Stock Repair

Edchef

Well-Known Member
Hi
I have been viewing published photographs of a rifle that is for sale and as they were not fantastic pictures I copied them to my computer,enlarged and enhanced them.
I notice that various marks become visible on the forend - including what appears to be a (probably) 7 or 8 mm chip in the stock next to the barrel
I was wondering how easy it is to repair this sort of damage - or might this indicate a general lack of care and i shouldn't even consider the rifle anyway?
What does the panel think!
Thanks
Ed
 
May be just an indication of good usage Ed, I have some timber stocks that show signs of use, I have a pal who takes off any timber stocks when he gets a rifle & fits a synthetic one, My Finnbear .270Win, when I found it had a great piece of wood on it, but exhibited a long gouge mark on the last four inches of barrel , a broken ejector blade, & some light dusting of rust, but it shoots better than I can!!............ see if you can shoot your prospective purchase? Steve.
 
Take a look as this dmage/marking:-

P4210072.jpg


Purely down to lack of care. I suspect these are marks from getting into and out of a tight cabinet space. The rifle shows little wear except here on the stock and the fore sight ramp:-

P4210065.jpg
.

Since acquiring the rifle I have been in a quandry about stripping the finish and steaming out the dents and compression marks and lessening the scratches and had yet to make up my mind about it.

Now to your prospective purchase. The chips can be mended several ways depending on how invisible you want it to be. A skilled craftsman could splice a small piece of wood in almost un-noticeable to the eye or it could be filled stained an finished to match.

If it's only the fore stock I wonder if the rifle has been used from a rest a lot. I have one rifle that shows where it had been rested in a particular way probably in a stand while waiting for the quarry to show itself. I stock re-finish helped make it almost un-noticeable.

I would be looking carefully at the condition and wear showing on the bolt and bolt face the magazine follower and of course bore and especially the crown. Look carefully for throat erosion and then make the call as to buy or not..

Most of all have fun looking.
 
Thanks both - all points noted. I will probably have to give it a miss because it's some distance from home and there is no chance of going to have a look (it's actually for sale on this forum) Shame!
Ah well - off to start another " How to buy a second hand rifle" thread!
Cheers
Ed
 
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