Belgian 1889 Project

[browningautorifle]

Over all it looks much better. I guess we'll see what the heel looks like after time. It's far from the project you started with.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I have had the best luck with the alcohol based stain sold by Brownells. You can mix the colors for the closest match. Penetrates well.

[Aragorn243]

Penetrates wood well or fill well. I've never had much luck with fill.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Absorbed at diffrent rates with wood based filler/wood but well with both. I even used it to darken Accuraglass (prior to appplication during the mixing process) for a couple of small projects.

[Aragorn243]

I put a dark red stain on it last night and left it sit. It is a much closer match. The biggest problem is that there is a 1/8 to 1/4 inch transition that just keeps getting very dark in comparison to both the fill and the wood. I'm going to continue playing with it and it does look better now than in the photos. I may try oiling it to see what that does.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I often need to look at the before pictures on a project to remind myself that it looks soooooo much better than it did originally. It is fun shooting for prefection though.

[Aragorn243]

I'm not complaining, don't mean to sound like that. I knew going in that fill was going to be obvious but then so is any splice I put there and thinking on it, I don't think a splice would be as strong as the fill considering I took very little original wood out after petrifying it. Just a very small amount of loose stuff. So yes, it looks a lot better than it did and I'm happy with it, just continuing to try to get it closer. I think scratching the fill does a lot to improve the appearance, at least looks like wood grain to a certain extent. I did oil it last night and after wiping it down this morning realized I forgot to clean the stock at all other than where I was working on it so I'll probably do a heavier wipe down with BLO to get the crud off. It looked really good wet, not as good dry but still getting closer.

[Aragorn243]

A little disappointed in Numrich right now. Front guard screw fits but it's not from a Belgian 1889. It's probably German, cut for the locking screws. The rear sight spring isn't even close to fitting. Nothing about it is close to what belongs.

So, if anyone has a source for an 1889 rear sight spring, please let me know.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I'm not complaining, don't mean to sound like that.

Not taken as complaining. I just see my own perfectionism in your comment.

Ditto on Numrich.
Their sorting leaves much to be desired.

I have a line on a Carcano long rifle you have inspired me to attempt a reserection.

[Aragorn243]

Given the rarity of the rifles in the US and the almost complete absence of parts, it looks like my alternative is making a spring myself. Can this be done? What type steel should I use?

This spring is rather long and narrow and is held in place by a dovetailed section and a single screw.