Finished up the Ugartechea I was working on. When I got it the poor old girl had been left to rust, and then painted with GunKote to hide the damage. To add insult to injury some mechanical genius had dropped what looked like an orphaned top lever spring in to replace a broken hammer spring.

I got all the problems sorted out, and got it functioning again, then did my best to repair the damage from neglect. Luckily the bores and internals were nice and shiny, no rust. I had to file the entire bottom plate smooth as the pits were as deep as the engraving. I also reshaped the safety as it kind of looked like someone had taken a rabbit turd and shaped it to resemble a golf ball and stuck it where the safety should be.

As I have yet to get tooled up to color case harden, and polishing the action was out due to the corrosion, I decided to brown the action. I like the contrast with the nitre blued bottom plate, and the rust blued barrels. I also did a leather covered pad for the first time ever. Covering the pad with leather went well, getting the pad cut down so that adding the leather would bring it flush with the stock was more difficult.









CHAZ

Great recovery! Always nice to see a good old girl put right...

Looks really nice Chaz. Have you taken it out and shot it yet?
Steve

Yes, I shot it and it works fine (now). First time out the safety wanted to move under recoil (so I had to adjust the spring) and it would occasionally "stick" on opening. I think the firing pins weren't retracting, a little cleaning and oil in the bushings and that took care of it. It seems to kick like a mule, I am used to a pistol grip, so maybe that is the difference?

Thanks to all for the encouragement.

CHAZ

It kicks like a mule because it has a bunch of pitch. If you set it butt down, on the floor, as close to a wall as you can get it and measure from the muzzle to the wall, I'll bet you see something like 5 inches.
1 1/2 or 2 would be better.

Best,
Ted

Interesting bit of information Ted, when I shot that little .410 I fixed up earlier this year I was surprized at the recoil I felt. It was nothing to speak of, but still noticeable nonetheless. I measured the pitch per your instructions and sure enough, I measured 4". Thanks again for the information.
Steve

I have been able, in the past, to change the pitch by putting a brick under the muzzle and backing my Dodge diesel over them. The ones that dont come out just right I sell to Amarillo Mike..

I just measured about six guns using your method Ted and found a range from zero, both my Utica SW 16 and my Tolley single barrel 12, 2 1/2" for both my Philly A grade 12's, and a 3 1/4" and a 4" for two Piepers, 16 and 12 respectively.

The Piepers kick like stink and I can't feel the SW 16 and the Tolley. Don't know if that is what's supposed to happen when you get under your recommended 1 1/2 or 2 inches.

4 1/2". Good call, I never realized that made a difference in felt recoil. I would imagine the "gunsmith" who did all the previous work probably cut the stock "by eye."
CHAZ

Back to life, a Phoenix!!
Well done
Thanks for sharing
Mike

Maybe a silly question, but are there any fixes for the pitch issue other than re-cutting the stock?

Duct tape a chipmonk to the bottom of the pad to even it out. Make sure you put a tiny muzzle on him though, otherwise it could be painful.
Steve

I suppose you could place a beveled black spacer first, if you can live with the look. It would also depend on how much you needed to correct. Steve

It also appears that the stock has a fair amount of drop. If you are having any thoughts of bending the stock to reduce drop, that will also reduce the pitch, so bend the stock first before correcting the pitch.

I had a recoil pad off of something or other that wasn't ventilated, and used a hacksaw to slice off a section at an angle, and my belt grinder to smooth it up a bit. Then, I stuck it on to my own Uggie with some contact cement. I've been playing with the pitch adustment as time allows (I have a new job, with hours all over the place, and I don't always feel like dealing with gun fit when I'm free, at least not until it cools down a bit around here) and I suspect my own Uggie would be just fine for me with zero to an inch of pitch, or so. I think it might move the impact up a bit on a gun with longer tubes, (they are 28" on my Uggie, and all I can figure out is the damn stock stays planted on my shoulder better) better for rising birds, but, I'm still playing with it.
After I figure out exactly what I want, I'll have a better recoil pad fitted.
For reasons I can't understand or explain, I can look at someone holding a gun and get pretty close on their stock dimensions, but, I struggle with my own-I'm left-handed and right eye dominant, and can't change either of those conditions.
I'm guessing that complicates it a bit.
A gun with too much pitch is going to kick too much, that much I know.

Best,
Ted

I said it was a silly question so I guess I deserved that.

Chipmunk leather would be perfect for a leather covered pad! About the right size, right thickness, and I might even tan it with the skin on for a little extra SWAG.

Seriously, someone suggested book binder leather, and I couldn't get that to stretch without tearing. I ended up getting some leather scraps at the local hobby place, they worked.

CHAZ

Chaz,
Some guys here have used leather from old womens purses they bought at Goodwill. Just make sure you repeat to the clerk over and over again while you buy it "it's for my wife, it's for my wife, it's for my wife..." and try to look very manly.
Steve