and pitted with LMF Browning Solution before being rubbed back and added greying by Kibler Brass Black. Sterling pipes, side plate, front sight, iron rear sight, and Sterling feather hole surround by me. (extra long Sterling pipes with wedding bands and octagonal shape as found on extant Whitson rifle. He used silver more than once, hence the silver touches). All Sterling patina'd with Sulfur sludge. Thanks to CCF for helping me precisely position the sideplate and thanks to Jerry and Jim for making it more than I couldve on my own!

An additional note: My wife has claimed this rifle, outside of squirrel season that is, for Woodswalks and such, and she requested the biblical verse and Jim's 'Calvary' on the patchbox, 'INRI' on the lock by Jerry, and by Royal Decree (Wifely Suggestion) I include the Lord's number '7' on the rifle as seen on another extant original, so it has seven pins in the barrel, seven screws on the butt, seven hinges on the patchbox, sets of seven on the lock by Jerry, seven screws in the toe plate, and several other hidden '7's. That was a fun part of the build.

Hope it holds up to scrutiny.

The first pic with a few of my other guns for scale for those who've not held a dainty little Southern squirrel rifle.

[scottmc]

Beautiful rifle and nice color and finish!

[Tim Crosby]

  Nice additions Bobby, really like the way the color came out.

    Tim   

[Bob McBride]

Thanks Tim and Scott! Means a lot.

[bama]

Nice job on the rifle Bob. If you get a chance to come to the show bring it with you and put it on the rack. One thing is for sure, that toe plate is not going to fall off!

[Bob McBride]

Nice job on the rifle Bob. If you get a chance to come to the show bring it with you and put it on the rack. One thing is for sure, that toe plate is not going to fall off!

I'll be there. I can bring the rifle, and if you have empty racks I can bring the Brooks 'Gamecreeper' and/or the Kettenburg Barn Gun if you'd like. Say the word. See you there.

seven screws in the toe plate!

[varsity07840]

Is that an original rifled 1842 or an Armi? My original '42 is on of my favorites.

[Bob McBride]

Is that an original rifled 1842 or an Armi? My original '42 is on of my favorites.

It's an original. I love them too. I exchanged it for a M1853 Enfield i had for years. Love it.

[Pennsylvania Dutchman]

Very Nice! I really like your personalized touches.
Mark

[Dennis Glazener]

I love your wife's requested additions. Nicely done.
Dennis

[BOB HILL]

Beautiful rifle, Bob. Everyone did fine work.
Bob

[JLayne]

Beautiful work. If you don't mind me asking, did you make that nose cap yourself, or find one from a supplier that worked with the kit? It is my understanding that the Souther Mountain kit doesn't come with one.

Thanks,
Jay

[Bob McBride]

Beautiful work. If you don't mind me asking, did you make that nose cap yourself, or find one from a supplier that worked with the kit? It is my understanding that the Souther Mountain kit doesn't come with one.

Thanks,
Jay

Thanks. It doesn't come with one, and, yes, I handmade it. It's a two piece. You have to go fairly thin on the sheet as there's not much wood up there but it wasn't difficult.

[Kingsburyarms]

That's a great job. I like the "tiger stripe" of the iron nitrate and honey stain. a beautiful rifle, one to be proud of.

Jon

[Bob McBride]

That's a great job. I like the "tiger stripe" of the iron nitrate and honey stain. a beautiful rifle, one to be proud of.

Jon

Thanks Jon. I did forget to mention I went over the top of the AF with LMF Lancaster Maple a few times and rubbed that back. Some of the honey tones came from the Chambers finish as well. I corrected that in the OP. Thanks.

Bob

[Kingsburyarms]

Bob - I know exactly what you mean - "cutting back" on the stain and Aqua Fortis can expose some of the un-treated wood, especially in the edges, high spots and on the carved areas of a detailed stock. for all reading this, cutting back would be using a scotch bright pad, sandpaper or other tool to take down the finish after you have heated the Iron Nitrate and applied a stain. Aqua Fortis or as know as Iron Nitrate penetrates deep into the softer parts of the curly maple, and if you sand a lot after application, or "cut back" the finish, the hard parts of the Maple will get down to bare wood, and those softer areas will remain darker or browner. Sometimes, it's the look that you want to achieve, like these strong opposing tiger stripes you see here on Bob's rifle, sometimes, another aqua fortis application is needed to level the look of the finish. all wood takes the application differently, so the two things to watch for is to ensure the application is even and heated to a brown (not green) and that when it's time (if needed at all) to sand back some of the finish, watch out for ANY high spots.  or edges of the wood.

The results can be striking when done well - in this case, the follow up with Laurel Mountain Honey stain over the exposed "harder" spots of the Maple makes a strong and colorful example of a tiger Maple stock. Bob, you nailed it.....

Jon

BTW - One of another example of a "cut Back" stock with Iron Nitrate and Honey Maple:

[johnfolchetti]

Very nicely done Bob. I have a .45 version on my bench now. Can you provide a few more pics of your nosecap? What thickness material did you use?
Thanks,
John

[Jim Kibler]

Thanks for sharing photos.  You did a super job!  I especially love the finish.  It's striking!

All the best,
Jim

[Bob McBride]

Thanks guys! Especially you Jim, as I can't tell you how i appreciate your videos.

John, I used 22g sheet from Lowes which miked at .025. Annealed and shaped by hand. I am no expert, having only done a handful of these, but with some patience and lots of bending, annealing, shaping, annealing, cursing, annealing, it's pretty easy. I used the two piece nosecap tutorial here on the forum as a guide. I got it shaped as perfect as I could (noting I was going for a simple cap and not perfection for this gun) and had very little wood to remove from the nose. Lot's of fellers here have done hundreds of these so they're the ones to ask technical questions to.

I personally like a two piece as i find it easy to shape the tube, silver braze on the end, etch your barrel shape in the end, and carefully jeweler's saw and file to a perfect fit. Besides, I wouldn't suggest banging a one piece on the tiny nose of that dainty rifle. Turned out to be a solid, nicely fitting nosecap.

As an aside, I find the 2" cap looks great on the long thin SMR.

[johnfolchetti]

Thank you very much Bob for both the explanation and the additional photos.
John

[WadePatton]

Fine colors you extracted from that super piece of maple.  Looks a good deal better now that the last time I saw it fo sho. Wives always have that option it seems. She chose well.

What's next?

[Bob McBride]

Fine colors you extracted from that super piece of maple.  Looks a good deal better now that the last time I saw it fo sho. Wives always have that option it seems. She chose well.

What's next?

Hey Wade, thanks. Really all I need now is a 20g Fowler. Picked up a 12 bore since last you stopped by. I’d like to do something with a 48” barrel or so. Southern likely. Gonna start getting the parts together this winter.

[flinchrocket]

Bob your rifle turned out real nice. I like the nosecap,they can be a pain sometimes. I tried to subscribe to your you-tube channel but couldn't create a google account, it would freeze up right in the middle of things. I'll stay after it and see if it works out.

[Bob McBride]

Bob your rifle turned out real nice. I like the nosecap,they can be a pain sometimes. I tried to subscribe to your you-tube channel but couldn't create a google account, it would freeze up right in the middle of things. I'll stay after it and see if it works out.

Thanks Flinch! Keep at it! I appreciate it!