Hi all, here's a rifle I just finished for myself. It started out with a slightly bubba'd 1908 Brazil action, Roger Vardy walnut and an Aussie made MAB barrel. As you can see I utilised the original bottom metal,it would have been a shame to waste it. The wood was tough but checkered like a dream at 24 LPI and was easy to finish with tiny pores. Weighs 7.5 lb with 2.5-8x36 as low as you can go. Thanks to my father for the studio shots,he did them outside on a bright,cloudy day.
Enjoy.

A fabulous accomplishment. Everything comes together as a harmonious whole. A real jewel of the gunmaker's art.

An outstanding piece, really nice stock. A true classic congratulations

Exquisite craftsmanship and materials! That fiddle figure in the stock is amazing. You are VERY talented. Thank you for sharing with us.

It's lovely ...... BUT - and this is just me - am I the only one who thinks a rifle with a barrel band and no iron sights looks ..... unbalanced?

I freely admit that I could not do half as well - it's gorgeous, but it looks slightly OFF to me, when seen in full.

Gorgeous...no iron sights needed!

Gorgeous!! no need for iron sights. WHo did the checkered bolt handle?

very well done and has a look of simple elegance

WOW!!!!

Outstanding job!

Great looking rifle! I really admire you fellows with this much talent!

Beautiful stock. Beautiful rifle. Exemplary craftsmanship. Congratulations. My only even remotely non-positive comment would be that rifles stocked in this period styling generally had open sites. Other than that, it doesn't get any better than this... Dave wesbrook

Gorgeous, thanks for posting.

Very well done, very nice.

Enjoy!

Whoza! Nice job

Very nice. Neat work on the floorplate.
Open sights are cool looking, but on a modern built 7 x 57 ? Not needed in my opinion. I like the svelt look of the sightless barrel.
Looks similar to a 09 in 257R an AR member smith built for me. The next one, a Mex in 7x57, will also be done this way.

Jim, I did the bolt checkering, it's my least favourite job and I only do it on special occasions.

I see a front sight, quarter rib, and two barrels in the rust blue pictures. Do we get to see pictures of that rifle, or is this a switch barrel?

GREAT work by the way.

John

quote:

Originally posted by gasgunner:
I see a front sight, quarter rib, and two barrels in the rust blue pictures. Do we get to see pictures of that rifle, or is this a switch barrel?

GREAT work by the way.

John

I was wondering if we'd see about that other barrel too.

Metal it's a spectacular rifle to say the least! Thanks for the photos from start to finish.

Good lesson on wood here. I would have never considered that blank based to the perceived flow through the wrist on the off side. Finished it looks great. Lesson-don't buy a blank without seeing all six sides and do have a pattern cutout to get a basic idea of the finished product. Looks great.

Classic never goes out of style. Congratulations.

Beautiful rifle, a classic from muzzle to butt!

When I see something like this I cannot help but be a little irritated. Irritated with the man upstairs. He passes out this much talent to one person and then short changes me since I cannot even mount scope bases without messing something up. It just ain't fair.

Beautiful rifle and great job.

The parts in the cabinet show what can go wrong sometimes. For some reason the humidity went through the roof so I pulled them early and boiled them off, no harm done. Summer weather over here is erratic to say the least so you have to watch the rust like a hawk. 70 deg F & 70% humidity is were it's at for me but if you get a 105 deg. day it gets out of whack somewhat.
The other parts in the cabinet belong to another rifle that I was just bluing, they are not my work.

I hear ya Mike but most gunsmiths aren't so talented at merger agreements and SEC filings. Fortunately, you can afford good help when it comes to guns.

The wood looks darker in the finished product than the original blank. Did you do something to make it darker, or is it just a difference in the light in the photos.

Beautiful rifle !

Trademark, no stains,just oil. The only thing different is the lighting.

glorious rifle!

very beautiful rifle, marvelous piece of wood.

BUT can you reach the trigger?

Fantastic job, what a classy looking rifle. Thanks for sharing your pictures...enjoy!

I am a stainless steel sty stock type.

But that rifle is very nice.

What a beautiful rifle. I love the angle of the pistol grip. Everything just looks right!

That is a very nice rifle, and the stock is outstanding..

The question of Iron sights came up on this thread? Well I'm a hunter primarily, and a rifle without iron sights is like driving in a 10,000 acre pasture in Nevada, and having a flat tire and no spare, when you need them, they are awfully handy. A barrel band front sight, barrel band swivel and a petite island rear or Talley peep would be very English and in line with such a nice piece. But, its anybodys choice one way or the other.

That's a very nice rifle! Also like the progress pics, always nice to see how these things come together.

That is a spectacular bit of handiwork! Thanks for sharing.

This proves a point I've stated many times on these forums. The quality produced by todays gunsmiths easily equals and in some cases such as this surpass the smiths of jolly old England. If you can find any fault that is not esthetic in nature that applies to this work please tell me what it is. On another thread the participants all wax eloquent about the quality of work by a well known Gunsmith and more or less state he has no peer. This workmanship seems to me to be equally as good. Of course all I can comment on are pictures as I have had neither gun in hand. This shows what is to me the epitomy of a gunsmith,one who does it all,the metal work (with custom parts),the wood work and the checkering ,both metal and wood. And above all the polish and bluing. I personally happen to be greatly impressed with the stock shape which is what I always tried to reach but never quite got there. I think it's the pistol grip,it's very open and I could never seem to get one to that point. To me that is the most comfortable and impressive feel about a rifle, how the grip feels. Lest you think I have no complaints against it I actually have one BIG one. I have owned,built,and used rifles for over 60 years and I have owned only one rifle with no iron sights that I can remember. In all those years I have commissioned two rifle to be built to my specifications and one a 7x57 and the other a 257 Roberts both have iron sights which are built to be used but with my eyesight never will be and this was known when they were built. I have just always believed a rifle was not complete with no irons sights. While irons would improve the LOOKS of this rifle to me it would not change the quality of the workmanship in the least. Were I financially able to afford it I would have him build me a copy of it tomorrow knowing fully I would never be able to use it as my hunting days are over. I have never had this feeling about ANY other rifle I have seen on these forums except a few by Duane Wiebe.

There is nothing I can add regarding the design and execution. However, the pictorial history is also way above average. It tells the story well, and helps one understand just how difficult it is to create a custom rifle that is a balanced work of art. (Don't ask me how I so painfully know that.)

On the iron sights issue I'm hearing you and I appreciate your opinions, they are all valid. Trouble is I like irons but my eyes don't, so for the hunting I do a scope mounted LOW and solid is what suits.
Also I would like to thank everyone for their kind feedback, I'm chuffed. Dave Wesbrook, your stockmaking book got me started on the right track many years ago, cheers. Same goes to SDH for Custom Rifles in B&W. Also to Duane Wiebe and every other custom maker whose ideas I've stolen over the years, you helped build it.

Metal, What a gracious post that speaks volumes about you the man. While many may have helped you, it was your hands, your eyes, your heart and your visions that made this work possible. If I was teaching a course I would give you an A+++ ...Dave Wesbrook