First Build Complete (pic heavy)

[tlallijr]

I had a lot of fun taking on this project, it started as a Track Of The Wolf 'Classic Golden Age' kit and ended as a simple 'Barn Gun'. I used this forum as a guide and learned a lot during the process. Being my first build I tried to keep it simple and decided to go for the plain jane barn gun. I hope to work my way up to a fancier rifle in the future so any criticism is welcome. I know there's not much there to critique but any advise for improvement on the next build is welcome. Thanks for looking. Tony

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[Col. Batguano]

Nice first effort. really good job of inletting the tang, butt plate, and trigger guard.

A couple of things jump out at me;
There seems to be a little too much wood around the lock panels. Maybe on your next one you could slim them down some more, particularly on the bottom.

The bow of the trigger guard seems to have too deep of a curve to it too. Maybe that could be flattened out. to my way of thinking there shouldn't be too much air between the bottom of the trigger to the trigger guard, except on maybe a trade rifle.

Where the cheek piece ends and transitions to the butt it's sort of rounded, and the transition isn't very sharp. Most Lancasters and Becks seem to have better definition in this area.

The sculpting of the fluting under the cheek piece is sort of squarish. It could have been a little smoother in the transitions from the bottom to the top edges of the flutes.

Most first guns usually leave too much wood on them as they come from the pre-carve set. I know that mine sure did. Your next one will be much better.

 

[TLanoy]

Man that sure is a beauty! Outstanding for a first. Just the way I like 'em, plain and simple. Don't care to much for a lot of fancy stuff on a rifle. :hatsoff:

 

[rich pierce]

Great job. Now get busy on another- you've got talent!

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Very nice! Great color for the stock. :thumbsup:

 

[S.Kenton]

I think ya done a fine job for your first effort!

 

[stuartg]

Great looking build. I love the color on the wood. I do agree the lock/side panels look to be rather beefy, but other than that it's very tastefully done!

 

[gunmaker43]

Great job, I wouldn't leave that shootin iron out in the barn tho....Tom

 

[don hepler]

Probably critiqued fairly, but you won't get noting past, these guys. If that's all they found wrong, you done good. I love the color, and only the very, very, experienced, could find anything wrong

 

[satx78247]

REALLY LIKE that rifle. = To me, the LESS decoration the better, especially if you have BEAUTIFUL wood.
(Yours is handsome.)

yours, satx

 

[mtmshieldshotmail.com]

Great job! Some of the photos have shadows in areas I'd like to have a look at, but I like what I see. You need to take a pitch fork and put some dents and scratches in it, though. :grin:

Regards,
Mike

 

[Cheyenne]

Nice job....good looking! Too good to be out in the barn! :hatsoff:

 

[JOHN F]

nice first build bro!! It wont be long you will have another one on the bench!!!

 

[Birddog6]

I think ya did an excellent job. I really like the color & finish... Coupld things come to mind looking at it. Just MY opinion, & worth every penny it cost.........

1: Right off the bat I spotted the RR pipes are not evenly spaced. The center pipe should be centered between the entrypipe (a hole in this case) and the first pipe.

2: I would have put the 1st RR pipe closer to the muzzle, to give the end of the RR a lil more support.

3: For me...... :idunno: the triggerguard bow is too large for the rifle, and the trigger itself as well.

4: There appears to be a triggerplate & it shows wider than the triggerguard.... I feel it is more appealing to have the plate not as wide as the guard, when you look at the bottom.

5: Rounded off wood at tang inlet near breech. You could have glued a small piece in there & dark as the rifle is, most likely not seen it.

6: Could have taken the lock panel & opposite side down a lil more.

But all in all, from what I can see in the photos, ya did a Good Job. :thumbsup:

Keith Lisle

 

[mikemeteor]

nicely finished - looks like you've done wood finishing before.

some things to think about on the next one
- lock panels.... the hardest thing to grasp in my opinion.
think about flowing up into, and down out of them a little more smoothly next time.
bigger radius front and and especially back.

Try this trick next time: initially shape in the whole lock panel with a 8" half round file (or rasp) and see what look that gives you - let that sink in for a day or two.
Then you can take a smaller tool and sharpen up a few of the radius transitions around the upper front.
Using the bigger tool at first prevents those tight radii that make the panel look "applied", rather than gracefully growing out from the wrist.
Anyway, that approach helped me after I struggled with lock panels for a couple years.

Could be wrong, but it looks like the trigger guard could be inlet further.
A lot of edge showing on the fore and aft finials.

Tang bolt heads looks a little proud.
but now I'm nit picking.....

nice job for a first, especially considering ya did a major style switch mid-stream.
/mike

 

[hoochiepapa]

Ya done good, Pilgrim!
As a first rifle, I wonder how many here had more things "wrong" with their first one. My first doesn't look near that good. Nice wood finish.

 

[Mickc01]

Wow, first gun!!? That is absolutely a keeper. Very nice job! :thumbsup:

 

[agill]

I like it! Nice color. :hatsoff:

 

[Davemuzz]

Just for comparison, here are some pictures from a builder who goes by "R Sells" This is a beautiful rifle and the OP's rifle is pretty darn nice as well....IMHO

 

[sean30ber]

Very nice job on the first. She is a beauty.