SDH,

I was in PG Shooting center today and they were all talking about how beautiful the rifle was that they'd checked in. Mr Gates there wanted to show it to me, but he didn't want to unwrap it again for fear of damaging something (had to the first time to get to the transfer paperwork).

Then he brought out the card that was attached to the paperwork, and I was happy to see it was yours!

I'd love to see some pictures if you don't mind posting them.

Thanks,

Steve

Here's a teaser, I'm not sure if these guys can stand to look at a "pretty' rifle"

SDH

SDH,
Beautiful rifle. You seem to team up with Michael Dubber quite a bit.
One question, if I may. I'm having a half octagon barrel made by Badger Barrels for a Marlin 36. When speaking to Ernie about leaving the small cylinder section in front of the receiver he mentioned original Marlins were octagonal up to the receiver because of inletting issues for the forearm. I'm not sure what he meant. Are there any special issues for the stockmaker to deal with if I order the barrel with the small cylinder section? You've obviously done it a couple of times so I am just a bit curious whether I'll cause myself, or more specifically the stockmaker, any extra headaches.
Cheers,
Stu

quote:

Here's a teaser, I'm not sure if these guys can stand to look at a "pretty' rifle"

Does it ride well in a scabbard?

SDH,

Thanks. It's beautiful. 44-40, right?

Steve

It came out great!! Thanks for sharing with everyone.

Take Care,

Michael

Thanks for the nice comments! I've been traveling around Montana and have just returned. Here are a few more photos:




I doubt if it will ever see the inside of a rifle scabbard.
Note the round cylinder section at the breech was only used on Marlin Ballards but makes a much nicer transition from the octagon top, to the round receiver ring. It goes octagon to round to round to octagon. The barrel was designed to allow plenty of clearence for the width of the forend where it enters the action lips. I design and draw all barrels full-scale, and the entire rifle for that matter, before work starts.
The front sight was made from a chunk of steel and the bead is 14kt gold with a lathe turned shank going into a hole in the steel.
The action, forend cap, mag. tube and rear sight are the only original Marlin parts. The action was a straight grip which was converted to pistol grip, a very complicated and delicate process.
Michael Ullman fit and chambered the Pac-Nor barrel and Doug Turnbull did the metal finishing inlcuding rust blued barrel, case colored hammer, lever and trigger and charcoaled blued action etc. I nitre blued the small parts
SDH

Here's the end of the mag. tube plug with Michael Dubber's exellent rosette engraving.

Note the different colors of the rust blued brl and mag. tube, charcoal blued forend cap, nitre blued screws and mag. tube cap. and lightly red-toned English walnut.
The devil is in the details!
SDH

quote:

Originally posted by gnmkr:

The devil is in the details!

....And insuring that no detail overpowers the entire ensemble.

That's very nice work, Steve.

GV

Nice engraving. Boringly plain wood.

quote:

Originally posted by Thumpper470:
Boringly plain wood.

Really? I think it's quite nice.

Lots of color contrast....the dark streaks running in harmony with the flow of the rifle...

Anything wilder would likely detract from the entire piece.

The checkering is rather fine, so I'd guess that's a fairly hard and expensive piece of wood. The finished shade compliments the case color and nitred pieces.

GV

That rifle is as beautiful as they get.

You can add me to the list of those who think all of the parts, wood included, work together well to make a really, really nice rifle.

Very nice indeed. Really love that victorian scroll work.

Plain wood????? Damn, I'll take all the plain wood you can get like that. Great job Steve.

I hope he was kidding about the plain wood. So what was the finish used on this "plain" wood? I like it very much.

I really appreciate the chance to look at those photos. Wow!

Thanks for showing the pictures. Awesome rifle!!

Thanks again for the kind words, it's good to know that an alternative to bolt rifles can be enjoyed here.
And by the way, the action was "slicked-up" considerably, I made up a magazine full of dummy rounds to insure perfect function and about 50 rounds went through it when finished. The accuracy was so-so because of the .429 bore and .427 bullet, but I had a friend load some correctly sized bullets into .44-40 cases that are on the way to the owner. I'm quite sure this will improve the groups substancially.

The stock was finished with Daly's Marine finishes: sealed with Benite, filled with Pro-Fin and top coated with Sea-Fin. Almost looks like the original varnish, but a lot more durable.

The stock blank was air dried in my Montana shop for five years, is 100% quarter-sawn, has perfect layout for the severe drop and has nice subtle fiddleback that doesn't show well in the photos.

Here's another photo of the grip which looks simple but is rather complicated with transition shaping into the toe line and comb nose.
Just a bit more difficult than most bolt rifles.

SDH

quote:

gnmkr: the grip which looks simple but is rather complicated with transition shaping into the toe line

The hardest thing for me and so important.

SDH,
A very nicely executed rifle, I like it a lot. Thanks for sharing. MP

Very Nice! Thanks for sharing.

And if you have any more of that stunningly plain wood lying around send it my way so as not to offend Thumper470.

Wood is kind of blah, I guess I am a wood whore too.