The final piece for  December 2011 was a custom carved Thompson Center .50 cal muzzleloader. This gun stock has turned out spectacularly if I do say so myself! The gun is another Christmas gift from a girl friend to her special guy. WOW, what a present huh?

I was commissioned to create this one of a kind master piece. I was told he liked eagles. So, on the hunt I went to find the right pattern for this gun stock. The pattern I decided on is of our National bird the Bald Eagle. The man this gun has been custom carved for is an ex airforce man, thus making this treasure very meaningful for him.

I have custom carved/engraved one other bird which was also a bald eagle. Both turned out beautifully. This gun was fitted with a custom pattern, carved with all the detail I could put in such a small space. Then hand painted to bring out all that wonderful detail. Giving this gun a very unique look. I have been told it already has a place of honor in his home. I wonder if he will hand down this gun to his children. It would make a very unique heirloom. I’m sure his hunting buddies will be jealous. I have included some history of this gun.

History

Thompson/Center Arms Company is an American firearms company based in Rochester, New Hampshire. The company is best known for its line of interchangeable barrel single-shot pistols and rifles. Thompson Center manufactures muzzleloading rifles and is credited with creating the resurgence of their use in the 1970′s.

Thompson/Center Arms was founded in 1965 by Mr. Warren Center and K.W. Thompson Tool Company. Thompson Tool had been searching for a product to market, and Warren Center was looking for someone to manufacture his Contender pistol design. As K.W. Thompson Tool began marketing Center’s Contender pistol, the company name changed to Thompson/Center Arms Company. In 1970, Thompson/Center created the modern black powder industry.^[1]

On January 4, 2007, Thompson/Center was purchased by Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation.^[2]

Break-open pistols

Thompson/Center’s success came with the emergence of long range handgun hunting and target shooting.^[3] Their break-open, single-shot design brought rifle-like accuracy and power in a handgun, which was a new concept at the time. Originally designed for interchangeable barrels in .38 Special and .22 LR, only, subsequent handgun developments by Thompson/Center led to a wider range of interchangeable barrels for use with many more cartridges.

The Contender

Contender in 45 Colt/.410 with ventilated rib

The Contender pistol is a break-open single-shot pistol with a number of unique features that helped it become and remain a huge success. The first unique feature was the way the barrel was attached to the frame. By removing the fore-end stock, a large hinge pin was exposed; by pushing this hinge pin out, the barrel could be removed. Since the sights and extractor remained attached to the barrel in the Contender design, the frame itself contained no cartridge-specific features to it. A barrel of another caliber could be installed and pinned in place, the fore-end replaced, and the pistol would be ready to shoot with a different barrel and pre-aligned sights. This allowed easy changes of calibers, sights, and barrel lengths, with only a flat screwdriver being required for change-out. The Contender frame even has two firing pins, and a selector on the exposed hammer, to allow the shooter to choose between rimfire or centerfire firing pins, or to select a safety position from which neither firing pin can strike a primer.

The Contender also has an adjustable trigger, which allowed the shooter to change both the take-up and overtravel, permitting the user-selection of a range of trigger pulls, ranging from a fairly heavy trigger pull, suitable for carrying the pistol while hunting, to a “hair trigger” suitable for long range target shooting (see accurize). Unlike the later G2 Contender, the original Contender may be safely dry-fired (provided the hammer is not drawn back), to allow a shooter to become progressively familiar with the trigger pull. G2 with switchable firing pin (center fire and rim fire) can be safely dry-fired with the hammer in the safety position. It is even possible to fit a shoulder stock on the frame, and, when combined with a 16″ or longer barrel (see Thompson Center Arms and the Supreme Court below), configure the Contender from a pistol to a rifle, or the reverse. Barrels are available in lengths of 8, 10, 14, 16, and 21 inches (530 mm). Barrels for the original Contender may be used on the later released G2 Contender. G2 barrels may be used on original Contender frames with a serial number greater than 195000. Encore barrels are too large.

Another factor to the Contender’s success was that, unlike most other firearm actions, the break-open design did not require the barrels to be specially fitted to the individual action. Any barrel made for the Contender could fit onto any frame, allowing the shooter to purchase additional calibers for a fraction of the cost of a complete firearm. Since the sights were mounted on the barrel, they stayed sighted in and would remain zeroed from barrel change to barrel change.

The range of calibers available for the Contender were limited, stopping just short of the .308 Winchester class cartridges. However, most any cartridge from .22 Long Rifle up to the .30-30 Winchester was acceptable, as long as the peak pressure of 48,000 CUP, or less, was placed upon the receiver. This flexibility prompted a boom in the development of wildcat cartridges suitable for the Contender, such as the 7-30 Waters and .357 Herrett and the various TCU cartridges, most of which were commonly derived on either the widely available .30-30 Winchester or .223 Remington cases. The largest factory caliber offered for the Contender was the .45-70, which although being a much larger case than the .308, was still feasible because of the relatively low cartridge pressure of the original black powder round relative to the bolt face of the Contender receiver. Custom gun makers also added to the selection, such as the J. D. Jones line of JDJ cartridges, based on the .225 Winchester and .444 Marlin. Other barrel makers pushed beyond the limits the factory set, and did chamber Contender barrels in lighter .308 class cartridges like the .243 Winchester. The Contender could also fire .410 bore shotgun shells, either through the .45 Colt/.410 barrel or through a special 21-inch (530 mm) smoothbore shotgun barrel. A ported, rifled, .44 Magnum barrel was also made available for use with shot shell cartridges in a removable choke .44 Magnum barrel, with the choke being used to unspin the shot from the barrel rifling, or, by removing the choke, for use with standard .44 Magnum cartridges. The degree of flexibility provided by the Contender design is unique for experimenting with new cartridges, barrel lengths, and shot shells.

The Encore

The Encore was released in the late 1990s. The Encore uses a different trigger mechanism, designed to be stronger than the original Contender’s and to make the break-open action easier. The Encore uses a considerably larger and stronger frame than the Contender, and accordingly is found in over 86 cartridges – from .22 Hornet to .416 Rigby. The Encore barrel list also includes shotgun barrels in 28, 20 and 12 gauge, and muzzleloading barrels in .45 and .50 caliber and 12 gauge, using 209 shotgun primers. New for 2007, The Encore Rimfire Barrels feature a unique mono block design, which requires no alteration to the frame assembly. Available in 22 LR and 17 HMR.

The Contender G2

The Contender was replaced by the Contender G2 soon after the Encore came out. The G2 is dimensionally the same as the Contender, but uses an Encore style trigger group. Due to the change in trigger mechanism, the buttstocks and pistol grips are different and will not interchange between the original Contender and the G2. The G2 uses the same barrels and forends as the Contender^[4] and so barrels will interchange, with the one exception to this being the G2 muzzleloading barrels, which will only fit the G2 frame.^[5]

Muzzleloading rifles

TC Hawken percussion rifle

Thompson Center manufactures a variety of muzzleloading rifles, both in Traditional and In-Line arenas. They sell a great number of percussion and flintlock rifles in a wide variety of bore diameters. Some of the better known models are the Renegade, the Hawken, the Big Boar, and the White Mountain.

The Thompson/Center Hawken is largely responsible for the resurgence of black powder hunting that began in the U.S. in 1970 when Warren Center designed the firm’s Hawken rifle. Thompson Center’s reintroduction of the Hawken rifle with solid brass hardware and an American Walnut stock has become one of the most copied firearms designs in history.^[6]

The Encore 209x.50 Magnum Muzzleloader is a modern-design muzzleloader and can interchange with centerfire barrels. Based on a single-shot break-action, the 209x.50 is capable of “minute of angle” accuracy. The 209x.50 can handle charges of up to 150 grains (9.7 g) of black powder or Pyrodex equivalent. Using a 26″ barrel and a 250-grain (16 g) bullet with 3 Pyrodex Pellets, it produces a muzzle velocity of 2203 ft./second. The G2 Contender muzzleloader accepts magnum charges for long range shooting. Charges of up to 150 grains (9.7 g) of FFG Black Powder or three (3) 50 grain Pyrodex Pellets produce velocities of approximately 2,400 ft/s (730 m/s) at the muzzle. The Omega can handle 150 grains (9.7 g) of Black Powder or Pyrodex equivalent, or three 50-grain (3.2 g) Pyrodex pellets. With its 28″ barrel, it burns magnum charges very efficiently. The Triumph Muzzleloader comes in .50 Cal. with a 28″ barrel and composite stock.

Thompson/Center Arms and the Supreme Court

In the case of United States v. Thompson/Center Arms Co. (1992), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the company’s favor by deciding that the rifle conversion kit that Thompson sold with their pistols did not constitute a short-barreled rifle under the National Firearms Act of 1934.^[7]

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms contended that the mere possession of a pistol, having a barrel less than sixteen inches (406 mm) long, with a shoulder stock and rifle-length (more than sixteen inches) barrel constituted constructive intent to “make” an illegal short-barreled rifle (by combining the pistol’s frame, the pistol-length barrel, and the shoulder stock).

This decision clarified the meaning of the term “make” in the National Firearms Act by stating that the pistol had to be assembled with a barrel less than 16 inches (410 mm) long with a stock directly attached to it to constitute a short-barrelled rifle under the National Firearms Act, and that the mere possession of components that theoretically could be assembled in an illegal configuration was not in itself a violation, as long as the components could also be assembled into legal configurations.^[8]

References

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to create such a beautiful work of art!

Happy Hunting!

Deb

This custom carved kitchen sign now resides in my mother’s kitchen. I was asked to tile her backsplash around her counters. After completing this she made a comment, “Now I will have to see what I can do to come up with a new sign to go over my sink.” My dad over heard her say this. He went outside and called to me. When I reached him, he had a hickory board which matched mom’s kitchen cabinets. The edges had already been put through the router to form the edge. He said to me, “well there you to.” Of course I knew what he was referring to.

I custom carved the words into the sign first. Then carved the leaves. If you have not carved hickory before, I’m here to tell you it isn’t easy. Hickory wood is as hard as Oak. Some would say it is harder. After carving/sculpting the leaves into the sign. I inlayed the ivory. Then hand painted the leaves to match mom’s kitchen decor.

Christmas day came and she received her sign. She loved it. She made dad go right home and hang it up for her. Guess that will teach him to give me a board to carve. Thanks dad for giving me this opportunity to create something special for my mother. I hope everyone else likes the sign too. Happy Carving, Deb

This gun stock is custom carved for the Mule Deer Foundation. It is to be raffled off at the International Sportsman’s Expo this coming 2012, in Salt Lake City. This gun stock was quite fun to create. I found a picture of the deer on an old calendar. After playing with the picture I decided to carve it for the MDF this year.

The gun stock fits a Weatherby rifle. It has been custom carved/sculpted with three mule deer all of different ages. I have also hand painted the scene to bring out even more of the detail. On the bottom of the grip I have inlayed the MDF logo in composite ivory.

The lucky winner will be drawn during the International Sportsman’s Expo. You will have to check the MDF magazine to find out more details regarding this raffle. I’m sure whom ever the lucky winner is will enjoy this gun and will enjoy handing this gun down to their children and their children’s children for generations to come. It is a one of a kind master piece which any gun collector would be more then happy to add to their gun collection. Below is a little history of the Weatherby company.

History

The history of Weatherby® began in the mid-1940s when a young cartridge “wildcatter” named Roy Weatherby set out to change the world of firearm performance. Contrary to then-popular thinking (heavy bullets pushed at slow speeds), Roy believed that lightweight bullets traveling at super high speeds provided the best combination for one-shot kills. Based upon that philosophy, he spent the next decade developing the high-powered Weatherby Magnum cartridges for which the company is known today (.224, .240, .257, .270, 7mm, .300, .30-378, .340, .338-378, .375, .378, .416 and .460).

Throughout that period, Roy was also producing or re-chambering rifles designed specifically to accommodate his super-charged ammunition. At that time, he was producing his rifles on FN Mauser and French Brevex Magnum Mauser actions. However in 1957, Roy would again catch the attention of the shooting and hunting world with a proprietary action that is today recognized around the world as the Mark V®.

The foundation for the Mark V® was the need for a stronger, safer action, able to withstand tremendous pressure, and the possibility of blown primers and ruptured case heads (due to the unpredictability of early handloaded and wildcat cartridges). After nearly a half century of proven performance, the Mark V® continues to be known as the world’s strongest bolt action.

Roy Weatherby examines the results of shooting his magnum cartridges through water–soaked Los Angeles telephone directories.

Roy Weatherby and Roy Rogers after bear hunting with a Mark V.

In 1970, Roy once again showed his entrepreneurial spirit when he introduced the Weatherby® Vanguard® action, borrowing many of the same characteristics and design elements of the Mark V® with two locking lugs (vs. 9 in the Mark V).

The Weatherby® lineage continued in 1983 when Roy’s son, Ed Weatherby, assumed the leadership mantle of the company. Under Ed’s guidance, the company has seen growth and expansion both in Mark V® and Vanguard® offerings, including the new Vanguard® Series 2 rifle, which features guaranteed SUB-MOA accuracy. In addition to rifles, we offer a full line of Semi-Automatic and Pump shotguns, as well as accessories, apparel and collectibles.

The innovation and pacesetting performance associated with the Weatherby® name spans more than 65 years. Yet, while our place in history is firmly established, it is the prospects for the future that shine brightest of all.

Custom carved Marlin 30-30 is a gun everyone knows about. A sure fire and very accurate gun to shoot. This gun belonged to my late father-in-law, Bob. He was an avid hunter with a VERY deadly aim. He was known around the Basin for his marksmanship. I am very proud to be given the opportunity to carve this design onto Bob’s gun. Thanks Mom!

I found this picture of the elk on the back of a truck window. It struck me as something my father-in-law would have liked. As I was carving/sculpting this design my mind was wondering. I remember thinking the name of this piece will be “Whispers of time” In the foothills, the wind whispers through the trees, creating a mournful wail. The “King” answers with a warning “They’re mine now!” Then, the thought came to put and elk’s horns that had been shed on the forend of the gun stock. Giving the illusion of a King that once was.

This gun stock has been custom carved/sculpted with a bull elk protecting his herd. The gun has been hand painted and signed. It is a one of a kind master piece. I know this gun will never leave the family. It will be handed down from generation to generation. Many stories will be told around the campfire of how Grandpa was an exceptional marksman, and how he loved to hunt.

Thanks again Mom for allowing me to carve this story into this gun for our family. Deb

Gun History

I have included the history of the Marlin 30-30. I hope you enjoy reading about this gun.

The .30-30 Winchester/.30 Winchester Center Fire/7.62×51mmR cartridge was first marketed in early 1895 for the Winchester Model 1894 lever-action rifle.^[2] The .30-30 (thirty-thirty), as it is most commonly known, was the USA’s first small-bore, sporting rifle cartridge designed for smokeless powder. The .30-30 is one of the most common deer cartridges in North America. Popular in Mexico and Latin America, it is known there as the treinta-treinta.^[3]

[edit] Naming

Although the original name used by Winchester on their firearms and ammunition was .30 WCF, the designation .30-30 was used by both Marlin and Union Metallic Cartridge Co., who did not want to put the name of rival Winchester on their products.^[4] The added -30 stands for the standard load of 30 grains (1.9 g) of early smokeless powder, which was on par with current IMR/DuPont’s 4064. Over time Marlin’s variation on the name stuck, though “.30 WCF” is also used.

[edit] Characteristics and use

The .30-30 is considered to be the “entry-class” for modern deer cartridges. While it will take deer-sized and black bear-sized game, it is limited in effective range to approximately 200 yards (183 m) for that purpose. It is common to define the characteristics of similar cartridges as being in “.30-30 class” when describing their effectiveness. The .30-30 is typically loaded with bullets weighing between 150 and 170 grains (9.7–11.0 g), but lighter loads are possible. Bullets of up to 180 grains (11.7 g) can be used but the overall length restrictions of the lever action rifles used for this round limit their usefulness.

One of the primary reasons for the .30-30′s popularity amongst deer hunters is its light recoil. Average recoil from a typical 150-grain (9.7 g) load at 2,390 feet per second (730 m/s) in a 7.5-pound (3.4 kg) rifle is 10.6 pounds-force (47 N) of felt recoil at the shooter’s shoulder.^[5] This, combined with the cartridge’s ability to take the majority of large game in North America, as long as the game is within 200 yards (180 m) of the shooter, results in a highly effective hunting round.

Because the majority of rifles chambered in .30-30 are lever-action rifles with tubular magazines, most .30-30 cartridges are loaded with round-nose or flat-nose bullets. This is to prevent a spitzer-point bullet (the shape seen on the .308 Winchester above) from setting off the primer of the cartridge ahead of it in the magazine during recoil. Were that to happen, the gun would probably be damaged or destroyed and the shooter seriously injured. The Savage Model 99 was introduced in 1899 with a rotary magazine, in part to avoid that issue. When used in single-shot rifles or handguns, such as the Thompson Center Arms Contender or Encore series, it is common for shooters to handload the cartridge with spire-point bullets for improved ballistics.

A notable exception to the “no-spire point” guidelines for tubular magazines is the new Hornady LEVERevolution line of flexible memory elastomer tipped ammunition.^[6] By allowing a more efficient bullet shape, it allows a lighter bullet, higher muzzle velocity, and flatter trajectory. Given the popularity of the .30-30 cartridge and the lever action rifle, the potential market for the new ammunition is huge. Early reports indicate substantially improved accuracy with the round and at good terminal ballistic performance.^[7][8]

.30 WINCHESTER SMOKELESS first appeared in Winchester’s catalog No. 55, dated August, 1895. As chambered in the Winchester Model 1894 carbine and rifle, it was also known as .30 Winchester Centerfire or .30 WCF. When the cartridge was chambered in the Marlin Model 1893 rifle, rival gunmaker Marlin used the designation .30-30 or .30-30 Smokeless.^[9]

As originally produced by Winchester Repeating Arms (WRA) and Union Metallic Cartridge Company (UMC, who dubbed the cartridge .30-30), it was manufactured with a metal patched lead bullet weighing 160 gr. However, one year later UMC produced a 170 gr. bullet offering. 150 gr. and 170 gr. bullets continue to be very popular, as seen in the number of these weights offered by current manufacturers, although the 160 gr. bullet weight has reappeared in the Hornady cartridge noted above. Jacketed bullets for the .30-30 are .308 inches nominal diameter. Cast lead bullets for the .30-30 are also popular, and usually are dimensioned to .309 inches in diameter for use in the .30-30.

The .30-30 is one of the relatively few currently popular centerfire rifle cartridges that have a rimmed case. The .30-30, like most other rimmed case examples, such as the 7.62x54mmR, the .303 British, the 9.3x74mmR, the .45-70, and the Nitro Express cartridges, were all old cartridges in wide use before rimless designs were introduced for bolt action rifles. The modern .307 Winchester, .308 Marlin Express, and the .444 Marlin are exceptions to the trend toward rimless but all of these are cartridges designed specifically for lever action rifles.

[edit] Rifles and handguns chambered in .30-30

.30 WCF ammunition

The .30-30 is by far the most common chambering in lever action rifles^[10] such as the Winchester Model 1894, the Savage Model 99, and the Marlin Model 336. Mossberg also came out with quite a few lever action rifles in the chambering, the Mossberg model 472,479 and the newer 464 .You can also find these Mossberg rifles under the brands of Western Field[sold through Montgomery Wards as the M72]and through Sears and Roebuck under the name Revelation[model 200]The 472 was only produced from 1970 to 1979 and the 479 until 1983 both of which are rare and are often confused as the marlin 336.The best way to tell is on the lever,if the trigger stays with the lever [like a browning BLR] you then have a Mossberg 472 or 479 if it stays with the receiver then you have a marlin 336.There is even a sought after Roy Rogers edition with a gold trigger,butt plate and Roy Rogers signature on the stock. Rossi of Brazil has recently started offering what is essentially a clone of the Marlin 336 series in .30-30 as well. The cartridge’s rimmed design, medium length, and moderate pressure work well for the typical lever action design. The rimmed design is also well suited for various single-shot actions, so it is commonly found there as well. Rimmed cartridges are chambered in bolt action rifles, but .30-30 bolt actions are uncommon today, despite being quite effective in the field. “At one time Winchester turned out the Model 54 bolt-action repeater in this caliber [.30 WCF], but it was a decided failure, chiefly because the man desiring a bolt action preferred to take one of the better and more powerful cartridges. However, in this particular caliber, the .30 WCF cartridge proved to be decidedly accurate.”^[11] In addition, rimmed cartridges typically don’t feed well with the box magazines normally found on bolt-action rifles.^{[12][13][14][15]} Other examples of bolt action rifles offered in .30-30 Winchester are the Savage Models 340 and 840 and the Remington 788.

In the sport of handgun metallic silhouette shooting, the .30-30 has had some success. The Thompson Center Arms Contender pistol, with its compact frame and break-open action, is ideally suited for cartridges of the .30-30′s size. With proper loading, the .30-30 will produce velocities of nearly 2000 f/s (610 m/s) out of the short 10 inch (25 cm) Contender barrel, though recoil and muzzle blast are strong from the short barrel. The longer 14-inch (36 cm) barrel results in significant reductions in felt recoil (due to increased weight) and muzzle blast, with higher velocities, especially if factory loaded rifle ammunition is used. Magnum Research offers their five-shot BFR revolver in .30-30.^[16]

[edit] Derivative cartridges

In addition to the most common factory derivations, the .25-35 Winchester, 6.5x52R and the less well known .219 Zipper, the .30-30 has also spawned many wildcat cartridges over the years. One of the more successful was the 7-30 Waters, made by necking the .30-30 case down to 7 mm (.284 inch). The 7-30 Waters eventually moved from a wildcat design to a factory chambering, with rifles being made by Winchester, and barrels made by T/C for their Contender pistol. Other .30-30 based wildcats are used almost exclusively in the Contender pistol. One of the more notable examples is the .30 Herrett, a .30-30 case necked back to reduce case capacity for more efficient loading with fast burning powders. The .30 Herrett produces higher velocities with less powder than the larger .30-30 case in the short 10 and 14 inch (25 and 35 cm) Contender barrels. Other examples are the .357 Herrett, developed to handle heavier bullets and larger game than the .30 Herrett, and the 7mm International Rimmed, a popular metallic silhouette cartridge. Bullberry, a maker of custom Contender barrels, offers proprietary .30-30 wildcats in 6 mm, .25 caliber, and 6.5 mm diameters.^{[17][18][19][20][21]} In addition, P.O. Ackley used the cartridge as the basis for the .30-30 Ackley Improved.

[edit] See also

• 7 mm caliber
• List of rifle cartridges

[edit] Notes

This custom carved Remington 308 is a favorite of mine husband’s. The movie “The Mountain Men” with Charlton Heston is almost worn out from being watched so much. He can repeat the movie to you line for line. He loves to hunt with the muzzle loader, (open sites of course!). He is often over heard saying “where is the sport in hunting an animal with a scope?”" The real sportsman is one that hunts with open sites like the mountain men did in the old days!” So, now you know where I got my inspiration for this custom carving/sculpture.

This gun has been hand carved to represent a bear tracking a man for a quick meal. After discovering he is being stalked, the mountain man out maneuvers the bear and hides hoping to get a clean shot at the bear. It is up to you to decide if the bear got away or not.

The gun was hand painted and is signed by me. It is a one of a kind original work of art. Art enthusiast around the world will be after this gun for their collections. Makes you wonder what kind of design you could have on your gun stock. I’m sure you would be the envy of your hunting club and your friends would sure be very jealous! Please contact me to see what I can do for you. Hope you enjoy this post. Happy carving! Deb

You are invited to the second ever art rodeo held in Heber City, UT.  The Western Art Rodeo Association, W.A.R.A. is being held along with the Cowboy Poetry. Western Art Rodeo Association’s Fall Shoot Out is being held this weekend November 3 – 5, 2011!  I’m sure you are wondering what this means. Let me explain, have you ever watched the Pro Rodeo? They have rounds of competition. If you are among the top 3 contestants you advance to the final round or championship round to determine the winner.

Well, the W.A.R.A. is based on this concept. There are two rounds to determine the winners that will go on to the championship round. We use the top 4 winners from each round. These 4 winners move on to the champion ship round. During the final round (or championship round) the winners of the first two rounds take the scores they earned from the first two rounds. Then they compete with their final piece of art for their final scores. This is then added to the other two scores separately, (example: In round one I show an art piece I created. I win round one with a score of 86. In round two I take 2nd place with a score of 78. I move onto the championship round with both of my pieces. I get to use the scores from both of my first and second rounds but they are judged individually. After judging my final piece in the championship round and receiving a score of 87. This score is then added to both my first place and my second place exhibits separately. This gives me a total of 173 for my first place piece from round one.

Round 1 =  86

Championship =  87

Total                      173

Then the score is added to my second place exhibit giving me a score of 165). Who ever has the highest combined score of the rodeo wins the competition!

Round 2 =  78

Championship =  87

Total                     165

So, there is a chance one person can win first and second place of the Western Art Rodeo Association’s Fall Shoot Out for 2011.

I hope you will consider coming to watch the competition and to see all the art exhibits. Not to mention listening to the Cowboy Poetry. The W.A.R.A.’s first ever event was held last April at the Sundance Resort, Utah. It was a fantastic event. Over a hundred pieces of art was judged. There where people from all over the country there. Artists from the east coast as well as the west coast was in attendance. The art that was on display was breath taking to say the least. The only way to describe the art is to tell you to come and view it yourselves. There are also demonstration’s and classes designed to help you learn what art is about and how to judge a quality piece for yourself. You can see how many of the pieces of art are made or join in a discussion with the artist on how he/she came up with the idea to create their pieces of art. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to see and talk to some the world’s master artists. There will be oil paintings, water color paintings, bronze sculptures, wood carvings, sculptures, egg sculptures, gourd carvings to mention just a few types of art that will be on display. Come talk to the artists, watch the competition. Be a part of a growing art association!

The doors open at 5:00 -m 9:00 pm Thursday night for the general public. Friday morning doors open at 10:00am and go to 9:00 pm for the general public. The first round of competition will start on Friday at 5:00 pm. Second round will be Saturday at 1:00pm with the championship round is on Saturday at 5:30 pm. Doors close at 9:00 pm Saturday. You can purchase advanced tickets at http://westernartrodeoassociation.com/upcoming-events/tickets for the W.A.R.A.’s Fall Shoot Out. Tickets for the Cowboy Poetry can be purchased at: https://www.ezticketlive.com/checkout/event_view/asp?id=28.

I hope you will all come and visit with me. I am signed up for the competition. It would be great to see you all there and have your rout for me!!!! The audience is encouraged to participate in the judging. See everyone there!!! Deb

I would like to thank the Mule Deer Foundation for the article written about me in the September/October 2011 MDF magazine. It has been my pleasure to custom carve the guns for the MDF fund raisers. I look forward to carving the next gun stock for the MDF. They will be raffling off my next custom carved gun stock this coming February 2012. At the Sportsman’s Expo in Salt Lake City, Ut.

From designing the pattern, to creating the designs. To custom carving/sculpting the gun stock and then hand painting the gun stock to enhance the design. It is such a unique experience to watch it come to life. I know I will never get use to seeing my work take on a life of its own. It is something I will never get tired of. Still, to see the happiness in a customers eyes when I place their custom carved gun stock into their hands. It’s priceless!

I have included a copy of the the full article here for everyone to read.

(Please note, when you click on the image above to view the full article. You can make it even bigger if you click on the “X” in the lower right hand corner of the image.) If you would like to read the full article more clearly, please read the September/October 2011 issue of the Mule Deer Foundations’s magazine.

Thanks again to the MDF for this beautiful article. I look forward to custom carving a design for you! Happy Carving! Deb

This beautiful custom carved Winchester model 70 is my latest creation. I was approached to create this gun stock while I was participating in the WARA Spring Challenge. The CEO of Montana Silver Smiths jewelry asked me to custom carve this gun stock for his wife. Deborah hunts all over the world and as you can see I have even add her favorate saying “I live to hunt”. From North America to South Africa the hunt is on for the avid hunter. Her husband commissioned me to custom carve this gun stock for their anniversary.  I’m sure his wife will proudly display her favorite gun for the entire world to see. Rick has emailed me to tell he “The stock looks fantastic. Exceeds my expectations!

The gun has been custom carved with fighting moose on one side of the gun stock and a caped buffalo on the check rest. The grips and forend have been customized with the basket weave pattern. Then to personalize the gun stock for her, I have added her name to one side and her favorate saying to the other. To complete the design, I have hand painted each scene to bring out the details even more which helps show the carving off. This gives her gun a complete new look.

Every gun collectors will be very envious of this gun. The value has doubled for this gun. Not to mention the gun will be in the family for many generations to come. Thank you for allowing to create this one of a kind work of art for your wife. I hope she enjoys it as much as I have in creating it.

A custom carved Henry Golden Boy 22 rifle will be raffled off at the upcoming banquet for the Cowboy Action Shooting Club, in Price, Utah. I was recently asked if I would donate a custom carving to the cowboy action shooting club. As you can see the Henry Golden Boy rifle shown above depicts the robbery of 1902 in Castle Gate Utah in which Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kidd robbed the payroll office. For more information and history on the Castle Gate Robbery and other adventures of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kidd you can visit the following web sites: www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com/butch2.html or http://climb-utah.com/Roost/rrhistory.htm.

This gun stock is the most detailed custom carving/sculpture I have accomplished to date. After I custom carved/sculpted the chosen design. I then hand painted the art work to make the scene on this gun stock a one of a kind masterpiece. I have also inlayed ivory on the check rest. It says “Castle Gate Robbery 2011″. Gun collectors everywhere will be envious of the person who will win this gun and add it to their gun collection. This gun stock will be a cherished work of art to be handed down from generation to generation.

The Castle Gate Possee Cowboy Action Shooting Club will be holding their annual Utah State Action Shoot Championship this July 14 through 16, 2011 in Price Utah. They have a schedule of times and places listed on their web site http://www.thecastlegateposse.net/. A banquet is being held Saturday July 16, 2011 at the  Elks Lodge in Price, Utah at 6:00pm. At which time this gun will be raffled off . All proceeds will go to the scholarship fund the SASS cowyboy action shooting club have set up. The banquet is the last event of the SASS Utah State Championship.  If you would like more information on the SASS cowboy action shooting club you can go to their web site www.thecastlegateposse.net . For those who live outside of Utah and are interested in cowboy action shooting. You can visit the official SASS web site http://www.sassnet.com/index.php.

I am going to do my best to attend the banquet. I will enjoy seeing who will win my gun. Good luck to all who enters the raffle for this beautiful one of a kind work of art. Deb

L to R: Deb Lindsay’s, Doris’ & Jane’s

L to R: Deb Lindsay (Me), Doris & Jane

 L to R: Craig Hone, Doris, Jane, Jeff Wolf & Deb Lindsay (Me)

The class was a total blast! One I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn to sculpt or carve. As you can see by the pictures, we very fortunate to be taught by one of the best, internationally renowned master wood carver, Craig Hone and internationally renowned bronze sculptor, Jeff Wolf. These two men are the world’s best teachers, very patient and knowledgeable not to mention friendly! I look forward to taking more classes from them in the future. Thanks Craig and Jeff for a wonderful and educational experience.