PDA

View Full Version : The last North Star



waksupi
12-10-2017, 07:40 PM
Last spring, when I was finishing up the last of the orders for North Star West and Matt Denison, I got a idea, and called Matt. I asked him if he would be willing to make me parts for an Early English Trade gun, in exchange for pay of the last couple projects.
I knew Matt was in poor health, but asked anyway. Happily, not only was he enthusiastic about the idea, he told me he had a dandy stock blank put away, and he wouldn't be able to build a gun from it considering his concerns.
He warned me that it would take some time to get the parts to me, as he could only do very short periods in the shop before exhaustion would set in. I was actually kind of surprised to see the parts show up so soon, just before Thanksgiving. That's faster than I have got parts from companies where they are healthy!
Anyway, once I got the parts in hand, I started thinking about converting the parts into an American fowler. All the altered parts used here were from North Star West, aside from the thumb piece, which I made. A little reshaping here, a little engraving there, turned it into something different.
This is sure a beautiful piece of wood. I'll hang on to this. I shot it at the club shoot yesterday. It's shooting a bit low, but the load seemed a bit light. I'll do some bench work to see if I can bring up POA with a powder increase. If not, I'll take it apart, and bend the barrel until it hits where I want.

209263

209264

209265

209266

209264

209267

209268

209269

Rick Hodges
12-10-2017, 07:45 PM
Oh My, that is just beautiful.

Love Life
12-10-2017, 07:57 PM
You are a true craftsman!!

RED333
12-10-2017, 08:18 PM
Good looking long gun!!!
Make me smart, I know a fowler is a smooth bore long gun.
I did not see sights on yours but have on some others and some not.
Is sights a personal thing or some thing else? Now bending the barrel is some thing I did not know about.
My thinking is with out sights this is the only way to get sighted in because there are no sights to move.

waksupi
12-10-2017, 09:09 PM
Good looking long gun!!!
Make me smart, I know a fowler is a smooth bore long gun.
I did not see sights on yours but have on some others and some not.
Is sights a personal thing or some thing else? Now bending the barrel is some thing I did not know about.
My thinking is with out sights this is the only way to get sighted in because there are no sights to move.

There is a sticky in this section on shooting smoothbores that will answer your questions, I believe. With no rear sight,
i generally match or surpass my rifle scores at matches, shooting at the same targets. In most of the shoots in this area, no rear sight is allowed in smoothbore competitions.
Bending the barrel is what it sounds like. I bend them until they hit where I want them to.

Edward
12-10-2017, 09:13 PM
Beautiful wood to match your work (outstanding)

725
12-10-2017, 09:18 PM
Wow. That is beautiful.

Eddie Southgate
12-10-2017, 11:20 PM
Pretty rifle .

dondiego
12-11-2017, 01:47 PM
Love that wood!

Nobade
12-11-2017, 02:12 PM
Neat!

Maven
12-11-2017, 02:42 PM
Excellent job, Ric (no surprise here)! No rear sight? So what! I find its absence challenging and a great deal of fun. These days, I don't even notice the missing rear sight and just wish our woods walks had a smoothbore component.

BPJONES
12-11-2017, 11:29 PM
Very nice rifle indeed and it holds a special significance being the last North Star.

smokeywolf
12-12-2017, 12:27 AM
Never seen a prettier piece of wood. Not overdone. It is an elegant rifle.

stubshaft
12-12-2017, 03:43 PM
Gorgeous rifle Waksupi!

mazo kid
12-13-2017, 12:18 PM
Ric, beautiful build!

rfd
12-13-2017, 05:57 PM
she's a most righteous beauty, ric.

Flintlock1812
12-13-2017, 07:20 PM
Beautiful job on the smoothbore Waksupi!