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 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.

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

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 year I have been given a very unique opportunity to custom carve a gun stock for the Mule Deer Foundation. The custom carved/engraved gun stock shown above is for one of the banquet coming up in May 2011. I believe this gun is to be raffled off during one of the banquets here in Utah. Everyone will have to attend their banquet to see which region gets to raffle off this gun for one of its members. Will it be YOU???

I have custom carved/sculpteda mule deer on the butt stock of the gun, as well as inlay-ed the MDF logo on the end of the grip. The art work for this gun has been custom designed for the MDF and hand painted by me. This gun has been signed and dated with the year I have carved it. Your children will fight over who gets this gun when you pass it from one generation to the next. Not to mention any gun collector will chomp at the bit to get the chance to add this gun to their collections.

There will be one more gun stock carved by me this year for the MDF. This will go on for the next eight years. You will have to check here often to see if I have completed another gun for the MDF. Good luck to everyone who attends the banquets. I’m looking forward to seeing who the winner will be for this custom carved gun stock! Happy Hunting!!! Deb

I am writing this blog post to thank everyone who visited with me at my booth during the International Sportsman’s Expo this last weekend, and to all who are interested in my custom carved gun stocks. The Expo was fantastic! As usual! There where thousand of people roaming around seeing all the exhibits and booths. Of course the Mule Deer Foundation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation was present. I enjoyed visiting with many of the participants at the show as well as seeing all the different booths. It was great hearing what everyone was interested in and what they would like to have on their guns, antlers or on their fireplace mantles.

I would like to take this time to extend an invitation to become a subscribe to my email list. This invitation is for each and every person who visits my web site, came to my booth, or who knows someone who would enjoy my custom carvings. When you subscribe to my email list, you will receive information I post here from time to time. Normally, I will post two to three times a month to my blog. You are under NO obligation to sign up or to stay signed up as a subscribers on my email list. You can end your subscription at anytime. My blog keeps you informed as to the what is new. Not to mention the history of guns, gallery of custom carved guns, and custom carved wood sculptures. There is hand painted gun stocks, basket weave carved onto guns stocks, hand painted art, wood sculpting, guns for the collectors, and guns everyone will want to hand down from generation to generation. As well as other interesting facts I have uncovered throughout the years. I do hope you will consider joining my subscribers email list.

Custom Carved International Sportsman’s Expo. If anyone doesn’t know by now, the International Sportsman’s Expo is going to be held in Salt Lake City, UT at the South Town Expo center. The show will be starting this Thursday, March 17, 2011, at noon. I will have a booth there displaying my custom carved guns and taking orders for YOUR very own custom carved gun stock. Please come and visit me at the expo. I would really enjoy meeting you and discussing the design you would like me to carve on your gun stock.

All of my guns have a custom carved/sculpted scene, (some with the basket weave pattern) and are hand painted. Each gun is a one of a kind work of art. Collectors, nationwide, have begun collecting my guns. Why not have your gun customized with your favorite hunting scene or memory. You will want to hand this gun down from generation to generation. Not to mention the “double” bragging rights you will have. Bragging rights #1 – the actual hunt. Bragging rights #2 – your own custom carved gun stock with your favorite hunting scene.  

I hope everyone will take the opportunity to come and enjoy the International Sportsman’s Expo while the it is going on. The dates are March 17, 18, 19, 20, 2011. Check the web site, International Sportsman’s Expo, for more information on this event.

See you there!!!! Deb – Proudly endorsed by the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF)

As promised, I have finally been able to take the pictures of the custom carved gun stock for the Southern Nevada Friends of the NRA. This gun will be displayed for all to see at the upcoming banquet of the SNFNRA on April 30, 2010. You can contact them through the following link. http://www.friendsofnra.org/State.aspx?sid=29&cid=744

The gun stock listed here will be raffled off at the banquet. You find out more on their web site listed above. This gun has been inlaid with ivory, with a custom carved/sculpted grip. Then hand painted to bring out even more detail. There is no doubt the lucky winner will have many compliments. Not to mention the best bragging rights ever! This gun has been signed by me. It is a one of a kind commemorative. Gun collectors alike would love to add this gun to their gun collection.

Good luck on the drawing! Deb

This post is to announce that Deb Lindsay Studios and her custom carvings are proudly endorsed by the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF). Deb has signed a contract with the MDF to custom carve/sculpt one gun stock per year for the next nine years. These guns will be auctioned or raffled off to help raise money for the MDF. Deb is proud to be associated with their cause and will do her best to help further the work of this organization. Be watching for the upcoming article of Deb Lindsay and her custom carved/sculpted gun stocks. It will be in the MDF magazine soon.

Deb will be donating a custom carved/sculpted gun stock worth over $1,500.00, or more, to the Mule Deer Foundation’s banquet. This year the banquet will be held in May.  This years gun will be custom carved/sculpted and hand painted by Deb Lindsay. It will feature mule deer and have the MDF logo on the gun stock. Each gun stock is signed, hand carved and hand painted by Deb Lindsay. Gun collectors alike dream of owning one of Deb Lindsay Studios custom carvings. Everyone who owns one of Deb Lindsay’s custom carved guns will tell you how proud they are to be able to hand their gun down from generation to generation. Will you be the next to own one of Deb’s custom carved/sculpted guns?

Pictures of the pattern and gun will be posted soon.

This project has taken a while to start, but the finished out come will be worth it. A custom carved gun stock for a Savage model 29. Yes, it is an old gun. I have been asked to carve/engrave a squirrel sitting on the branch of a tree on this gun stock. The pictures above are just a few I have found that I am considering. Which one should I use? Hmmmm Guess you will have to check back later to see which one I used.  The gun stock is smaller then a normal rifle. This might prove to be some what of a challenge. Carving/engraving a smaller gun stock means doing everything smaller than I normally do. Still, the gun stock will be custom carved/engraved and then I will hand paint the art work to bring out the detail. This gun has been handed down from generation to generation. I am sure it will continue to through the family for many more years to come. Well, here I go! I can’t wait to get started!

Pictures will be coming soon of the finished custom carved/engraved gun stock.

Happy Carving! Deb