Stock refinish

[gilly562]

Hi, newbie here. I started shooting muzzleloaders about three years ago, love it!
I currently have a 36 cal percussion cap rifle made in late 1800's and a 45 cal PA flintlock longrifle made in
1970's (not by me).






I'm refinishing the flintlock stock. It's a nice piece of tiger maple but the builder didn't put a nice finish on it to do the
wood justice. I've already stripped the varnish and want to remove the stain. Any suggestions for stain removal would
be appreciated. thanks!

[Lucky R A]

Gilly,
       The best thing you could do for your 45 flintlock, is a complete make over.  You need to put that fat girl on a diet.    The original maker left way too much wood on it pretty much all around.  the lock panels need thinned down, and the architecture over all needs to be refined and thinned.  Clean up the muzzle cap area.  It is too bad that he put the front sight so far forward on the barrel, it makes everything look stubby.   By the time you get done rasping and sanding you will not have any finish or stain to worry about.  Study and handle some originals or if unavailable some good color photos of well made guns, then see what needs to be done.  I know this may seem harsh, but you will end up with something that you can take ownership of.   This is the first lesson of gun building, correcting mistakes, yours or someone other person's.   Best of luck go slow and enjoy the ride.

Ron

[Top Jaw]

If you were considering working the stock down further as was suggested, I would also consider replacing the trigger guard if that’s in your comfort zone.  Track of the Wolf catalog has actual size pics to make sure it covers the footprint of the existing guard inlets.  I would also seek out some “in person” input from a more experienced builder in your area, if your in doubt about the architecture and shaping - as to where it needs attention. 

I might also consider a simple molding line along the toe - and perhaps along the cheek piece and forestock.  Those are minimal features, not super hard to do, which would add a lot to the finished product.  The front site dovetail could be carefully filled, peened, filed flush, and recut farther back if you wanted.  If the barrel was browned after, it would hardly be noticeable.  Or you might just be able to arc the front of the site down more to expose more barrel and help the lines.  It looks like a rifle worthy of a make over and a good stain & finish.

[P.W.Berkuta]

For me if this was my rifle I would leave it alone not because it is correct or nice but because there is a LOT of work here to make it look somewhat nice. I would - depending on your skill - make a totally new rifle either from a plank or buy a Kibler or Chambers kit. Once the new rifle is completed I would then sell "the club" .

[gilly562]

Thanks everyone for the replies and advice. As I’m still new to this I think reworking the stock and making
smoe other changes would be a great learning experience and make the rifle mine. It’s a great shooter,
quite accurite, and my first flintlock. Took a class with Rocky Schreck on building and also need to finish
that rifle.

[Eric Krewson]

My take; If you have never done any wood shaping on a flintlock, don't have good reference material and don't know how things are supposed to look, I would leave it alone except for a stock refinish which is pretty straight forward and easy. Even with a stock refinish if some finish slops into the inlets you may have to do some scraping and trimming to get your parts back into place.

I see a lot of butchered up guns that people who don't have a clue produce, to these builders their gun looks like a Rembrandt, to everyone else they look like the scribbling of a 6 year old.

My first gun is pretty rough, years later and a much better gun builder than when I started out, I  often think about going back and correcting all my former mistakes. Then I think "why", the gun may be ugly but kills deer left and right, I think I will leaver it ugly and just enjoy it.

[WadePatton]

If you're going to rework it at all, i'd submit it to the group here to suggest the best corrections and to help guide your progress as you go.  Otherwise you might sink a bunch of time/effort into it now only to wish later that you'd done much more.  They're offering, and it's free.  It will be "yours" either way.

I don't entirely disagree with the leave it and start over guys, but you seem determined to work on this one. Best of luck.

And welcome to the forum.