Here are a few photos of this rifle, finally finished to my satisfaction. I did 13 applications, boilings, and cardings until I got the rust blue just so. There are 30 applications of Tru-Oil, coloured with alkanet root on the wood. After each 10 coats, I let it dry for a week, then rubbed it out with pumice and boiled linseed oil on a felt pad. After the final go-round, I let it dry for a week and then also rubbed it out with rottenstone and boiled linseed. I'm pretty happy with the results, the gun looks good and shoots better than one could even hope for.

If any of you are at the Vintage Cup, I'll be there on Friday and Saturday and will have this gun with me if you're interested in seeing it. Look for the guy who's 6'10" tall and weighs 315lbs, that'
ll be me! Hopefully I'll get to use it on a big bull moose during the first two weeks of October.

Best to all,
Ron Vella.