.32 half stock Ohio I'm building.

[Frozen Run]

Here is the Ohio half stock I am building with my friend and mentor John. It has a green mountain 32 caliber barrel, davis goulcher lock, davis triggers, the butt plate is GRRW and the trigger guard is something I picked out of a bargain box. I bought the American walnut blank to build it from Allen Martin here on the forum for 60 bucks shipped. It still has a lot to be done to it. I was planning on creating a thread from start to finish but got discouraged as the casualties started stacking up on the project. I think it's turning out pretty cool looking so far nonetheless and all questions and comments are strongly encouraged. Thank you for looking.



Here is where I learn the difficulty of taking good pictures. Also, my shop is not fully moved into yet so please excuse the mess. Things to note are how I went too dainty with the wrist and not bold enough with the nose. I am considering doing a faux period repair to the wrist to cut off any future problems by strengthening the area or just let it ride and see what happens as is. The butt plate still needs a bit more fitting to get it tight. That is a brass rib and is soldered on. The solder came from the space program so I'm banking on it holding up better than rivets over the long run plus anyone examining this rifle in person is going to be too busy trying to stick their finger down the muzzle to check under the ramrod.   



Here I messed up shaping the area behind the cheek piece. I may try to squeeze just a tiny bit more out of the area or just leave it alone before completely ruining it.

   

Here is the spike tang, the photo makes it look wonky but in person it's actually pretty nice and straight. It has a good flow to it but I got a little timid with the spike, going to make my next one much sharper. Also, there is a hacksaw cut that runs perpendicular across the tang near the countersink for the bolt. I think it happened when deepening the slot for the tang bolt and just got careless. It is a clean cut and not too deep, but deep enough where it won't file out. I may undercut it a bit and drift in a piece of german silver, make it look like a design element?



Here is the lock side, I just started the shaping in front of the lock so it's a bit crude now and still needs work but I think it looks pretty nice so far. 

 

Here is the side plate face, just started that recently as well so it still needs a bit of work.

I may have been a bit too critical in my overview but this rifle is turning out to be a pretty cool and elegant 32, a really graceful squirrel rifle. And I've received a tremendous amount of compliments from people, mostly strangers, who don't know any better so that has been encouraging as well. I brought it to a rendezvous last year and the first weekend I came as a flatlander and by the second weekend I was working in the gun shop. I'm not going to try and fool anyone here, it was pure nepotism that got me in, but it was still an exciting experience going from the absolute bottom of the barrel to a high status attraction so quickly. I had a certain jaunty swagger about me that I thought I had lost more years than I care to count ago.

So please let me know what you think. I only ask that you don't sugarcoat things. I need honest, no holds barred comments, what you like about it and what you don't. I'm not going to quit building because you tell me my gun stinks.

And more importantly, I encourage the newer builders to feel free to ask me any questions whatsoever regarding any of the processes in this build, how things were done, or will be done at later stages in the build, and I will do my best to provide a thorough explanation with the method I used along with the techniques and the tools I used to accomplish that.

Thank you for reading! 

[Chocktaw Brave]

That looks like the kind of rifle you can carry all day long and never tire of it. I like it, I must say my first build is still waiting it’s stock from Pecatonnica River. I was too chicken to try all the inletting and wood shaping myself. You have made some real nice progress with that one. I think it’s going to be a fine rifle!
Maybe I’ll try a stock from scratch on my next build, which I am already thinking about(just thinking). But I’m thinking a squirrel rifle, but with a full stock, and more than likely a flintlock.

[Frozen Run]

Thank you for your kind words. One of the most important things to start studying on originals are lines. Look at the rifle and try to break it down into a series of lines, everything points to something else to create continuity across the length of the gun. Have fun with your build!

[heinz]

That is coming along nicely.  What are you planning for the nose cap?

[mikeyfirelock]

I think you’re doing a fine job.   Keep up the good work.

[Scott Bumpus]

Not bad don. The narrow wrist looks good. I know nothing about Ohio rifles but I would narrow the cheek piece top to bottom.  Be proud dude it don’t suck

[Frozen Run]

Thank you everyone for your compliments.

heinz, I am going to do a poured pewter nose cap. The poured nose cap was so common on Ohio halfstocks to the point of almost being mandatory on a contemporary build. There is a lot going on in that region and it ties the gun together to have something so rigid and looking so tight to everything like it was painted on.

Scott, the photos are bit misleading in that they threw some things out of proportion a bit how I was holding the camera. The cheek piece is much more dainty than the picture shows, it's about as small of a cheek piece as you can make it before becoming vestigial. It's still serviceable but not typical of a standard Ohio cheek piece which tends to be much more prominent. I still need to square up the bottom a touch. There is a high line you can see in the photo extending behind and below the cheek piece that I am pretty sure is just lighting but I will have to examine it a bit more closely and possibly try to blend that away. And I may decide to cut a line in the cheek piece face lengthwise for decoration. Also, the wrist looks a bit longer in the photo than it is in real life. Overall I am very happy with the build. 

[hanshi]

I really do like the direction you're heading with this build, Frozen Run.  In .32 it will certainly be a delight to carry in the woods.  I love that wrist, and IMHO it's just about perfect.

[smylee grouch]

I can't really tell by the pictures but the cheek piece looks a bit proud near the wrist to me. If so you could blend that into the wrist from the rear to the wrist so it floes into that transition. Food for thought. 

[Frozen Run]

Thank you hanshi. The wrist is the one one thing really burning my backside on this build. Aesthetically it reminds me of a broom handle, uncharacteristic of an Ohio, and structurally if the area goes it's going to go fast as there is very little wood to do repair work on. It does handle very light and wispy though so it should be a joy to carry in the woods.

smylee, do these pictures help with what you were pointing out?





Also of note is my harbor freight lathe still in the original factory plastic. I bought that that thing so many years ago to solve a problem that I forgot what the problem originally was. It just recently got taken out of the box and the cosmoline is starting to eat through a part from the accessory bag that I hope isn't that important.

[Marcruger]

I would worry less about it not being a perfect example of a certain “school”, and just finish it up as a nice example of mid-1800s half stock percussion rifle. With that GM barrel it will be a great shooter. Keep going, you are doing well.  God bless, Marc

[Spalding]

Please don’t take this as criticism, but I have a question for more experienced builders. With a round tail lock like you used, would it be more visually appealing to also round the rear of the lock panel, rather than come to a point such as this? Or is this more dependent on a particular school of rifles?
Again, please no criticism meant, I’m envious of what you’ve done, it’s just something that jumps out at me.

Bob

[bnewberry]

You have made great progress! I am going much slower on the half stock Ohio style rifle I am trying as my first. A question for you. How long is your barrel and how does it balance? I have a 42 inch .40 caliber straight barrel and I don’t want the rifle to be too nose heavy so I am sure I will need t9 cut it.

Your lock inletting looks good! I would let the wrist ride as is, it looks elegant!

Good luck as your build continues.

[Frozen Run]

Thank you Marc, that is good advice, you know what they say about your worst critic is always yourself.

Spalding, criticism is a good thing, plus you asked a great question that I am curious as to what others have to contribute. The short answer is my mentor really likes that style of panel, I admire his guns, so that's what I went with. When you don't know any better just follow the person who does. If you recall what I mentioned to the other member about studying lines and apply it to the pictures of my gun, you will notice that the rear point of the panel points straight across the wrist, across the main line of the cheek piece, and terminates at the rear screw on the butt plate, this was done simply by drawing a straight line across the blank prior to shaping. The front point of the panel will also dictate the shaping past the lock and down the gun. Another area you can see this is in the line that starts at the point of the tang and travels across the center of the comb, hits the center of the butt plate and terminates at the top screw on the butt plate. Without these lines as reference points, the layout would appear wavy and lack continuity across its length. With them, it makes it look fast. Ohio guns ran the gambit on many features, you'll see panels that are pointy, roundy, long, short, squared out on the sides. So a rounded panel would be one way that is correct for an Ohio gun but you take that same line and it just hits the rounded panel and stops, it just bogs down the flow. This panel is also correct, but it is long, sleek, and sharp so to my eyes it complements the aesthetics of the rifle better.

bnewberry, the barrel is a .32 caliber Green Mountain, it is 36" straight, 13/16 across the flat and it is an absolute crime that GM no longer manufactures that barrel. The barrel, like the rifle, wants to float out of your hands. .40 caliber and straight is a great start for an Ohio halfstock but 42" is way too long. You're going to want to cut it down to at least 36" but I'll ask my friend the next time I talk to him to clarify things in that regard before you start cutting. What is the width on your barrel? When you cut it down to an appropriate length it will not be nose heavy, the Ohio rifle is very fast and agile.

Thank you for your compliments on my wrist, though I would not try to emulate that with a 40. I may be able to get away with it on a 32 shooting squirrel but much more would be pushing things. If you are interested in Ohio guns, thee definitive collection is Ohio gunsmiths & allied tradesmen, there are 5 books in the series and you can get them at the Log Cabin Shop's website.

[Mike Brooks]

Looks good Donny. The cheek piece is too wide but otherwise  everything looks good 👍

[bnewberry]

You have made great progress! I am going much slower on the half stock Ohio style rifle I am trying as my first. A question for you. How long is your barrel and how does it balance? I have a 42 inch .40 caliber straight barrel and I don’t want the rifle to be too nose heavy so I am sure I will need t9 cut it.

Your lock inletting looks good! I would let the wrist ride as is, it looks elegant!

Good luck as your build continues.

Oh, golly, I somehow missed you're also making an Ohio halfstock when I read your post the first time! So ignore the stuff I wrote to you in my last response, I deleted what I originally wrote as it doesn't apply. .40 caliber and straight is a great start for an Ohio halfstock but 42" is way too long. You're going to want to cut it down to at least 36" but I'll ask my friend the next time I talk to him to clarify things in that regard before you start cutting. What is the width on your barrel? When you cut it down to an appropriate length it will not be nose heavy, the Ohio rifle is very fast and agile.

Thank you for your compliments on my wrist, though I would not try to emulate that with a 40. I may be able to get away with it on a 32 shooting squirrel but much more would be pushing things. If you are interested in Ohio guns, thee definitive collection is Ohio gunsmiths & allied tradesmen, there are 5 books in the series and you can get them at the Log Cabin Shop's website.

Thank you for the well wishes and information! I will be careful with the wrist, trying to keep it taller than wide, barely at least.

My barrel width is 7/8 and 36 inches sounds like a good length. I do want to retain the long gun look of the I  general Ohio style. Not that I expect to make an accurate copy, but I hope to land in the vicinity of a Vincent rifle, with some liberties. I will definitely pour a nose cap. I am leaning to all German silver hardware rather than a mix of brass and silver.

[Frozen Run]

Thank you Mike, I will take your advise and make the adjustment.

bnewberry, a general style is a smart way to go for a newer builder, it gives you a lot of leeway versus making a copy of a specific rifle which will look like a caricature unless you are really dialed in and experienced. You will still need to pay close attention to characteristics, proportions, lines and how elements get blended together. My specific gun is based off of a style of Ohio rifle my friend creates, he has a deep understanding of art and Ohio guns and incorporated a number of Ohio style elements into a gun he enjoys to make. It's kind of like his own Ohio school, he grimaces when I make that analogy but it's the only way I can think to describe it. Kind of going off in your own direction like he does is a really advanced approach though. I will call my friend later on today regarding your barrel and get back with you. Good luck and have fun with your build!

[Mike Brooks]

Thank you Mike, I will take your advise and make the adjustment.

bnewberry, a general style is a smart way to go for a newer builder, it gives you a lot of leeway versus making a copy of a specific rifle which will look like a caricature unless you are really dialed in and experienced. You will still need to pay close attention to characteristics, proportions, lines and how elements get blended together. My specific gun is based off of a style of Ohio rifle my friend creates, he has a deep understanding of art and Ohio guns and incorporated a number of Ohio style elements into a gun he enjoys to make. It's kind of like his own Ohio school, he grimaces when I make that analogy but it's the only way I can think to describe it. Kind of going off in your own direction like he does is a really advanced approach though. I will call my friend later on today regarding your barrel and get back with you. Good luck and have fun with your build!

That was just how it looked to my eye. I have never made an Ohio rifle so keep that in mind. In all cases like this I would refer to originals.

[Ats5331]

Looking good, Don! Applying what we learned in class, eh?

[Frozen Run]

That was just how it looked to my eye. I have never made an Ohio rifle so keep that in mind. In all cases like this I would refer to originals.

Thank you Mike, I will definitely take your advise and adjust the cheek piece after studying some originals closer and consulting with John. Despite it turning into a nice rifle, I missed the mark on a lot of things so it is not entirely characteristic of John's style but it still retains the spirit of it to some degree. Overall, would you consider this gun niffy?   

[Frozen Run]

Looking good, Don! Applying what we learned in class, eh?

Thank you Guy! Yes, I use what we learned in class every time I pick up a tool or start drawing something out, it was an invaluable experience and I can't wait to get back there April. How is your shop and build coming along?

[Mike Brooks]

That was just how it looked to my eye. I have never made an Ohio rifle so keep that in mind. In all cases like this I would refer to originals.

Thank you Mike, I will definitely take your advise and adjust the cheek piece after studying some originals closer and consulting with John. Despite it turning into a nice rifle, I missed the mark on a lot of things so it is not entirely characteristic of John's style but it still retains the spirit of it to some degree. Overall, would you consider this gun niffy?   

I feel like I miss the mark somewhere on every gun I make. Do the best you can and move on is my motto.

[VA HUNTER]

Wow, that's a good looking rifle, do you know what the final weight will likely be? I have an original walnut half stock in .34 caliber with Goulcher lock. The crescent butt, trigger guard and extended lock panel look very similar to your rifle.

If you PM me your email I will send you pictures of mine, if you are interested. Can't seem to post them here.

Jeff

[Gaeckle]

I'm helping Don with this build and he's doing a good job. This is his first build from a blank. There are a few things that need to be done,  a little adjusting here and there and then the possibility of decorating, a little bit of icing on the cake.
Don started another rifle before, not finished, BUT, it is nothing compared to this one. To be honest, it needs help. However, it also shows talent that needs some direction, and because of that I decided to help him.  To his credit, Don has enrolled in Brooks and Stoners build from a blank class a Friendship. Don has an incredible amount of desire and it's a driving force.

I call these rifles "Ohio style", but in truth, they are a generic representation of something that would have been seen in the Midwest. I change things up by thinning the wrist a bit and highlighting the transition of where the comb descends into the wrist. When I look at the collection of rifles at the Log Cabin I see rifles that have thick wrists and a shapeless comb where it meets the wrist. That's not to say that is all of them, but it seems to be the majority. When I  put one of these together I want it to be sleek looking, slender and not clunky.
I think Don's project is pretty good and am looking forward to helping him with the decoration and finish work

[Frozen Run]

My barrel width is 7/8 and 36 inches sounds like a good length.

I talked to my friend John and he said a common length of barrel for Ohio halfstocks was between 33"-36". He used a 45 cal 7/8 straight barrel that he cut down to 33" for an Ohio halfstock he finished up last year and that thing is sweet! Balances like a dream and not nose heavy at all. Your 40 is going to be slightly heavier since the bore is smaller but I don't think you'd notice it much at 33", that is the direction I would go if I was concerned about it being too nose heavy. My next Ohio is going to be a 45, 7/8, cut down to 33".

Also, save the cutoff if you do decide to shorten the barrel.