My first kit gun

[Thelogartist]

I do a *lot* of shooting, as a LE firearms instructor and avid shooter in my off time. But this is my first ML.

I bought this Traditions .50 Kentucky rifle kit to build for my dad as a fathers day gift, and we got to work on it a bit together on July 4th, when we browned the barrel.

After that I took it home and commenced sanding and shaping the stock and buttplate. I wanted to spruce it up a bit and actually had a sort of pretend back-story I invented for the rifle: She's a former flintlock longrifle that was cut down, re-bored and retrofitted with a cap lock sometime in the early 1840s, after being handed down as a family rifle. A sort of transitional plains rifle, if you will.

To get that kind of character out of a plain-jane Traditions piece, I bought some brass and silver sheet and silver wire and a brass patchbox and silver side plate, with plans to add all the fancy accouterments: patchbox, hunter's star, inlaid diamond plates down the forestock, wire inlay scrollwork, etc. Or some less ornate combination of a couple of those elements. I dunno.

I also wanted the look of aged tiger maple, as if the tung oil&beeswax has darkened over 50 yrs of use. I accomplished this by hand painting a couple colors of dark stain on the stock and then adding the tung oil.

The stock turned out even better than I hoped and now I'm second-guessing covering any of it with decoration. Maybe y'all can help me decide. Here she is dressed for a test fit, before any beeswax seal, with some shots of the process:

 

[MountainSmoke]

That looks great! I kinda like it just the way it is. I like how you made a relatively plain looking rifle in to something that stands out. Hope she shoots good for you. Nice work.

 

[Thelogartist]

That looks great! I kinda like it just the way it is. I like how you made a relatively plain looking rifle in to something that stands out. Hope she shoots good for you. Nice work.

Thanks! I'm having fun with it. I decided to add a silver side plate to replace the tacky-looking washers under the heads of the lock screws. Smallish hunter's star inlay and a simplified brass patchbox that leaves most of the wood grain visible. Here's how the left side looks with the silver plate and brass star just resting on the stock for reference:

 

[dave951]

Looks great. I'm the type who favors only a modest amount of decoration, sorta less is more or form follows function.

 

[TreeMan]

Looks good!

 

[Thelogartist]

Cut the inlay for the star today:

 

[Jaegermeister]

Inlay black is your friend. I’ve used candle smoke in a pinch.

 

[Gtrubicon]

I think you have done a fantastic job! Ive been contemplating a kit myself. How much time would you estimate that you have in it?

 

[Thelogartist]

Inlay black is your friend. I’ve used candle smoke in a pinch.

Teach me, I'm not familiar. Is this anything close?

 

[Thelogartist]

I think you have done a fantastic job! Ive been contemplating a kit myself. How much time would you estimate that you have in it?

Thank you. Sorry, I'm terrible at tracking my invested time on projects. Just spit-balling....12-14 hours spread over several days? Maybe less. I really dunno.

 

[Jaegermeister]

I’m talking about black smearing stuff to put on the back of your inlay piece. Then you lay your inlay piece onto the wood and it leaves black on the wood that needs removed. Keep repeating the process until your inlay is perfectly settled into the wood with no voids around the parameter. It makes for a perfect fit without any gaps.

 

[Thelogartist]

I’m talking about black smearing stuff to put on the back of your inlay piece. Then you lay your inlay piece onto the wood and it leaves black on the wood that needs removed. Keep repeating the process until your inlay is perfectly settled into the wood with no voids around the parameter. It makes for a perfect fit without any gaps.

Ahhh...familiar with the concept on other applications, but didn't cross my mind here. Good info for next time.

 

[troy2000]

Looks like a win/win to me. You're having fun building it, and we're having fun watching you. Keep us updated...

 

[Thelogartist]

Got the star inlay and the side plate drilled, countersunk and screwed.

 

[Jaegermeister]

Beautiful rifle for sure.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

It really looks like you are having way too much fun with that project….

 

[Thelogartist]

Roughed out the patchbox. Trying to decide on the final shape. Either leave as is and just clean up the edges, or cut deeper like the pencil marks. I'm leaning toward the latter, but unsure. Thoughts?

 

[Thelogartist]

Here is my inspiration, but not trying to directly copy.

 

[Jaegermeister]

I like your idea and design.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

The patch boxes for your inspiration are very interesting. I think that would be just about the right amount to put a little spark into butt stock. Simple, but a bit of flare.