I have a pretty cool project going on. Approximately 2-3yrs in length. That’s finally getting close to completion. I think you guys may find interesting.
It started with a Claro Walnut blank that was gifted to me by a good friend of mine. I previously built a wood gun on another walnut blank that turned out excellent. I built that first rifle for my oldest son. So I decided to build another classic hunting rifle from this blank as well.
I started with all the metal work with the following components:
BAT Machine long action
Bartlein 24in 1:10 twist barrel # 4 contour
Sunny Hill BDL bottom metal
Jewell trigger
Custom Vias style muzzle brake
300 win mag
Next came carving the blank. I’m fortunate enough to be close friends with two very talented local gunsmiths…Dave Bruno from Bruno Precision Rifles…and Brian Swintowsky. Dave did all the metal work. Brian is one of the few guys left in the US that will hand carve a blank. So he got to work on it about 2 weeks ago.
Started with some rough shaping the blank into a Monte Carlo style stock.
I decided to have Brian put in 1/4in of cast off into the stock. I had this done on my first wood gun and it makes the rifle incredibly easy and comfortable to get behind quickly. You can see the cast off here.
Next Brian rubbed the stock a bit with some oil to see what kind of color and grain was popping out.
Here’s a little better picture of the rough shaping and the color potential.
Here Brian put in the comb and a dark walnut 45* end cap. As well as a dark walnut cap on the bottom of the grip.
Rifle was glass and pillar bedded. Then had the first coat sprayed on.
Can really see the grain and color coming out now.
Another coat of spray.
Final coat of spray is on. And the stock is polished now.
Next Brian will do all of the hand checkering, install the sling studs, and decelerator pad.
Once the rifle is completed the plan is to put a few shots down the pipe. Then send all the metal out for Melonite treatment.
More updates to follow as the checkering is being done. Hope you guys can appreciate a carved stock. Not many guys left doing it all by hand like this. It’s a dying art.
It started with a Claro Walnut blank that was gifted to me by a good friend of mine. I previously built a wood gun on another walnut blank that turned out excellent. I built that first rifle for my oldest son. So I decided to build another classic hunting rifle from this blank as well.
I started with all the metal work with the following components:
BAT Machine long action
Bartlein 24in 1:10 twist barrel # 4 contour
Sunny Hill BDL bottom metal
Jewell trigger
Custom Vias style muzzle brake
300 win mag
Next came carving the blank. I’m fortunate enough to be close friends with two very talented local gunsmiths…Dave Bruno from Bruno Precision Rifles…and Brian Swintowsky. Dave did all the metal work. Brian is one of the few guys left in the US that will hand carve a blank. So he got to work on it about 2 weeks ago.
Started with some rough shaping the blank into a Monte Carlo style stock.
I decided to have Brian put in 1/4in of cast off into the stock. I had this done on my first wood gun and it makes the rifle incredibly easy and comfortable to get behind quickly. You can see the cast off here.
Next Brian rubbed the stock a bit with some oil to see what kind of color and grain was popping out.
Here’s a little better picture of the rough shaping and the color potential.
Here Brian put in the comb and a dark walnut 45* end cap. As well as a dark walnut cap on the bottom of the grip.
Rifle was glass and pillar bedded. Then had the first coat sprayed on.
Can really see the grain and color coming out now.
Another coat of spray.
Final coat of spray is on. And the stock is polished now.
Next Brian will do all of the hand checkering, install the sling studs, and decelerator pad.
Once the rifle is completed the plan is to put a few shots down the pipe. Then send all the metal out for Melonite treatment.
More updates to follow as the checkering is being done. Hope you guys can appreciate a carved stock. Not many guys left doing it all by hand like this. It’s a dying art.
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