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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,313
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Sidelock
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Joined: Feb 2008
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Yeah, but it probably frightened the dogs and small children in the intervening years. A few other guns I've bought over the years also had the shellac treatment, but not nearly so thick. That's how I knew this might be a good buy. Shellac dissolves in alcohol, but it will not affect many other common stock finishes. When you remove it, you may find bare wood underneath as happened with a 16 ga. L.C. Smith field grade some years back. Or you may find it was put on right over what was already there. Either way, it sure beats removing polyurethane bowling pin finish.


A true sign of mental illness is any gun owner who would vote for an Anti-Gunner like Joe Biden.

Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,284
Sidelock
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,284
As Dig said, it's alsmost as costly for me, with my mates rates from a top stocker, for me to get the forend done. Most stockers hate doing them and prefer to fix the old one. More often than not, if they are skillful enough, you won't know.

Cheers
t

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,935
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,935
A few years ago I sent a Trojan to a stock maker for a new butt stock. I wanted a longer LOP and a cast for a left handed shooter. This gun was to be a college graduation gift for my tall nephew.

This is a stock maker wildly endorsed by this BB, someone who routinely posts photos of his wonderful work and gets stroked by most of you guys.

My instructions were clear, written, and we discussed them on the phone. I also offered to send one of my Trojans as a reference but was told "I have plenty to use already".

1) 15-1/4LOP
2) Cast for leftie
3) Otherwise just like a Parker stock - slender and visually similar.

After longer than promised wait, the gun arrived. The LOP was OK, but there was a healthy cast for a right handed shooter. The stock felt like club - thick in the wrist, and added 1/2 pound to the gun. The grip cap area and nose were also completely non-Parker.

A quick phone call to the stock maker - he says "I forgot about the left handed cast". But he's sure he can fix it all.

The gun goes back and after another very long wait - I assume he's spending his time doing more important guns - I get the gun back and it's hardly any better. Still cast for a right handed shooter, just not as much. Still club heavy and ugly.

By now, my nephew has graduated and is working his first real job.

I ask Mr Famous Stock Maker for my money back. I tell him I will absorb the cost of the Wenig wood, and all the lost time
(1-1/2 years as a I recall) and shipping costs - but I don't see myself paying for his labor that was not to spec. He tells me he just doesn't have the money but he'll pay me when he can scrape it together.

I send the gun to Del Grego and in 8 weeks it comes back with a nearly flawless Parker looking stock made to all the proper specs.

Several months and a few reminders later Mr. Famous Stock Maker sends me less than half the money, promising to send the rest when his kids get out of college. I assume his kids are on the slow plan (not that surprising) since I still have not seen it.

Joined: Jan 2002
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Joined: Jan 2002
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I consider a famous firm ruining a set of barrels an even greater gunsmithing sin.

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021
I think the writing is on the wall for the future of the side by side. Over and Unders on the other hand have a pretty bright future as today I saw a bunch of younger guys trap shooting and they all had stacked barrels.

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,935
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Rather than reply to each of the private messages, I'll just state that Doug Mann is the name of the guy who cost me over a year and many hundreds of dollars.

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 127
Sidelock
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 127
Back in 1975 my late father gave his August Schuller 16 gauge side by for Christmas. He said it was done in a moment of insanity. Nice gun, but it was stocked in the typical German style: splinter foream, narrow comb pistol grip stock with cheekpiece on left side of stock. The gun was in need of work, as it was old and had shot loose. I took it to a gunsmith in Sacramento, where he did a great job of tightening up the action, along with lapping and polishing the insides of the barrels. He screwed up when he blued the barrels. You guessed it; hot blue. Around 1963 my dad had bought a beavertail forearm from Fajen in Triple A black walnut. Real nice grain. Once of the things I did, after I got the gun was get to a blank for the buttstock. I went to Oakley & Merkley, in Sacramento, and picked out a piece of the most beautiful marble cake Bastogne walnut. Enough to make you drool out of the corners of your mouth like Pavlov's dog. My dad finished off the beavertail in Flecto Varathane (10 coats) and checkered it in a nice point pattern. I know: two different kinds of walnut, but they sure looked pretty.


Colin L. Kendall
Joined: Jan 2002
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Here's one for you: Guy takes a double to a "big box" sporting goods store that has an in-house gunsmith. The gun has the gas relief slots in the standing breech. Gunsmith, in addition to doing whatever else the guy wanted done, filled those in. (Not sure how.) "They don't belong there."

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 77
Likes: 1
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 77
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Non-repair... Was still (and still very much am) new and I bought a cased matched pair of british sidelocks relying on photos and a detailed phone call, from clear across the country from a well-noted 'good' dealer. You guys speak highly of them. With my inquiry about the set, the dealer goes through them by replying to my very detailed questions of fit function repair needs etc. He had them in hand on the phone while detailing my every question. All is well and good. Hmm, I seem to now remember the "story" of how they were consigned by a wealthy Russian. Ugh. Received the guns and the rear trigger of number #1 wouldn't trip. Ugh. Had other apparent non-disclosed issues with both sets of barrels (UGH)(what you can't feel a bulge and can't hear the other's quite dull barrel-ringing in a section of the barrel?). I decided to hang in there with the pair and keep them; off they went through a hi-flutin' dealer/storefront in West Palm Beach to their best out-of-state repair guy, also a noted good-guy. Noted repair guy sends the barrels out to Kirk Merrington who saves me a lot of $$ candidly explaining the 'issues' weren't in fact anything to be concerned about and the barrels were good-to-go. He could have taken me but didn't. The repair guy receives the barrels back from Kirk and after a long wait for the strip and clean, the shotguns are returned. Yup, gun #1 still won't fire. Repair guy claims he simply just couldn't fix it, no explanation. I never received photos of the internals from him either as I requested. I negotiate a lowered price for the "non-job" and complain to the Palm Beach dealer who promise they'll be wary to send him anymore jobs. I take the gun to a local seasoned south florida "gator-man" type gunsmith who actually knows sidelocks and sure enough in a week I pickup the gun which now works as it should. This early experience taught me a lot about surprises. Liars and good guys. (Merrington and swamp people are the good guys!).

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,935
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Joined: Mar 2006
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The simple fact is that craftsmanship is largely dead. Most people holding themselves forth as such have found it easier to talk the talk than walk the walk.

I've become convinced that the truly good stockmakers are working for places like Holland & Holland. Not only are they good, but they are held to high standards by others who know what is good and what isn't. Your average stockmaker working out of his garage selling to someone 1000 miles away is accountable to no one - and it shows. So much for pride in workmanship and integrity.

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