reworking a pre-carved

[Tommy Bruce]

I won't go into the details of how I ended up with it but I have a pre-carved "Transitional Kentucky" stock and components set that I picked up during some horse trading.   The stepped wrist area looks a bit funky and the butt plate is just wrong for this type of rifle.  I have a better butt plate (the one track uses on the edward Marshall rifle) and was thinking of using it and taking some of the step out of the wrist.  Any of you guys ever dealt with this stock before or have any suggestions??

[northmn]

About the main issue in modification of precarves such as for changing the buttplate curve is to make sure you have the thing squared up if using a band saw.  Rasping goes a ways in any modifications also.  Without seeing the stock I hesitate to add more.

DP

[Tommy Bruce]

www.longrifles-pr.com/transkentucky.shtml

Here is a link to the components set.  I'll get some pictures this weekend and see if I can get them posted.  The more I look at it I think changing the butt plate would do a world of improvement.

[Ed Wenger]

I don't see any problem at all with using another butt piece.  I know a lot of folks feel that your choices or options are limited with a pre-carved and to a degree, I'd say that's true.  You're not going to turn a Bucks Co. pre-carve into a Lancaster school rifle.  However, I also think that with some good planning and fore thought, you can do a ton with pre-carves.  Round a toe, drop the comb, change the curve of the wrist, add a step, etc... 

Personally, I think the wrist area looks a little steep in the pre-carve you linked.  I'd play around with dropping the comb (as long as it doesn't get too low...), looking at the angle of the butt piece, which should let you change the wrist/step area, if that's what you're looking for.  I see some potential there for some good "Kit Bashing"...

           Ed

[Stophel]

One of the most worrisome things you can do is try to rework someone else's idea of a stock....

I would not try to "de-step" the wrist.  You would end up with a wrist that is too skinny and tapered.  That big banana lock necessitates a wrist with a lot of drop. You're pretty much stuck with that wrist shape for the most part.

I WOULD, however, "de-hump" the wrist.  It's very humpy looking around the breech tang.  It can be taken down and made much better looking.

That thing is shown with that hideous "Bivins" buttplate.  You MUST NOT use it...or I will come to your house and harangue you incessantly about it.  The buttplate is not inlet already is it?  No matter, it must go.  Besides, if it is inlet at the advertised 15" pull length, you can hack off about an inch and a half of butt...

 

[northmn]

If you have 15 inches of pull like mentioned then you have plenty of room to change buttplates.  Other issues depend up how much wood is left in the wrist area in the precarved. 

DP

[smshea]

Could just be my eyes, but it looks as though the butt plate in the parts set is not the one on the finished gun. Hard to tell from the black and white picture but that one doest look like the nasty early Lancaster butt plate.

[Don Getz]

Wow, what a gem.   You might try turning it into a lamp, or, since it has a lot of drop in the butt, you might be able to salvage a
Bedford out of it.    I just wonder who created that pattern...............Don

[Tommy Bruce]

Thanks for the input guys.  I just traded a lancaster style rifle for the kit and some cash.  I was told it was an Edward Marshall kit.   I should've asked for pictures.  Once I opened the box I immediately realized that it was the Pecatonica rifle and that pattern is hideous.  I've also discovered epoxy in the barrel channel and lock area and the underlugs on the barrrel are to long.  There's also a a spot on the bottom of the barrel where an underlug was dovetailed and then filled with brass.  I think some of these things are doable, like a new butt plate and taking some of the hump from the tang area.  It does have davis double set triggers and the barrel is a Getz.  I've used that big lock a couple of times and had good luck with it but think I'm going to ship it back to the origional owner unless the deal can be re-worked.  Thanks again.

[bgf]

I've run across that stock in my on-line shopping, but I never looked at it long enough to realize how funky it truly is -- just thought it was because I don't care for "transitions".   The "Kentucky" might have died on the vine, if that were the intermediate step to it.  If you can get out of the trade, you should...or build a Klingon-inspired fantasy rifle out of it.

[smshea]

Epoxy in the barrel Channel??? I like to do all my own "Epoxyin" No sense trying to make chicken salad out of someone Else's Chicken S...! Ive played with TOOOO many previously screwed with kits and precarves, Up hill battles all the way and your almost never proud of them. Just my 2cents worth.