My 1st Gun Build - Finally Finished (well, almost)

[Chris in SE PA]

Well, this was a bigger learning curve than I had expected. I didn't think it would be easy. But, by that token I thought I'd be better at it than I turned out to be. There was 1 point in time where I'd made enough mistakes that I really considered scrapping the stock and starting over again with new wood. The piece of wood was just too nice for me to throw it in the burn pile.

The stock started out as a pre-carved Vernor/Bucks County style. It had a 7/8 barrel channel and I had a 13/16 barrel. So, there was a bit of a gap. I chose to use a Chambers Large Siler lock. Not so much for any type of period authenticity, but because I'd shot a friends rifle that was built with one coupled with all of the positive things I'd read about the precision of the metal work from the factory. 

After inletting the butt plate too far down into the comb, I had to do something to blend in the rear of the comb.  So, I altered the angle of the stock to my taste.




More to come.

[Chris in SE PA]

I jumped in with both feet so to speak. I wanted at least part of it to be unique to my rifle.  So, I decided to make a few of the parts. I bought a 1' X 4' sheet of brass stock from a local scrap yard for $40.00. I originally thought that was pricey. But, now I realize the sheer # of parts I can make from that sheet. SO, now I wish he'd have had other thicknesses there as well. Below are the toe plate and side plate that I made.   

[Chris in SE PA]

When I was installing the White Lightening liner in the barrel, it walked in the drill press. So, it was well off center. This may have been the most crushing defeat of the entire build. But, while I'm throwing $$ into it, may as well keep going. I bought the next larger size liner and paid a local machine shop to mill it in. So, It's now as big as the entire flat of the barrel.  Oops...

I used Mark Lee Express Brown to rust up the barrel. The small parts had either that or Brownells Oxpho Blue. The small parts I did in my kitchen oven. But, the 42" barrel wasn't going to fit. I just so happen to have a pizza oven that I built a few years ago. it fit in there. I took the barrel up to around 300 or so and applied the solution. Several heats and applications later, it was a beautiful but not totally uniform color. I now believe that the culprit for that was not properly removing all of the release agent from when I bedded the action.

[Chris in SE PA]

The lock panels were way too big. So, there was a good chunk of wood that I removed from both sides of the stock.

[Chris in SE PA]

I did a few color tests on the chunk that I cut from the comb and inside the barrel channel. For the stain it was decided to go with 1 part LMF Lancaster Maple - 2 part2 LMF Cherry - 1 part thinner. This over a solution to brown the grain. Similar to an Aquafortis.

[Chris in SE PA]

As a referred to, there was a sizeable gap between the barrel and the stock. So, I bedded the entire length with Accraglas. I'm sure that the purists reading this have just left the thread in disgust.  But, it filled that gap nicely and now it's strong as can be.

When I cut in the barrel tennons my dovetails looked sloppy as anything. So, I bought a jig for cutting in the sights.  The cuts look perfectly angled/squared/etc... But, they were way too deep. Next tile I'll be using a piece of leather between the barrel and the inside top of the jig to make them shallower. The rear sight just wouldn't fit. So, I filled a little more off. Still not fitting, So to file again. Boom, slid right through. As in all the way through. Plus, there was a visible gap between the bottom of the rear sight and the barrel. So, I used a small piece of sheet brass and wrapped it around the base of the dove tail. That took some heavt handed blows on the drift punch to get it in. But, now it's solid.

Below are the parts that I made myself. The sight is an old silver quarter.

[Chris in SE PA]

Sunday morning I put all of the pieces together. Off to the range I went. Even though it was pouring. I shot it the 1st day it was a rifle and not a pile of various parts.

The accuracy absolutely sucked. Plus, I forgot to bring a file. I walked in the left and right with the drift punch. Next trip will be filing the front sight to raise it up and experimenting with different patch thicknesses. I didn't even bother looking for my shot patches this trip. It was pouring rain and I wasn't there to fine tune my load. I just wanted to hear it go bang.

[scotti]

Hey Chris great job on your first build. I appreciate that you made some of your own parts and made the gun your own. I've been building guns for approximately 20 years and you learn something from everyone you build. Keep up the good work and keep moving forward. You may get criticisms but all in are to make you better builder. Like many say on this forum study the originals...they are the best teacher. Keep building and good job.

[mountainman70]

Hi Chris. Looks good for 1st build.
My mentor told me 40 years ago, its not how good a smith you are, but how well you fix your booboos.
I've had/have many.
Like I tell first time builders
Bet you can't build just One!
Best regards, Dave 

[Chris in SE PA]

I've already started building #2