Update on first build PICS ADDED

[LURCHWV@BJS]

  I finally got the barrel inlet to the stock.  Not too happy about the tang, kinda missed the mark and knocked a small hunk of wood out in the process.  Taking it all as a learning experience. A little filler should work out nicely. Can't wait to get the lock, should be in the mail today or tommorrow.  Finally ordered Buttplate, Triggerguard, rear Sights and some Sterling silver inlay wire.  Not to sure how to mount the buttplate.  Would I match the bp to the bottom of the stock then inlet up? Or inlet the bp on top of stock and work my way down bringing the bottom of stock to meet the bp? At work right now will post pics when I get home.


    

[bob in the woods]

Do you have any of the long rifle building books? At the very least, I'd recommend Chuck Dixon's, and Peter Alexander's if you can get it.  The book from Dixon's  will cover all the basics for you. Considering the cost of the parts, this will save you a lot of grief.
As to the Butt, first determine the Length of Pull, which means laying out for the trigger etc. I inlet the lock, and fit the trigger before I do the butt plate. 

[bob in the woods]

I forgot to mention;  I wouldn't use filler around the tang. Try to fill with a sliver of wood.  Filler will stick out like sea gull **** on a black car hood.

[Roger Fisher]

I forgot to mention;  I wouldn't use filler around the tang. Try to fill with a sliver of wood.  Filler will stick out like sea gull **** on a black car hood.

Depending on where and how much wood is gone at that tang, Ol Lurch could forge  the width/length of said tang to over fill the void carefully reshape the tang and re inlet.  Can't be much worse than it is now.   BTW that seagull deal is so true.

[LURCHWV@BJS]

I finally got the time to post a pic. MAN did I have trouble doing that.  It seems when I try to follow Acer's tutorial I find the choice option on photobucket are slightly different than what is posted I had two pics but could only post one.


            Rich

[Acer Saccharum]

Rich, congrats on working your way through Photobucket. They change the way it works slightly almost every week.

Tom

[Mark Elliott]

It is not just the tang.  It looks like you are missing all the wood behind the breech at the top.   The wood should be flush with the breech of the barrel all the way to the top.   You should have a nice, neat straight cut from the top of the stock to the bottom of the barrel channel. I think that you need to put in a patch to cover the tang inlet to half the depth of the barrel, and re-inlet.   

Next,  what type of chisel or chisels are you using for the inlet and how are you sharpening them? It looks as if your tools are not nearly sharp enough.   You should have nice clean cuts just like you are slicing cheese with a sharp knife.   With a sharp tool, it shouldn't be much harder than that even in hard maple.   If you don't fix that problem,  the results are not going be any different.   You need to learn how to sharpen your tools before you can use them. 

I would strongly urge you to do a bit more studying before continuing.   Some good references have already been mentioned.   It very much concerns me that you started this project without all your parts.  Without all the parts, it is very difficult to properly layout the gun.    You need the barrel, the lock and the butt piece in order to cut the stock properly.   All those parts need to be in a particular arrangement relative to one another.    Any one of the books mentioned would explain that.

Just step back a while and do some more reading before continuing.

Mark E.

   

[wvmtnman]

If you have not drilled the holes for you barrel pins, I would reset that barrel if you have the room in the wrist.  Move it back so that it is lined up like mark explained.  I would do as the others have said, get Chuck Dixon's book.  I feel that it is the best and is the only thing I ever used when I started.  Also, look into getting some small, sharp chisels.  Wood Crafters in Parkersburg will have them.  We have all been where you are now.  I built my first gun without any help and the internet wasn't around then.  I will not even show people that rifle.   It stays in a closet of my parents house. 
   Your about an hour from me.  I will be on spring break next week.  If you want, you can come here for a couple hours one afternoon and I will try to help a little. You bring the beer
                                                                         Brian

[LURCHWV@BJS]

I may just do that, I just don't drink beer. PM your number, If I get the chance I will.  And yes  I have about a half inch I can redo.  Going to cover with a fishtail tang.


                  Rich

[Mike Brooks]

I just don't drink beer.

Maybe you better start....
 Take that breech plug out of the barrel. Fill in all the tang inletting you already did, a big oversized patch would work well. Get the barrel seated up good on the back side of the breech. Then file your breech plug to a more traditional , less flared shape and inlet it with sharp tools.
 What you have now just won't work. The barrel/breech plug needs to go back about  1/8", with the dramatic flare of your plug it's going to get even more gappy as you go back.
 In the future, gather up ALL of your parts before you start to build. As mentioned above, they all relate to each other.

[LURCHWV@BJS]

I'm not proceeding until  I have all parts in hand.  Going to use a more traditional tang that will cover my mistake. have ordered The Gunsmith of something County.  Thanks for all the info.


                 Rich

[rdillon]

If you have not drilled the holes for you barrel pins, I would reset that barrel if you have the room in the wrist.  Move it back so that it is lined up like mark explained.  I would do as the others have said, get Chuck Dixon's book.  I feel that it is the best and is the only thing I ever used when I started.  Also, look into getting some small, sharp chisels.  Wood Crafters in Parkersburg will have them.  We have all been where you are now.  I built my first gun without any help and the internet wasn't around then.  I will not even show people that rifle.   It stays in a closet of my parents house. 
   Your about an hour from me.  I will be on spring break next week.  If you want, you can come here for a couple hours one afternoon and I will try to help a little. You bring the beer
                                                                         Brian

I couldn't agree more!!!!!!!!! My first rifle doen't see the light of day and stays hidden in my office with all my wifes stuff.  I can't even believe I made it!!!  Get Chuck's book, thats what I used and still reference my notes time to time.  I didn't have this site either and all you new builders are VERY luck to have it.

[Roger Fisher]

Well Ol Lurchie,. I gotta tell ya I have one hidden in the attic (well hidden) that matches your efforts so far.     I actually built that rifle with 'sharpened' screw drivers that served (not well) as chisels.  I do believe that you are trying the same thing!  It doesn't work!

I still have Dixon's book on the bench and it guides me thru the steps.  Alexander's Gunsmith of Grenville County is there also and goes in to much more detail but Dixon's book does not jump around in the process as much. 

Take your time!   I don't have that luxury at my age.

[billd]

Hey Rich, 
That looks like my first gun.  It just better from here. Keep your tools sharp and patience, patience, patience. And did I mention patience.
 Wish I was closer, I'd help you out.

Bill

[Mark Elliott]

I recycled all the parts on my first rifle and cut up the stock in little pieces.   There is no incriminating evidence left

[rdillon]

I recycled all the parts on my first rifle and cut up the stock in little pieces.   There is no incriminating evidence left

Why didn't I think of that?

[Don Getz]

Believe it or not, I still have my first gun, and actually doesn't look too bad.   It's a relief carved Lehigh gun, straight douglas barrel, heavy, hadaway lock, but it shot great.  Unlike one fellow, when I told him I still had my first gun, he said
"mine was good enough to sell"........he caught me at a loss for words..............Don

[Dennis Glazener]

he caught me at a loss for words..............Don

And that hard to do!!!!!!!!
Dennis

[JTR]

Not to steal Lurch's thread here  ,

But I still have the One and Only rifle I ever made. Relief carved, engraved, and a true mutt of mixed schools,,,,,
 
so Don,,,

If you'll start a new thread and post pics of yours, I'll post pics of mine when I get home in a couple weeks... And maybe some of the other guys with their closet guns will post them as well! Could be fun and entertaining!

John

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Humbling is what it will be John and Don!  Apart from an apparent lack of comparable skill, we didn't have the mentors that these young guys have now.  But I am game if you are.

[flehto]

In honor of my first LR, all I  could post would be an "Urn of Ashes"....Fred

[The other DWS]

I like this idea,  wish I knew what happened to the first one I built.  I seem to have blotted it from my memory.

     Too bad we can't tag music clips to this proposed thread---I'm thinking the theme from "the Good, Bad, and Ugly" might be apropriate

[billd]

I can't post my first, it's is a landfill somewhere,

Bill

[Ed Wenger]

I still have my first rifle as well.  If nothing else, it gives me a good perspective to see how far I've come... 

Take comfort Rich, there's a HUGE learning curve associated with the first rifle(s) and everyone's gone through it.  Thing is, I'd bet every member of this board would say it's a constant learning process.  I know it is for me, but I can't think of any other endeavor that is so rewarding.

Ed

[JTR]

Ahhh Taylor, what’s a little humbling, especially if it’s fun!
And your right, not many had mentors, no internet sites like this one, or even many books to go by. My library and sole resource in 1981 consisted of Kindigs one book.

Although in my case, I had the common sense to stop after the first!

I’m stuck out on this boat for the next two weeks, so why don’t one of you guys dust the cobwebs off that first one, and post up some really good pictures of your beauty.

Besides being fun, it could be a good incentive for new makes to see that some of the best makers today didn’t start off by turning out masterpieces!

Sorry again for the hijack Lurch!
John