doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Best Gunn stockers in US?

Have a Purdey I am looking to have restocked and I'm looking for someone capable of engish best gun quality work without insane turnaround time if possible.

James Tucker.

Paul Hodgins of Logan, UT.
He is an ex Holland stocker and certainly capable of best work.
I enquired about getting my Holland re-stocked for a better fit a few years ago and dropped the phone when the 9k + wood was revealed...

I bet you did drop the phone, that is well under 50% of what the factory would charge you

My good friend just had a quote on re-stocking a H&H single shot rifle from the factory, twenty some odd thousand pounds plus shipping and wood.

If you want Best Quality work, Paul's price is not unreasonable. He's not the only one who charges that amount, work at this level takes years to develop the skill and the job takes whatever amount of time it takes to do it properly, whether it's stocking or anything else. Nobody is born doing this, and a Best Quality work certainly won't do itself.
I'd consider it a crap shoot going with someone charging less.

Paul sorted out a W.R. Pape for me several years ago. The bill included a two-page handwritten note detailing the hows and whys of his work on the gun. His penmanship also is first-rate.

So just what is the issue with the Purdey stock that pushes you to a re-stock job performed?

If James Flynn is still in the game he would be a good choice. Thinking he might want to retire. Dewey Vicknair might entertain the notion as well.
Good luck.

Best,
Ted

I might suggest my stocker that converted my Darne with a 1 5/8" cast off to 3/16" cast, he changed wood types and did a flawless job. He is young, his turn around time is reasonable and he is very meticulous. He has done many very expensive guns including a Bosis recently.
His name is Kirt Kimsey and he is located in Georgia.
Anyone familiar with Darne stocks know they are very hard to do. Tougher than a sidelock or box lock. He had to remove the crazy castoff, refit a straight rod through the wrist area (standard on Darne's), convert from walnut to Koa then refit and refinish. There is so much border work of wood to metal in a Darne that it takes true talent to fit perfectly. He did it all. BTW, he is not related to me, I stumbled on him and he has now done 3 guns for me and is working on a rather nice "C" grade Syracuse...full restoration. I've never met him except over the phone. I can and will provide pictures of his work for me if requested.
Carl

I forgot, if any of you know Ben Loving, Ben has seen his work and thinks highly of it.