Thanks for the kind remarks fellas.
Nice.
I have a #3 in 223 that I have been playing around with ideas of a custom job. Actually fitted a butt stock to it and halfway through shaping the forearm, but put the parts aside until I really figure out what I want to do with it. I have shot a deer with it already. Just trying to figure out the caliber I would have it rebarreled to if I go that route. Love it as a plain #3, but also think it would be really cool in a fast twist 22 something.
Can't wait to see how your project works out! Proportionally, a 24" barrel would look better if one were to stick with the original forend length, as one of the faults with the original No. 3 which I carried over to my rifle is the length of the forend in ratio to the barrel length. I planned to shorten mine to a more aesthetically pleasing length, but after drawing and mocking one up I discovered that for my long arms something nice to look at wouldn't be practical for use. I need more length, so it is what it is. My rifle's forend is the factory length including the ebony tip. This was my first work with ebony. The stuff is like cast iron!
Another thing I had to work out was the stock color. It seems alot of maple stocks on modern guns end finished like a gym floor. I took a hint from the world of traditional muzzleloading and stained the wood with Laurel Mountain Forge walnut color stain before finishing with a genuine tung oil finish.
