Y'all remember this?

[Handsome Rob]

Remember the Somalian poacher's rifle I posted about a year or so back? 

[Handsome Rob]

With the hex bolts & carpet edging trigger guard? 

[Handsome Rob]

[Handsome Rob]

Weellll........ $20 later.

Decisions were made, money was spent, gunsmiths were contacted & I'm turning the proverbial sow's ear into a silk purse. 

So far, I've replaced the firing pin, polished & repaired the safety & sent the barrelled action off to ER Shaw for a rebarreling to 6.5x55. Once I have it back, it's getting sent right back out to GTs Customizing in Cody, WY to be reblued & have a few twiddly bits color case hardened. 

In the interim I've got a stunning lump of walnut, that some tit decided to varnish, to strip, polish & apply 30-odd coats of oil to, then ship off for checkering.

I can't wait to get this one going! 

Edited July 28, 2020 by Handsome Rob

[DaveTN]

Great! Are you having them do a polished blue?

 

[E4 No More]

22 minutes ago, Handsome Rob said:

Weellll........ $20 later.

Decisions were made, money was spent, gunsmiths were contacted & I'm turning the proverbial sow's ear into a silk purse. 

So far, I've replaced the firing pin, polished & repaired the safety & sent the barrelled action off to ER Shaw for a rebarreling to 6.5x55. Once I have it back, it's getting sent right back out to GTs Customizing in Cody, WY to be reblued & have a few twiddly bits color case hardened. 

In the interim I've got a stunning lump of walnut, that some tit decided to varnish, to strip, polish & apply 30-odd coats of oil to, then ship off for checkering.

I can't wait to get this one going! 

 

"Twiddly bits"? "Some tit"? Can you translate that into American English language? 

Edited July 28, 2020 by E4 No More

[E4 No More]

The stock is pretty sweet!

[Handsome Rob]

Bubba hit the stock with a rattle can full of good intentions...

"Twiddly bits" = bottom metal, trigger, bolt shroud & scope mounts. 

I'm undecided what to do about a recoil pad. I'd love a nice, checkered steel number, case hardened, but it'll mean a pretty short LOP. Like, 12.5" short. 

[Handsome Rob]

8 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

Great! Are you having them do a polished blue?

 

Yessir. As shiny as they can get it. 

[KahrMan]

That is going to be a gorgeous rifle.  Can't wait to see the finished product.

[Quavodus]

Should be nice when finished.

[TomInMN]

23 hours ago, Handsome Rob said:

Remember the Somalian poacher's rifle I posted about a year or so back? 

 

Remember it? I haven't been able to stop thinking about it! It's been keeping me awake at night, wondering how its day was, what it's up to right now, what it has planned for tomorrow, whether it's thinking about me, too...

I can't believe you would do something like this to such a... uh... *memorable* specimen!

Edited July 29, 2020 by TomInMN
Reasons

[TomInMN]

@Handsome Rob, you know those cheesey teenage coming-of-age movies where a popular character takes the ugly ducking character under their wing, gives them a makeover, and all of a sudden they're an attractive person? (Though anyone with a brain and eyes could see all along what was underneath the glasses, bad haircut, and lack of style...)

I fully expect to see a makeover video montage of the makeover when this rifle is finished.

[Quavodus]

Did you ever get it done?

[Handsome Rob]

13 hours ago, Quavodus said:

Did you ever get it done?

Well, the action is with ER Shaw, having a new barrel chambered, profiled & installed. 

I've stripped the stock & i'm on coat 10 of 40 of London Finish. A hand rubbed traditional oil. It'll probably be close on another 8 months before everything is finished. GTs Customizing reckon about a 3 month turnaround for the bluing & color case hardening & it'll be around another 3 to have the stock checkered.

[Magiccarpetrides]

So im behind the times was it really a poachers rifle?  how did you come about it?