It could also be the result of excessive oil over the life of the gun causing the wood to become oil soaked and soft or punky allowing both the stock to work back from the frame and the lock plates to work to the rear into the softened wood.
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__________________
"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."
George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
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