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Custom 1903 is done

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11 August 2016, 08:34
Andrew Maxwell
Custom 1903 is done
It took me 18 months of Sundays to finish this one. 1903 Springfield , Lyman 48 rear, Lyman 17 front. Timney trigger. Trigger guard was picked up second hand for a steal without even having a 1903 action on hand but that is how most of my builds start. I find a part I can't live without and a rifle comes in around it. I'm just a shadetree gun nut, not really a smith that likes to build his own rifles since I can't afford to pay someone to do it for me. Constructive criticism is appreciated as I am still learning.





11 August 2016, 08:50
eddiel4
Love the shape of the cheek-piece and the satin sheen you've accomplished ob the finish. You should be very proud! Good luck in your future projects which I'm sure will turn out wonderfully...


Edward Lundberg
11 August 2016, 15:45
Dick Wright
I agree with Ed. You have a good eye, an attribute not shared by all the professionals.

Nice floorplate/trigger guard. I can see why you did what you did. Last year I found a Unertl at one 'elluva deal and bought it. As soon as I got it I decided that it really needed an appropriate gun. The results are "Project three. a .222 varminter".

From one shadetree mechanic to another... You done really good.


Dick Wright
11 August 2016, 19:42
butchlambert
A very nice job. You should be proud. Yes, I have one of the 3 scopes that Mike Walker built in the Remington custom shop. Only 3 internal adjustment were built. It was originally for the 40X. Yes, I'm finishing a 40X rimfire at this time. Andrew, I also have a company named Shadetree Engineering and Accuracy.
I would love to see more of your work.
12 August 2016, 03:16
srtrax
Nice job...great checkering...and a nice walnut stick.

Enjoy!


_____________________
Steve Traxson

13 August 2016, 05:04
fla3006
Excellent


NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS.
Shoot & hunt with vintage classics.
13 August 2016, 05:08
Grenadier
I like it. The only constructive criticism I have is that you should have built two!




.
13 August 2016, 06:23
mightymouse
Very nicely done! I appreciate iron sighted sporters as they bring to mind a simpler time. You have done well, sir.
14 August 2016, 01:55
Michael Robinson
Your rifle is a true tribute to the best work of the best custom rifle-makers of the early 20th century.

It's a classic. I wish Mike Petrov (and James V. Howe, too) were alive to see it.

Congratulations.


Mike

Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer.
14 August 2016, 05:12
gunmaker
looks great. Did you ever find out who made the stock?


gunmaker
------------------
James Anderson Metalsmith & Stockmaker
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23 August 2016, 01:43
dwheels
Andrew, you did real well. I really like the wood. It's real subtle, in my view it mimics the wood on the guns made by the old custom builders. The finish looks great, what did you use? Your checkering looks very good. I'm jealous. As far as criticism goes, It my be the angle to photo is taken from but something about the wrist and the radius of it that doesn't look quite right. Probably just me seeing how the other posters have remarked. Keep it up.
23 August 2016, 02:21
Bill/Oregon
Nothing to criticize that I can see, just praiseworthy beauty. You can hang out in the shade and build rifles at our house anytime.

hilbily


There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
23 August 2016, 06:24
bt8897
I would slo like to know your process for finishing the stock, it looks great
23 August 2016, 10:26
Schrodinger's Cat
Beautiful rifle. Love the color the wood and nice cheek piece. You have some talent there.
23 August 2016, 15:48
Brice
My only suggestion: Move the target a bit so you don't shoot holes in your fence.
23 August 2016, 15:56
xausa
I am puzzled by your description of the front sight on your rifle as a "Lyman 17". As far as I know, the only Lyman sight of that description is a globe target sight with interchangeable inserts, which seems to me to be out of place on a hunting rifle such as yours. Can you clear this up, or show a photo of the front sight?
24 August 2016, 08:36
MountainBear
He does have that Lyman 17 on it. He explained it on another forum. Honestly, it just looks like a hooded front sight. Not too out of place at all...
25 August 2016, 08:57
Andrew Maxwell
The stock was picked up second hand, damaged in several places with worn out checkering. I stripped it back to bare wood, made repairs and a tiny bit of shaping here and there to my liking. I finished it in a matte tung oil , filled the pores so the finish was in the wood vs on top of the wood and it has a handful of light linseed oil coats on top of that. I rust blued everything myself, filled 4 scope D&T holes topside and dressed those down , D&T'd for the Lyman 48, I used a talley barrel band that I cut in half and modified. The front sight is indeed a Lyman 17 with a slim post insert that has a small dot on top of post from Lee Shaver. the rear peep I drilled out a tiny bit for better close woods acquisition. As mentioned before it looks just like any other hooded front sight and target acquisition is fast and accurate.
25 August 2016, 18:31
xausa
I have always regarded a sight hood as a protection for the front sight, to be removed in the field. I see that today there are hoods with slots cut in them to allow light to get to the front sight, and that might make a difference, but my front sights need light on them for me to see them clearly, especially against a dark background. That is of course not the case when shooting at a brightly lighted black target on a white background.

As far as the Lyman 48 is concerned, I have always removed the screw in insert in the field. It works perfectly well without one.
The earliest 48's had no provision for a screw in insert, but used a hinged arrangement to change the size of the aperture for different light conditions, like the one used on Lyman tang sights.
25 August 2016, 19:40
elton
really nice job. Overall package is well balanced. Great checkering and really nice finish. Great Job
28 August 2016, 00:31
Fury01
Very Nice! Target Globes front with Post are kind of like a "Ghost ring" front sight when visibility is not good. The middle is still the middle. Good enough for fast work. Waiting on the light is part of the fun of Open sight hunting for me.


"The liberty enjoyed by the people of these states of worshiping Almighty God agreeably to their conscience, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights."
~George Washington - 1789
28 August 2016, 01:12
BaxterB
More kudos on the stock finish. Looks like it has just been brought forward in time. Really nice rifle
29 August 2016, 19:09
Slider
WOW!!!