doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Semi-inletted gunstock problems

Fellows:

For the first time in I don't know how many gunstocks, I have been treated in what I consider an unfair manner.

I purchased an inletted stock from Gunstocks, Inc. The stock was poorly inletted. The upper tang slot was too wide and much too long, approximately 3/16" to depth of the bottom tang. I couldn't even start the action on the stock. I did remove the wood that was necessary to get the action on. The upper tang slot was wider than the tang, but manageable with some filler. However there was insufficient wood on the one side where the stock meets the receiver.

Gunstocks, Inc. reply was that their policy is they will do nothing with an altered gunstock, therefore I have to live with their poor workmanship, and the cost of the stock. Their feeling is that the stock should have been checked with a straight edge prior to doing anything. I am not exactly sure how one does that and I have never had to do this in the past.

Anyway, this is an information only posting. Beware, they could potentially be hard to do business with.

Post deleted by Shawn

So far no problems with Gunstocks,Inc. Bobby

I'm like Bobby, no probs so far with maybe 4 or so low end stocks bought from them over about that same number of years. I have bought from other sources as well, nobody is perfect. Others report major problems with Great American out of California, but I have had good luck with them as well, just have not bought from them lately. I don't think there really is a simple solution except be clear with your order and check it carefully when it arrives. I don't mean to be critical, but I think I would have returned the stock when I first got it in and realized it was inletted oversize.

I'm not surprised.

What was the stock for? Many doubles were not made to the same specks for their entire run. Sterlingworth for one, had several different tang widths and shapes over the years. If you have a gun with a less frequently seen tang shape and you get the run of the mill inletted stock you are not always able to use it. When in doubt have them copy your stock if possible. No one likes to make a mistake and many are even less willing to admit that they made one no matter what the facts are. Sorry for your loss.

The problem may just be that their pattern stock is not right for your gun. Try another duplicator or have your old one copied.

I will never buy wood from them again. I sent an original Savage 1899 stock and fore end to be copied because he didn't have a pattern. The stock came back fine but the fore end had chunks out of it in the edges of the barrel channel. I called him and he said to send both pieces back and he'd redo them to make sure they matched. I did so and he sent me back half my money and my original wood and said the rest was for "services". When I asked why he did that he said that he didn't want to be bothered with people who couldn't fix his mistakes. That was two years ago and I'm still steamed. What really gets to me is he is using my perch-belly stock pattern now.

I learned my lesson years ago, if something comes broken, don't try to fix it, just send it back. If you monkey with it you are on your own. May not be fair, but that is how 99% of companies are. I had a customer order the wrong part from me and then he painted them bright blue. He wanted to return them and I told him no. He wasn't happy, but no one else would want to buy his bright blue screw pin anchors. Stock patterns for guns change over the time. I think the Browning Citori has about 6 different patterns. Always good to check the stock will fit your gun before you try to fit it.

I have never on semi inlet stocks had one that you could slip on your frame without altering it to fit. Once i was using a Show Me Fox semi inlet stock and when i got top tang close to going in all the way there was a noticable gap. I carefully examined the sides of the tang and found there must have been a defect on one side and factory had filed it out. I used that blank on another Fox and it worked out perfectly. Had to make a stock by hand for that frame. Bobby