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Yes or No on tacks

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Ballshooter

45 Cal.
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So this is my GPR in .54cal love it but, the stock to me needs something little to give it some bling. I found some brass daisy tacks and it just so happens I named her Daisy :) So I took three and cut off the nail at the head and just put some bouble side tape on to see how she would look..hmmm I kind of dig it what do the rest of you guys or gals think?
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I would say no, especially to the daisy heads.

I've actually researched native tack work, and had an article about it published in Muzzle Blasts in 1981. It can give some guns a lot of character, but is easily overdone. The tack work can also be difficult to reverse, if you decide you don't like it. Probably the best way is to file the head until you've gone deep enough to release it from the shank. Then you can pull the shank without having to pry the head off. You'll still have a hole to deal with, and a ring shaped impression around it. I know your tacks are just stuck on temporarily, which was smart! Sort of like a temporary tattoo...

You also see a lot of old guns with native provenance with split or broken wood on the forearm. The wood is very thin there, and they probably just pounded the tacks in. You would be wise to drill a slightly undersized pilot hole first.

I have never seen a daisy-head tack on an old, original gun. I've never seen any of those "faceted" upholstery tacks on one, either. The old-time tacks were cast of brass, with the shank and head in one piece. The shanks were square in cross-section. As far as I know, the were available as smooth high domes, low domes, and cone shaped only, and you typically see mostly the high-domed ones on guns. Modern tacks are available in all sorts of shapes, and they always have steel shanks, unless you can find authentically cast tacks from a restoration specialist. When you can find authentic tacks, they tend to be expensive.

There was an extensive thread about tacks and other embellishments on this forum a couple of months ago. I remember it had "Bling" in the title. If you do a search for "Bling," you ought to find it.

The bottom line is that it is your rifle, and you can do anything you want with it, but bear in mind that tack work is more or less permanent. If that will be one of your "forever" guns, that's great! However, if you ever want to sell a rifle with daisy-head tacks on it, be prepared to accept a lot less than you would like.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob
 
I think personal preference is a big factor with tack designs. If you like them you should add them. While I’m not that crazy about them, were I to add them to a GPR I would probably find some representative pictures/photos of original plains style rifles with tack designs to use as a guide with the intent of adding some historical context. I have seen pictures of the original Leman Trade Rifles that were decorated with tacks..some were quite interesting.
Other options you could consider to spruce up an otherwise dull/plain stock could be to add a patch box, and/or oil-varnish the stock.
 
I think personal preference is a big factor with tack designs. If you like them you should add them. While I’m not that crazy about them, were I to add them to a GPR I would probably find some representative pictures/photos of original plains style rifles with tack designs to use as a guide with the intent of adding some historical context. I have seen pictures of the original Leman Trade Rifles that were decorated with tacks..some were quite interesting.
Other options you could consider to spruce up an otherwise dull/plain stock could be to add a patch box, and/or oil-varnish the stock.

Good advice, Art. Well considered, and nicely stated.

Notchy Bob
 
I love tacks in westren rifles. I don’t currently own a gun they are appropriate on.
It seems to be an Indian thing but was seen on some whir guns. Look up originals and use as a guid
When I was in the Tandy Golden buckskin brigade of by God free trappers all my guns were tacked till past tacky
Yeah don't like too many tacks on some I have seen. Maybe I will just strip the bluing and brown it then do an oil rub finish. Sill not sure on the tacks I do kind of like them don't know why lol.
 
I'm for no tacks....definitely not daisy tacks. Having said that, though, the three tacks you have placed don't look too bad, but NO MORE! Get some antique PC tacks if you must attack your gun.
 

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