I am considering buying a rifle from McGowen Barrels. They advertise a complete rifle for $850.00 using the following components:

Mauser HVA 8000 action

McGowen Barrel

Heat Treated Maple stock

What are your thoughts on this possible purchase? All productive input is welcomed.

My question is... what the hell is a "heat treated Maple stock"? Kiln dried?

Well Bwanamrm,

Regarding the heat treated maple stock as you are well aware we will soon find out. There are some experts lurking on this site who can answer that question.

Stay tuned.

That is a PF action correct?

I ain't no expurd, but I sure would like to know what you are talkin about.

Butchlambert,

A. What is a heat treated maple stock; is it kiln dried or just what is the process.

B. Mauser HVA 8000 action is it a controlled round feed or a push feed?

quote:

Mauser HVA 8000 action

Well,
I had one of them in a BARRELED action. Looked nasty and it went away. Not saying it ain't a good action, just not my cup of tea. Maple? not my deal either, heat treated or not. Is Mcgowen still in business?
Butch

quote:

Is Mcgowen still in business?

Yuppers.....and make a fine looking barrel.....I just haven't tried mine yet!

http://sharpslumber.com/caramelizedmaple.html

Heat treated maple.

I would pass.

quote:

Originally posted by abonneau:
http://sharpslumber.com/caramelizedmaple.html

Heat treated maple.

Interesting, but not at all what I think of when I think of "heat-treated" Maple. For many years, particularly back in muzzle-loading days, some folks carefully played the flame of a blowtorch or an alcohol lamp across the surface of the wood before applying the finish. Done right, it could greatly accentuate the grain contrasts. It worked on more woods than just Maple, but it often worked spectacularly on Maple.

Of course, done wrong, it could vastly screw-up a stock too....

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Is Mcgowen still in business?

Yuppers.....and make a fine looking barrel.....I just haven't tried mine yet!

Mcgowen sold out his business and retired. The business was moved from Illinois to out West somewhere and is run by an entirely different person(s)..

quote:

Mcgowen sold out his business and retired

You are probably correct. I know he sold the barrel part of the business in June of 2007. I "thought" he was still doing some gunsmith work.

Harry did my first wildcat chamber and barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

Mcgowen sold out his business and retired

You are probably correct. I know he sold the barrel part of the business in June of 2007. I "thought" he was still doing some gunsmith work.

Harry did my first wildcat chamber and barrel.

That may be, but I know he was getting up in years. A couple guys I know had barrels rebored or rifles built by him and they were pleased with his work.

quote:

Originally posted by boltshooter:
I am considering buying a rifle from McGowen Barrels. They advertise a complete rifle for $850.00 using the following components:

Mauser HVA 8000 action

McGowen Barrel

Heat Treated Maple stock

What are your thoughts on this possible purchase? All productive input is welcomed.

I am pretty sure the "heat treated " maple is the heat coloring process developed by a few Canadian lumber veneer firms. It heats the wood to just under the point of igniting it. Somewhere between 200 and 300 degrees F.

Basically the is FOR COLOR ONLY- it mostly imparts a whiskey brown/walnut color to the wood.It is done in the blank form before the stock is turned.

The same process has also been used to color birch laminate sheets before gluing up and works well. By precisely controlling the temperature, they can produce any shade of brown from a light honey color to a dark chocolate brown.

Frankly, give the uneven reputation the Montana McGowen outfit has with their barrels and their failure to put into production the 1885 high walls and other guns they claim to be building, I would pass on their stockwork as well.

I think the lack of any pics of the stocks or completed rifles speaks volumes of their ability to deliver anything worth paying for at this time.

One other thing.

Those actions are the HVA style actions made by ZOLI in Italy. They are NOT genuine Swedish made HVA actions . They have not been made for over 20 years now.

The fact that none of that is mentioned on McGowen's wesbsite should tell you all you need to know about sending any $$ to them to buy an entire rifle sight unseen.

mcgowen precision, now barrels and actions, in not the harry mcgowen gunsmith still active today. THEY ARE DIFFERENT COMPANIES

heat treated maple, perhaps they mean sugi or tigerstriping it, per dunlaps' book?

quote:

That may be, but I know he was getting up in years

I've been very pleased with the work Harry did for me over the years.

Yep he is getting long in the tooth. Since he was 79 when he sold the barrel business that would put him atound 83.

Harry's shop reblued two rifles for me last winter. First rate work IMO.

I don't know where you guys get your information. McGowen Precision Barrels is active and producing barrels in Kalispel, MT. They have made about 20 specialized barrels for me in the last year for the Blaser R84 using Bailey and Brown barrel blocks. I also have two custom 1885s being built by them. They are way late on the highwalls, but it is because their stockmaker quit or got fired. Google them. Jeez....

Are you a Vandy fan?
Butch

Boltshooter,It was aimed at Vol717.
Butch

I have actually handled the HVA 8000 actions made by Zoli and watched them being made in the Zoli factory in Italy. While they are not my idea of the ideal action, they are well made and finished. They are sort of a mating of a Husqvarna 1640 with a Remington 700.