I have a problem

[Ames]

Took my girl out for the first time today. The past winter we spent time together. Snow storms, long nights, stolen moments. Always inside. The wife is asleep, or at work.
Today I took her outdoors. It was time. The months of anticipation came to a climax as I eased the first cap onto her. Than another. She wanted more.
I gave her 35 grains of 2F and aimed at the heavens. She responded with a thick smoke ring spinning up higher and higher. Yes it was time.
I eased 45 grains and snugged it in with a patched .490. As I pulled the trigger she responded with a crack. I heard the ball hit the backstop. Not the booming sound I get from my shorter plains 54, but a fresh snapping sound. I like it. She likes it too. She asks for more.
I ease her slowly into a second ball, then a third. Moving charges upwards until 15 shots later she is taking 65 grains per. I don't care if the front sight needs to be filed down. There will be time for that later. She is just begging for it. Again and again, we work until the powderhorn is dry.

Back into the shop I pull out her tang screw and keys. Slipping the barrel into a warm bath I turn to clean up the stock. Fowling has no place on my new girl. I clean the barrel and dry it inside and out. Patch with WD40 and reassemble her.
We go back into the living room. The 54 plains watches us, knowing her place in November is secured. The new girl hits the wall still warm to the touch. At last, all my ducks are in a row. And the wife is still asleep. All those late nights alone have come together in one glorious morning in May.

As I go to the kitchen for a cup of coffee the setter watches me. When I return to the living room he is sitting by the end table. He knows where I am going to sit. He knows what I have been up to. Good thing he can't tell.
But he also knows out of the corner of my eye the pages call me. The Southern mtn. rifle in the Pecatonica catalog is pulling me in again. Dreams of iron furniture and curly cherry stocks, hand rubbed oil finishes.

My dog knows me. He knows I have a problem. :stir:
The wife sleeps on..................

[/URL][/img]

[/URL][/img]

[/URL][/img]

[/URL][/img]

[/URL][/img]

 

[Staggerwing]

Beautiful! Great looking rifle and dog. Your problem is a good one to have!

 

[Staggerwing]

What did you use for stain?

 

[Ames]

Aqua, heat, and several coats of LMF Lancaster maple at 50% and Honey maple 100%. The coats of stain went on each other without drying time.

 

[M. De Land]

I like your writing and story telling skills as much as I do your rifle, fine job on both!

 

[Cowboy]

That sure is a beautiful rifle!

I truly loved your( in fine detail) story as well.

Congrats my friend!

Hope to hear and see future endeavor's of you and your girl!

Respectfully, Cowboy :thumbsup:

 

[Ames]

I think I ,and others, suffer from "the barrel is always longer on the other side of the fence" syndrome.
I should go back to work on my powder horns and put the literature down.
Or.....would she find out......just one more.... :hmm: I hear the snoring from the back room... :hmm:

 

[19 16 6]

Dirty little blighter !
:wink: O.

 

[MSW]

ok, pal you were the one 'spilling the beans' here - not me ... first the story and it got everyone worked up and then the pictures ...


grrr!



that's a really cute dog (nice looking rifle...)


so, here's the deal: you tell us where you got the stock, and we won't rat you out to your long suffering wife.


do we have a deal, or do I need to send grainy black&white photographs in an unmarked envelope with no return address?


bwa ha ha ha

 

[Ames]

Well, I got the stock for that Lancaster from "some guy" who lives along a river in Illinois, I think.
It was the multiple coats of stain applied in succession that let me see what was going on and adjust the colors as I kept wiping. Not bad. And I shoot with mink oil so I keep cleaning my fingers on the stock and warm barrels as I go. Like oiling a buckskin.
As far as the snoring wife.... I keep her down with dark chocolate and champagne.
I'm not as dumb as my ex wife claims. I've learned a few things.... :rotf:

 

[nhmoose]

Uhh! brass to bright why did it get polished?? :rotf:

 

[MSW]

Well, I got the stock for that Lancaster from "some guy" who lives along a river in Illinois, I think.
It was the multiple coats of stain applied in succession that let me see what was going on and adjust the colors as I kept wiping. Not bad. And I shoot with mink oil so I keep cleaning my fingers on the stock and warm barrels as I go. Like oiling a buckskin.
As far as the snoring wife.... I keep her down with dark chocolate and champagne.
I'm not as dumb as my ex wife claims. I've learned a few things.... :rotf:

OK - -i'll keep the grainy black&white photos in my drawer for now ... :rotf:

that's a really handsome stock - the evenness and tightness of the figure is outstanding!

(nice looking dog)

 

[Ames]

"why did it get polished??"

It got polished at the bench to remove any trace I could find of oils, or wax. Anything that was on my hands.
That brass has begun a nice, even ageing free of any lingering bright spots. It seems to me, anyway, that once the tarnishing begins it will continue on its own regardless of patch lube etc. that gets on the brass in the field.
And its easier than giving a whole finished rifle a vapor chamber of ammonia to age brass inlays in place.

 

[Vaino]

Do you use your Gordon Setter on birds? Often thought of getting one but settled for English Setters.

Nicely done LR and the brass patina could start w/ a rubbed out cold blue.....I use 44/40.....Fred

 

[Micah Clark]

Beautiful rifle and piece of wood. . nice work. . . very well done.

 

[Ames]

I don't hunt with Clyde. He runs crows off the fields for me, but if I took his collar off I may not get him back.
My next door neighbor has a field Gordon, about half the size of mine. That one was bird trained and does a fantastic job of locating birds.
He also does a fantastic job of locating me when I am deer hunting and ruins the morning for me.

 

[Shooey]

Wonderful post, beautiful rifle, and a gorgeous dog! Thanks!

 

[slumlord44]

Had a Gordon Setter many years back. Good bird dog on pheasants and quail.

 

[Pappy Frank]

There for a sentence or two I thought this was going to be an X rated Post, LOL.

Nice rifle, great dog, and I even like your wagon wheel.