For the first time in this blog, in this series of photographs, we show Jud taking the initial steps in shaping the stock of a rifle. First is the inletting of the butt plate, the laying out of the principle lines of the architecture of the stock. Then amazingly, Jud removes nearly all excess stock wood freehand with the band saw leaving just a minimum of rasping before final shaping.
This rifle is unusual in that it features a wrought iron barrel, with a liner, custom bored, rifled and profiled by John Getz. Also shown are the early stages in building a handmade lock and the brass trigger guard and entry thimble. The small voids that are characteristic of wrought iron are also shown.
The progress of this rifle will be featured over the next few weeks.
