Thinking about a new sidelock...

[Buck Conner1]

I agree. What a great way to operate a business. If I were younger and thought another Elk hunt was left in me I might be all over that deal.

Hey you got years to go bud, I'm a lot older than you and still have a GRRW.CA Trapper Pistol coming. 

Man when they get me and all my toys in that pine box it had better have one hell of a bottom in it....  :lol!:

 

[burlesontom]

"Hey you got years to go bud"

I hope so. But I barely have diabetes per the doctor but I have neuropathy in my lower legs and feet. My feet are almost numb. Last July I walked out on the hot cement bare footed to get the mail. I burned the bottoms off both feet and the bottoms of my toes. I never felt a thing. 

I don't have a lot of strength in my legs and don't think I can climb anymore mountains. And I miss that. I loved walking around in the Rockies in the Gunnison area of Colorado.

 

[Buck Conner1]

"Hey you got years to go bud"

I hope so. But I barely have diabetes per the doctor but I have neuropathy in my lower legs and feet. My feet are almost numb. Last July I walked out on the hot cement bare footed to get the mail. I burned the bottoms off both feet and the bottoms of my toes. I never felt a thing. 

I don't have a lot of strength in my legs and don't think I can climb anymore mountains. And I miss that. I loved walking around in the Rockies in the Gunnison area of Colorado.

I hear you I have diabetes also, have lost approx 42% of the blood flow from the waist down. Like you, can't feel my feet or my toes, really have to look at where your walking or placing yourself, this getting old really sucks. I still like to hunt but have to have a hunting friend if needed.

You mentioning Gunnison, the GRRW Collectors Association is putting together at this time their 2018 GRRW Rendezvous in Grand Junction Colorado for mid Sept between hunting seasons. I'm working with the folks in Grand Junction for display area, lodging and a play to shoot. 

You may want to come over and take a look at the GRRW and GRRW.CA guns on display plus get to talk to the original gunsmiths of GRRW (same great guys, just 40 years older). Doc told me I wasn't allowed to say "older", they all see themselves when GRRW was in full swing. Biggest problem they are starting to pass on, we lost Lloyd Helms this past year.

 

[burlesontom]

Thanks for the invite but we are going to see my youngest son in Maryland over the labor day holiday. He just got out of the navy after 4 years and I have got to see him only once a year since then. So this is a trip I do not want to miss. I have a long lost buddy that lives in Grand Junction. At least he did the last time I heard from him.

I liked your suggestion to the OP about a Pedersoli Hawken. I just got a new Dixie catalog and in the flyer they show the Pedersoli Mountain Hawken walnut for $995 and the maple for $1095. And they weigh a whopping 10 pounds.

I got to handle an old original half stock many years ago. I bet that sucker weighed at least 12 ponds. It was a brute of a rifle.

 

[Buck Conner1]

I have CoHiCntry and Carl Walker (GRRW.CA custom gunsmith) hooked up and talking about what Hawken will/could be built. I'm sure CoHiCntry will let us know what he has decided.  

 

[CoHiCntry]

Thanks Buck... talked to Carl this afternoon. Really nice guy!  Hopefully I didn’t bite off more than I can chew on this deal. My lack of knowledge is kind of a hinderance. I knew I’d have to order the parts on my own but he doesn’t do computers or have any way to help me choose what to order. Said most guys just order everything and send it to him. I looked briefly at TOW and already a little overwhelmed. Hopefully I can muffle through it...

 

[Buck Conner1]

Contact me and I'll walk you through what you need.  I called Carl just after you got off the phone with him, he told me to help you out. Carl said you want to build a Hawken Half-Stock percussion gun like the one KC had built.  He didn't mention what barrel length or caliber.

If you and KC will contact me at: [email protected] - I'm sure there will be no problem. Going with a percussion gun is smart for a new shooter of a traditional muzzleloader. They are a little different than the in-lines your shooting.  We'll have fun don't worry Chris ....

Buck

 

[CoHiCntry]

Thanks for offering to help.  That will be nice!  I'll be in touch...

 

[Buck Conner1]

Hey guys,


"CoHiCntry" has talked to GRRW.CA's Carl Walker then got hold of me and we provided him a shopping list for TOTW and a "Kit Carson" rifle kit in .54 caliber with a Colerain barrel (drilled from solid steel, cut rifled .012" to .016" deep depending on caliber, with six "round bottom" grooves. This eliminates the sharp inside corner that accumulates fouling. Radius groove rifling is easier for loading, and easy cleaning and are very actuate with the 1 in 56 twist. Chris wanted better wood and we found him a pre-carved non-inletted fancy maple stock. Using L&R lock and triggers, should be a nice weight rifle for hunting or rendezvous.

 

[Buck Conner1]

Here's what I do to try and get a customer going in the correct direction on his build.  


This is a reply to CoHiCntry questions on his build of a GRRW.CA Hawken half-stock rifle.  


My answers are in "blue" CoHiCntry are in "black".

________________________________________________________________​

Good morning Chris,


"Another fine day in the neighborhood ..". Let me go through what you just said.

You'll notice that most posts are dated as we get so many requests it gets hard to find the last one to that customer down the road. This really helps keep things in order. That said lets answer your questions. 

If it's OK with you we would like to show the folks on "Frontier Muzzleloading" form how this works between you (the customer) and GRRW.CA (me and your gunsmith).


The steel looks fine to me.  I'm not a fan of the gold or brass or even the shiny silver look and would prefer a more dull look.

I'm like you, don't like shining parts on a rifle when trying to keep a low profile (hunting).  I have found if there is brass (shiny) on a weapon and want I want to tone it down it's easy. When you clean your muzzleloader use the used cleaning patch with the black powder on it - wet it and rub over the brass, within minutes you have a nice aged look on your brass.

When I was talking to Carl he mentioned a 32" barrel.  Looks like this one is 36".  Not sure if 32" is a possibility?  I think he was just trying to keep the weight down as much as possible? 

Most of my muzzleloaders are as Carl told you, 32 inches in length on the barrels, it's a nice length to use when hunting, plus its looks nicer than the longer one on this style of weapon.  Carl will make your barrel that length by cutting it off and recrowning the muzzle. Have him stamp the 4 inch (cutoff piece) with GRRW.CA, I use mind for a paper weight on my desk. To make the letting standout from the browning I used a piece of chalk rubbed over the letting (filling in the stamping).

I do want a browned barrel. 

The brown metal finish is standard on GRRW.CA weapons, your good for that request.

Let me know what Carl thinks about the list.  

When I hear from Carl sometime today I'll let you know.


I'm not familiar with the process or where he starts first but if some of the parts aren't available and are backordered maybe we could wait, let him get started then get the remaining parts as they become available?  Just a thought.  


He's ready to start when he receives the parts from TOTW. The only thing we need is the lock and I'll find a lock, Carl likes either Ron Long or L&R locks for percussion locks over some of the others. This isn't a problem, I'll let you know who has what is needed that TOTW is out of. 


NOTE: These supply places are misleading with their catalogs and websites making us think they have large inventories. When we restarted GRRW under a new name, I had 5-6 customers order parts from TOTW and several other suppliers within a week or two. The first rifle was completed with an article appearing in a national magazine. Orders start coming in and with a week we're getting back order notices from all these suppliers. Their big websites, catalogs, etc. are just that - as we found out very fast they carry small amounts of each item. Now they are having their manufactures going crazy trying to meet the demand. When GRRW Collectors Association started being talked about and how we build guns, other builders took a second look at this idea and started offering like ideas to help their customer finance what they wanted too. Thus more guns being built and more demand on these supply houses.


Guess it depends on what he thinks about the parts and if their what he wants to use. 

We like using TOTW because they have stepped up with correct parts as requested by the original firm GRRW. The biggest reason is Doc White (GRRW) has handled more of these guns we make than anyone alive today. Doc and John from TOTW are good friends, Doc traded his original plans (made off original guns) for Hawken rifles, H.E. Leman rifles and NW Guns, Poor Boy rifles and Trapper Pistols to TOTW for parts. Then TOTW copyrighted the plans and now sells them to their customers. 


  Doc said "He messed up as TOTW has made more off those prints than what the trade was."

I attached a photo of some GRRW guns... I really like the second and fourth one down.  Hopefully it turns out similar to one of these two. Thanks...



​These are from Phil Meek's Collection, I'll forward this to Carl and he'll talk to you about this. We have built at least a dozen in these colors for wood and hardware.​ You will get just what you have in mind Chris, it will be a beauty that you'll be proud of.

We just finished a H.E. Leman Indian Trade Rifle (full-stock flinter) for a gentleman in Colorado Springs. Ron use to manage "The Mountain Man" shop at 1001 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs, CO.   Fun stuff going on in the background of GRRW.CA.....

I'll wait for Carl to see if he wants to modified your shopping list, find you the backorder piece/s and send you a new copy to order off of.


Thank you for the time.

Buck Conner 

[font=georgia, serif]GRRW Collectors Association [ GRRW.CA ][/font]

[font=garamond,serif]A customer said - "Buck Conner is as tenacious as my Weimaraner dog."  That said and probably true - as I will bother you if you as a customer don't reply to my concerns in keeping your build moving.[/font]

[font=garamond,serif]

[/font]​

Looks good.  The steel looks fine to me.  I'm not a fan of the gold or brass or even the shiny silver look and would prefer a more dull look.  When I was talking to Carl he mentioned a 32" barrel.  Looks like this one is 36".  Not sure if 32" is a possibility?  I think he was just trying to keep the weight down as much as possible?  I do want a browned barrel.  Let me know what Carl thinks about the list.  I'm not familiar with the process or where he starts first but if some of the parts aren't available and are backordered maybe we could wait, let him get started then get the remaining parts as they become available?  Just a thought.  Guess it depends on what he thinks about the parts and if their what he wants to use. 

I attached a photo of some GRRW guns... I really like the second and fourth one down.  Hopefully it turns out similar to one of these two. Thanks...

<div align="center">

</div>

 

[Buck Conner1]

ColHiCntry is ready, has his GRRW.CA custom gunsmith, parts are ordered and will ship out to Carl today (usually a 3 day delivery). Once the parts arrive "ColHiCntry" (Chris) and Carl Walker will start the building process. 


Chris will keep us informed of his experience (I did what my duties call for (walk the customer through the parts needed or not needed) then I'm done. On this build we didn't need the front sight, nose cap or the drawing that TOTW will try to sell you, or sell you their shop services. Carl will build these items and his parts are like 85% better than anything available from these suppliers.  :ttups: