Hackberry Build Trade Gun

[AndyJ]

Been working this for a few months and finally completed last evening and thought to share with the group. Spent quite some time figuring out what to build...ordered 2 sets of plans from TOTW and, due to my limited carving skills, went with the Trade Gun style but with a somewhat non-historically accurate lock...I saw this lock on one for sale here a few months back and just had to use it. Barrel is 44" x .62 cal. Not sure if I'll blue it yet.
Started with this:

Wanted something a bit more challenging than a kit...talk about in way over my head!
Here is the finished project:

Hope to get it out this weekend to give it a go.
I reasonably happy with how it turned out...but the flaws are legion as I hit my patients limit more than once...the further back one stands the better it looks!

 

[TDM]

The wood looks great!

 

[Cruzatte]

That wood sure is pretty.

 

[Des52]

I have used hackberry for making several flatbows. Good tough wood, never seen a gunstock made out of it before, great job.

 

[BillinOregon]

Sir, it is all your own; no other like it. Congratulations.

 

[duca]

Well… that’s different!!

 

[sheriff john]

I'm impressed with how it turned out. Most of my projects languish for years when I hit a snag. I have hackberry trees on my farm. Never converted any to lumber. Thanks for posting.

 

[Sam squanch]

Nothing wrong with it. It’s great.

 

[Dicel87]

Nicely done! What part of the project did you find to be most challenging?

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Love the Hackberry. How did you finish it.? Hackberry is a good substitute for oak. It could probably pass for ash if finished in similar fashion .

 

[Plainsman]

Very nice.

 

[flintlockrb]

Andy, that is a beautiful rifle!!!
Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[45man]

OH, I really love it. Super pretty and a great job.

 

[Eterry]

Been working this for a few months and finally completed last evening and thought to share with the group. Spent quite some time figuring out what to build...ordered 2 sets of plans from TOTW and, due to my limited carving skills, went with the Trade Gun style but with a somewhat non-historically accurate lock...I saw this lock on one for sale here a few months back and just had to use it. Barrel is 44" x .62 cal. Not sure if I'll blue it yet.
Started with this:
View attachment 222660
Wanted something a bit more challenging than a kit...talk about in way over my head!
Here is the finished project:
View attachment 222661
View attachment 222662
View attachment 222663View attachment 222664
Hope to get it out this weekend to give it a go.
I reasonably happy with how it turned out...but the flaws are legion as I hit my patients limit more than once...the further back one stands the better it looks!

Who thought the meanest tree in the north Texas Woods has that much character.
I have enough Hackberry to build a Spanish Galeon.

 

[AndyJ]

Thanks gents for the kind words...funny...the grain didnt really POP until the finish went on.
There were many unexpected challenging parts...
1) The ramrod in-letting was a bugger...after some kind advice here I opted to jettison the
long drill bit and trench it out then cover with like wood...
2) In-letting the lock, trigger and tang so it all worked together was more difficult than
expected....the screw for the lock interfered with the screw going from the tang to the trigger
assembly.
3) The barrel bands were the last to be added...wasnt sure how I was gunna do those.

Havent got sights on it yet...may not put any but will see. The finishing was something I did
before a few times...stain was a couple coats of Gunstock (to get the red started) then one
coat of Red Mahogony (to darken it a bit) then about 4 more coats of Gunstock to give some
deepness to the red. Then I use a blend of tounge oil, turpentine and oil based marine varnish
and use about 6 coats - whats nice about this is I can recoat about every 6-8 hrs or so...one coat
at night then again next morning and again that night an so on. (I'm not overly patient!)
This may seem silly but I included a compass in the stock! Not a Red Rider but seemed fitting!

Actually shot it last weekend and wouldnt ya know it actually worked!!!

 

[TDM]

Really nice @AndyJ !!

 

[Bad Karma]

I sure admire what you gunbuilders do! That’s incredible grain!

 

[Hood2]

This may seem silly but I included a compass in the stock! Not a Red Rider but seemed fitting!

View attachment 224094

I've always thought about putting something like a hundred year old liberty half dollar behind the butt plate and maybe a note. No one would ever know unless they removed it. By the time that happened (if it ever did), who knows how old the coin might be.

 

[AndyJ]

So I thought about how to transport the gun to the range and put this together...after a couple mistakes it seems to work ok. Not very water proof yet...

 

[D.Summers]

That wood is super! We don't have any Hackberry here that I've seen! Pretty doggone cool!!