Little apprehensive, but here it goes.

Let me first say that this build is only the second rifle I have ever built, and the first to build from a blank. I am nearing completion and other than a couple of small issues I am very happy with it, and so is the owner of the gun. Next one will be better...

The action is a 1917 Enfield that was re-barreled by Er Shaw many years ago to .338 Win Mag.

Her is what it looked like when I got it. Sorry for the crappy cell pics:




Metal work done so far:
-Filled duck pond
-radius the top of the rear ring
-push back stripper clip guides and surrounding areas
-milled off old tang and welded on/machined new tang
-cut off old barrel extension because the shank was too long and machined new extension with shorter shank. Re-crowned barrel to 24".
-pushed forward the area just behind the bolt stop and shortened bolt stop spring.

metal work still left to do :
-Weld straight bolt handle
-machine scope bases to accept Talley QD rings using Mark Strattons plans
-install banded front sight
-install banded sling swivel
-install express style rear sight

In the meantime I started the stock work. Here is the blank the owner wanted...beautiful blank, an absolute nightmare to work. Live and learn.

Here is what I have done so far. I wished I would have taken some during pics, but I often times get carried away and focused in working. I still have some reduction to do, but most of the work has been done. I am going with an inletted sling swivel base for the rear, one crossbolt, and I need to cut the shadow line in the cheekpiece.

mind if i ask how you filled your duck pond? i have a rifle in very similar condition as your starting point.

Beautiful wood! and the rest is pretty nice, too!

heath

Looking good Aaron...you certainly didn't do yourself any favors starting with THAT blank!

Love the red pad! I'm interested to see how the action looks with the bolt changed on it and your other modifications.

Thanks Mr. Wiebe! Shaping this blank has been an adventure better left for the experienced.

724WD: If you plan on radiusing the rear ring I would surface gring the ring to near completion. Then make a plug to fill the duck pond, weld it in, then finish grinding the ring.

I did it a little backwards by first welding in the plug, then surface grinding. You will end up having to re-weld the plug because a seam will start to appear as you grind down.

Yes, I currently attend CST and will be graduating mid August. This will be my last project.

The bottom metal is Duane Wiebe's.

Super nice !

What safety are you going to use?

It looks like it is coming along very well. I commend your work.

Jeremy

I fabricated a trigger block safety very much like a Ruger 77. It works fine, but I am hoping as the owner see's this progress he will splurge for a M70 style.

"you certainly didn't do yourself any favors starting with THAT blank!"
Okay, the guy doing the work says the blank was terrible, Mr. Wiebe hate the looks of it, and so, what is it that would give this away? Just trying to learn here.
The rifle looks great by the way. My first anything should look half as good.

I think the blank is beautiful. The problem with it is the work involved in shaping it. The feathering in the butt creates some VERY hard spots that will easily chip if you are not careful. Having a hard spot backed up by a softer spot can also create a waves or high spots as the hard wood does not cut the same.

Thanks for the answer. Never started with a blank, but I have seen this while sanding.

Aaron nailed the problems with that type of grain. Planes, spoke shaves and rasps will pull chunks when you don't want it to happen. Very dissimilar wood hardness as the grain changes. Even sanding is a problem as soft spots want to cut away faster than the adjoining hard areas. I've done quite a few trap gun stocks with similar grain and they are a bear to keep straight and even. They look great completed but you work hard to achieve it.

Aron nice work! Can you post a closeup of the receiver tang. I really like the looks of it.

Beautiful work! Taking any orders?

Currently I cant take in any work that involves needing an FFL. I would love/need work on the side to help supplement my income along side the career I will be having with a builder.

As soon as I can find the means to do side work I will jump all over it.

Aaron, judging from what you have done, and knowing that Bailey has taken you under his wing, you must have an incredible amount of unproven and "un-trained" talent. I am quite impressed with what you have done to this point.

Let Bailey, a master as far as I am concerned, take you to the next levels. I anticipate and look forward to seeing incredible work from you in the coming years. Good luck, young man!

Nice looking rifle, agree on the blank, but you seem to have it under control, the layout of the school looks to have changed since I got out in '76.

Looks good Aaron. I sure find it enjoyable myself. I wish I had the formal training your getting, take full advantage.

quote:

Originally posted by stocker:
Aaron nailed the problems with that type of grain. Planes, spoke shaves and rasps will pull chunks when you don't want it to happen. Very dissimilar wood hardness as the grain changes. Even sanding is a problem as soft spots want to cut away faster than the adjoining hard areas. I've done quite a few trap gun stocks with similar grain and they are a bear to keep straight and even. They look great completed but you work hard to achieve it.

I had trouble with varying hardness in the same type of wood until I started using a harder sanding block. It made shaping the butt for a steel buttplate a nightmare too.

Aaron, it's beautiful. I wish I had the same opportunity you have to work in that shop.

Aaron, you are really doing well as a student making the 2nd stock. Keep up the fine work and you will have more work than you can handle. I like the tang welded and raised for a better grip shape. Study hard and you will be rewarded with offers from some of the larger shops.

I made my own stock duplicator just because of this type of grain. If you have a pattern made up you can route this type grain in about 1 hr. Think about making the stock duplicator with the plans I sent to you last year. Time is money when you are in business.

Have you had any offers when you finish the school? Some times it is not how much you know, but who you know.

Les Brooks

Mr. Brooks, now that I have made sure it is okay to make it public, I will be working for Bailey Bradshaw right after graduation.

And it looks better in person.