Recomendations for stock repair
 

I picked up a nice 16ga Trojan about 20 years ago, stuck it in the closet and never looked at it again. A shame I know, but such is life sometimes. Well recently I took it back out and looked it over. Seems it wasn't as clean as I remembered it being and needed some attention. Screws all out of time, safety not working and so on. I fixed all the screws and the safety but I came across something I don't recall at all. The lower tang screws that goes from the underside up into the top tang was way off, and seems the wood is the issue. The metal tightens up on the wood, but only when the screw is tightened down so far the end of it pokes out the top tang about an 1/8th of an inch. When the screw is set correctly, the wood is very loose on the metal. Doesn't appear to be a restock but it does look like someone hogged out the inside of the inletting for some reason. No oil soak or crush, everything was just opened up, no idea why though. Anyway back to my question, should I just glass in the whole action or glass in a few scrap of wood in the loose spots and then refit the action to the wood?? It doesn't have much left in the way of original condition or finish as far as blue or case color but the wood is in great shape other than being loose. I'd like to keep it for a safe and fun shooter, I know it won't ever be much more than that. Just looking for opinions. Thanks. Jim

You would not know exactly what is going on in there until you open it up and check it out. Stock could not be original. Could be cracking in the head. Screws could have been replaced from another gun. Etc...

I had it open last night, no cracking that I saw anywhere. I know there's not a lot right with it as I was able to remove the wood without removing the sears. Just seems odd to me that someone would've restocked and done a perfect wood to metal fit on the outside and such shoddy work on the inside. But then again, hogging out the inletting inside for no apparent reason is just as odd I suppose. And yes the screws could have been swapped out, I know the bow screw isn't original but all the rest were able to be installed and timed correctly. Even still though without that lower tang screw in it should still be somewhat tight to the wood with all the other screws in, or so I would think, and it's not. Either way, just looking to make it shootable, it's current condition it is not. A few rounds in I'm sure I'd have a broken mess on my hands as loose as everything is. I don't have a lot in it, but the cost to restock or trying to find a takeoff 1 frame 16 wood doesn't seem cost efficient. I figured use what I have and put in some glass or some scraps of wood to take up the slack and make it shootable again.

Wood shrinkage due to dry conditions isn't unusual and could be part of the cause of the loose fit of the tangs.

Jim
You sound like your pretty handy. Why not just fix it to the best of your ability, and let us know what you did and how it came out.
Good luck, Tom

i think tom gave some good advise...i know that is what i would do...charlie

Glassing the action should be a piece of cake. Just remember to use a liberal amount of molders clay to fill any areas you don't want the glass to flow into and use a good release agent. I have had good luck with Johnsons paste wax and Scotch package tape (the slick stuff) on flat surfaces.

I am handy yes, but an expert I am not. I know enough to be dangerous, but I am also smart enough to know when to stop before I go farther than I can go back and not do unfixable damage. Just looking for opinions on the best way to set myself up. I guess at this point I'll get everything laid out and if I feel I'm going to need to much glass to take up the slack, I'll slide in some wood scraps and go from there. Thanks for the opinions guys, I'll let you know how I make out. Jim

I have seen stocks hogged out when a miller single trigger was fitted buy some one who didn't know what they were doing

That was likely Miller who did that crude work. They were known for that at times.