Stock refinishing~found 2 surprises

[.22LRGUY]

Hey guys~got in an 870 buttstock on a trade, and took it because of the beautiful wood. I have next to nothing invested except time, but found a couple of surprises while stripping the old finish off. First was a sort of crappy repair: note large chunk clued back on~guessing an over-driven/oversized recoil pad screw. (based on location) As I'm nearing the point where the recoil pad needs to be fitted~I discovered (what I think is) a poorly set-up, stock shortening cut. The cut itself is clean/straight...but note the angle in the first, poor-quality photo. I think I know the answer to this, but did they ever come from the factory this way? Looking at the stock laying flat on my bench, it sits so flat/level that I think you'd need to have your table saw blade on an angle to achieve this~which would seem pretty odd. I get the sense this was deliberate, as I've seen lots of stock-shortening jobs gone-wrong.

Anyhow, just second-guessing myself..I plan on making it square unless (for some strange, compelling reason) stocks were made like this by Remington decades ago.

NOTE: stock appears to be from a large frame, 20ga. Wingmaster

I think this wood is worth the effort.

 

[billdick]

It might be that way because it has a cant in it to fit a certain shooter. I have a gevarm rifle with a canted stock from factory.

 

[tigrr]

If it was fitted to a shooter there is no end of things that could have been done.

 

[BCRider]

You're spot on with one observation, namely that a nice bit of wood like that is well worth the effort.

Check with your square on the other side. But this time lay the whole stock on a flat table and offer the outside angle of the square up to the cut. If it was a Bubba job then Bubba may well have just laid the stock on a table saw with the one side laying flat on the table and run it through. If the other side is not a 90 to the way it lays on a table then I'd vote for the cant angle alteration suggested above. And even if it is a 90 it may still be some cant to sit on the owner's shoulder with a better fit.

If the first picture is of the heel of the stock then the angle to me sort of suggests that it was a leftie that had the work done. If it's the top of the butt end then a rightie. But I'm the first to admit that I know little about how to adjust a shotgun stock for the right cant.

 

[Robert Nicholson]

Great wood! I would want to do what it takes to fix that stock.

 

[b72471]

I wouldn't square it up untill I had something to fit it to. There may be a reason for the angle. The grain is very nice.

 

[BigUglyMan]

That's not a horrendous repair and, as far as I'm concerned, the juice is worth the squeeze.

 

[.22LRGUY]

Thanks for the input guys~greatly appreciated.

You're spot on with one observation, namely that a nice bit of wood like that is well worth the effort.

Check with your square on the other side. But this time lay the whole stock on a flat table and offer the outside angle of the square up to the cut. If it was a Bubba job then Bubba may well have just laid the stock on a table saw with the one side laying flat on the table and run it through. If the other side is not a 90 to the way it lays on a table then I'd vote for the cant angle alteration suggested above. And even if it is a 90 it may still be some cant to sit on the owner's shoulder with a better fit.

If the first picture is of the heel of the stock then the angle to me sort of suggests that it was a leftie that had the work done. If it's the top of the butt end then a rightie. But I'm the first to admit that I know little about how to adjust a shotgun stock for the right cant.

That first photo is of the heel, which would have suggested (to me) that it would be better suited to a right-handed shooter but then...I've never had a shotgun "fitted" to me either. The angle seems too pronounced, and too well executed to me...I'm guessing it was deliberate. As for the square~I realize that would give a skewed perception of it since the stock thickness varies from 1.625" at butt end...to approx 1.375" where it meets the receiver. So, the angle will look a little exaggerated with a square on only one side.

Maybe I should fit it to the 870P before I go any further!

The recoil pad is one off an old Wingmaster, but slightly oversized where it matters. Will be easy to fit, I just need to decide if I'm going to "correct" this cut and make it square.

I wouldn't square it up untill I had something to fit it to. There may be a reason for the angle. The grain is very nice.

^agreed!

 

[wbaad]

Wow beautiful grain! Never seen wood like that on a remmy

 

[1-trident-1]

Thanks for the input guys~greatly appreciated.



That first photo is of the heel, which would have suggested (to me) that it would be better suited to a right-handed shooter but then...I've never had a shotgun "fitted" to me either. The angle seems too pronounced, and too well executed to me...I'm guessing it was deliberate. As for the square~I realize that would give a skewed perception of it since the stock thickness varies from 1.625" at butt end...to approx 1.375" where it meets the receiver. So, the angle will look a little exaggerated with a square on only one side.

Maybe I should fit it to the 870P before I go any further!

The recoil pad is one off an old Wingmaster, but slightly oversized where it matters. Will be easy to fit, I just need to decide if I'm going to "correct" this cut and make it square.



^agreed!

if you cut you can't put it back, put it together and see how it fits, otherwise you may be the buba. too nice wood to mess with it.