Let's see your squirrel rifle!!!

[Squirrel pizza]

Thank you again Daryl. I'm actually surprised I haven't fondled the grain out of the wood much less the stain. She's my favorite. Douglas XX Swamped .45 tack driver. That stain is kinda special. A concoction of Mr. Bob Watts. I only had a couple ounces left and recently sent it to Whitebear to use on one of his projects. I only knew a few of the ingredients, mercury being one of them. Bob wasn't quick to share his recipes. Had he lived another ten years I may have gotten the whole formula.

[iloco]

I like them both but the Schell rifle just speaks to me. I love the lines, the color, patch box. I admire all types of rifles but the Southern or Appalacian rifles are my favorite. There's something honest about them. Like a pretty woman without make up. If you know what I mean.

You see the Schell rifle as I see it.
 I have the 32 caliber and a 36 half stock and a 40 caliber full stock like the 32 made by Joe.  I have a pistol that Joe made for me in 40 caliber.   His rifles are as I would see them from a rifle shop that were made for using and not for looking at.

[Squirrel pizza]

Amen Brother. I contacted (or should I say sent a message to Joe) again this morning. Mr. Ladd was kind enough to give me some info on Joe, with a "blogspot" thingy and of course looked it up, saw he lived in New Burnside Il.. It rang a bell but couldn't place it. When I looked in my Rand-McNally I had an epiphany. I've seen his rifles before. Called him, left messages, emailed. No reply. Figured out why he makes such fine squirrel rifles. He obviously hates squirrels. Maybe if I change my name to Armadillo Pizza or Possum Pizza he'll call me back. 

[Daryl]

 

[Squirrel pizza]

Good things come to those who wait, and wait. Had a nice phone conversation with Joe about an hour ago. I should have a rifle in a few months, God willing and the creek don't rise. Salt over my shoulder. Voodoo monkey dust, etc.etc.

[iloco]

Good things come to those who wait, and wait. Had a nice phone conversation with Joe about an hour ago. I should have a rifle in a few months, God willing and the creek don't rise. Salt over my shoulder. Voodoo monkey dust, etc.etc.

You will have a rifle before you know it.  Joe is a great person to work with and make what you want.
 What caliber rifle are you having made...?

[hanshi]

Wow!  Keep the eye candy coming.

[wattlebuster]

Squirrel I have a knife and a pistol that Joe built for me an I love em both. I think you have chosen wisely. Now give us some specs

[Squirrel pizza]

That is the sixty four dollar question! As this is going to be my 12 year old daughters rifle, my objective is to scale it to fit her. Though she's going through a growth spurt right now I don't think she'll get too much bigger. She has a .45 Douglas barreled rifle I made years ago, sold and recently bought back. I'm thinking If she out grows the squirrel rifle Joe makes she will be able to use the other. Joe and I have only had the one conversation, and will finalize the design when I go down to New Burnside with some cash. Boo( my daughter) and I are thinking.27-.36 cal., about 36"barrel, Walnut stock with dark aqua fortis stain, iron mounted with a banana patch box. Davis DST's, We're still discussing the lock as Boo thinks she may want a percussion gun. Tennessee, Soddy Daisey with 12-12 1/2" LOP. Gonna try adding picture of .45 I made 20+ years ago 
Picture edited by moderator.

[Squirrel pizza]

Hey Iloco, how long is that beautiful rifle? Nice shot Okabow!

[iloco]

Hey Iloco, how long is that beautiful rifle? Nice shot Okabow!

The barrel is a 46 inch rice barrel.  Over all length is 61 inches.
Very nimble and handles nicely.

[Squirrel pizza]

I really like the looks of your rifle. Looks like you could carry it with no more effort than totin' a switch. As long as she shoots as good as she looks you have winner. Hopefully I'll be there soon.

[Don Adams]

My new squirrel rifle finally arrived today.  It's a Mike Davis Woodbury style .40 cal 42" A wt rice barrel, walnut stock and a modified Siler lock and modified L&R trigger.  If someone would post pictures for me I can email them to you.

[wattlebuster]

Don send them to wattlebuster1962@gmail.com an I will post them an you can fall in an give any info you want. Here is the pics for Dons rifle

[Don Adams]

Will be taking it to the meat shoot tomorrow morning. Will give a report on how I do and how well the rifle performs. I'm sure it will do better than the nut behind it. LOL

The walnut stock does have some neat grain patterns - I'm sorry the photos didn't really catch it.  I will try to do better next time. Maybe in the daylight tomorrow I can get better pictures.  Mike used lamp blackening to darken the stock to antique it some. He builds the siler lock from scratch. The L&R triggers are modified and tuned. I'm really liking the weight of the gun. 

[wattlebuster]

Good looking gun Don. Let us know how she shoots

[Don Adams]

Sent you an email with more photos - I did win some meat.

[wattlebuster]

Here the pics don sent






Looks like your Davis is a meat getter

[Don Adams]

So this was the first outing for the Davis Woodbury style .40 cal.  The shoot consisted of two shots each bull.  The 9 bull target was at 25 yards. It took me until 16 - 18th shot to get the feel of the rifle and sight picture.  I had to file the front sight as I was holding high on the bull the first three bulls.  By the 7th bull I had to file the rear sight a little more to see the front sight better. Bulls 8 and 9 much better but not good enough against the other 15 shooters.  Three of those shooters had a lot 18's and 19's with the 10x's being the tie breakers.  The big bull was 50 yards and my two shots were good enough for second place.  Bringing home two pkgs of polish kiebalsa.  It will taste mighty good with fried cabbage, zucchini and squash.

Only had a few flash in the pans, had to adjust the flint a few times on the 25 yd line. Other than that the rifle performed flawlessly.  I wished I had a little more time to sight her in.  Will have to try to go back next Sunday and put it on the bench and really get her dialed in if I am going to give the three top shooters a run for their money.

[silly goose]

This thread is awesome. My son and I went out yesterday afternoon and put one in the pot with my .36. I have forsaken deer season in lieu of squirrels this year. It makes me feel like a kid again, and my boy had a great time as well. Next year he will be of age to bring his .32 Cherokee, unless maybe he grows into one of Mr. Kibler's mountain rifles.  I'm gonna try to get a pic up.

[Mike Brooks]

I'll post some I have built over the years.. This is an iron mounted version of a Rowan Co. N.C. rifle. .40 cal oct/rnd 46" Getz barrel, L&R Bailes lock. All hand forged steel mounts by the late Myron Carlson, even the triggers. I made the patch box, toe plate, nose cap and the silver inlays. Probably the best shooting gun I have ever made. I "borrowed" it for a shoot and shot a 50 and 4X @ 25 yards. Only 50 I ever shot. Likes alot of powder, 60gr 3fff to get it to shoot that good. I have built four of these over the years that are very similar.

[Mike Brooks]

[Mike Brooks]

This is the one we were shooting on TV for "THE CRAFTSMANS LEGACY". It has a Rayle 48" .25 cal. swamped barrel, chambers lock. Mounts forged by the late Myron Carlson. It has brass pipes and copper sideplates.Lights out shooter.

[Mike Brooks]

And now for something completely different. Built purely for my own entertainment. I think it has a straight .36 cal. barrel. Don't recall where the iron mounts came from, probably Myron Carlson again. Inlays are brass, coin silver and copper. Looks like an L&R Durrs Egg lock.

[Mike Brooks]