Olds/s shotgun in need of TLC

375 mag

Well-Known Member
An old W Leech 28bore side by side shotgun has come into my possession the problem is it has a snapped stock and badly pitted barrels my question to all you gunsmiths out there is

A) is it worth repairing ?

B) How much is it going to cost me ?

Snapped stock - needs glueing re checkering and finishing
Barrels badly pitted - polishing out or re lining - or leaving
Needs a service
Needs new spring on top lever

Any ideas or should i just get rid of it
 
An old W Leech 28bore side by side shotgun has come into my possession the problem is it has a snapped stock and badly pitted barrels my question to all you gunsmiths out there is

A) is it worth repairing ?

B) How much is it going to cost me ?

Snapped stock - needs glueing re checkering and finishing
Barrels badly pitted - polishing out or re lining - or leaving
Needs a service
Needs new spring on top lever

Any ideas or should i just get rid of it

Service, not difficult/expensive
Broken stock - gluing MAY be an option - how bad is the break? What profile are the edges, etc.
Spring - not difficult
Barrels - how bad are they? It may be dependant on where the pitting is & IF the gun still patterns ok.

A few photos would be a good help in gauging condition

Get rid?? Swap you for a novelty cuckoo clock & a sack of French porn
 
Hi saddler the stocks snapped clean in half across the narrowest point the trigger guard screw is holding it together at the minute with some black tape it fires and cycles ok safety works etc its just never being cleaned for years i was on for 4 hours cleaning the outside before i could find the makers name and serial number the minimum it requires is the stock gluing or replacing
 
Service, not difficult/expensive
Broken stock - gluing MAY be an option - how bad is the break? What profile are the edges, etc.
Spring - not difficult
Barrels - how bad are they? It may be dependant on where the pitting is & IF the gun still patterns ok.

A few photos would be a good help in gauging condition

Get rid?? Swap you for a novelty cuckoo clock & a sack of French porn

And of course, what sort of end result do you want? Something usable or something restored to its original condition?

Knots
 
First thing something safe and usable hence the stock repair being the minimum, but if the cost was not to excessive i may consider a full overhaul
If the barrels are no good whats it cost to have them relined im not made of money it may just get scapped if the repairs are going to cost to much
 
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Is that Leech of Chelmsford ?
The shop is still around and trading, and may be interested.

Neil. :)
 
Pinning the stock right though the centre of the grip will sort the strength of the repair but the finish of be joins is dependant on how much material has been damaged or lost when broken and taped up.

costs depends who does the work often.

 
if you send it to l&son essex, the feller who will prob do you stock is, Brian Farr (or i would request he did) brian is the game keeper and shot gun repairer, who's an rfd on foulness island essex MOD ranges , i'v never found anyone better . he repairs lots of big name gundealers shotguns this way,and most shooters get him to fix and service there own sg's he's done some of mine since i was 20yrs old he alsoworks on air rifles, none better with wood damage he also is a very old school chap so won't pull ya pants down on price. he was a member of the uk DTL team an all round nice feller. if you need a direct number please pm me. cut the middle man out! he may turn it away but you will need to talk to him on state of s/g and how far you intend to go with it.
atb
:tiphat:
 
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Not cheap to stock any gun now. A minimum of £ 650 plus the timber and that's at fairly out of date rates too!

A re-bore may also a) put the gun out of proof and b) reduce the barrel wall thickness such that they then become vulnerable to dents!

Cheapest repair on the stock is probably to drill it through the hand and screw (back from the head of the stock like a stock bolt on a rifle) in an epoxied and threaded 1/2" or larger rod down the hole you have made. Then drill down to allow the pins from the action tang etc to pas through the rod.

That the gun is a 28 bore is at least in you favour there as lighter stress and strain when repaired. As you have said as it already fires with tape and doesn't fall in half that maybe the quickest and cheapest "fix".

Just get it done by someone who knows hw to do that PROPERLY!

That the barrels are pitted won't affect its everday use. Just a little extra cleaning as modern cartridges can't really leave anything corrosive in the existing pits IF CLEANED WELL AFTER USE.

I'd be more concerned about raising any dents that it may have in fact and would certainly address that matter.

Unless it has STRONG sentimental value the fact is it costs as much to repair a Leech as it does a Purdey and you may not be putting as much cash into it as it actually is worth.

But again in its favour is that 28 bore side-by-side guns are quite sought after. I'd advise a candid and honest appraisal from a gunsmith who can tell you a) what it will cost and b) what is is CURRENTLY and what it WILL THEN BE worth.

If it is just to realise cash value you maybe better selling it as is at one of the main auction houses as it may appeal to a gunsmith who will, as doing it is his own time, not be as deterred by the cost to "put right" any faults.
 
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If you want PM me all the details of the gun, I'm in the shop fairly regularly and will ask what records they have, and if they still have any bits and pieces that may help.

Neil. :)
 
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