gun box build

I know many have seen this on the bullseye facebook group so I'll spare you the cheesy video again but here are some pictures of the final product.

I have been shooting bullseye for about 8 years now and purchased a 4 gun metal Strongcase box when I started.  I always said I wasn't going to build a wood box when I could buy a metal one already made.  After a while I told myself if I was going to build a box it was going to be different than the normal flat sided box.  For years now I have thought about building a raised panel gun box but just never actually put saw to wood and got started.   After a fellow shooter that is a member here that goes by the name Lab Lover built a box it inspired me to finally start on the box I had been thinking about.  After many texts and pictures sent back and forth with Lab Lover I got the shaper fired up and got started.   I recently bought a new set of Freeborn rail/stile/raised panel shaper cutters to make some doors for cabinets and some raised panel wainscot and decided to test them out.

I had all the pieces machined and cut to length and Friday night after dinner got started on my first version.  By 1:30 in the morning I had version 1.0 built out of some beech that had been sitting on the lumber rack for at least 10 years. 




Saturday morning I decided I was ok with the raised panel look so I abandoned the not so great fitting (and heavy) beech box and got started on a new one made out of cherry.  I made some minor changes to rail and stile dimensions but the box size stayed the same.  It measure 18"x10"x16"tall.

The following pictures are what two weeks of every spare moment not at work and often design brainstorms at 3 in the morning produced.


My mom made me this cover and brass bag out of some pigskin I bought at the leather store.








The lid is held open and closed with magnets.  In the middle lid support is a 2017 penny epoxied in so I will always know when I built it.  The drawer compartments and bottom are lined with leather and I made the handle out of leather also.  Today I finally received my 12mm bit so I could install the magnets to hold the magazines and whatever else I decide to stick up there.

Thanks for looking!
Scott

Almost too pretty to take out on the line at Camp Perry, but very nice. Not my cup of tea but very well done. I also like some of the creative solutions deployed in the design.

A real beauty. I like the way you utilized the dead space.
Alex

Sign of a true Craftsman  a work of art for sure. Plenty of hours in that baby!  I’d be proud to carry that box anywhere

Looks like a piece of quality furniture.  I really like the small storage ideas for the normally unused space. Have you done something to protect the finish from the weather and impact of spent cases?
How heavy is it with guns and gear loaded?

Nice box!  

As for the handle, it may be more comfortable to lug around with a stiffer handle rather than the leather one.  That thong style handle seems likely to collapse and pinch your hands when carrying the box.  

Of course, you have the box in front of you and the doubled up and twisted leather may not be too bad either, but maybe a couple of wraps of a leather sleeve the width of your hand around both handle thongs will make for less stress on your hand when carrying it.

A couple years ago I built a maple box for my son for his birthday. I thought it was the prettiest box on the line. Not any more!!

Beautiful cabinetry!

Jim

Here's the box I built about 45 years ago.  I built a finger rack at first, but it didn't work good.  So I took it out and haul guns in individual cozies in the blue bag.  There was probably 8 guns there that day for sighting in.

That is beautiful!I really like the embedded magnets, 22 Ammo box holders and the slide out tool bar. Brilliant!

If you do go to Perry take a C-clamp to hold your box open.  Also bungee cord to go around your box and the table.  Seems like over kill...until it is not.

Chip

Beautiful box!  I'm still waiting on a 3 gun Strongcase box that was promised a month ago.  Patience is a virtue I am told.

Turned out very nice.  Thanks for showing us.

farmboy wrote:Looks like a piece of quality furniture.  I really like the small storage ideas for the normally unused space. Have you done something to protect the finish from the weather and impact of spent cases?
How heavy is it with guns and gear loaded?

My original intention was to make this my indoor box.  I shoot a weekly league and two matches a month indoors throughout the winter.  The finish is lacquer and I'm not worried about 45 brass dinging it up.  It was built to be used.  I'm not gonna toss it down the steps but I'm not gonna fret over a ding here and there either.

Loaded for it's first 1800 it was 39 pounds.  Not light but not any more than my metal box.

Scott

Jack H wrote:Here's the box I built about 45 years ago.  I built a finger rack at first, but it didn't work good.  So I took it out and haul guns in individual cozies in the blue bag.  There was probably 8 guns there that day for sighting in.

Nice box Jack!  I thought about making individual fitted drawers for each gun but decided to go with the standard way.

SteveT wrote:That is beautiful!I really like the embedded magnets, 22 Ammo box holders and the slide out tool bar. Brilliant!

Thanks Steve!  I spent sleepless nights dreaming up that stuff.   I know, I know, I'm a sick man.

Thanks everyone for the comments!  It was a very fun project.  That kind of enjoyment had not been had in the shop for quite some time.

Now I have to re-make my brass catcher.  Apparently it has to match the box cause we wouldn't want it to clash or something (insert eye roll here JT)

Scott

SMBeyer wrote:Thanks everyone for the comments!  It was a very fun project.  That kind of enjoyment had not been had in the shop for quite some time.

Now I have to re-make my brass catcher.  Apparently it has to match the box cause we wouldn't want it to clash or something (insert eye roll here JT)

Scott

Lol. Woohoooooo

That is an amazing example.  I don't believe that I could actually make myself use it!