Your TMA Officers and Board of Directors
Support the TMA! ~ Traditional Muzzleloaders ~ The TMA is here for YOU!
*** JOIN in on the TMA 2024 POSTAL MATCH *** it's FREE for ALL !

For TMA related products, please check out the new TMA Store !

The Flintlock Paper

*** Folk Firearms Collective Videos ***



Author Topic: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle  (Read 1743 times)

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« on: May 21, 2020, 06:33:56 PM »
Well, I was never really able to get this build to shoot consistently, but i finally got it figured out...

When I built this rifle I gave it 3/16 inch "castoff" (which was a bad idea on my part - as I normally go no more then 1/16th inch castoff on my builds and have done fine over the years with that),,, however, I gave the ol' Retirement Rifle 3/16" cast off and it has proven way to much for me...

-so-

I made an extension cheek piece to help make my head alignment not be at such a tilt, and by golly I tested it this morning and did pretty darn good with it as the extension "cheek" piece I embedded into the rifle's cheek piece now lets me align my head much better with my sights centered on the barrel...

I will never ever go that much cast off again!!!

Here is a picture of the rifle's cheek piece now, and it cured my problems;  It's embedded and held in place with beeswax (wood to wood / bottom & edges, and of course you can see the screw)... It shot very well this morning with the sights centered on the barrel...

NOTE: I'll add a picture in a few minutes of the complete rifle



Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Online Two Steps

  • TMA Contributing Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5167
  • TMA Charter Member
  • TMA Member: TMA Charter Member #47 Expires 3/22/23
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2020, 07:14:11 PM »
Way to think there Joe!  Nice looking rifle gun too  :bl th up
Two Steps/Al Bateman
I envy no man that knows more than myself,
and pity them that know less.  (Sir T. Brown)

TMA Charter Member 47

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2020, 08:13:31 PM »
Thanks Al  :shake

I will probably counter sink the screw a bit deeper and then inlet a piece of brass over the head of the screw so when I cheek this rifle (as it turns out I just barely can feel the head of the screw on my lower jaw where I need to cheek the stock) the brass inlay will make for a much faster reference point... I've done this before with one of my X-Stick Rifles and it works great.  :bl th up  You just can't grow a beard... LOL!!!
Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2020, 08:58:02 PM »
Hey Al,,, that was easier then I thought it would be... I had a small brass cup washer, so I put it on. Easy to feel it with my chin... If it's to high I'll counter sink it.  :bl th up

Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Online Two Steps

  • TMA Contributing Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5167
  • TMA Charter Member
  • TMA Member: TMA Charter Member #47 Expires 3/22/23
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2020, 10:31:29 PM »
Looks like you made it that way on purpose from the get go  :applaud :applaud
Two Steps/Al Bateman
I envy no man that knows more than myself,
and pity them that know less.  (Sir T. Brown)

TMA Charter Member 47

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2020, 11:09:07 PM »
Looks like you made it that way on purpose from the get go  :applaud :applaud

 :laffing

I got darn lucky on the original screw placement... Probably never be able to repeat that if I tried...  :bl th up
Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Online PetahW

  • TMA Forum Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 494
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2020, 12:56:00 PM »
.

That's a good solution, Joe - have you considered making another one that's the same as the built-in cheekpiece ? (so it's not as noticeable)

.
NRA Life Member since 1971
USAF Vet (Vietnam era)
Boy Scouts of America

EVERYONE HAS A HIDDEN TALENT THEY DIDN"T KNOW ABOUT UNTIL TEQUILA...

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2020, 01:58:08 PM »
.

That's a good solution, Joe - have you considered making another one that's the same as the built-in cheekpiece ? (so it's not as noticeable)

.

Funny you should ask that question as I was just this morning thinking about that very thing,,, options in wood... Perhaps something like a "half or rocker moon" or perhaps a tear drop shape...

Of course before I proceed with the above I need to make 100% sure of my current location of what I have now. Probably won't get to the Range until Tuesday to do my testing...  :shake

The location of what I put on the cheek piece is about center of my lower jaw (which feels right to me - but only Range time will confirm that).
Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2020, 04:43:12 PM »
I switched out the (cheek piece locator brass cup washer) and inlaid a piece of brass that matches the contour of the added wood cheek piece extension...

Have to admit, I like the looks of this better, and it works the same as what the brass cup washer was intended for.

Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2020, 12:14:04 AM »
Well, still not real happy with my cheek piece which I feel still needs to come out a bit more - I was talking to a friend of mine today who I've built several rifles for over the years, and he mentioned tying on a leather cheek piece over what I have already...

The more I thought about it, the better I liked that idea - so I did it. It gives me about another 3/32nds in thickness (to help offset that stupid cast-off I incorporated into this build) and I gotta say, it feels pretty darn good, and doesn't look half bad on my Rendezvous Rifle... Gives it a little of that Fur Trade "bling" so to speak, but actually does in this case, serves a purpose (which I'll find out this coming Monday - June 1st.



Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Spotted Bull

  • Guest
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #10 on: May 30, 2020, 07:47:02 AM »
That's a cool idea Joe. Let us know how it shoots.

Online PetahW

  • TMA Forum Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 494
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #11 on: May 30, 2020, 09:02:05 AM »
.

That lace-on is the best change yet, Joe - VERY good-looking !   :toast

.
NRA Life Member since 1971
USAF Vet (Vietnam era)
Boy Scouts of America

EVERYONE HAS A HIDDEN TALENT THEY DIDN"T KNOW ABOUT UNTIL TEQUILA...

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #12 on: May 30, 2020, 10:03:11 AM »
I can't take credit for the idea Spotted Bull and PetahW, but I'm sure glad I talked to Stan yesterday who suggested it to me.  :bl th up
Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Offline Eric Krewson

  • TMA Forum Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 119
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2020, 12:55:26 PM »
You could have just bent the wrist with heat and taken the cast of out.

Spotted Bull

  • Guest
Re: Added More "Cheek Piece" To My Retirement Rifle
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2020, 07:45:57 PM »
Joe did you ever get this one out to shoot after the latest modifications?