Starting a thread, picking up where this one left off.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=9680.0Thanks for the input on this. I did set up the stock on a board as suggested, using shims to level the pieces. I used a two part epoxy and got a good, clean joint (nothing on the surface). I wasn’t happy that it wasn’t invisible, but then realized that at least 70 years of movement probably left the surfaces a little worn.
I returned the rifle to my step father. I printed out the thread that this rifle started, and he really enjoyed reading it. Thanks again for that. There are two outstanding issues, neither pressing.
The lock will not reliably hold full cock in the stock, though it does out of the stock. I suspect a sliver of wood interfering with the sear, or possibly some other part. I am not concerned. It is probably best left as is, at least for the time being.
The other is that there is no obvious finish on the stock. I considered putting on some sort of oil to protect the wood. There are small amounts of white material in some of the open pores. At some point it seems someone tried some kind of metal polish on the fittings. I tried using a very fine dental pick and managed to remove some without any damage to the wood. I got perhaps 20 or 30 over a couple days. That way madness lies.
Does anyone have a suggestion for removing that stuff from the pores? I was toying with the idea of rubber cement. Paint it on, then rub it off. If the cement penetrated into the white stuff, could it lift it out? Have to test it in an unseen area to see if hurts the wood. The area around the lock and wrist had natural and lock oils which seemed to keep the stuff out of the pores in that area.
Should I even try to get the white stuff out? If I should get the white stuff out, should I put some sort of oil on the stock? Or just leave everything as is?
