Stock bending

[Breck Gorman]

Mike Orlen bent a Smith for me many years ago. Brought the drop at comb up 3/4” and it stayed. Most won’t attempt an LC Smith, because they crack, or are already cracked.
Danny Patton (retired, shoots on the Parker team at the Southerm most years) bent an unshootable 3” drop at comb Greener hammer gun for me. He brought the drop at comb up an incredible 1 1/2”. It was straight stocked English walnut.
Thin shell English bends easier than American black walnut. Straight stocks bend easier than pistol grips. But wood is unpredictable and you are rolling the dice, because any can crack when bending.
Mike Orlen uses leather straps to pull the heated wood. He has done so many that he can feel the tension on the straps, and knows when to stop.

[Wild Skies]

I, too; have had Mike Orlen bend the stocks on two guns. The first was a American black walnut stocked 1913 Fox Sterlingworth w/a PG that had 2 3/4" of drop. I asked Mike to bend it up as much as he felt comfortable, it was returned having 2 3/8" of drop. It stayed until I decided to turn the gun it into a full-custom Fox a couple of years later. The second was an English walnut straight gripper that was bent down ~ 1/8" and ~ 1/8" more cast off added. It has stayed. Neither gun showed any signs of having been bent.

Incidently, both guns were shipped via UPS, WI to MA and back. Both guns were shipped at separate times and both were delivered back to me the eighth day after being sent out - and that included weekend days. If I should need bending in the future, Orlen will get the job.

[edgarspencer]

Mike is terrible about answering his phone, and worse returning messages. That said, if you call right around 8AM, you might get lucky.
I took a set of barrels up to him a couple weeks ago to "Grind Out Metal", as greg would say. I went into town, had a cup of coffee, and picked them back up an hour later. Unfortunately he 'ground out' a wee bit more than I asked in the right barrel. Another set he did for me was within 5 tenths of what I asked for.
His last price list/service sheet is over 4 years old, and I know he no longer does some of the things on his list.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

Mike is terrible about answering his phone, and worse returning messages. That said, if you call right around 8AM, you might get lucky.
I took a set of barrels up to him a couple weeks ago to "Grind Out Metal", as greg would say. I went into town, had a cup of coffee, and picked them back up an hour later. Unfortunately he 'ground out' a wee bit more than I asked in the right barrel. Another set he did for me was within 5 tenths of what I asked for.
His last price list/service sheet is over 4 years old, and I know he no longer does some of the things on his list.

We've had him thread for chone tubes and bend stocks and ninety percent of the time its been what i thought was quick .

[Craig Budgeon]

I think I would seek the advice of David Trevallion before I committed to having the work completed.