early longrifle

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frosty

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this is an early period gun. it has a great shooting Rice barrel, and was made from a rough pc. of wood. the time period wood be around 1750. took around 150 hrs. to get to this point. in 58 caliber, what a great hunting rifle!
 

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That rifle is an absolute work of art! Any chance you can get some pictures of it in a lager size and a bit closer? My eyes aren't what they used to be.
 
Nice wood. I noticed there's relief carving on the patch box side of the stock. That's rather unusual. It seems to be the same clover carving on the cheek piece side of the stock. The cheek piece side is generally carved a bit higher and closer to the cheekpiece (just a commentary and not a criticism). Also, for early guns, I'm not certain that eight star inlays were used (again, an observation which I'll have to check and not a criticism). Is that silver wire inlay near the cheekpiece? I presume they are your intials?
 
The rifle took 150 hrs. to build. note the deer antler thumbcatch on the wooden patchbox lid, a germanic feature. Also, the dogwood flower, my own signature, which is on 7 different early rifles I have made.
 
Close-up of the inlay and another of the dogwood flower when you have a chance please.
 
I wish I could take some close up pictures, but I sold the rifle to the man who got me into building 28yrs ago. I am currently unemployed. Thank you all for the compliments, very touching! I once saw an early Christian Springs rifle, with a very large star in the cheek rest.
 
Thank God I got to the drool bucket in time! Absolutely stunning! A career as a gun builder would be an excellent move for you. And I mean that with deepest respect. Once again, excellent rifle.:)
 
I sold the rifle
Click to expand...
I know what you mean there. I am about out of guns; guess I can sell the safe now :(. Still working, but if we have another Summer of gas prices like last, I won't be able to afford the commute :uhoh:
 
Frosty - is this a hobby or is it a full time occupation for you? If it isn't a full time job, then when you retire (because I can't recommend retiring early just to build guns), you've got a future after retirement (more work and hopefully, fun work).
 
Have been a precision machinist for 20 yrs. Work is slow. I generally build one gun a year, and early wooden patchbox guns are my speciallty. I just ordered a 78 caliber 30" barrel from Riley Smith, of long hammock barrels, to build a boar rifle. Only one gun per year, cause my racing pigeons come first!:evil:
 
best of luck on that boar rifle! do you think you could make an in-progress picture thread here as you build that rifle? i'm sure we'd love to watch the progress.

that rifle is beautiful, very finely done. i don't quite know what to say other than that! quite impressive that it's all hand made, that's one thing i'd like to do one day.

TMM
 
That would be an exellent idea, to take some photo's during construction. One thing that you cannot see in the pictures, is the triggerguard, sideplate, and top return of the buttplate were all engraved by my good friend, Mr. Phillip Cravener of latrobe, pa. When constructing my next gun, I will use a better quality camera.
 
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