GPR Kit build modificaions

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

I had the idea to make a GPR Kit look a little more "Hawken like" using only the parts supplied. Started with a stock TOTW photo and added some sketches from ideas some of you suggested.

Then shaped the stock - note how blond the wood is.

Finished rifle photos - right and left sides

Removed a LOT of wood from the cheek, comb and butstock taking most of the perch belly out.

Changed the buttplate angle and shortened it leaving a concave area for the toe plate to be fitted into

Reshaped the bolster to remove the sharp edges and look more like a snail.

Filed under cuts on the trigger guard where it meets the plates so it doesn't look so much like a casting and straightend the front trigger slightly, reshaping the rear trigger for a bit more curve.

Shortened the nose cap and "pewterized" it with several coats of Naval Jelly, then waxed to keep from tarnishing. Note the rounded knife edge of the stock along the barrel.

Browned barrel with Laurel Mountain solution and the rest of the Parts with BC Plumb Brown. Reshaped the front sight, cold blued then polished to look like silver.

Finished with Minwax Dark Walnut stain, sanded and then 6 coats of Minwax Polly Shade satin Antique Mahogany and rubbed out with 0000 steel wool

 

[54]

looks great good work :thumbsup:

 

[Goldhunter]

Awesome! :hatsoff: Very Nice Rifle!

 

[Old40Rod]

Excellent work! Another GPR beauty. Nice touch on the "snail", never would have thought of that but you are right, the original shape is definitely "factory".

:hatsoff:

 

[AeroncaTAL]

Fantastic job! Now I'm jealous, it looks better'n mine... :wink:
Scott

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

Thanks but I actually prefer your dark oiled finish better :grin: I used Urithane for it's durability since I intend to sell it and some people might not want to maintain the hand rubbed finish. There are a few things I'll do differently on the next one :thumbsup:

 

[Goldhunter]

I agree, the snail adds a new detail I like and wouldn't have thought about. :thumbsup: I like it,.

 

Johnson,

WOW, She's wonderful. The idea of rounding the edges of the snail... Talk about a cut above, as you know I'm now doing a GPR and would also have never thought about that till your post and seeing your work. I am definatly following in your's and goldhunters footsteps :bow: as mine comes along this summer. Thanks so very much for sharing the ideas and photos.

James(Jay)Taylor

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

There's not a lot of change required to improve the look of the GPR snail and you might get even more artistic than I did. I just didn't care for it the way it was and did some Dremel work to relieve the sharp edges. As you can see, the clean out screw and nipple influence how much metal can safely be removed.

 

[BadHorse]

that looks wonderful! i just ordered a GPR flinter, and i'm gonna follow your lead on the stock mods. i just hope mine finishes as nice as yours.

 

[rusty]

Wow I like the modifications you made.what would you do differently on the next one.

 

Johnson,

Thanks for the snail close up. Using a dremel was the only route I could think of to use, when I saw the pics first, yesterday. :hmm:
Thanks again,

Jay

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

Rusty,

Next one will be a different approach using additional parts... perhaps more oval shaped escutcheons, Hawken style patchbox and sights, trigger guard plate extentded, rework the triggers more, lenghthen the tang a bit... stuff like that. I also want to try Laurel Mountain stains for a richer overall color.

 

[anika]

Your rifle really looks great. You and 41aironca or however his user name is spelled have really inspired me to tear mine down and redo it. odis

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

That's great! Hope you have as much fun making it just the way YOU like it :thumbsup:

 

[Goldhunter]

I think you'll like the LMF stain. I used the LMF Nut Brown on my redone GPR and gave it a reddish tint. gives it a nice warm color, IMO.

 

[anika]

The wood on my kit is very dark all I used is an oil finish that I purchased from Rockler hardware. Thinning out the stock in certain places seems to make allot of difference. First I have to finish my Lancaster kit from TOW. odis

 

[traceywalker]

Great tutorial for a guy just starting a GPR kit. Going to incorporate all your mods. One question: When re-forming the buttplate, did you use heat or cold bend?
Great job!
Rangertrace---

 

[Curtis Makamson]

Thanks so much for including the tutorial. Your photos turned out great.

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

The Buttplate as with most of the parts are soft and can be bent cold. I worked it in a vice with wood shims to flatten the lower 1/3.

Changing the angle means you will be cutting some of it off and since the back is concave, you will need to fit the toe plate to the back of the buttplate.