So I FINALLY (after 10 years of looking) picked up a decent 1886 Lebel. It has a few issues, but these are so rare in non-relic condition (see the one at P&S for an example of what I mean) that it's worth fixing the few issues it has. It's all matching apart from the bolt.
Some of the issues:
1) Someone at one time covered the entire rifle (even the metal) in thick varnish.
2) There was some battle damage to the wood and someone filled it with 1950's era wood putty.
3) The rear trigger guard screw is broken - I'll have to make a new M6x1.0 screw for it.
4) The fore stock through-pin is missing - need to make a replacement.
Starting with the buttstock.
Here is the stock after I started stripping off the old cracked varnish.
Examples of the horrendously ugly wood filler. Bubba added that before he varnished his wall hanger.
Here we see the wood filler after being removed from the damaged areas of the stock. Basically you dribble acetone onto it to make it a little bit malleable again and work it out painstakingly with dental picks. The pics make these gouges look deceptively shallow. The one at the through bolt is over 1cm deep and appears to be an old shrapnel gouge.
I'm repairing the worst areas in the french armorer manner and leaving the minor damage for character. There are other original repairs on the wood so this will not look inappropriate. Anyone who has collected WW1 era French arms knows the French armorers were MASTERS of the stock patch and kept gun furniture going forever. I had a Berthier with 32 stock repairs once!
Re-assembled the cross-bolt, peened it according to the French Armorer's instructions, and one coat of linseed oil.
Glue is 2 part epoxy mixed with walnut sanding dust.
More to follow
Some of the issues:
1) Someone at one time covered the entire rifle (even the metal) in thick varnish.
2) There was some battle damage to the wood and someone filled it with 1950's era wood putty.
3) The rear trigger guard screw is broken - I'll have to make a new M6x1.0 screw for it.
4) The fore stock through-pin is missing - need to make a replacement.
Starting with the buttstock.
Here is the stock after I started stripping off the old cracked varnish.
Examples of the horrendously ugly wood filler. Bubba added that before he varnished his wall hanger.
Here we see the wood filler after being removed from the damaged areas of the stock. Basically you dribble acetone onto it to make it a little bit malleable again and work it out painstakingly with dental picks. The pics make these gouges look deceptively shallow. The one at the through bolt is over 1cm deep and appears to be an old shrapnel gouge.
I'm repairing the worst areas in the french armorer manner and leaving the minor damage for character. There are other original repairs on the wood so this will not look inappropriate. Anyone who has collected WW1 era French arms knows the French armorers were MASTERS of the stock patch and kept gun furniture going forever. I had a Berthier with 32 stock repairs once!
Re-assembled the cross-bolt, peened it according to the French Armorer's instructions, and one coat of linseed oil.
Glue is 2 part epoxy mixed with walnut sanding dust.
More to follow
