Rifle Fore-end Repair - What would you do?

[westcoaster]

Here are some pictures of the fore-end of my, inherited from my dad, HVA 30-06. Both my father and I have searched high and low for the chipped part. I was very meticulously stored in the magazine until a few years ago when it became lost, some where in the hangar with the Arc of the Covenant. Needless to say its gone, and the time has come for alternatives.

I have had the following options suggested:
- brand new stock (not an option, saving for a backpacking trip)
- leave it
- cut a few inches off the fore-end and remount the sling point
- carve a new sliver and glue in
- cut off a few inches of fore-end and carve a new knob from wood or false ebony, and pin in place.

What would you do? Cheers,

 

[dalee100]

Hi,

Honestly, you will never match the grain to patch. And I think just cutting it back will mess with the stock lines.

If it were my rifle, I'd cut the fore end at an angle and the glue and dowel a contrasting piece of wood. Then you could reshape it to original or a new shape to your liking.

dalee

 

[Berdar]

My dad has a double rifle with a manlicher stock that Gramps brought home from Germany during the war. Somewhere along the line, it got a similar ding. Not to long before grandpa passed away, dad had it repaired. He had a local cabinet maker who does specialty work cut the stock off and put an ebony end on it and carve it back to the original lines. He put a small faux ivory medallion in the ebony and then antiqued it so that it looks like it came from the factory

It'll be a few days, but i'll grab some pics when i visit dad this weekend. It's really a beautiful rifle.

Berdar.

 

[Shoki]

I'd also say a nice ebony fore end fitted by a really good woodworker is the best option. I had a Mauser that had a really beautiful sporter stock with an ebony forend separated from the rest of the stock (similar in color to yours) by a faux-ivory spacer. It really looked nice on that rifle.

 

[Unk]

Tough. You can always spot the crack in a mended plate, afraid that would be the case here. I'd leave it. If it got to the point, I couldn't stand to look at it, I'd put in the back of my safe..it is an heirloom, such honest dings are part of your family's heritage.

 

[Erasmus]

You can either leave it(my option) or pay a very good woodworker to do his magic. I don think it'll ever look factory new, though.

You may want to simply put another stock on it, and (carefully) toss the old stock in your closet.

 

[eisman]

It's an interesting problem for a couple of reasons. The HVA is not a normal stock pattern; you'll have trouble finding a new mass produced stock to fit. that leaves you the following options:

1. a new stock, which will have to be made for the rifle, and will probably cost more than the thing is worth. Can be done; will look great; takes a lot of time; not cheap.

2. a repair from a good gunsmith. the big problem here is finding someone who does stockwork regularily and who will do the repair. Most of the few good guys out there don't do repairs 'cause there's not much profit in them. Can be done; will take the right person; not cheap; will be visable (although you will have to look hard); not quick.

The repair can be done a couple ways, although it's complicated by the style of the stock (schnaeble stocks are fairly thin and short). It cannot just be cut short without looking awful; too short, bad placement of the sling swivel, and the checkering buggered.

The checkering really limits the repair style, because it's running right into the area effected. The best thing in my opinion would be to patch the stock with a new piece fitted into place. This is going to require the right kind of wood and a grain close to the original, which is one reason you need someone who does a lot of stockwork; he'll probably have the wood. Next the joint will have to be made square, which involves cutting more of the stock. One the piece is fitted and the stock reshaped the hardest part will be matching the finish and stain. Experience counts here too. Last, recutting the checkering will be needed.

All in all you're looking at probably 10 hours of work by someone who knows what he's doing, which is darn near what you'll pay for a new stock.

 

[BlueyM]

+1 on Blais' (#4) solution.
An ebony replacement piece with an ivory spacer would look good IMO.

That schnaebel stock will not be easy to fix properly, it may be worthwhile discussing the carving of a replacement piece with someone with a sculpting background (local college/ art school teacher?)

 

[Erasmus]

Carving wooden gunstocks is classic gunsmith work.

Your "best" option is to replace the entire stock. Throw the old stock in the closet till the missing chip reappears. Once it reappears, you can choose to get involved with a quality gluing and pinning job.

If you have kids, put a $10 or $20 bounty on the missing chip. This will recruit you lots of willing eyeballs at a stroke.

 

[bigbcustom]

I have to agree with the "cut off and replace whole end of stock" crowd. I have done it to a few rifles in the past with similiar problems, and they came out okay. That being said, I did one for myself, and a couple for friends, but if I was going to charge somebody, it would be a hefty chunk. I do good work, but I really dislike stock work.

 

[alex]

I don't think you have anyting to lose by trying to repair it yourself. Get some of that hand moldable light brown epoxy at Home Depot that is used for wood repair. Put some masking tape on the barrel and the edge of the good part of the stock adjacent to the chip. Push a slug of that epoxy "clay" into the missing chip and mold it slightly oversized, duplicating the forend contour as best you can with your hands. The epoxy portion adjacent to the barrel will mold itself against the barrel tape.

Allow to harden well for 24 hours and then start sanding it carefully and slowly and try to duplicate the good side as closely as you can. I bet with patient sanding you can get it pretty darn close. I think the wood epoxy can be stained.

When done even though the repair will be detectable I bet it will look better than it does now. I have done several stock repairs with that epoxy and also using Marine Tex epoxy on several of my own and friend's firearms and the repairs though always noticeable were better than having the damage to look at.

Edited to add: The epoxy I mentioned above is made by JB Weld and is called KwikWood and is sold at Home Depot and many other places.

 

[Kermit]

Hang it on the wall with the good side showing.
Failing its use as heirloom and decoration piece id look for a cheap poly stock.