I hope we can get them up Tuesday morning.

If I can get NPE345 to do it, I'll also post a picture of the action, and the two piece blanks I've been sitting on for nearly eight years, since right after I bought the action from Steve Earle.


ISS

Pegleg,


just in case you wondered, the smoke I am blowing is from my last Cohiba...

Til we start getting Cubans here this late spring, it will be Fuentes Opus-Opus-X. The 60 ring by 9 inch. Perhaps an Ashton or Perdomo in the same size.

I hope you enjoy the pictures...

ISS

Nice action and wood blank but I thought Idaho was elbow deep in snow now.

57-degrees today, Harley riding weather! That snow stuff is for you east-coasters!!

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
The barrel came today, and it is exactly per my specifications. I am pleased with the result.

Rich

Dang Rich, you came up with that design all by yourself? I can see why you would want to wait so long to get just what you wanted. I've never seen another one quite like it.

Any taper?

I sure like the idea of a barrel maker that's willing to work outside the box, especially in this price range. I assume the lead time isn't normally as long as this one was? I'm dreaming up future projects with octagon to round, with integral quarter rib. Anyone else have pics of such or similar from McGowan?

Aaron,
I took the pictures. It looks better in the hand!

Yes it tapers. But because the rib is also tapered the overall height of the barrel is the same at the back as the front.

You can see some of the taper of the rib in the pictures.

McGowen did a real nice job with it.

shane

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Little:
Any taper?

It will be great. Like mentioned its nice to see a well equipped company doing this.

My digital mike's readout is blinking, I think it wants a new battery. It measures the barrel round section at 1.260" which matches the cylindrical black rod threaded into the the barrel. The 5" cylindrical section is necessary to fit the spring you see on the action bottom. At the transition area from round to octagon it mikes just over an inch in front of the scalloped area. From the rib top to the bottom flat is 1.150". At the muzzle end it reads 1.08". Across the flats at the muzzle it is .840". The barrel is 28.5" long. The rib is .254" wide and about that tall.

These measurements are approximate, with the battery issue.

Obviously, this is not a Duane Wiebe custom job, but it is affordable for us working/retired guys.

Dan Wynne runs McGowan Barrels, and he is willing to replicate this design to individual specifications. It was a "first" for them, and I am grateful they would even consider taking something like this on.
Dan says full custom barrels like this will run in the 12-16 week range to build.

Everyone says I "think outside the box...". Whether that is a positive attribute or not, I leave to you all.

Steve Earle has a connection for 95% inletted stocks. The wood is headed that way shortly.

thanks,

ISS

ForrestB,

I cannot claim it as my idea. Twenty-some years ago I shot at the Coors Nationals Schuetzen Championships in Golden, Colorado. Conrad Grimes owned a huge machine shop near the Coors Brewery.
He showed up that year with a Ballard one-piece action he had made of a stainless alloy with a FL octagon barrel with a FL vent rib like this one. I was just amazed. I wondered how he had done it, and he asked me to bring my wife and come over to his house after the match. Two days later we drive in about 10am. His wife takes mine and they go assault the clothing stores in Denver for the day. "Connie" and I drive over to the shop, and he makes one from a barrel blank right before my eyes. About four hours, because he is going step by step and explaining the process.

Pointblank,

I am certain a phone call to McGowan once you figure out the dimensions and caliber you want, will stick you on a list.

Aaron,

put one on a custom rifle, it would be something very special to show on your website to customers, and a great selling point.

Rich that is a damn good looking tube and when you are done you should have one hell of a classy looking rig. Do not be offended if I do not thank you for showing off this project. I fear that you are about to cost me a lot more money on a Ruger #1 project that I am kicking around. Congratulations and thanks for the insperation I guess.

raymond Nobles

rich,
I can appreciate the workmanship of that barreland it is a good looking barrel, but it just not my taste. i'm glad you like it and got what you wanted. if it is as accurate as the other McGowan barrels I have used, you should be happy.
max

Rich- Wow! Nice looking barrel and action. The wood looks great also. This will be a one of a kind for sure. Congratulations and I hope the build goes well for you. What site system will be going on the rifle? I can't figure with the rib how you would do irons, if that is an option . Another question of mine would be the projected weight. Looks like it might be a bit heavy. I guess it depends on the length of the barrel when finished.
Good luck!
I prefer the Fuentes Queen B when I blow smoke, which you have found out is more often than necessary.
Drive on!

thank you Pegleg. I may have to check out that cigar suggestion.

It was worth the wait, and now others can benefit.

Duane,

yes. I have an O/U shotgun/rifle made by Gundermann of Dusseldorf, circa 1904-6 with a thin rib atop the 16 gauge barrel that has iron sights.

ISS


For all of you that are interested, Dan Wynne says that now that they have a pattern, this profile can be duplicated to your basic specs for a bit under $500, shipped.

Nice Rich! Gonna be a great looking rifle.

Well, then there's that.

Adam

What are you figuring for a final weight?

Rich- I'm not sure which impresses me more- the barrel, the lock-work or that beautiful wood!

Overall style just makes on drool!

Very good taste there.

I mentioned my Gundermann O/U. Imagine a tall skinny diamond with the top and bottom points cut off at rib width.

The side points cut off at width for a set of QD rings, most likely the 19mm Talleys.

I will most likely just stick a single fixed rear sight on and zero at 200yds.

You all know Mark Cromwell, owner of NECG. He thinks he can figure out two front sight heights, to zero at 100 and 200.

I hope to talk Jim Kobe into doing the metal work on this in late summer.

thanks for all the compliments, I think this is going to be a fine rifle when it is done.

Rich

For the record, I take pride in my subtle sarcasm that sometimes goes unappreciated.

ForrestB,

noted, and nearly always appreciated here.

I used McGowen for a tapered octagon barrel for a custom project in 7mm-08. I should have had the rifle for the 2013 deer season but did get it just in time for 2014 season. It took them four yes that's right four tries to get it right. NEVER again