Author Topic: Martin Shell rifle build (Read 6903 times)

bama · « **on:** April 29, 2022, 08:41:54 PM »

I have started my next stick build. It is going to be a 54 cal 48" FCI barrel, Chamber's early Ketland lock, triggers will be by me, butt plate and guard will be some of Reeve's old castings. The rest of the fittings will be made by me. Follow along as I go through this build. I will be using the Martin Shell rifle in Thoughts of the Kentucky Rifle In Its Golden Age on page 278 as my basis for this build.

smylee grouch · « **Reply #1 on:** April 29, 2022, 08:57:15 PM »

Shell was such a artistic builder and I'm sure yours will be too. Nice looking stick of wood. Will enjoy the follow along.

bama · « **Reply #2 on:** May 02, 2022, 04:57:07 PM »

I got the barrel hand inlet yesterday. It came out good and fits pretty tight. Now on to the tang and barrel lugs.

Rajin cajun · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2022, 01:55:57 AM »

How is this “Shell” of a rifle coming along Mr. Parker...?

Bob🤪

bama · « **Reply #4 on:** July 01, 2022, 02:31:35 AM »

It has been awhile since I posted on this build so I thought I would give an update. I have the barrel and tang inlet, the barrel lugs made and installed. I have the wedges made and inlet. The lock, trigger’s, trigger guard and butt plate installed. I just finished rough shaping the butt stock, now it looks a little more like a rifle. Next I will make the side plate, drill and tap lock bolts and tang bolt. Here are a few progress photos.

Ken G · « **Reply #5 on:** July 01, 2022, 03:04:36 AM »

Like seeing what's in the works pictures. Beautiful piece of wood too. Thanks for sharing

Ken

Keith Zimmerman · « **Reply #6 on:** July 01, 2022, 08:22:09 AM »

I love the profile. Beautiful curl.

flehto · « **Reply #7 on:** July 01, 2022, 03:24:46 PM »

Nice work. Shell surely did have his own buttstock design and contour and you've achieved it. Thanks for showing and it'll be a pleasure following your progress.....Fred

Marcruger · « **Reply #8 on:** July 01, 2022, 05:30:22 PM »

I love the lines Jim. Well done my friend. God Bless, Marc

MuskratMike · « **Reply #9 on:** July 02, 2022, 01:35:39 AM »

Love seeing a rifle come to life from a blank. Great lines, and it will be a fine piece. Thanks for posting the update. Look forward to seeing more.
Happy 4th,
"Muskrat" Mike

smart dog · « **Reply #10 on:** July 02, 2022, 01:31:47 PM »

Hi Jim,
I really admire Shell and Berry's work. Your interpretation looks great.

dave

heinz · « **Reply #11 on:** July 02, 2022, 11:18:38 PM »

Coming along nicely. I like those triggers Jim!

duca · « **Reply #12 on:** July 03, 2022, 03:05:44 AM »

Wow! Looks Great!!

Anthony

duca · « **Reply #13 on:** July 03, 2022, 03:09:17 AM »

Is it me or does anyone else love it when a Lock stand’s proud of the lock mortise.

Anthony

bama · « **Reply #14 on:** July 10, 2022, 02:47:54 AM »

I got the forearm shaped up, the pipes made and installed so things are rocking along. I run into a little problem, the ram rod drill went a little low on me so I guess this rifle is going to have a wear plate.

Such is life.

Robert Hill · « **Reply #15 on:** July 10, 2022, 04:20:50 AM »

That is a sweet looking gun. I like it!
-Robert

taco650 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 14, 2022, 07:43:03 PM »

I'm a newby when it comes to building rifles so please explain what you mean by "wear a plate" because the ramrod drill went low.
Thanks,

Stuart

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #17 on:** July 14, 2022, 08:49:49 PM »

Most travelling in the day was on horse back, and the rifle was cradled across the saddle behind the horn. The constant rocking motion was hard on the lower forestock, so sometimes, a wear plate was inlet along the bottom of the forestock between the lock and the entry pipe.
In this case, since the builder feels the wood is too thin along the bottom of the forestock as a result of the ramrod hole "going low", he has elected to support the wood with a metal inlay, called a "wear plate". Here's an example:

HighUintas · « **Reply #18 on:** July 14, 2022, 11:49:23 PM »

How thin would the wood need to be to justify the addition of a wear plate?

bama · « **Reply #19 on:** July 15, 2022, 02:40:19 AM »

I have done restoration work on a few original rifle where there was no wood left below the ram rod, the wear plate was the bottom of the stock. Once the wood gets to about 1/16” thickness between the bottom of the hole and the bottom of the stock it’s going to brake though at some point in the rifles life. At that point I start thinking about adding a wear plate to the rifle. In my case on this rifle I had the drill come through just in front of the the trigger guard. I milled the ram rod from inside the barrel channel to move the hole up where it should have been. Then I spliced wood back to the bottom of the stock and to the inside of the barrel channel. Adding the wear plate will cover the patch and add strength.

I got the silver star cheek inlay cut out and installed. I will be working on the wear plate next week and I will photo that process to add here.

bama · « **Reply #20 on:** July 20, 2022, 04:37:08 PM »

Here is an update on this build. I have been working on the wear plate that I am using to cover the ram rod drill out mistake that I made on this build. First let me say that I would much prefer to not be doing this repair, it was my fault for not checking my layout for the rod to start with. I have drilled so many rods over the years that have gone where they were supposed to go that I got a little to complacent and it bit me it the butt. With that said I feel like my repair of this problem has went pretty well. First I went through the barrel channel and mill out the groove where I wanted the ram rod to start with. I then inserted a hickory dowel down into the slot toward the entry hole and glued it into place. I then cut a wood plug from the scrap fore stock material and made a plug for the drill out at breech and epoxied it in place. I then milled it from inside the barrel channel for the ram rod. All of this made a nice tight and solid fit. I then redrilled the entry hole for the ram rod through the hickory dowel. In the barrel channel I glued a wood shim to go over the ram rod to cover the milled hole and then bedded the barrel over the top of the shim. I feel this will be strong enough to stand the test of time. I then started on the wear plate. I have it inlet and rough fit. I am using screws to hold it in place for the rough fit. After final fit I will file the screw heads away. I hope to have it final fit by tomorrow. I will post pictures after I get it done.

Rajin cajun · « **Reply #21 on:** July 20, 2022, 05:32:30 PM »

Mr. Parker that looks just fine. It gives you another “canvas” for some of that fine engraving that you do. !

Bob

HighUintas · « **Reply #22 on:** July 20, 2022, 05:45:27 PM »

Looks great!

When milling out the barrel channel, did you mill out the channel all the way from the RR entry to the breech and did you do the entire bottom flat?

When I've read of people doing this, I've been wondering how much they cut out and how they manage to get a tight fit of the patch as well as how that patch is glued in. It seems it would be hard to glue in an 1/8" piece of wood just right in that location.

Marcruger · « **Reply #23 on:** July 31, 2022, 06:02:22 PM »

How is this one coming along brother Jim?

bama · « **Reply #24 on:** August 01, 2022, 04:40:53 PM »

Hi Marc, thanks for asking about the Martin Shell build. I have not been able to work a lot on this project over the last couple of weeks. I pulled something in my lower back and then my left knee decided to swell up and give me fits for a few days so it has been slow going for a couple of weeks. I have managed to get the wear plate installed and the screws dressed down, the nose cap installed and a toe plate made and installed. I have the patch box cut out and the hinge made. I hope to get this installed and working this week. Here are a few update photo's.

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Author Topic: Martin Shell rifle build (Read 6903 times)