I took the plunge!!!

[Potsy]

After wanting to for years, and a couple of years of research, I went to Tip Curtis' shop in Cross Plains TN the other day and bought a very nice kit.

First, let me say that Mr. Curtis was an absolute joy to do business with and I learned alot from him while I was there. It's worth the trip just to see all the parts and complete guns he has in stock.

Detailwise, its a .40 cal. A weight Green Mountain 42" Barrel, MG Small Siler Lock, Brass Furniture, and a Lancaster style stock with lots of curl.

I'm really going to have to discipline myself mentally to not try to get this thing finished by the first week of November. :mrgreen:

Hope you pros on here don't mind a lot of silly questions from me over the next few months!!

[mooman76]

Always glad to help as other are. Sounds like a really fine project. We expect picture, in progress as well as the finished project! Enjoy!

[Marvin S]

I have a similar gun but shorter (Issac Haines) in 40 A weight Rice. A joy to tote around and shoot.

[waksupi]

Don't set a deadline for having it done. When you rush, you don't do as good of work. I know~!

[Potsy]

I'm busy all week (dangit!!).
I'm losing sleep thinking about how I'm going to work this project.
My goal is to get the lock inlet next week and get all my brass pieces filed and polished.
I'll keep everyone posted

[Boz330]

I've been lusting after one of Tip's Trade Guns now for a couple years, but finances just aren't lining up as well as desires.

Bob

[northmn]

Don't set a deadline for having it done. When you rush, you don't do as good of work. I know~!

I second that

Northmn

[waksupi]

I'm busy all week (dangit!!).
I'm losing sleep thinking about how I'm going to work this project.
My goal is to get the lock inlet next week and get all my brass pieces filed and polished.
I'll keep everyone posted

Potsy, don't bother with a lot of metal polishing yet. You will be getting scratches and scrapes on them when inletting. Get ALL the inletting and sanding done, then work on the metal.

[TCLouis]

Tip is a fine guy and think he will try his best to be fair.

[northmn]

I would like to see the style of the rifle. A later Lancaster can be a fairly ornate rifle. Even from a kit I would want a winter to do one. Some rifles have been kind of finished for hunting then refinished and polished off later. Were I to do this I would brown the barrel and put on a stain I can match after I shave off a bit of wood later. I would not put on any oil until final finish as that can interfere with staining. If you are going to carve and engrave a rifle you are about half done when you think its ready for final sanding. There were a lot of small things that take time to make these look like they should.

Northmn

[Potsy]

Probably the only carving this gun will get are a few incised lines here and there. This is my first build and while I want to take my time with it, I'm not patient enough to learn an entirely new skill set while building it.
I'm not real big into having a very "correct" rifle, but I do want it to look and perform well.
Tip is an awesome guy and a match shooter from way back ( I didn't know you could put 5 thru one hole @ 50 yards from a smoothbore till I saw the target on his wall).