Author Topic: upcoming trade rifle project  (Read 8378 times)

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Offline Josh B

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upcoming trade rifle project
« on: March 19, 2017, 10:46:43 am »
I made it home this weekend and decided to do a little inventory on an upcoming project that I've been slowly gathering parts for in the last few years.  The plan is to build a Henry Lehman style trade rifle.  I have a .54 cal rice barrel, 42" long and 1" across the flats.  Jim chambers double set trigger, I don't remember who made the lock but it's not a cheap jukar, a few miscellaneous other parts and a really nice curly maple stock blank.  I have a few more things to acquire  but I'm getting there.  A few issues that I noticed ...the lock does not have a fly.  That's a bit of a problem with the double set trigger that i have.  The stock has a worm hole right where the first barrel tenon will need to be.  I can fill it fine, but since the trade rifles were mostly unadorned  if I stick to the authentic look there won't be any escutcheon's to cover the repair.  I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.  The last issue is that the stock was intended for a lefty.  I'm reasonably sure that there is still enough material for a right handed cheek piece, but it's gonna be tight.  Hopefully I will get a few more items for the build in the next month or two, but this is the starting point.  Josh

Offline Josh B

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2017, 10:50:00 am »
Here's the worm hole in the stock.  The little booger really did some excavating in there.  I have several options to fill it, but making it unnoticeable will be a problem.  Josh

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2017, 11:08:07 am »
That stock will look awesome.  I kind of like the worm hole.  I'd leave it.
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Aaron H

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2017, 11:09:25 am »
Very cool Josh, I'm looking forward to seeing it finished up.  Yeah, that stock is beautiful!

Offline Danzn Bar

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2017, 01:24:24 pm »
Good looking start Josh.  I was wondering will the trigger guard be big enough for the double set triggers?
DBar
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking

Offline Gordon

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2017, 02:51:01 pm »
I'm looking forward to watching this.
Gordon

Offline Trapper Rob

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2017, 09:13:44 pm »
That's going to be a beauty.

Offline Josh B

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2017, 08:55:07 am »
Good looking start Josh.  I was wondering will the trigger guard be big enough for the double set triggers?
DBar


No it isn't big enough Bill.  I'll have to get a single trigger for this lock anyway   I'll save the the double set trigger for a lefthanded kentucky I'll be building my son in a few years.  The stock blank that I have for that is even tighter curl than this one, but without the bug damage.

Thanks for the comments and interest fellas.  This will by no means be a fast build.  As usual money and time is short, but I will try to update as I go.  Josh

Offline chamookman

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #8 on: March 21, 2017, 04:10:52 am »
Trade Guns are My favs ! Everyday Common Mans Gun - Bob.
"May the Gods give Us the strength to draw the string to the cheek, the arrow to the barb and loose the flying shaft, so long as life may last." Saxon Pope - 1923.

Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2017, 09:04:34 am »
I would use a piece of the left hand cheek piece to fill the worm hole, you should be able to make it disappear.

Offline knapperboy

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2017, 03:32:03 pm »
If it was me, I'd fill the hole with turquoise filler or something similar to make it pop and have some personality  ;D excited to see it finished!

Offline mullet

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2017, 06:21:58 pm »
If it was me, I'd fill the hole with turquoise filler or something similar to make it pop and have some personality  ;D excited to see it finished!

The turquoise wouldn't fit the Trade Gun style. watching this one, Josh.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #12 on: May 17, 2017, 06:24:54 pm »
You don't want to fill the hole with anything that would draw attention to it.

Just cut you a piece with matching stripes, square up your hole into a narrow rectangle, make your patch a bit wedge shaped so it will fill the hole tightly as you push it in. All you need to fill is the outside surface with a tight plug. The inside can be filled with superglue and sawdust.

After your glue sets you can bring the extra plug wood down to the forestock contour.

I have plugged three bad places like this lately. I give them a touch-up with an artists brush and leather dye if they don't match just right after the finish is applied.

Here is one that chipped a huge hole out when I put a pin in for the trigger guard. After I got it patched you won't see it unless I point it out.


Offline Josh B

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Re: upcoming trade rifle project
« Reply #13 on: June 04, 2017, 09:31:14 pm »
That is the most obvious and sensible solution Eric.  Thank you Sir.  It'll be a while longer now before I start back on it.  Lightning fried a bunch of stuff at the house including our well pump.  This is gonna break me for awhile.  Thank you for the interest and comments.  Josh