JBelk
Since I kinda hijacked fla3006 thread I thought I would post this here and get one started for pictures from the show.

Now, to kill my ignorance. On Heilman�s switch barrel rifle is it 425 westly Richards/30-06? If so how does he get both cartridges to feed?
What is the purpose of the �3/4�tang? (I came up with that name all on my on.) Not to say that I don�t appreciate the absolute difficulty of it, just wondering if it also has a functional purpose. No doubt that is a spectacular rifle. Was it for a customer or did he just build it for the show?
Thanks for posting the pictures, keep �em come�in.

Bluetick---

Thanks, Hopefully Bill and Chic and others will fill in some blanks. I didn't take as many pictures as last year.

The term is actually "extended tang". It's fairly common on large English double rifles and is usually done in combination with an extended bottom tang that connects with a trap grip cap whose center screw extends up through the stock and into a blind hole in a boss on the extended tang. It effectively binds the weakest part of the stock in a steel "frame" that's all tied together into a cage.

Steve Heilman has taken the extended tang into an art form. The video "An Introduction to Custom Guns" (ACGG.org) has very good views of the metalwork sans wood and a completed 404 with extended top and bottom tangs shown as well.

Extended tangs is why we see hundred year-old .577s still shooting with those slim English walnut stocks.

With the amount of broken synthetics I'm hearing about they might become popular again.

This is Doug Turnbull's table of restored Winchesters. All color case hardening, stock re-checker and re-finishing, rust, charcoal and nitre bluing by Doug. It's a stunning display.

Bluetick,

I asked to Steve Heilmann that exact question regarding the feeding. He said that he had to slightly modify the box from its .30-06 dimensions and tweek the feed rails a bit, but that it fed both cartridges without a hitch. Though I'm sure that it is much more complicated than he made it sound when he explained it. It holds five .30-06 and three .425 WR in the mag. By the way, it was for sale and for the same cash you could get a nice car! The real jewel of that rifle though is the Rigby style cocking piece sight.

I'll post my pics as soon as I get them back from the photo lab.

Bluetick--

The takedown two barrel set had a price on it....$32,500. I understand it sold late Sunday.

This is Al Ward's table. He's a fairly new member and a good stockmaker.

Top to bottom, Ruger Number One, Dakota M-10, Mauser M-98. I disremember the details.

Here are a couple of my favorites.

Mini Sharps. In small rimmed cartridges. The top one is in elephant ivory.



A 500 Holland by Duber?



[ 02-06-2003, 09:03: Message edited by: Gator1 ]

Here are 3 pages of pics from the ACGG show.

http://groups.msn.com/SovernsCustomGunstocks/2003acggshow.msnw

Enjoy!