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

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

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

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)

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

Happy New Years everyone!!! I sure hope everyone has enjoyed this holiday season. Today I have been thinking about the goals I would like to accomplish with my custom carved gun stocks this year. In doing so, it has given me a chance to looked back on the goals I have accomplished last year. It still amazes me how many goals I was accomplished. So, for this reason I am going to set goals for my custom carving even higher this year. The first one is to attend 3 major gun shows within this year.

I am scheduled to be a vendor at the upcoming Las Vegas Antique Arms Show™International Sporting Arms Show™ Invitational Knifemakers Showing™ in Las Vegas NV. The show will be held at the Riviera Hotel on January 14th thru January 16th, 2011. The show is being sponsored by the NRA (National Rifle Association). I will be there with several of the guns I have listed here on my web site. Some of the other guns being displaying have been borrowed from my customers who love to show them off. This Las Vegas Antique Arms Show™ International Sporting Arms Show™ Invitational Knifemakers Show™ should prove to be the best of the year. I am looking forward to meeting many new people.

Gun collectors and enthusis’ alike will be there. As I’m sure you know by  now, my gun stocks are all hand carved/engraved and hand painted. Each design has first been molded into clay then many practice pieces are carved/engraved before I start on the final piece. This process helps me to insure the custom carving will look exactly like it should on each gun stock. Customers who have purchased wood sculpting/carving/engraving from me in the past are simply amazed at the detail and clarity each piece has. Come to the gun show and judge for yourself. Then you can see why everyone who looks at the pictures on my web site all say “the pictures do not do justice to the art on the guns.” Wouldn’t you like to hand down your guns from generations to generation?

If you have the chance to come to the Las Vegas Antique Arms Show™International Sporting Arms Show™ Invitational Knifemakers Show™, please look me up. I would really enjoy meeting you and placing your name on my waiting. Then you will also have bragging rights and can show everyone your own custom carved gun stock.

Happy New Year to all, Deb

Last gun of the year for me is the custom carved Greener replica coach gun. After carving/sculpting the W. W. Greener replica stage coach gun last December, I really wanted to do a coach gun for myself. Well, here is it! This stage coach is an abandon stage coach. It symbolizes how we are loosing out past. The history of the Wells Fargo Stage Lines are written in our history book an in the movies. It is sad to see  how these beautiful works of machinery are all but gone now. Thank goodness for Wells Fargo and their willingness to preserve the history and maintain their fleet of stage coaches. At least our children will have the opportunity to visit their museum to learn about them. As well as, being able to see the horses hooked up to these beautiful coaches. Thank you Wells Fargo!

As you can see I have hand carved the stage coach onto this coach gun. I have chosen not to add the basket weave to this gun. I have hand painted the gun stock to bring out even more of the detail. I am adding this gun to my collection of Wells Fargo Commemorative collection. Gun collectors and enthuses alike will appreciate the detail of this gun. This gun and many of my other guns will be on display at the Antique Arms show in Las Vegas this coming January. The show will be January 14 – 16, 2010 at the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas, NV. I look forward to visiting with you there. Happy Holidays to everyone! Deb

At this time of year, I would like to share my custom carved Thanksgiving with you.  I find myself giving thanks for everything in my life. This year is no exception. Thanksgiving for me is a special time to get together with family and friends. Share memories and catch up on what’s going on in each others lives. Then there is also the FOOD!!!! We can’t forget the food or the game on TV! Still, it is a good time to stop and reflect on what has happened on my life over the past year. I have included the link to the original blog post. Just click on the picture and it will take you to the blog post.

I want to tell everyone who viewed or commented on my web site, THANK YOU! My custom carved gun stocks have been a very rewarding part of my life. I’m sure without your support and comments, I would not ventured out to share my carvings with world. Each of you have enriched my life in so many ways. I find myself getting up in the mornings just to run in the office to see who has sent me a comment or an email. I enjoy sharing my custom carved gun stocks with you. From the actual design to the basket weave on to the hand painted art work. I have a hard time wanting to come in the house at night after carving all day in my studio on a new project. I also send my thanks to my family and friends for your encouragement and support. I’m sure I have bugged you with my designs and projects. For these reasons and many, many more I thank you! I hope each and everyone of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Please stay safe while driving. We still have Christmas and New Years to celebrate remember!

I thought I would start something new this year. I am going show all the guns I have completed each year. So bare with me while I list them all for you to view again. Each client I have carved a gun stock for this year can now show them off again. Its your turn to brag on your gun stock carving! Here you can show off your custom carved, hand painted art work I have carved for you.

Each gun has been custom carved or (custom engraving) and hand painted to bring out the detail. There is no two guns alike! All of the guns have gone up in value after being carved. Gun collectors and appraisers will tell you the gun has doubles and even triples in price. Some have grown even more in value. Still, all of the clients I have carved for this year tell me their gun will never leave their hands. They will be handed down through the generations. What a legacy they will leave for their children.

If you are thinking of having a gun custom carved for a friend, client or family member. Contact me soon. I also have gift certificates available. Gift certificates make the best gifts. The person receiving the gift certificate for the custom carving can chose what they would like on their gun stock.

Again, enjoy your Thanksgiving and remember to drive safely. We all want you around for the rest of this Holiday season and the next! Happy Carving Deb L