Another new project

[Eric Krewson]

Another new project; I stalled out on my pistol project because I will have to forge the trigger guard, buttplate and ramrod thimbles, I have never forged anything but triggers in the past. I have a brake drum forge a friend gave me but the blower motor is burned up. I am going to use a hair drier as a new blower but haven't figured out how to do the piping yet and lost momentum for the project.

So here I go again; I have a nice cherry stock blank with a big knot in it that I cut years ago. I found when I laid out my pattern I completely missed the knot, so off I go on a new Haines rifle project.



The knot is nasty as shown in the slab that I cut off the main blank. My pattern misses most of the knot.



I cut out my pattern and was pleasantly surprised to see the knot will not be there in the shaped stock. I suspect the pin knot will be minimal as well.





A new Rice 38" Haines swamped rifle in .50 cal is waiting in the wings.





 

[JW_Halverson]

If anyone is actually going to carry a muzzleloader in the woods for any length of time, going with a swamped barrel is a life-changing experience.  That 38" swamped barrel is going to be a sweetheart in the hands! The shooter is going to find the center of gravity on the gun pushed waaay back compared to a straight wall 42" where you have all that weight out there beyond the hand under the forearm.

And I love cherry stocks. Most folks ooh and aaahh over the curly maple, and yes, it is beautiful. But nothing beats the warm glow of oil rubbed cherry as it seasons out over time!

[Eric Krewson]

I like cherry darkened with drain cleaner.

Like this;