Is there any hope.....

[RonT]

for this stock? This and some hardware, and a barrel to be named later (whenever he finds it) was given to me by a Lodge Brother. He abandoned the project ~35 yrs. ago and had no desire to finish it.
The stock is Cherry, with the barrel channel rough-in off center to the Left. The Left web is ~5/16", and cut straight, not much wood on left for finial,no cast off. I'm thinking underhammer, but the question is one or two piece, full or half stock. If half, I'll cut and reverse the fore end.
Will appreciate any input.

 

[John Taylor]

It just might work with 5/16" of wood. Take a look at a T/C, I don't think they have that much wood on the side. How wide is the barrel channel? You will be taking a lot of wood off the right, the lock probably is around 1/4" thick where it meets the barrel.

 

Trade it to a lefty or make a fowler that has no cheek piece. They used cherry a lot for New England fowlers.

Sean

 

[Mike Brooks]

Should be no problem. It's set up for cast off for a right hand shooter.

 

[J.D.]

Should be no problem. It's set up for cast off for a right hand shooter.

I was thinking the same thing.

Another example of great minds thinking alike. :haha:

 

[RonT]

Yes it is...but when I shoulder it I'm looking catycornered down the channel (right eyed). I put a wadded up rag against the left side to simulate a cheekpiece and that put my line of sight back down the channel somewhat. That thinking would require me to rob a slab off the right side and scab it on the left.
Thanks for the replys,
R

 

Only if you are used to cranking your neck over and smashing your face into the stock as required by the "one size fits all' factory stocks you are used too. We shoot generic stocks so much we think that is what they should be and all shooting should be done with ones head cranked around at some odd angle.

This stock was cut with the intention of fitting to the shooter, not making the shooter fit the stock.

If you lay this stock out with 1/4" to 3/8" cast off, with a shallow cheekpiece, it will be the most comfortable gun you have ever fired.

 

I sure wouldn't chop up that nice piece of cherry. Unless yer left handed it's set for a nice cast off for a right-handed shooter. And if it's been setting around for 35 years plus, it's very stable. You won't have wood changing shape on you. To me it looks like it would make a nice flint mountian rifle. That's too pretty a piece of wood to shorten. Keep it a long gun. Just my two cents.

Bill

Aspire to Inspire before you Expire

 

[RonT]

OK...you guys are makin' me more brave. The channel is 13/16's and tight to fit for a stub that I had laying around. If the barrel, whenever it surfaces, is a .36...O happy day!
R

 

[George Holton]

Brother Ron. Give it back and remind him of the obligation not to mess with a brothers mental health

 

[RonT]

He will be here in about 45 minutes...I'll meet him at the door, ask a question or two and then pound a knot on his head with the stock for getting me back into this madness. If you get my drift....haha.
R

 

[wulf]

You say you got the barrel and parts??dive into it
and let it teach you..As the above said you already have a cast off..forget the cheek piece and build a gun...what the H word.It will be a good learning experience and if you don't like it,
put it up for sale...

 

[Zonie]

I agree with the rest.
The first thing I thought of is "That stock will have cast for a right handed shooter!
If anything, it will have too much, but with the stock butt in your shoulder, the barrel should be pointed right about at your eye (if you don't cock your head down like you would with a castless stock).

Give it a go with a nice 13/16 X .45 cal straight barrel (for light weight) or a .32 for squirrels.

zonie

 

[RonT]

Well.... the barrel appeared today, 48 1/4" of 13/16" ~.380 cal. SMOOTHBORE! No maker or caliber stamped on the barrel,anywhere. Have to make a lead slug now to get a good read on true bore dia.. Looks like a trip to Lodi tomorrow.
R

 

[wtilenw]

You could have it rifled. :hmm:
Idaho PRB

 

[RonT]

considered that for about 10 seconds, but am going to leave smooth. the barrel appears to be cold drawn (DOM)as opposed to drilled and ground. I slugged the hole and found .373/.3735 and it mics true to center (=/-.001). the downside is that that Cherry stock has a barrel channel only 36 1/2" long. leaving for Lodi shortly.
R

 

[flintlockmdj]

I agree with Wulf. You have a free barrell and stock that has a potential problem and a potential for a beautiful gun. Build it and let it teach you. As you work on it it will show you what needs to be done. :bow:

 

[Longsmoke]

Ron, the barrel channel is in the perfect place. My question is, how thick is the stock?

3/16" maybe even 1/4" castoff it will be sweet to shoot and you will have plenty of wood for a cheeck peice.

Cut the barrel to fit the stock or, sell and buy a GM barrel that fits (about a $100). Most old rifles had smooth bore barrels anyhow, very PC.

With that barrel size the finished gun will be slinder, it looks to me like you have plinty of room on this wood.

I say build it, I would.

Bruce Everhart

 

[RonT]

The trip to Lodi left me ~$250 poorer. Small Siler flint,TG, and single trigger (going to keep smooth). I'll fab the thimbles and buttplate. Stopped on the way up and back at a new aquaintance's place, who has built a few (!) long guns to discuss possibilities. Setting in a corner was an original (Ohio?) full stock, stripped of all the metal. Thin gracefull lines, almost same barrel length but an inch or so shorter, and drop that followed the lines of my blank. It spoke, I listened, and I'm copying. He's going to install breechplug/tang, and slab off some of the excess wood and do the ramrod channel. Then the fun starts.
R

 

[Longsmoke]

Good plan Ron. I like it already.

Bruce Everhart