Guidance on Reising Model 65 stock

First off; I'm looking for advice, not trolling in the wrong location for buyers.

Is it better to offer a gun with a flawed stock and include a spare stock in good condition; or should I swap out first and just mention that the stock and reciever S/Ns don't match?


Back story, I was taking photos of my H&R Reising Model 65 for a possible ad when I noticed this:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1457-1.jpg

removing the buttplate revealed this:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1489-1.jpg

From this last photo, not only did I identify a stock flaw, I learned the stock on the rifle is not original to the rifle. S/N ends in 831, but the stock is stamped 122.

I have 2 other M65 stocks I could use: https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1478-1.jpg

Or I could repair the stock currently on the rifle. What does the collected wisdom of this sight suggest as a COA before selling this rifle?

Another thought: This rifle has a nice older blue finish, and the stock does not have an inspector's mark. Both replacement stocks are cartouched, and the metal on the one with furniture is all a grey phosphate or patina. Would I be assembling something a future owner might foist off as a milsurp when I believe it is most likely a commercial version?

Well, If nothing else, I'm learning more about the rifle and two stocks I have on hand. For one thing, the two spare stocks are not identical; one has a longer trigger slot, no side safety slot, and a tiny cartouche (Eagle & Anchor = Navy?). The other is a small trigger slot without cartouche, with side safety. The trigger area inletting has been wood-butchered for no apparent reason; but should present nicely after applying some bedding material. Both spare stocks are the same length; about 4 inches longer than the existing stock on the rifle. This stock ends just forward of the front swivel; but this doesn't look like a bubba chop job. I wonder if this could this be a later model (165?) stock. Anyway, I'm pretty sure with the bright old-style blue finish, the barreled action itself is probably not milsurp in spite of the "Model 65" marking and the high-four thousands serial number. I'll ask the moderators to close this thread.

Well , I would bet the 122 stamp is to tie it to buttplate 122 so that when they were finished ( oil dipped stock and bluing for the plate ) , they could be joined back together at the other end without further ado. Prob'ly has nada to do with the rifle's serial number. All M65s below serial number 5,000 are " ***-u-me'd " to be USGI unless proved otherwise. The stock " without" the safty cut is for the USMC MC58 '50s era traing rifle . The "long " triger cut is for the Garand style safety lever these rifles had rather than the one topside. I , too , have noted the difference in the nose length of some stocks . Due to the ease of switching stocks , no hard info is offered on this other than just being from slightly different time periods , but that's a WAG in itself . If you have no need for the second stock , I'd throw it in if it was me. I'd sell the MC 58 stock separately.
Chris

Emmagee1917: Thanks for the info! Do you think it is safe to assume with the blue finish, the model 65 I have is not military issue? :-) I've looked closely at the receiver markings; they look fresh and not polished-out. https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN1459-1.jpg

While the front sight has ears, and the other stock furniture steel items are identical to other Model 65s I've had or seen over the years, there are other things that argue against this being an issue rifle. The four screws from the Weaver N2 scope mount show in this shot; and I'm sure that's not standard.

Pretty sure I'm going keep this rifle. I think I should get the stock toe piece to seperate, and do an epoxy repair. The other Model 65 stock would need much more work on the inside to repair a real bad job of opening up the area around the trigger assembly (what for, I have no idea).

They were all parked clear up into the 14,000 range ( at least , that's the highest commercial in my collection , along with a 1,400 and a 2,600 military) no matter if military or civilian issue , so yours was refinished at sometime . Prob'ly when the scope was added. Post WW2 models were blued , I think , not my collecting area . The cuts in the second M65 stock was prob'ly from someone trying to fit it to a MC58 rifle .
Chris