My Wiebe 270 was stolen...

Man was that a sweet shooting rifle...when I got it I ran a box of factory Winchester 150 grn Power Points thru it and it shot sub 2/3 of an inch. I left the range went beck to the store picked thru the 10 boxes and bought the eight of the same lot number they had on the shelf and decided not too reload for it...

quote:
Originally posted by srtrax:

What is the width of the quarter rib at the rear sight? My inquiring mind would like to know...Thanks!



The q-rib is 1/2" wide right behind the rear sight.

Thank You for taking the time to do that and answering my question!!!

A beautiful rifle....Duane does get some terrific wood....and really does justice with it...

Love the full rib.....Now I know who bought that blank....I missed it by just hours. I was trying to pick it up for a different project. One thing to note like another poster mentioned there is a lot of contrast on the luxus site. This stock is a perfect example of that. Looks great on the rifle but does not have no where near the color that it does from the Luxus stock photo.

A statement that doesn't reflect well on Lexus when photos set selling price.

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:
Love the full rib.....Now I know who bought that blank....I missed it by just hours. I was trying to pick it up for a different project. One thing to note like another poster mentioned there is a lot of contrast on the luxus site. This stock is a perfect example of that. Looks great on the rifle but does not have no where near the color that it does from the Luxus stock photo.

I need to take/post some more photos of the stock/wood under different lighting conditions than what I posted (these photos were taken by Duane, before he shipped the rifle).

What I can tell you is, the wood looks totaly different in person.....it has a depth to it that doesn't show up in the pictures and it is a lot darker. There is also some fiddle back that doesn't show in the pictures. The right side is also darker than the left. I had Duane tint this stock with the "red root" and you can see the before and after in some of the photos.

I have bought a lot of wood from Luxus from "pictures on their website"......sometimes I send a blank back, because I don't like it when I get it in my hands.....Luxus doesn't have a problem with this, they stand behind their product. I had one blank that had a crack in the butt and it was in Duane's shop before "we" noticed it. Duane called it to my attention and I called Adam at Luxus he said cut it off....well we did and the crack ran pretty deep. It wasn't going to work for the lay out. The stock was sent back to Luxus and I got to pick another blank that was "higher" quality.

I hope this helps ease what ever concerns you may or may not have......it is all good.

I would buy the same blank and use it all over again on this project if I had to do it over! There is not much more that I can say.

I second MHC_TX's statement. My obvservation was not meant to cast doubt on the quality or figure...just that it was...well..."enhanced".

I've always sought permission from Luxus to run a blank through the jointer prior to purchase and it was alwsys given, no srings attached.

quote:

My Wiebe 270 was stolen...

What a bummer that must have been!

I have also bought a few blanks from Luxus as well. I was just trying to point out that there is definetly a lot more contrast in thier pictures then when you get them. They are very easy to work with and I will use them again, but keep in mind when you are looking at photo's from other sites to take that in account. Like I said I tried to buy this very blank and missed it by just hours.

Thanks

Mike,
I am jealous. That is a stunning rifle and I see no way to improve it. Absolute first rate perfection.
Wiebe and Martini. Two of the best that have drawn breath and picked up a chisel to build a gun.
In my opinion they both humiliate a great many of the legendary guns made by the fabled English Firms.

Now…. on to the wood and photos. It has always been an issue for us and photos. Two reasons, three really.

The first is that we have endeavored to find the very best way to photograph wood.

Obviously we wish to show the wood in its beauty. Who would not. We do use a thinned penetrating oil and/or just mineral spirits. If the wood is highly dense, as was Mikes blank, I sometimes allow the mineral spirits to penetrate before snapping the photo, as I would a finish on the stock.

Second is the screen settings that an individual has his screen set on and his contrast.

Obviously that has no bearing on the photos of Mikes gun. BUT, the first reason above surely does as will the following reason, the third reason.

Third, and POSSIBLY the most important as it pertains to Mikes photos and his guns stock, as I DO NOT mean to imply there is anything less than first class finish on the wood. Duane is in my opinion the best of about five that have ever lived. I would personally love to have a gun built by him.

This is huge...PARAMOUNT to anyone that enjoys great wood on a gun. I Want to heavily STRESS THIS. It is SO EASY to apply a finish to wood that is less than flattering to the wood.
There are reasons this happens and they almost invariably involve the wood being too tight and too dense to allow a finish to get into the wood. IT MUST get in the wood to bounce back color.
Personally, I have played with every finish one might use on a gunstock. I have also left them outside for over three years. I have subjected them to every possible torture a gun might go through in a lifetime.
I have strong opinions about gun wood and wood finishes, and it is all based on tests and not passed down ideas.
Many of the very OLD trees we cut have a density that is exceptionally HIGH. As was that blank that Mike and Duane used. Stupid hard wood and crazy dense. No pores, virtually. I am certain Duane will agree....that blank was a bear of a blank.
Example of the opposite is Claro walnut. I often say that if a guy sneezes in the next room, a claro blank will get darker with more color. it is a sponge with open pores and it is Thirsty wood. It tales a finish very fast and easily. This is why a spray works ok on it. To use a spray finish on wood that is dense is a shame. The particles of finish are drying as they collide and land on the surface, they cannot therefore get into the wood.
Ok, moving forward with this finish situation or more importantly to all of us that are interested in wood, and finishes.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, so I shall shut up now…hahaha. Anyway, look at the examples of various finishes and what they can and cannot do to flatter wood.

Amazing to say the least.






Two of the above finishes are the finishes used by two well known semi-custom gunmakers...not individuals mind you, but companies. They are not the best, but they are cheap to apply, fast and highly effecient in their intended roles.

I personally will only use one finish anymore, when I am finishing my own stock. Very thinned Teak oil. If the wood is REAL dense, I will heat the oil and or the stock to get the color and most importantly.....the contrast I want.

There is a ton more to all the tests I conducted. But the above is the better parts as it applys here.

In closing...MIKE...I did not want to hijack this thread. So, if anyone has questions, just email me or start a new thread.
This is about a gun, Mikes gun and Duanes workmanship.

Mike, I kinda dislike you right now! The same way I dislike Forrest when he shows me another photo of yet another perfect rifle.
You both are gonna have to be gentleman at Dallas and buy me some scotch. JK. but serioisly...one night!
No one likes a guy that shows off a gun like the above and then has the lack of manners to buy his friends a drink.

quote:

I personally will only use one finish anymore, when I am finishing my own stock. Very thinned Teak oil. If the wood is REAL dense, I will heat the oil and or the stock to get the color and most importantly.....the contrast I want.

Hmmmmm Adam for the first time I will take formal written exception to part of what you have stated.


As I have seen it with my own eyes in a side by side comparison the finish that Luxus has developed in house is what I want to use on my rifles. Even the Guild Smith who builds most of my wood rifles is waiting for me or you to send him some. In short the Luxus finish is peerless IMHO.

Adam...thanks for sharing that information.

To me this forum/thread is all about "sharing information".....nothing more...nothing less.

Four years ago I didn't know "how" to build a custom rifle or "how" to buy a piece of wood. As a matter of fact, I had never even heard of a Brno 21 action until I saw ForrestB's. Most of what I know I learned here and the more I learn, the less I realize I know.

Thanks for your post, Adam.

I personally like teak oil and have used it exclusively for about 25 years now. This is a drying oil that develops more patina as you apply a thin coat yearly (After every season)

Mike, I second that...the more I learn the more I realize I don't know anything!!

Duane, Prego!
I really like teak too. I have also found it has the best water repelling ability of any oil one might apply to wood. It does seem to penetrate better as well. I have planned blocks of wood off with a real sharp blade and just skim coats off the side to see what oil penetrates the best. Teak, every time, is the best.

Do you apply a sealer first Duane? Or do you just use straight teak, and do you thin it?

The patina is good too. A little blood and sweat added and about ten years of handling and wow! That is the best look.

Duane-

Would Seafin teak oil work as a top-coat over something like permalyn?

Thanks

Adam: I use the Ship and Shore sealer..as much as I can soak in.. then try again a couple days later

Woodhits: Never tried that, you might give Daly's a call 1800 735 7019

Off the top of my head, I can't see a problem

very nice