Dave,
I am sorry for your loss, I can't even begin to imagine. I have a 10 year old son myself.

Thanks for the info on the gun books. I bought a book this morning online. It's title is the same, but it gave credit to Jack Lott for being the author. So it's a different book, oh shucks, darn, now I 'll have to buy them both

Spent most of the day talking at the gunshop. You know how it is, the smell of Hoppe's, the sound of the lathe or milling machine, and the constant talk of "just one more rifle to the collection."
Tomorrow I get to clamp the '17 in the mill and sporterize the action. My friend is going to talk me through it, so I will be doing the milling myself. Should be fun, it will sort of make it more "my rifle" since I'm doing it myself. I'm 97% sure that I'll be going with the .35 Whelen for the chamber. I now have to find the best place to buy the barrel. The stock is all finished. I polished it today with some Butcher's bowling-alley paste wax. It turned out great, I'm proud of the wood.

Take care, Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Keep us posted on how the metalwork is going. Have you given any more thought to the sights.....or the metal finish? Maybe you should be taking pictures throughout the process. Post them and fill us in on the details. Like a before, during, and after, process......(along with any missteps enroute). Make it a learning process for all of us!

Keep us posted!

Dave

P.S. Don't have too much fun!

Dave,
Oh yeah, I'm taking pictures. BUT......I still don't know how to post them here. I guess I'll have the wife do it.

For the finish, I think I might go with bead blasting and bluing. Or maybe just blue, don't know yet. Hummmm...for sights? I believe a low powered scope.

On a different note, I fired two groups yesterday out of my Varmint Bushmaster of my new handloads. 3 shot groups at 100 yards were 3/8". Love it.

Take care, Kevin