Aaron Watson's Christmas present

[mongrel]

I need to qualify that I don't actually know Aaron Watson, have never met the man to the best of my knowledge. Nor did I really need another project going at this exact moment in time, when I have four builds in progress. However....

On Opening Day of deer firearm season, last month, Aaron's tree stand collapsed under him. He wasn't wearing a safety harness. He fell 30 feet and sustained serious internal injuries. There is insurance, but we all know that the deductibles alone and possible non-covered expenses, not to mention the loss of work income, can devastate a working man's family. The Watsons live in Moore's Hill, I live in Dillsboro, and next month the Milan American Legion will be holding a benefit to raise money for the expense of Aaron being in intensive care and, soon, in rehab over in Cincinnati. If it doesn't sell this auction cycle I'm pulling one of my rugrat rifles off GunBroker to donate for a raffle (if it does sell in the next week I will donate the full sale price), and meanwhile I added this to my slate.

A Hawken purist will have fits -- late-period BRASS mounts on a fullstock, and that's just the start of the list of abominations. In case anyone is nodding and about to "help" by detailing what else is "wrong" with this gun -- siddown, shaddup, get a life. I know my people 'round these parts and this is about perfect for catching eyes and selling raffle tickets.

Curly maple stock, 30" x 1" .50 caliber Numrich barrel, Dixie Gun Works percussion lock, set triggers of unknown but good vintage, 13 3/4" LOP. About the perfect traditional whitetail medicine and, like I say, the sort of thing people around here favor if they're going to go traditional.

Merry Christmas, all....

[Red Badger]

Way to go Mike!  Is it going to be a raffle or auction?  if Raffle post details on how we can purchase tickets!

Jim

[mongrel]

Way to go Mike!  Is it going to be a raffle or auction?  if Raffle post details on how we can purchase tickets!

Jim

Re-reading I realize I wasn't too clear about how this rifle is to be disposed of. It's going to be raffled. The Milan Legion only found out about it today (note to head honchos in organizations such as this, that the public might like to get in touch with for any number of good reasons -- ANSWERING MACHINE) and the lady I spoke to was at work and couldn't talk long, but it appears it'll be raffled, along with a .52 (eh? but that's what they said it is) caliber Knight and, if it doesn't sell on GunBroker, one of my rugrat squirrel shooters.

At this point I don't intend to be involved in the process other than to make the donation, but when I hand the rifle(s) over I'll let them know there are several interested parties wanting tickets, around the country. There have been two other inquires about it so far. I wouldn't have posted about this, except for that -- this sort of thing ought to be done anonymously or at least quietly -- but the point is to raise money for a family that's in a world of hurt and secrecy wouldn't help that cause in the slightest.

[mongrel]

Darkness, snow flurries, and dead batteries in the camera (note to Self -- unplug device from 'puter cable or it remains "ON" till all life is gone) mean I can't take pictures, but I did get the rough shaping of the butt done to where sanding starts. I would have guessed a plainer chunk of wood, looking at it as a blank, but it appears to be nicely curled and should be an eye-catcher when finished.

Scrounged up a pair of inexpensive but nice powder horns, and I have more than several good utility shooting bags, so this (and the rugrat, too, if it doesn't sell first) will be donated as a package to make it too tempting for even an in-line shooter to resist buying a chance on.

[mongrel]

Progress....

[mongrel]

Sanding is done to 80 grit on this one, meaning all shaping is finished and all that's left is smoothing for finish. Sight dovetails are also cut, though all I did with the actual sights was test that they're snug enough they'll have to be drifted into place -- I don't actually install them till after the metal is finished.

No pictures. It was a damp, overcast, but warm day, and what daylight I had to work with I spent under the awning alongside my old shop building, raising a cloud of maple sawdust. In the next day or two though I will have some shots of the assembled rifle without finish on the wood or metal.

[gunmaker]

Purist whinnnning?  If'n I'm not mistaken what you got there is a mighty fine huntin' rifle.  I don't need another rifle but will buy tickets ta help out.  Let alla us'n know what $ 'en where..........Tom...damn tree stands anyway.

[beowulf]

that`s gonna be a fine looking rifle when finished . as for the brass , big deal ! I bet that somewhere in this big old country of ours there is a hawken rifle with brass furniture sitting in some old lady`s attic left there by her grand daddy ! there were a couple made with german silver , so brass is no big stretch ! just cause no one has one now does`nt mean one never existed ! danged nice thing you`re doing , to bad there are`nt more people out there willing to step up and help out where it`s needed ! 

[gunmaker]

They might of been built in san' looie by Hawken bros. but they are almost a direct copy of an English game rifle........Tom

[mongrel]

Moving right along. I intend to have this one done by the end of the four-day weekend I'm enjoying, and will get it turned over to the Milan American Legion ASAP. I'll let them know there have been multiple out-of-state requests for raffle tickets and will work out with them how best to accomodate everyone who wants to contribute.

My thought is to determine the latest date that tickets can reasonably be sold or spoken for, and start taking requests for how many, buying the tickets in the order they were requested and marking the owner of each. If someone has a better idea I'm open to it. This is a new game for me.

I have to make one unfortunate request. I know this is a tight time of year, money-wise, for a lot of people, but please do NOT ask me to front any money for tickets till next payday, or the tax refund comes in, or whatever. It's not that I'm unwilling to help out or that I wouldn't trust someone, but I just spent a few bucks shy of $700 to put a new rear end in my truck. That cleaned out the first savings I've been able to put by in many years. I have money to eat and pay my bills -- nothing extra. If someone can't afford to buy a ticket, I'm sorry, but I can't stake them at the moment.

[William]

How much are the tickets?

[mongrel]

Don't know yet. I have to deliver the rifle and help with arrangements, since the ticket requests from out of the area are probably almost all going to come through me. These folks at the Legion aren't pros at this sort of thing and I doubt they will have a firm plan till they have the gun, horn, and pouch, and have discussed how best to go about it.

I will post details the instant they've been worked out and I can get to my computer. Stay tuned.

[mongrel]

Well, a departure from my normal finishing practice. I've switched completely over to tung oil, from linseed, because linseed in my experience is much slower to dry, and it stinks. However, after hanging this and the two other stocks I'm finishing, in the archway between living room and front room (ah, the things you can get away with when there are no females other than a Labrador retriever to "advise" on proper stock-finishing location), I discovered that old oil build-up around the lid of my can of Formby's had prevented the lid from popping into place, and that the oil in the can had gelled.

I recited the proper Biblical verse. You may know it, it's the one that begins, "And beholding that which had occurred, the Heathen Craftsman did invoke the f-bomb, and condemn in the Lord's hearing the mothers of all ruined oils; and in their far dwellings in the deserts of the land, the Righteous and Unrighteous alike did tremble, and press hands to the ears of the Innocent; for the Craftsman was wroth; and even the Demons, as they ventured from the Gateways of the Realm Of Torment, did turn back to the safety of their darkest shadows...." It continues on to describe the laying-waste of whole cities and rivers of blood and finally the Craftsman being pacified with the gift of a large chunk of of chocolate cake with cream-cheese icing, but it gets kind of boring after the opening lines.

After my devotions I contemplated the matter and went and found a can of linseed oil and reluctantly gave it a try, taking care to wipe the crud thin. I do NOT hand-rub finishes -- too many chemicals I use and even walnut sawdust play hell with my skin, so I avoid bare skin in any kind of finish if at all possible -- but I did basically polish the stuff in, then went to bed. This morning, yippee, everything is dry (the stuff still stinks to high heaven) and a second coat has been applied, and I will concede that I like the looks of it.

This post will repeat on two other threads -- same process and results on three different guns. Keep to a necessary minimum the jokes about "Seems to be an echo in here...."

[heatherhistorian]

Very nice work!   

[mongrel]

Four coats of linseed oil, drying nicely and looking nicer.