Damaged wood

[donki1967]

Hi,

I just won this 1903 rifle stock on egun.
The wood is a bit damaged, but I think a proper refurbishment is possible.
What kind of wood should I take for you, to fill the cut under the mouthpiece?
By the way, is my stock for sure not an A3?
Al comments are welcome.
Regards

Attachment 102929Attachment 102930Attachment 102931Attachment 102932Attachment 102933Attachment 102934

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Salt Flat]

Donki, Use walnut for the repair. I think the stock has the clearance cut for the 03-a3 handguard ring. It's hard to see in the picture. I would not refinish the whole stock just wipe itdown with BLO (just my opinion). Salt Flat

[donki1967]

Ok sir, the goal is to leave it as much as possible in its original state, after repair of course.
French Military armorer in the far past have learned to make repairs with patches on the woods.It was a regulatory procedure ordered in the arsenals;was it the same in the US? I have never seen or heard about such an use.
If anyone can talk about it, or better if he can show pictures of these repairs on American military weapons it would be interesting!

[browningautorifle]

If anyone can talk about it, or better if he can show pictures of these repairs

Actually we have a couple of members that do repairs on military wood. You could find examples here on forum of their work. What you speak of doing isn't really that hard if approached right. You'll need clean wood in the repair area first, oil and grime free.

[donki1967]

Thank you Jim, I will check on this forum.
similar repairs were made in arsenal or at the slightest damage the whole was changed?
(I ask this because unlike France, the USA has never suffered from shortages of raw materials.)

regards

[pickax]

Yes USA armorers could, and did make biscuit replacements, and crack repairs if time allowed.
I suspect your crushing type injury would have meant a replacement stock in wartime.
As said above though, your repair is easily handled with a good woodworker.

[Sunray]

Before you do anything, clean it. BLO does not clean wood. Murphy's Oil Soap or the like, does.
And before you clean it, look closely at the broken spot to be sure it's not rotted or punky(soft).
"...easily handled with a good woodworker..." Yep, but it's unlikely to be cheap.
"...biscuit replacements, and crack repairs..." In peacetime, but not during any war. Time consuming and the skill level required for that job is higher than a draftee is likely to have.

[donki1967]

The stock is now renovated;I found a wonderful piece of American black walnut to restore the stock.
But how must the front of the stock be adjusted? the barrel is floating although the upper band is mounted?

[mrclark303]

Looking forward to seeing a pics of your repair...

[jamie5070]

Make a shim to go between the barrel and the stock tip so that the barrel is snug against the barrel band