update time.
Been a slow go lately, what with family and power outages stemming from that old hag, Mother Nature, but I managed to get some work in.
Yes it looks rough, but I haven't got the shaves, planes, and sandpaper out yet, so chill. There's a LOT of wood yet to come off.
I routed a 3/8" channel in the foreend area. This will set me up for a 9mm rod. Also facilitates using the 3/8 steel rod I have for either forming a spade bit, or welding a drill bit to, in order to do the rod hole through the forearm.
I had a little side cut misadventure earlier, so I used a flat piece of rectangular channel to act as a router guide (I had to shim it in a few places to to make sure my channel stayed center with the barrel), and from front to back, over 14", I'm off about 1/32" to the side, so all in all, the ramrod should still be well placed by the time I hit the nipple. It looks a little off center at the end, but that's poor photography on my part.
Then I started thinking about a butt, other than my wife's.
I really like the style of the schuetzen's but that lower hook isn't conducive to hunting, nor is my old body got that much curve in it, so.....
A little mapp gas, leverage, dremel, saw, and filing and I got something I kinda like. (It's got a lot of soot and marks on it from being shaped, and from shaping to the stock, but it'll clean up nice.)
Straightened it out a bunch, and upturned the hook some.
The top hook now fits nicely over typical shirt, hoodie, and hunting jacket, and should help support the weight.
I got out the candle, and blackened the inside up and got to fitting to the stock.
It looks like gaps, but that's soot and shadow. Right now, there is very little light left between the two. I'll work on where I want my screws, than shape the bottom tip, both brass and wood together, once its set. Then start working the stock from butt to wrist.
Final length of pull is about 14"
Here's a shot of the current overall, sans barrel and hardware. (Again, not sure why there appears to be a hump in the foreend, but it isn't there in real life - I need photography lessons)
Side note.
After watching the Hunchback of Notre Dame with my daughter, we both thought that a gargoyle cut in brass, would look great at the forearm/foreend junction, with an open mouth for the ramrod to pass through.
My wife is dubious.