Sometimes a piece of wood can inspire a project... so was the case with this one.

You'll see it finished in January '15. It will be something special.

Here it is with a first coat of finish.



The blank was just barely big enough to get both the buttstock and the forend from the same blank. Matching the color of this wood would have been impossible.

Beautiful, that's going to be a fine looking gun!! Congratulations. What calibre is it?

Grade of wood ?

Killer!

I'm not a gun maker, so I may be showing my ignorance. Don't you have to cut the checkering before you finish the wood?

Almost as pretty as my Heyms.

quote:

Originally posted by Macs B:
I'm not a gun maker, so I may be showing my ignorance. Don't you have to cut the checkering before you finish the wood?

No checkering is on of the last things you do

That is an awsome piece of wood.

I like wood that is dark and then DARKER...

Very nice.

Lovely wood!

Absolutely stunning piece of timber, I'm very envious.

Cheers.

quote:

Originally posted by The Norwegian:
Grade of wood ?

Good question. In the US, sellers usually categorize wood into 4-5 tiers of "stars" or other numerical label.

In Europe, I've seen as many as 12 categories of wood grades... depending on who is doing the selling.

I prefer to categorize wood by the cost, i.e.: a $500 blank or a $3,500 blank?

I bought this particular blank from a Turkish wholesaler in Germany. It is dry, very dense, has great color/contrast with lots of black mineral streaking, AND it is very symmetrical from side-to-side.

The caliber is 470, and this is on our larger frame for the 470.

Color case hardening or steel grey ?

Costing ? ( may be a secret if it is sold )

I have seen some blanks from Turkish dealers... they have some very nice walnut blanks available !

Does this mean that you can bring your own blanks to Heym and ask Heym to make a rifle out of the wood ?

Wood always gets my attention and great wood gets my heart pumping, brows sweating, hands itching and mouth watering. Get the picture.

Unfortunately the very best photos still do not do full justice to great wood. I mean - just close your eyes and imaging that you are handling the rifle. In this imagination your eyes are open of course. Just look at the subtle changes in colour, gloss, reflections, bits of amber or red and the subtle changes in the depth of the grains as you slowly turn the gun in your palm and allow the diffused light to hit it from different angles. You keep doing it every half hour, day after day. You never get tired. Every time you look you see some new inner beauty!

Yes I am getting carried away. I should become a poet!

That is what great wood does to you.

That is impressive. Really looking forward to seeing this one finished.

Even I can appreciate that kind of termite food.
Stunning.

Love that stick of wood...and its laid out right, appears to be Turkish but who knows,who cares, its beautiful, what else can you say.

I have a blank in my shop that is one of a million, its BLACK, and I mean like ebony but it has grain and color, it's dark black and lighter black is the best I can describe..Never have seen one like it and its destined to go on a gun for myself..Maybe a 9.3x62, 250-3000 on Kurtz action or G33-40, who knows..I have had it for several years because I can't make up my mind when to do it and what it should be!! The blanks a brother to the blank I used on a mod 63 win. that I posted on AR some year or two ago, but this one is even darker than that one.

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:
The caliber is 470, and this is on our larger frame for the 470.

Can you give me a little detail on that last part? I get that you have two frame sizes, though I'll admit I didn't know that, but why build a smaller caliber double on a larger caliber frame?

Heym builds 5 SxS frame sizes-

Jumbo- a pinless sidelock in 500, 577, 600 (12 ga barrels)

88-Large- boxlock 470, 500, 577, (20ga barrels)

88-Standard - boxlock or sidelock- 500, 470, 450, 458,416/500, 416 Rigby, 450-400, 375 flanged or belted, 300 win mag and 20ga barrels

88-Small- boxlock- 7x65R, 30-06, 30R Blaser, 8x57 IRS, 8x57 IRS, 8x57 RS , 9.3x74 R ,375 H&H Belted ,375 H&H Flanged

80-boxlock- smaller calibers

The multiple sizes allow for weights as desired by different shooters-
such as a 500-
Jumbo, Large or Standard-
most find the Jumbo too heavy,
the Large -just right
and the Standard a tad light

quote:

Originally posted by Clan_Colla:
Heym builds 5 SxS frame sizes-

Jumbo- a pinless sidelock in 500, 577, 600 (12 ga barrels)

88-Large- boxlock 470, 500, 577, (20ga barrels)

88-Standard - boxlock or sidelock- 500, 470, 450, 458,416/500, 416 Rigby, 450-400, 375 flanged or belted, 300 win mag and 20ga barrels

88-Small- boxlock- 7x65R, 30-06, 30R Blaser, 8x57 IRS, 8x57 IRS, 8x57 RS , 9.3x74 R ,375 H&H Belted ,375 H&H Flanged

80-boxlock- smaller calibers

The multiple sizes allow for weights as desired by different shooters-
such as a 500-
Jumbo, Large or Standard-
most find the Jumbo too heavy,
the Large -just right
and the Standard a tad light

That's great! Thanks for the information. I thought it might be something like that, but had no idea it was that many different frame sizes. Nothing like the freedom of choice when you're picking out a DR. A 470 on a larger frame sounds mighty comfortable to shoot.

SO!!!! will it be a 500NE and will it be for sale?? will be at SCI and look forward to seeing this beauty

Does Heym use a stain to give a uniform hew to its stocks? I only ask this because, as I scrolled down into the picture, I pickled it as a Heym even before the receiver came into view.

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
Does Heym use a stain to give a uniform hew to its stocks? I only ask this because, as I scrolled down into the picture, I pickled it as a Heym even before the receiver came into view.

The only "stain" in the finish is alkanet root, which tends to give the stock more of a "red" tint.

Here is the original blank.



As noted above, trying to match this stock with a separate piece of wood would have been futile. Fortunately, there was just enough room for both.

Here is the original sketch from the engraver for the elephant engraving.

A rifle like this needs oak and leather case. Given the engraving, elephant skin was the obvious choice.

Yes, there are some wrinkles in the lid... the case is only "dry-fit" in this photo.

So - where is the photo of finished rifle ?

Morten

quote:

Originally posted by The Norwegian:
So - where is the photo of finished rifle ?

Morten

I am waiting on those now.