Dads hunting present!

[Willys46]

I just had to share the my latest project. Big thanks to Joel Russo again!

This project started 35+ years ago with my grandfather whom I never meet. He was a logger in Oregon back in the good old days. While falling one day they came across a piece of Burly Maple. He cut a chunck out 3+ " thick, 18" wide and 30" long. Should have been enough for two, but the drying cracks made it almost impossible for one.

He set it in the attic of the house to dry and make a stock. He passed a way and my father took possession of it and let it sit another 31 years atleast with intentions of making a stock. Without the know how, time or money he never got around to it.

Two years I found it in the attic and decided it had sat there long enough. I shipped it to Joel to have it shaped and enletted for a WIN modle 70 in 270win that my father had laying in the back of the gun case. It was one that had a REAL ugly plain stock on it. It would be a perfect donor!

I managed to get both the gun and the stock out of the house with out him knowing. He asked about the gun but I blamed it on my brother!

Well I am finally done with it and am going to give it to him in hunting camp this year! I fiqure I will tell him that i just bought this new gun and what do you think!

The wood is not perfect do to improper storage and just not knowing what is in the middle of burl, but fits my fathers and grandfathers unrefined nature. I can tell you the pics do not do it justice, the depth of the burly is amazing.

A ture family heirloom.

This is one of the more rewarding projects I have done. I hope he likes it.

Thanks for letting me share,

Willys46

 

[rtv900]

WOW!!!

 

[trueblue]

Great story, and thanks for sharing it.
I'm sure it will bring a tear to his eye.

 

[blipelt]

BEAUTIFUL WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I am sure he will love it.


Brent

 

[Joel Russo]

Your father will be proud of you. It will assure him that he did a fine job of instilling character when he raised you.

This was a challenging project to say the least. I spent a few hours trying to lay my pattern on the hugh blank so that I would miss most of the checks and imperfections. As you could see, I could not miss them all.

This piece of wood was spectacular, I could only imagine how it would look if it was properly cared for over the years.

Wonderful finishing job.

Here's a few pictures I snapped before it left the shop. You can see the intensity of the grain even under flourescent lights.

 

[FEENIX]

Your father will be proud of you. It will assure him that he did a fine job of instilling character when he raised you.
Here's a few pictures I snapped before it left the shop. You can see the inten

Amen! Thanks for sharing.

Joel,

As usual, another wonderful piece of art.

V/R

Ed

 

[trebark]

Beautiful rifle. You need to mount a scope on it, complete the load development and hand it to your Dad all sited-in and ready to go. That way you can hand it to him and he can turn right around and go hunt with it.

 

[HUAINAMACHERO]

Very nice rifle!!!
Great story also, I am sure your Dad is going to love it!!!
Will like to see pictures of it with scope. Thanks for sharing.
Good luck and enjoy time with your Dad.

 

[Willys46]

Thanks for all the remarks. I am sure he is going to love it, if not I have a hole in the gun safe for it.

I would have loved to have a scope on it ready to go, but the scope that was ready for it turned out to be bad. I need to send it to Bushnell to get fixed. It just would not hold a zero.

Thanks again.

Willys46

 

[RugerM77.270]

That is beautiful. Three generations that rifle carries a lot of soul.

 

[FFemt5287]

That is incredibly beautiful!

 

[captacademy]

Wow!!!! What a story. Your father will be so proud! What a great gift!

 

[long450]

Very nice rifle and great story! I want to see a picture of your dad's face when it is pesented to him. Be sure to have a digital camera with extra batteries. Ken

 

[ein]

Awesome story behind that piece of wood! Not to hijack, but would Joel mind shedding some light on how to properly store a piece of beautiful wood in case any of us stumble upon some?