Hello,
Would/could you live with a beautiful original 39A rifle stock that was about 1/8" low/short in the pistol grip area, where it meets the top/bottom tangs of the receiver? [it was over-sanded, but there is NO gap at the front, where it meets the body of the receiver. This just makes the metal stand 'proud'.]
Or would you spend over $400 on new stocks to make the wood edges meet the edges of the metal tang in that area, for a rifle you use once or twice a year [but said rifle would also be the last rifle you would ever sell or give up]?
Here is the situation:
I have a 1954 39A.
I didn't like the dingy, dinged-up buttstock, with some bad scratches and odd finish characteristics.
I took the time to remove it, remove finish, sand it down [lightly, I thought] and then put a couple of layers of Tru-Glo on it.
It came out very nice- and I didn't realize the stock had such good coloring in it. Sorry, no pics.
However, I now find myself with a beautiful stock on the rifle, and the pistol grip area is now about 1/8-3/16 shorter than the tangs on the receiver.
There is nothing I can do to build up wood there, and the wood does look good.
What I am wondering is everyone else's opinion: Should I just leave it alone [it looks beautiful and has no cracks] or should I try to track down a replacement stock and start over?
IF I go the replacement stock route, I expect it will cost me a few hundred dollars to get a stock with as good of wood grain/figuring.
As I said, I love this 39a, and it would be the last .22lr rifle I would own. If I could only keep one .22 rifle, this would be it [bye bye 5 little friends- nice to know you].
If I could only keep ONE rifle, I would probably keep this over anything else [in California here- who KNOWS what stupidity I will face], although I'd really hope to keep a centerfire rifle [can't decide on that one yet- probably M1 Garand] AND a rimfire rifle [No question- Marlin 39A].
In addition, I use rifles about 2 times a year- due to work, range distance, and my preference for handguns. I have over a dozen rifles, so I get this one out once every two years or so.
In other words, it would be more of a safe queen that I love and wouldn't kick off her throne, rather than something I use on a daily basis.
I will attempt to get some pictures on Friday afternoon, before my Granddaughter gets home and I have to put everything away.
But trust me, the wood pattern looks great. The following picture shows something like the quality of my stock, but it isn't quite as good looking and it isn't my stock:
Would/could you live with a beautiful original 39A rifle stock that was about 1/8" low/short in the pistol grip area, where it meets the top/bottom tangs of the receiver? [it was over-sanded, but there is NO gap at the front, where it meets the body of the receiver. This just makes the metal stand 'proud'.]
Or would you spend over $400 on new stocks to make the wood edges meet the edges of the metal tang in that area, for a rifle you use once or twice a year [but said rifle would also be the last rifle you would ever sell or give up]?
Here is the situation:
I have a 1954 39A.
I didn't like the dingy, dinged-up buttstock, with some bad scratches and odd finish characteristics.
I took the time to remove it, remove finish, sand it down [lightly, I thought] and then put a couple of layers of Tru-Glo on it.
It came out very nice- and I didn't realize the stock had such good coloring in it. Sorry, no pics.
However, I now find myself with a beautiful stock on the rifle, and the pistol grip area is now about 1/8-3/16 shorter than the tangs on the receiver.
There is nothing I can do to build up wood there, and the wood does look good.
What I am wondering is everyone else's opinion: Should I just leave it alone [it looks beautiful and has no cracks] or should I try to track down a replacement stock and start over?
IF I go the replacement stock route, I expect it will cost me a few hundred dollars to get a stock with as good of wood grain/figuring.
As I said, I love this 39a, and it would be the last .22lr rifle I would own. If I could only keep one .22 rifle, this would be it [bye bye 5 little friends- nice to know you].
If I could only keep ONE rifle, I would probably keep this over anything else [in California here- who KNOWS what stupidity I will face], although I'd really hope to keep a centerfire rifle [can't decide on that one yet- probably M1 Garand] AND a rimfire rifle [No question- Marlin 39A].
In addition, I use rifles about 2 times a year- due to work, range distance, and my preference for handguns. I have over a dozen rifles, so I get this one out once every two years or so.
In other words, it would be more of a safe queen that I love and wouldn't kick off her throne, rather than something I use on a daily basis.
I will attempt to get some pictures on Friday afternoon, before my Granddaughter gets home and I have to put everything away.
But trust me, the wood pattern looks great. The following picture shows something like the quality of my stock, but it isn't quite as good looking and it isn't my stock:
