For the Tennessee Rifle fans, #138

[Roy]

A real custom rifle always has the screws set at a North to South direction. This is how you tell the defference between just a gun smith and a builder of fine firearms. :hmm:

I used to line them up.. not to sure about the North and South thing tho.. think my shop is setting sort of wonky for that :haha: anyway I imagine I have smithed a fair many parts too, possibly more than some, likely less than some too... I've made locks from scrap and hardware like many here.. could be lazy that I do not align screw slots anymore or just seen a lot of guns with out. :v

Fairly rude statement either way..

Not to take away from Birddogs rifle.. it is one of the nicest Contemporary Tenn. rifles that I have seen :bow:

 

[RC]

:hatsoff: you done good!! real good! purrrrdy! :thumbsup:

 

[kanati]

That's a nice rifle.

Although, I think there is a bit too much emphasis being put on lining some screw slots up. Like it separates a good build and a great build.

Take a single flute countersink and play with the depth until the screw clocks in the right rotation, not that big of a deal.

-Ron

 

[redwing]

A "Rude Statement"? Not so, I spend my money with builders that care about their work. A man that can finish his work with style is worth the extra bucks. I have seen a number of fine old rifles that were completed in this order. I see a rifle with mismatched screws and think, what else is missing? Its my money I choose where I spend it. :thumbsup:

 

[Mike Brooks]

A "Rude Statement"? Not so, I spend my money with builders that care about their work. A man that can finish his work with style is worth the extra bucks. I have seen a number of fine old rifles that were completed in this order. I see a rifle with mismatched screws and think, what else is missing? Its my money I choose where I spend it. :thumbsup:

I guess you won't be buying my guns! :haha:

 

[Roy]

My first gun that didn't have the slots lined up was requested to be done that way :rotf: :rotf: actually took care to line them up like the original.. :youcrazy: guess thats not a true custom gun

 

[Birddog6]

Here I thought the discussion would be about the triggerguard being different, because of it being hand made & riveted rather than a cast one. :idunno: and we end up discussing screw head alignment..... :redface:


So........., just to change the subject :grin: and also several have emailed me about the details of making the triggerguard..... so here goes...

The triggerguard is made from 3 pieces of 1/8" x 3/4" flat steel. Front part is heated & bent in a vice & the bow is heated & slowly bent to conform to the shape of the bow of a cast Bean guard. The tail part then made & the curved part heated & bent over a bolt to give it the curve I wanted. The middle part (Rail) where your fingers grip up against the wrist was extended as I wanted it longer to get my fingers in there comfortably, so it is about 1" longer there than a normal Bean guard. The tips of each end of the rail are ground & shaped in a vine leaf shape & then heated & bent to conform to the bow & tail piece, again heating & bending them over a bolt.

I then took it all to the 2" x 72" belt sander with a 40 grit belt & ground them to the width & rough contour I wanted.

Now to the stock & clamped the front & rear to the stock & set the rail in & made my bends to adjust to the curve in the wrist.
Got everything positioned & marked the bow & tail, where the rail sits on them. Drill 2 holes in the rail on each leaf tip. Take it back to rifle & sit guard on there & run drill thru new holes to use as a guide to insure things stay in place.

Countersink both sides of rivet hole, clean & put solder flux in between parts to be riveted. Make rivet from piece of 16 ga copper wire. Peen a head over on one side of rivet, install into bow & take to vice & peen the rivet down. Repeat on tail end of guard. Now drill other two holes on guard & rivet & peen them. Take a file & clean off the rivet heads til they are flush.

Then to the torch & heat & suck the silver solder into the joint. Let cool, bead blast, file & clean up solder joints.

Back to the belt sander/grinder & final shaping. Then to the vice for filing & finish shaping & sanding & etc. Drill & countersink the holes for the mounting screws.

Inlet the guard, drill the screw holes, put a lil patch lube in the wood screw holes, insert screws & you pretty much have the guard made, & mounted to the rifle.


Now, some of you are not thinking :hmm: "Good Lord, you could have bought the damn guard for $20. and it took ya all day !!" :shocked2: This is true & a cast one would be fine if that is what you want (builders or customers choice), however, I wanted something different for this rifle as it is going in a display collection of southern rifles & I don't want it like any other there. :thumbsup:

PS: For those that don't know........ Allot of the old original southern rifles had the triggerguards, buttplates, toeplates & nosecaps riveted with copper rivets, thus why this one was done that way. :v
:hmm: :shocked2:

 

[redwing]

Gees Roy I bet you bleed a lot, such thin skin. :rotf: Why would you get so up set at my choice of builders? I like attention to fine workmanship. Whats the problem? :idunno: I was stating what fine work BirdDog6 does. Do you not think he does fine work.

 

[fitter]

Theres a lot more to "fine workmanship" than screw slots. Most original Kys. have the slots going all directions.

 

[Birddog6]

It is hard for me to believe that a comment about aligning screws can upset so many people..... :shake: I am not upset with anyone, I just don't care for all the bickering over nothing.

Zonie: Please just delete the whole thread & all the posts. I would do it, but apparently I don't have that capability, or I can't find the place to do it.

Thanks

Keith

 

[kanati]

Oh I'm not upset about it, just pointing out, it isn't worth all the hype. Stopping a screw in that rotation is really a bit pointless. The wood shrinking and swelling over time, they won't be aligned for long. If they are properly tightened anyway.

Some were making it sound as though this was necessary if a truly great gun was being attempted.

Not to take anything away for your rifle, it is a very fine build.

-Ron

 

[larry wv]

Nice work BD6 :bow: Thanks for the photos. Larry

 

[Roy]

It is hard for me to believe that a comment about aligning screws can upset so many people..... :shake: I am not upset with anyone, I just don't care for all the bickering over nothing.

Zonie: Please just delete the whole thread & all the posts. I would do it, but apparently I don't have that capability, or I can't find the place to do it.

Thanks

Keith

no need for that :v

 

[Roy]

Gees Roy I bet you bleed a lot, such thin skin. :rotf: Why would you get so up set at my choice of builders? I like attention to fine workmanship. Whats the problem? :idunno: I was stating what fine work BirdDog6 does. Do you not think he does fine work.

He does great work.. just disagreed with your second posting :shake: as far as I am concerned no need to carry on with this. who ever redwing is.. :shake:

 

[RhinoDave]

BD6 Thank you for sharing your pictures and the details on this build. It is a very elegant rifle. I love the attention you give to all the small details and your touches of individual design. :hatsoff: :thumbsup:

 

[redwing]

Before you invest your dollars find out who you are dealing with. Go on TOW is your builder listed? Is his rifles valued with top builders or is he on the low end? Is he some what above an imported Hawkens or up there with Gary White? Custom Rifles are a good investment if you buy the right customs. :thumbsup:

 

[Packdog]

Keith,
Wonderful gun regardless to which way you have the screws going. (nice touch though) I had the pleasure of handling the gun a couple of weekends back. I never noticed the screws. Spent more time looking at the architecture, trigger guard and triggers (which by the way look like TN triggers rather than the typical Davis triggers).
Very tight fit on all the inletting. Just a beautiful gun all the way around. Thanks for posting.
Ken

 

[Zonie]

I think it was a "slow news day" at the forum Birddog6.

I considered doing as your request indicated and deleating the entire topic but there are some good posts made beyond arguing about screw slots which I feel the members will appreciate.

For now, I choose to leave the topic and let the members wade thru the unnecessary bickering.

I may change my mind if it continues.