Restoration or new build projects this year

[rwnblack]

I enjoy building stuff in my workshop but I had a really busy year at work this year but I still snuck out out to the shop as much as I could. The year is not over yet and I have a bit of time off so hopefully I can add to this list but here is what I got done so far.

Here is a pic of my workbench. Accross from that is my 13" lathe, 30" mill drill and 14" bandsaw.
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Early in the year I finished a Rigby rifle built with a Green Mountain 45 Cal rifle blank. I pack casehardened the lock and bits in a 2:1 wood to bone charcoal and nitre blued the small parts and rust blued the barrel.

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My next post will be a Marlin 1893 I restored

 

[rwnblack]

Here is an 1893 that I bought as a box of parts off of Gunnutz about 3 years ago, it was a 25-35. The barrel looked like a sewer pipe, the wood was really rough, the metal was all a green colour maybe it was treated with some acid or something. I relined it to 38-55 with a liner from TJ's with 1:14 twist and chambered it with a Manson reamer for the 2.125" chamber. I rust blued the barrel and casehardened the action. The stock I made from a piece of walnut that I have had for 23 years. This was a fun project this summer and it shoots great. A fellow offered to buy it yesterday but I am not ready to part with this one yet.

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[Akaroa1]

Nice work @rwnblack I'm in the early stages of doing this sort of work myself
Spent plenty of time learning the art of slow rust bluing .... the art is good metal prep really

Just got an 1885 low wall back from a rebarrel and shooting it in the white with a fairly rough mock up stock before I commit to cutting into the walnut planks.
Will post some images when I get a chance.
Not many guys like you doing this stuff in NZ or at least not on the main stream forums

Cheers

 

[theDuck]

That's some fine work you do there. Respect.

 

[snurge]

Any before pix?

 

[rwnblack]

I am not that great at remembering to take before pics but Here are a couple the seller sent me for the 1893 marlin.

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Here is a pic of my son shooting a blunderbuss before I get it finished, kinda counts as a before pic!


Here is a pic of the rifle in the process of being cased hardened.

 

[rwnblack]

Here is a stevens 44 I bought about 1 year ago. It was a 25-20 with a buggered barrel so I drilled it out and inserted the 22 barrel in the pic as a thick liner. I casehardened the action but toned it down so it looks like worn casehardening. I rust blued the barrel. It is a great shooter but I haven't decided if I should build a new stock, refinish the old one or what but for now it is good fun as a 22. I finished it this spring in time to smarten up a few gophers and it worked like a charm for sure, the gophers were less impressed.

 

[B_noser]

First class work, my friend ........ as always. I'll bet it gives you a rush breathing new life and beauty into those old wall hangers.
Cheers

 

[cooter303]

you do some nice work.

 

[rwnblack]

Here is a highwall I recently finished. I casehardened the action, rust blued the barrel, Nitre blued the small bits, the stock is still original. The first pic is the before shot.

 

[rwnblack]

Here is a Remington #2 that had a bugered barrel in 32 cal so I put a new green mountain barrel in 22 Rimefire and converted it to rimfire. Great shooting gun but I still have to blue the barrel and I am tempted to caseharden this action too. I put this one together earlier this fall.





Here is a rather rough Highwall that I working on. I have it barreled in 40-65 with a green mountain barrel and plan on putting a pistol grip stock on it, or not haven't completely decided yet.

 

[B_noser]

Very nice finish. Some pix of that most interesting sight would be appreciated.

 

[Magellann]

You certainly have some great talent, its really nice that you can restore them and bring them back like that .

 

[rwnblack]

That is a Goodwin tang sight, here is a link to a place that sells them. https://www.sinclairintl.com/gun-parts-tools-accessories/rifle-parts/sights/rear-sights/rifle-creedmoor-rear-sight-prod105945.aspx?Size_1007=%2316&avs%7cStyle_1=Enhanced%7cBenchrestzz1zzVarmint%7cFlip-Up+Sights%7cTang+Sights%7cGoodwin

 

[rwnblack]

Thank you for the positive feedback. I do enjoy bring life back to tired pieces. I avoid anything that should stay in original condition but I think it is okay to bring back pieces destined for the scrap pile. The fellow who sold me the marlin thanked me for restoring the rifle, it was his great grandfathers he appreciated seeing it back in shooting condition. Here is a forged steel ballard frame my buddy found at a gun show for me. It is pretty rough on the outside and is only the frame. The block from my Ballard Pacific fits perfectly so I am going to build this into a 38-55 and use the block interchangeably with my Pacific until I make or find another.

 

[wos]

Very nice! Case hardening is something i have wanted to try for a long time.

 

[gunlaker]

Wow! You've done some great work. I really like that 1893.

I don't have anything like those sort of skills. I focus entirely on shooting these things. However I do have a project for next year... A couple of years ago I bought a Meacham ( highwall copy ) action with a DST and I have a Ron Smith gain twist barrel coming for it. It's going to be a .32-40. I don't know who I'm going to get to thread and chamber the barrel, but I'm going to try and tackle the wood myself.

Merry Christmas!

Chris.

 

[rwnblack]

That sounds like an amazing project. Meecham made great actions. Hopefully ypu can find so e one close to install that barrel for you. If you lived closer I would suggest you comeover one evening and show you how to thread and chamber it.

 

[can14]

Some very nice work.

 

[silverfoxdj]

Nice to bring back a bit of history congrats