Need Stock Help

[esetter - Gerry Addison]

Well, I really did it this time. Went Grouse hunting here in Ohio yesterday and my dog pointed a bird which I was lucky enough to bag with my straight grip 28 gauge Repro. Broke the gun open, set it on my shoulder to admire the bird and the gun slid off and fell to the ground. Didn't think much of it since the ground was soft and it was in thick leaves. Didn't really fall hard at all, but when I picked it up the stock was broken in half through the wrist at the end of the top trigger tang. Called Dave Wolf who has done a lot of stock work for me and is a magician when it comes to repairs and he said he could make a living repairing nothing but Parker Repros and LC Smiths. Said he had three in the shop right now with the same kind of break. He said he can repair it but after being broken they tend to break again either above or below the repair. My question is, have any of you had luck with this type of repair, or have any of you had stocks replaced and what did that cost you? I'm going to call Wenig and see what they charge. Appreciate any help, or suggestions you might have other than don't set the gun on your shoulder, I already figured that out myself.

[Big D]

O/T - Ever notice how we always stop to admire a grouse - much more than we do for a duck or pheasant?

[Bindlestiff]

I had one fix years ago and the person that did the work made it stronger than new. After he fixed the break (almost invisible) he milled a slot in the trigger guard inlet and glued in a "biscuit" with it's wood grain going 90 degrees to the grain in the stock.

[edgarspencer]

Did you ever notice that you see more broken 'high grade' stocks, than plain old working guns? The more wild the grain, the more likely it isn't gonna go fore and aft at the weaker wrist area.
A proper repair with wood like that is an inletted spline, nice straight grain and running in line with the wrist. Lucky for you, a straight stock can have a larger, longer, and stronger spline and still be completely hidden beneath the trigger guard. I am not a stock man, but some who are prefer dowelling, but it seems to me a milled slot is more easily done than deep drilling and running the risk of getting off center.

[C.O.B.]

If it's a clean break I would think a proper fix would hold it. The only gun I ever had break at the wrist is a custom 416 Taylor. The smith put a dowell through it and it has taken the recoil without a problem ever since. I'd try a proper repair first as a new custom stock will set you back several thousand dollars.

[Chuck Heald]

Gerry,
The guys on the DG site think highly of DES "The Stock Doctor".

[esetter - Gerry Addison]

I called the stockfixr and they are at least 18 months wait right now so I'm not willing to wait that long. May have to go with the new stock. I think I'm going to send it to Dave Wolf and let him look at it. If anyone has had a repro stock made let me know what it cost you and who did the work. Thanks for all the help, and Big D you are correct, I always stop, stroke, and look at a grouse. They are the king of upland birds.

[C.O.B.]

Repo or original I doubt it would make a difference. I have had a couple Parkers restocked and am currently doing a custom VH 20. The stock work was $2K+ not counting the cost of the blank.

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Gerry Addison

Called Dave Wolf who has done a lot of stock work for me and is a magician when it comes to repairs and he said he could make a living repairing nothing but Parker Repros and LC Smiths. Said he had three in the shop right now with the same kind of break. He said he can repair it but after being broken they tend to break again either above or below the repair.

I don't know Dave Wolf, but I'm sure he does fine work, especially if he has that much Parker experience. My only concern would be if he sees so many re-break at the repair, is he putting in a spline when doing the repair. I've never seen a gun break after a spline was inletted into the stock. Generally these breaks in very highly figured walnut reveal a crossgrain running as much as 45 degrees off the axis, but a spline would be stronger than the original, unbroken stock. Just my two cents.

[Rod N. Gunn]

American black walnut on a repro might be really nice... But I'm not writing the check.