shotgun stocks

[topper]

 

Trying to figure how to post photos! Some past projects.

Top to bottom: NEF 20 gauge Youth 22" modified choke, H&R Huntsman stock, trim excess wood, comb treatment. Watco Danish oil - medium walnut & hand rubbed GB Lin-speed oil.

Middle: NEF 20 gauge 25 1/2" factory choke tube barrel. NEF stock -- remove excess bulkiness, remove pistol grip, shorten length of pull, flutted comb. schnabel forearm with schnabel removed & slimmed down. Aqua Fortis finish GB Lin-speed.

Bottom: NEF 12 gauge 22" Mod. choke Youth, Older H&R stock, remove pistol grip, fluted comb, slimmed down forearm, Laurel Mountain Forge "Honey maple" stain.



Left to right: Factory H&R buttplate, buffalo horn, caribou antler. The horn & antler plates were an experiment with felt recoil reduction...

[rendezvous]

Very nice! 

[Brad H.]

Those are pretty!

[topper]

Thanks guys!

Looked at my flintlocks & at photos of old & reproductions of old butt plates, & a commonality was forming -- that the face is domed/curved, & that there were no "squared" shoulders. Got wondering if this was some 18th Century answer to a recoil pad, so to speak.

As an aside, Pachmayr's Old English Decelerator, shotgun recoil pad has exactly the same commonalities!!!

Asked some friends what they thought of the notion. One gave me the antler to try the idea out. The antler looked too nice to shape it fully. So, I got a pair of buffalo horn scales used for making knife handles. Which was in the back of my mind all along. Called Track of the Wolf & they said they would go thru the bin of handle material to pick out the largest pieces. Have nothing but good to say about this company!

After shaping, that horn looked awful slick. Especially when wearing a wool shirt, would it stay in place under recoil? Not a problem. Then picked up a piece of that stair tread -- non-skid traction strips stuff. Fired the gun to "register" the felt recoil & then put a piece of the traction tape on the horn butt plate. About 80% of the recoil returned with the tape in place.

The shape of the plate did reduce felt recoil some, but I'm guessing minute slippage of the slick butt plate did the rest??? Anyway, what ever is or isn't happening -- it's working.

Oh, all the components of the three guns are interchangeable. Can swap around the barrels & stocks on the three receivers... 

Did splurge a little. A friend is an engraver so he cut a simple hare hunting scene on the middle receiver. He also added an engraved variation of the "Man-in-the-moon" 18th Century inlay ~ with the points of the moon facing down.
 

[Deleted]

Those are nice topper. A few years ago, I picked a NEF 12 up at the pawn shop for $60 that was in horrible shape. I think the barrel was even painted at one point, before developing rust. I "refinished it" as best I could. I'll see if I can dig a picture up of it.

[bk]

That is some beautiful work, topper. Thanks for sharing. 

Now that you have inspired me, after I get grandpa shot gun physically working again, I'll get to work and see what I can do to refurbish the looks of the old gun. Thanks for the details and the pictures.

[Deleted]

Couldn't find a pic, so had to dig it out and take a pic And, it's not a NEF like a I thought, but and old Stevens. None-the-less...

[topper]

Jun 29, 2015 15:43:54 GMT -5 @charder said:

Those are nice topper. A few years ago, I picked a NEF 12 up at the pawn shop for $60 that was in horrible shape. I think the barrel was even painted at one point, before developing rust. I "refinished it" as best I could. I'll see if I can dig a picture up of it.

CJ I too have a gun that looks like it has/had rustoleum on the barrel. It was in an Estate Sale from someone out in the Bush. A .22 made in the late 1920's. The stories that gun could tell... the thousands, maybe tens of thousands of trapline miles? The truckloads of grouse, ptarmigan, hare & other game it has brought to the table.

Your NEF sounds like it would be a good foul weather gun. Something you wouldn't worry about in a boat, or duck blind...

Always been partial to singles & doubles & now the older I get, the less weight I want to tote around!  The 12 gauge is 5 lbs. 1 1/2 ounces. the short 20 gauge is some 5 lbs. 4 ounces & the long 20 is around 5 lbs. 12 ounces.

But then, the Contender .410 with 10" octagon barrel is maybe 39-40 ounces.

[topper]

Jun 29, 2015 19:41:53 GMT -5 topper said:

Jun 29, 2015 15:43:54 GMT -5 @charder said:

Wow! I take a long time to write. You had already posted the photo.   That is a good looking gun, that needs some woods time.  I have a couple of Savage 220's. Same as yours except for the top tang safety.

[topper]

Jun 29, 2015 18:35:44 GMT -5 bk said:

That is some beautiful work, topper. Thanks for sharing. 

Now that you have inspired me, after I get grandpa shot gun physically working again, I'll get to work and see what I can do to refurbish the looks of the old gun. Thanks for the details and the pictures.

Those old guns have an ambience or character(?) that is missing on the newer ones. And yours has a history as well. Basic guns from a simpler time. Your grandpa only needed a single to feed the family & maybe guard the chickens???

While now, sportsmen need a pump or auto to go sport hunting. Read something , somewhere, some guy saying he normally gets the rabbit with the THIRD shot...

What make & model is your grandpa's gun? Looking forward to some photos. Maybe some as you work on it would be real nice.  

[bk]

Thanks, topper, for the words of wisdom.  They just don't make them like that anymore.  Some special hardware, and folks sure did use them and knew how to shoot.

Grandpa's old shot gun is a Model 1897 - as best I can tell from what is left of the serial number it dates to '07.  Needs some gun smithing.  Looks like he had some issues with keeping the barrel tight and had someone do some brazing.  I'm sure function was a lot more important to him than a pristine shotgun.  I know the last deer he shot was with this old 12 gauge.  I thought it had just disappeared in the family dust when I found it in my own closet of all places - seems my dad had stashed it there once when he delivered some of my stuff from the old home place, as he thought I should have it, and he forgot to tell me about it.  What a happy surprise that discovery was.

I will document my progress.  On the gun smith quest at this time - first things first.

[papabear!]

Dear Friend, Very nicely done! Gives me inspiration for a couple I have in the safe that could use some TLC. Regards

[buckman84]

Man I really like the deer antler on the one shotgun. That was a cool idea. What did you use? A deer shed? 

[topper]

Aug 8, 2015 19:24:34 GMT -5 buckman84 said:

Man I really like the deer antler on the one shotgun. That was a cool idea. What did you use? A deer shed? 

Buckman84
Really sorry to respond so late, just found your post.

Actually it is caribou antler. A friend who is a knife maker has a goodly stockpile of handle material.

[oldcamper]

Topper,
I followed your lead, removed the pistol grip from an old 107B 12 Ga.  It sure made it look better.  I'll post a before/after picture when I figure out how.

[topper]

Sept 26, 2015 0:23:29 GMT -5 oldcamper said:

Topper,
I followed your lead, removed the pistol grip from an old 107B 12 Ga.  It sure made it look better.  I'll post a before/after picture when I figure out how.

oldcamper,

Welcome to the Swamp.

Looking forward to your photos.

They not only look better, but handle better too.

My daughter led me thru posting the original photos. On my own, posting photos is still a hit or miss thing. 

Is that a flintlock in your avitar?

[oldcamper]

Yaw.  .54 Trade Gun.  Lots of good times with that old gal.