Did I mess up(Traditions™ Mountain Rifle Kit)? New User/Introduction

[Toxanism]

Hey everyone! I go by Toxan or Adam, nice to meet you. I want to be upfront about the flaws in my Traditions™ Mountain Rifle Kit. From limited tools and workspace to my lack of experience, it's been a learning curve. While I've always admired firearms, my background is more in tailoring, tax work, and programming. I chose to build rather than buy because I enjoy understanding the process.

Despite ordering tools and facing setbacks like stains not matching, tools breaking, and a glossy wood finish, the structural integrity is solid. My biggest challenge was my lack of expertise. I attempted to salvage it with water-based wood stain, but it turned into a sticky mess. The bluing of the barrel was uneven. However, my girlfriend's engraving of a deer is the highlight. It's her first attempt, and I'm incredibly proud of her artistic skill.

In the end, my girlfriend loves the rifle's look, and while there are things to fix, I think it's okay. It has a weathered appearance, reminiscent of a rescued piece. What are your thoughts? Is it a disaster, or did we do some things right? This project was a collaboration, and while I may have made mistakes, my girlfriend's contributions were flawless.

Here it is. I attached it in a zip file because the thread keeps saying my message is too long.

Thank you and I'm happy to be here!

 

[nit wit]

I can't open your file. try something else.
Nit Wit

 

[Toxanism]

Hey everyone! I go by Toxan or Adam, nice to meet you. I want to be upfront about the flaws in my Traditions™ Mountain Rifle Kit. From limited tools and workspace to my lack of experience, it's been a learning curve. While I've always admired firearms, my background is more in tailoring, tax work, and programming. I chose to build rather than buy because I enjoy understanding the process.

Despite ordering tools and facing setbacks like stains not matching, tools breaking, and a glossy wood finish, the structural integrity is solid. My biggest challenge was my lack of expertise. I attempted to salvage it with water-based wood stain, but it turned into a sticky mess. The bluing of the barrel was uneven. However, my girlfriend's engraving of a deer is the highlight. It's her first attempt, and I'm incredibly proud of her artistic skill.

In the end, my girlfriend loves the rifle's look, and while there are things to fix, I think it's okay. It has a weathered appearance, reminiscent of a rescued piece. What are your thoughts? Is it a disaster, or did we do some things right? This project was a collaboration, and while I may have made mistakes, my girlfriend's contributions were flawless.

Here it is. I attached it in a zip file because the thread keeps saying my message is too long.

Thank you and I'm happy to be here!

 

[Toxanism]

I can't open your file. try something else.
Nit Wit

Hello I just replied with pictures of the rifle.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Try using Flicker to post photos. Load them there then you can attach them to your post.
I won’t down load a file from someone I’m not familiar with.

IMG_1173 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Fatboyz]

Well! I think I would sand down that stock and start over on the finish.

 

[64Springer]

Find any old chunks of hardwood you can get your hands on and practice applying stains and topcoats to the scraps.

After you've practiced, a lot, attack your stock.

Keep in mind that not everyone has woodworking skills. And that's OK too.

If you like the weathered/rescued look, rust or brown the snot out of the steel parts and say you found the gun in an old barn.

You can blame the deer on some half blind half drunk vagrant that was living there.

 

[deerstalkert]

i live dangerously.

 

[deerstalkert]

the rest

 

[longcruise]

It is what it is. Ya done what ya done.

Go shoot it and enjoy it. No point erasing good or useful memories.


Accept it as is and do better on the next one.

 

[rafterob]

I too would re-work the stock. Many posts here about using Feibings leather dye to stain these CVA-Traditions Beechwood stocks. Hard to home blue a rifle barrel, I assume you used cold blue? Lots of advice on the gunbuilders forum here.

 

[WalnutRed]

Shoot it for awhile then once you decide you like the rifle refinish the stock. A minor point but your barrel wedges are in backwards, they should enter the stock from the lock side. Spend some time looking at the wood around the lock mortice in rifles that you admire. Generally you want the wood contour to follow the lock plate a little closer. I'd also do some online research on glass bedding and consider bedding the tang. The inletting is a little loose and could cause you trouble down the road.

I'm not trying to beat you down at all. You've already invested money in the parts. Once you live with the rifle awhile don't hesitate to tweak it a little to get the finished product the way you want.

 

[Banjoman]

I’d just take it out and shoot it. A lot. Finish has little to do with how a gun shoots.

 

[Toxanism]

Hey everyone! I go by Toxan or Adam, nice to meet you. I want to be upfront about the flaws in my Traditions™ Mountain Rifle Kit. From limited tools and workspace to my lack of experience, it's been a learning curve. While I've always admired firearms, my background is more in tailoring, tax work, and programming. I chose to build rather than buy because I enjoy understanding the process.

Despite ordering tools and facing setbacks like stains not matching, tools breaking, and a glossy wood finish, the structural integrity is solid. My biggest challenge was my lack of expertise. I attempted to salvage it with water-based wood stain, but it turned into a sticky mess. The bluing of the barrel was uneven. However, my girlfriend's engraving of a deer is the highlight. It's her first attempt, and I'm incredibly proud of her artistic skill.

In the end, my girlfriend loves the rifle's look, and while there are things to fix, I think it's okay. It has a weathered appearance, reminiscent of a rescued piece. What are your thoughts? Is it a disaster, or did we do some things right? This project was a collaboration, and while I may have made mistakes, my girlfriend's contributions were flawless.

Here it is. I attached it in a zip file because the thread keeps saying my message is too long.

Thank you and I'm happy to be here!

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for all your helpful comments and insights i seriously do appreciate it. Today im gonna go ahead and sand it down till its bare and im going to give it one last go. Ill go ahead and post my progress to you all if thats ok. Ill also figure out the picture problem so you all can view them without worrying.

 

[DanL]

Welcome to the forum ! Keep asking questions and learning from the folks here on the forum. Welcome to the blackpowder addiction.

DanL

 

[deerstalkert]

that is what is great about inexpensive muzzleloaders. one can do, do again, and again. all the time hopefully learning by mistakes without risking big bucks.
you have 2/3rds of the battle done. you tried. them that never try never get anything.
i would save the carving your girl did. later she can go back and enhance it. if you remove it her first attempt will be lost forever.
good on you for not giving up.

 

[Toxanism]

that is what is great about inexpensive muzzleloaders. one can do, do again, and again. all the time hopefully learning by mistakes without risking big bucks.
you have 2/3rds of the battle done. you tried. them that never try never get anything.
i would save the carving your girl did. later she can go back and enhance it. if you remove it her first attempt will be lost forever.
good on you for not giving up.

Thank you so much I really appreciate that that makes me feel a lot better about the project. It really helps me feel like keep going until I get it right so I really appreciate the motivation.

 

[user 31232]

Anyhoo welcome from Indiana

 

[olskool]

welcome from the woods of SC, shoot that thing,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Banjoman]

Seriously, I wouldn’t change it. That rifle would look cool if you made a horn and bag to go with it. And don’t worry if your equipment doesn’t look factory built. Less than perfect homemade stuff can be very interesting. Just enjoy!