Quarantine rebuild of my old Dixie mtn rifle

[RU shooter]

I've had this rifle for quite a few years it's an early made in Japan 50 cal with 7/8" barrel that I cut back to 36" nice light rifle but was never what I would call very accurate only hunting accurate IMO . My original intentions this winter/spring was to build a new gun and sell this one but due to medical issues and bills that followed I changed plans .
I was graciously gifted a used green mtn barrel by member here KCSO so far I reused the breach plug ,sights and barrel lugs from the oldbarrel and fit them to the new barrel . So on to the stock , have no idea what kinda wood they used but it was always unpleasing to me . Stripped it all down and gave it some fake figure and character and used a reddish brown stain I had from a previous project . I didn't want a glossy look so I did a goodbit of reading and researching on finishes that would give me protection andthe look I wanted . I settled on a rather simple application of bees wax melted into the wood and buffed , actually I had a few sticks of Lars C Red ! Hey it's free as I had some on hand from lube making first application was this morning and seems like it turned out pretty well . A second application is needed still but I think it will work well

[waksupi]

That's a good way to spend your time!

[mazo kid]

I had one of those rifles for a long time. It was a left hand model. I believe the wood is Cherry. Also had the 32 caliber rifle that I converted to flintlock. Both rifles were very accurate.

[RU shooter]

Well if it is cherry it's not the same as American cherry I tried the lye treatment onthe piece of forearm I cut off to darken it and it did nothing maybe Japanese cherry is different ?

[sharps4590]

As with mazo, years ago I had both and I was always of the understanding they were cherry. Now whether American or Japanese I don't know. Seems to me they would be Japanese cherry...and I don't have a clue how either would react to what.

[winelover]

I still have the Dixie LH 50 caliber that I refinished. Stripped it with Formby's and refinished with Tung oil. Didn't attempt to stain. Had no need for the unsightly grease hole, in the stock, so I press fit an Indian Head penny. Also added brass tips to the ramrod, to accept screw on attachments.

I did take one deer with it in Michigan's shotgun/muzzleloader area. Bought a LH Renegade (.54 caliber) soon after. Didn't care for the long barrel on the Tennessee. Always considered shortening the barrel to Hawken length...........never did. The front sight is impossible to see in low light.

Winelover

[RU shooter]

The previous owner of my rifle did the same thing with the greasehole in my rifle

[reivertom]

Faux striping was used in the 1800s to give plain wood some figure, so it is authentic to finish one like that. That wood is some type of Cherry, but not like our native type. Cherry is a very stable wood and was used for centuries for tools and especially for levels.

[hornady308]

I took mine out today to try out the new mainspring and to sight it in with a brand new front sight (the original broke recently). Curious what load you are using. I've shot mine with 80gr of ffg in the past, but thought I'd check to see what load others use since now is the time to change my load if I am going to.

[RU shooter]

I have two loads that shoot well in mine for paper and trail walks 40 gr of 3F for deer hunting 70 gr of 3F what the new barrel will like ?? We shall see

[Woodnbow]

I don’t know if Japanese cherry is photo reactive like our native cherry but you could test it by laying the stock in a sunny place and place a sticky note over part of the stock. Wait 1/2 a day and then remove the sticky note. North American cherry would darken everywhere but the area under the sticky note. This is if you want to darken the wood any further, just hang it in a sunny window or greenhouse. Most of our furniture is walnut, cherry or pine, made with my own hands. Aged cherry is beautiful, not English Walnut beautiful but still...

[RU shooter]

All done and ready to go shoot and sight in . I'm really liking how the bees wax finish turned out I applied two coats of JPW over top and buffed . Was thinking the wax would still have that tackiness to it but it don't .

[winelover]

Well done. See yours is a flinter, unlike mine.

Winelover

[Plastikosmd]

Very nice job