Another question about my Trojan

[Phil Yearout]

When I pulled the buttplate I saw the end of a dowel, 1/2" or so. Is this typical, or has someone added weight, etc? I suppose I'll never know unless I drill it out? Thanks...

[Bruce Day]

The Parker Story ( TPS) has an explanation of the strengthening rod or dowel. May I suggest that you not drill it out.

[Phil Yearout]

Thanks Bruce; I wouldn't have anyway. Just wondered about it.

[Dave Suponski]

Phil, This is very interesting. I have never heard of a Trojan grade gun with the strengthening rod. Is there a patent date stamped near the pistol grip?

[Phil Yearout]

Dave, where would I find such a date? I have not pulled the stock; only the butt plate.

[Dean Romig]

The date stamp Dave is referring to would be on the underside of the stock immediately behind the flat of the pistol grip. It is a rarely seen stamp even on Parkers known to have the hickory reinforcing rod. Some were likely removed in the course of refinishing a stock but some that have never been refinished do not display the stamp.

[Greg Baehman]

The dowel could also be a plug to fill in a screw hole of a previously installed butt plate.

[Phil Yearout]

The dowel could also be a plug to fill in a screw hole of a previously installed butt plate.

Not unless the plate was held on with one great big screw smack dab in the middle :)! The stock has most certainly been refinished; I will look closer tonight but I'm pretty sure there is no evidence of a date stamp anywhere.

[Phil Yearout]

Nope; no dates to be found.

[Dave Suponski]

Phil, Is it possible to post a picture of the butt end of the stock so that we can see the plug?

[Phil Yearout]

Here ya go. The gun had a Redhead pad on it when I got it. The pad was still supple and I liked the look, so I ground the original spacer off the pad and put the orginal rubber on a 1/2" spacer to gain some LOP. I didn't even notice the dowell end until recently.


http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w109/prairieschooner/Temps/002.jpg

[Dean Romig]

That appears to be too high in the stock to have been for the reinforcing hickory rod. The ones I have seen which are known to have the reinforcing rod were closer to the toe - in other words, low enough in the stock to allow the angle of the rod to pass through the wrist and into the stock head.

[calvin humburg]

Looking at it with my cross eyes lookes like it could pass through the wrist and the stock head???

[Phil Yearout]

So, any other opinions on my mystery dowell? I don't suppose it matters much one way or the other, as I expect I'll just leave it alone, but I'm curious as to what you all think it may be. Thanks...

[Dave Suponski]

Phil, My only other thought would be that someone hollowed the stock to add some weight in the butt and then inserted a wood plug to fill the void.

[Dean Romig]

I agree with Mr. Daze


(Hmmm... five words... not too bad.)

[Richard Flanders]

Whatever it's there for it doesn't look like a factory job. It could be a home job. It looks like it would go into the wrist but not at the correct angle to do the most good. It would still work to some degree but is not ideal.

[Dean Romig]

The color of that plug looks a lot like the color of cured wood filler. In any case, my vote is that the stock was bored and weight was added and plugged or filled in.

[chris dawe]

I agree ....

[calvin humburg]

Couldn't you check serial number see what it weighs or is that in the letter? Then weigh it now and see if any diff. (that spelling of weigh dosen't look right spellcheck still sleepin)

[Dean Romig]

Looks good to me Calvin.

There are few records of the weights of Trojans. Trojans were made to a standard with regard to gauge and barrel length and variances in weight within a particular gauge and barrel length could be + or - a couple of ounces of the standard.

[Phil Yearout]

It is most definitely a dowel and not wood filler. The tolerance around the dowel is VERY close; whoever did it and whatever the reason, they didn't mess around! I did a bit of cursory prying, but it ain't coming out unless I drill it out, which I'm not prepared to do.

This old girl has been around the block a time or two; I'm not sure you'd get much accuracy asking for a letter and comparing "then and now" weights. She weighs 6lbs 9oz, which doesn't seem bad for a 16ga Trojan; can't imagine anybody adding weight, but I suppose it could have happened. Also I don't expect the Redhead pad is original?

As much as I'd like to know the story, I may just have to add it to my ever-increasing list of life's little mysteries.

[John Dallas]

How about a quick trip to the local X-Ray shop?

[Phil Yearout]

Yeah; I was thinking about that. I wonder who would do it cheap?

[calvin humburg]

Come to Ness might be able to talk my Doc into it.:)

[Phil Yearout]

Well, here's an old thread but (hopefully) a goody: on Tuesday I take my Trojan in to my dentist who has agreed to help me get the stock x-rayed. He's a shooter as well; he's shown me photos of two SKB sxs's that he's restocked; really nice work. So he said bring it in and he'll see what he can get, and if he's not successful we'll walk it down to the x-ray department at the clinic and he'll see if he can pull a string or two. Hopefilly I'm gonna get to see what's inside that stock!

My hygenist said he x-rayed her Christmas present for her one year, but then he wouldn't tell her what was in the box. It was gold earrings she said.

[Gary Rennles]

how about a metal detector to find out if it has been filled?

[allen newell]

Is there a screw hole in the end of the dowel? If so, there might have been recoil pad on it in the past.

[Linn Matthews]

Having spend years in the carbon fiber composite business I couldn't help but wonder if any one had ever used a carbon rod or tube to strengthen a stock. Light weight, lots of strength!

Linn

[Phil Yearout]

Well, not much was learned. It's a wood dowel all right, but it only goes into the stock about 3". Nothing else in there (weight, old hunting license, $100 bill...). The only thing I can think is that somebody drilled it out (or started to) and then decided they didn't want the hole in the stock,so they filled it. Could have been the same person or a later owner. I can't imagine that the hole or 3" of 1/2" dowel would make much difference weight-wise; maybe they thought it was a strength issue.

So, another mystery NOT solved, but at least I know what it is.