I've got a nice pair of Winchester 1897s that belonged to my great grandfather. They're in excellent shape, except that the stocks are beginning to crack at the wrist, from the end where the stock attaches to the breech, several inches into the wrist (they're both around a hundred years old - I'd be cracking, too.) The cracks look like they're on the surface, but with the mounting bolt that the 1897s use, there's not a tremendous amount of wood below the surface.
I can apply up and down torque to the stock and make the cracks flex, so it's pretty clear to me that, left alone, they will get worse. Obviously, one way to fix the problem is to replace the stock. I considered that, but then I started thinking (and people who know me say that this is when the wheels fall off the bus.) Back when my great grandfather and grandfather were shooting these guns, they were tools, not much different from a wrench or a hammer. And back in the day, they didn't have much money, certainly not enough to buy a new stock. So, obviously, they would repair what they had.
Now, I've seen the results of some of their gun repair jobs - I have an old Smith and Wesson revolver whose disintegrating grips were wrapped with layer upon layer of friction tape. But, again, with the thinking, I started wondering what would happen if I got a long leather thong, maybe something on the order of a leather shoelace, got it wet, then wrapped the wrist of the stock very tightly. As the leather dries, it should shrink and provide support to the stock, keeping it original and with a relatively period-type repair.
It seems like it would be keeping with the spirit of how these guns were maintained and repaired, without being terribly hokey. I'd just like to get a little feedback from somebody to find out if it is actually practical.
If not, I can always buy a new stock. Oh, and if it makes any difference, I don't shoot these guns a lot, maybe a box of shells one Saturday a month, or less.
I can apply up and down torque to the stock and make the cracks flex, so it's pretty clear to me that, left alone, they will get worse. Obviously, one way to fix the problem is to replace the stock. I considered that, but then I started thinking (and people who know me say that this is when the wheels fall off the bus.) Back when my great grandfather and grandfather were shooting these guns, they were tools, not much different from a wrench or a hammer. And back in the day, they didn't have much money, certainly not enough to buy a new stock. So, obviously, they would repair what they had.
Now, I've seen the results of some of their gun repair jobs - I have an old Smith and Wesson revolver whose disintegrating grips were wrapped with layer upon layer of friction tape. But, again, with the thinking, I started wondering what would happen if I got a long leather thong, maybe something on the order of a leather shoelace, got it wet, then wrapped the wrist of the stock very tightly. As the leather dries, it should shrink and provide support to the stock, keeping it original and with a relatively period-type repair.
It seems like it would be keeping with the spirit of how these guns were maintained and repaired, without being terribly hokey. I'd just like to get a little feedback from somebody to find out if it is actually practical.
If not, I can always buy a new stock. Oh, and if it makes any difference, I don't shoot these guns a lot, maybe a box of shells one Saturday a month, or less.