Rook Rifle: 300 rook / 32 short or long colt; need stock made ???

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Willy Tincup

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Ssooo; I recently acquired an English [Cogswell and Harrison] rook rifle in 300 rook. The nice thing about that is that it will shoot the .32 short or long colt. Has a nice bore and the action appears to work fine. It is a side lever [pushes to the right] to #### the internal hammer and break it open. Believe it was made prior to 1880 and has both the Strand and Bond St addy's stamped on top of the flattened top of the round barrel....So far so good.
Now the bad news. This neat old rifle has no wood.....none, and no sights although the shallow dovetails are on the barrel for both a front and a rear. Getting sights for it isn't a big deal. Not quite the same story for the wood: 2 piece wood at that.
I'n not sure if it originally wore a straight stocked butt or a pistol grip style. I prefer the straight stocked ones but the lower tang is shaped for a pistol grip stock but I 'think' it has been bent into that shape and is not original.....but not positive.

So, now what are my realistic choices in regards to life support for this ole gal? I have to think that finding any original wood for it is unrealistic.
1-Have some one make up a butt stock and fore arm for it. My first choice if affordable. Has both a top and bottom tang to be fitted.
2-Sell it to someone who has the talent to rebuild it.
3-Sell it for parts
4-Do nothing and let it collect dust. Don' t like that idea.

Any retired wood workers and or stockmakers who might be interested in the challenge?
Ideas and constructive comments are welcome.
Cheers and Merry Christmas to all.........................wTc
 
If you are the same person who PM'd me about this old rifle a few days back, then you might just be in luck. Cogswell & Harrison are still in business - very much so and are quite capable of making you the correct woodwork for this old piece. Be advised that is will most definitely NOT be cheap - nothing made by Her Majesty's gunmakers would be. Note that the link I sent you has a good image of the gun as sold at Holt's auction back in September. That lovely old piece went for just over $5500.

My pal's H&H has a similar stock - if you want me to get photos of it to copy in Canada then that is an easy thing for me to do. I can email them to you with dimensions, too.

tac
 
why not try restocking it yourself. With the curved tang, maybe make up a cardboard template to transfer the approximate shape on to the wood you intend to use. Walnut is nice to work with and a plain piece of North American walnut should not be that expensive. If the lower tang can be removed, do that while inletting the upper tang. The cost of a professional making a stock for you is considerable. One last suggestion; when you come to drill the tang screw, if you have a drill press put a point such as a center punch directly under the drill then support the bottom of the stock with that point in a small hole where you want the drill to emerge. Drill 1/2 way and flip over and finish

cheers mooncoon
 
One last suggestion; when you come to drill the tang screw, if you have a drill press put a point such as a center punch directly under the drill then support the bottom of the stock with that point in a small hole where you want the drill to emerge. Drill 1/2 way and flip over and finish

cheers mooncoon[/QUOTE]

That is one handy little trick that had never occurred to me to do.Thanks mooncoon.
 
The question re the style of grip may rest with the trigger guard.
A straight grip style would normally have a long tang, probably about 6 inches long and somewhat pointed at the end
A pistol grip guard would be shorter, and might even be square on the end if it ended at the grip cap (assuming it had a grip cap).
Sounds like a neat piece
 
The lower tang is only about 3" long and rounded on the end so you [Oldstarfire] think that indicates a pistol grip style stock. Is that correct?
I have taken Tacs advise and contacted C&H in England. They are closed for the Holiday season but will reply in early January.
If I can't find someone to whittle one or get something via C&G [not real optimistic about that] then I'll probably buy an old .22 1 piece stock and try my hand at making 1 as Mooncoon has suggested. It won't be gorgeous but it might get us up and running; if only on a temporary basis.
The metal work is very plain and basic so I'm pretty sure this wasn't a top of the line rifle back in its prime..........but I'd still like to get it back barking.
 
Get in touch with Nick Mackinson ( he has a website ) if you don't have any luck with Cogswell's. It's very unlikely you'll find a replacement stock, you'll need to get one made up from scratch.
 
Willy Tincup said:
or get something via C&G [not real optimistic about that] then I'll probably buy an old .22 1 piece stock and try my hand at making 1 as Mooncoon has suggested. It won't be gorgeous but it might get us up and running; if only on a temporary basis.
Click to expand...

I think you will find that the cost of having a stock made by C & H would be prohibitive not to mention the cost of shipping the gun there and back. You may additionally be required to submit the gun for proof testing if the current proof is long out of date. Locally, the Windsor Plywood store sells various hardwoods and the only drawback with them is that most or all of their wood is dressed 2 sides and is only about 1 3/4" thick and too thin for most stocks. We also have a couple of hardwood wholesalers on the island and 2" rough cut walnut is around $10 or $12 per board foot and you have to but the whole plank meaning that a 2 x 10" plank 10' long would be around $100 and probably more. On the other hand you may get tempted to restock more guns into the future.

cheers mooncoon
 
The rifle in question is the C&H 'Certus', which has an odd top-lever like a shotgun-style action that swivels to the right, allowing the breech-block to rotate and the round loaded. It has a two piece stock, just like a conventional shotgun. The top action tang has the safety located on it and the action likely has a botton tang that acts as another location for the butt-piece.

Do a search for it - one was sold by Holts Auction Houses recently. See - http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/cogswell-harrison-a-.300-rook-the-certus-si-940-c-97a450d8f8

tac
 
Tac:
The rifle shown in the auction house photo is a much higher grade rifle than the one I have. Mine has no engraving and the operating leaver is quite a bit different.........Serial # is just over 21,000. I'm hoping to get some pictures posted soon.
 
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