Carvel, I believe you 100%, but I would have to say that your situation is in the extreme minority. I do not think many people would be able to have a stock bent up to 2" for drop without running into major issues.

Brian, the gun had so much drop it was impossible for me to shoot with any success . I wanted to get it up 2in but we could not get quite that much. As I mentioned, it had been repaired before and was pretty much useless as it was. We bent it until it cracked again, repaired it where it was which if I remember correctly was about 1/4 to 3/8 less than the target I wanted, but decided that was probably as far as it would go. So far so good. But I do think that is risky and would not want to try it on a nice stock. This gun was headed for the scrap pile so I had nothing to loose. Luckily this one turned out good but I am sure it could have just as easily have finished it for good. Carvel

Extreme bends throw the pitch off too making it hard to shoot unless cutting and building back up with a recoil pad.

Carvel and I use the same stock man. He knows his woods very well and has a good idea of what it will and will not do looking at it before he starts. Told me my VH had a good chance because it was French walnut sapwood lot of resin in the wood. Two Trojans one was light colored American walnut sapwood other darker straight American Walnut, he had his reservations about it and it bent a little less than the lighter color one.

William

Images of the jigs and technique here
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/16314697