Multiple copies of riflestocks

[Carper]

My folks made about the best halfstock squirrel rifle the world has ever seen...I have the shop now and it is and will always be a hobby for me.  I would like make ten or so copies of one of the original rifles( I have four) but will not get that many made. Is it possible to have by machine a copy made off of one of the original rifle halfstocks. If so would that ruin the old finish on the stock. Dru Hedgecock is helping me to have cast a dozen or so sets of furniture( that style not being made any more) but I am looking for a way to save time and labor on getting the wood close to line. Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Johnny

[Dave B]

If you want to have it exact. Take it to one of the folks that have one of the 3-d scanners and they can produce a file that any CMC machine can reproduce for you. I have no Idea what it will cost you to get this done but I have seen some wild stuff scanned and reproduced by the machines scaled down. The guy that came to show us at our company had a bust of his head that was scanned then carved  at 1/4 scale.  I would love to scan some butt stocks from some of the greats for study pieces.
Short of that you could hire one of the builders here to reproduce a pattern stock for you. I have seen a few of the patter stocks used by the Gun Works in Springfield OR  They need to be made from the hardest wood available and the inlets reinforced with metal bearing epoxy so the pattern carver wont damage them during the tracing out. You are still looking at spending some serious money to get that place

[Don Tripp]

I'd really like to see pictures of one or some of those rifles. What style are they?

[Dennis Glazener]

My folks made about the best halfstock squirrel rifle the world has ever seen...I have the shop now and it is and will always be a hobby for me.  I would like make ten or so copies of one of the original rifles( I have four) but will not get that many made. Is it possible to have by machine a copy made off of one of the original rifle halfstocks. If so would that ruin the old finish on the stock. Dru Hedgecock is helping me to have cast a dozen or so sets of furniture( that style not being made any more) but I am looking for a way to save time and labor on getting the wood close to line. Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Johnny

Johnny,
Fred Miller has duplicated stocks using an original rifle but I am not sure that he will/can do it now. Dave Keck with Knob Mountain pretty much bought Fred's business, I would give Dave a call and talk with him about it. He and Fred still attend shows together and they don't live that far apart:

Knob Mountain Muzzleloading
David Keck, Proprietor
287 Mountain Rd.
Berwick, PA 18603
Phone: 570-759-2053

Just thinking out loud, I know that when I made my first pattern for Mark Weader to duplicate Mark had to glue a block on the butt of my pattern in order to hold the pattern in his stock duplicator so something like that would have to be worked out with your original. Maybe some way to attach the block using the buttplate screws??
Dennis

[rtadams]

6-20-12

Carper,

You could not have selected a better person and profesional to help you with your castings. I have known Dru for 40 plus years and is very capable of doing all types of machine work and castings.

Best Regads,

Robert

[B Shipman]

I know what Fred would do is put a thin piece of cardboard under the stylus. He's done some high end rifles.

[JB2]

Carper, don't know where you are, but Pecatonica River Long Rifle supply may be able to help you too.  They are mostly known for doing lots of stocks, but they can do one-offs and low-volume stuff too.  At least they could when I was there back around Christmas.

[Lucky R A]

    Give Dave Keck a call.(# in Dennis' post)  I recently had some work done that Dave gave to Fred, cuz Fred is getting bored in retirement.  As Bill said Fred has copied some very high end guns and is still alive. I am pretty sure if he had damaged the stock of a high end gun in making a copy his status would be other than retired.  Fred kept his equipment and shop etc.  He still makes war clubs etc. Fred certainly has the knowledge to generate a pattern for you.  You then own the pattern and can have as many copies made as you want whenever you want. 

[Eric Smith]

    Give Dave Keck a call.(# in Dennis' post)  I recently had some work done that Dave gave to Fred, cuz Fred is getting bored in retirement.  As Bill said Fred has copied some very high end guns and is still alive. I am pretty sure if he had damaged the stock of a high end gun in making a copy his status would be other than retired.  Fred kept his equipment and shop etc.  He still makes war clubs etc. Fred certainly has the knowledge to generate a pattern for you.  You then own the pattern and can have as many copies made as you want whenever you want. 

Ditto what Ron said. Call Dave Keck.