PPP Posted July 17, 2020 Report Share Posted July 17, 2020 I have a 695 with beautiful wood but the grain is such that my gunsmith doesn’t want to bend it and I need a little cast on (same as my other guns) The 695 is very thick in the comb and the gunsmith suggested it could be reshaped or sculpted to add cast. Does anyone have experience of this? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted July 17, 2020 Report Share Posted July 17, 2020 Thinning combs is not unusual and can work very well. H&H at times have had a thing for sweeping the face of the comb to give the cast, I’d avoid that as it reduces the desirability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted July 17, 2020 Report Share Posted July 17, 2020 (edited) That's odd as the more highly figured the wood the easier it is to bend. And even though all bending is done at owner's risk I'd get a second opinion. If by "re-sculpting" to add cast I'm assuming that he may mean like an authentic Holland & Holland style stock that's swept at the face? So from vertically above it has a banana type or scooped out profile? Hmmph! I had a gun stocked like that just to see what it was like compared to the more usual stocking where the stock is cast is as if it were a ship's rubber or aircraft tail plane rudder. Yes the Holland style is great. Except it looks nasty. Then as you get older and fatter or until you need to lengthen or shorten the stock it's effectively scrap. As WW says above! Edited July 17, 2020 by enfieldspares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPP Posted July 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2020 Thanks guys, unfortunately the alternative locally subs their casting to the shop that doesn’t want to do it.. The underlying grain isn’t straight through the hand.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmaxphil Posted July 18, 2020 Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 Could you not have an adjustable comb fitted to achieve the same results? at least it won't affect the value to much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted July 18, 2020 Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 If the 'stocker' knows his job and wants the job he would be able to bend that stock. It takes time and patience. I had the stock on my old BSA which was my Grandfathers bent to fit me. The stocker explained that with any bending there was always a risk and I accepted that. He spent about five weeks with that stock in the vice and every morning as he walked in the workshop he just cranked it a bit more a smidgen at a time. It came out spot on. It's a risk you have to take. Alternative is as you say sculpting the stock. If you intend keeping the gun then no problem, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks as long as it fits you and you enjoy shooting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robertt Posted July 18, 2020 Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 Unless you've got some sort of strong attachment to this gun I'd sell it and buy one that fits. You'd save yourself a few bob and the worry of the job being done correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnphilip Posted July 18, 2020 Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 40 minutes ago, Robertt said: Unless you've got some sort of strong attachment to this gun I'd sell it and buy one that fits. You'd save yourself a few bob and the worry of the job being done correctly. Makes sense to me , a damaged stock would cost a lot to replace . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPP Posted July 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 (edited) Unlikely to save money, trade in values of guns is terrible currently Edited July 18, 2020 by PPP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman Posted July 20, 2020 Report Share Posted July 20, 2020 On 18/07/2020 at 07:59, Walker570 said: If the 'stocker' knows his job and wants the job he would be able to bend that stock. It takes time and patience. I had the stock on my old BSA which was my Grandfathers bent to fit me. The stocker explained that with any bending there was always a risk and I accepted that. He spent about five weeks with that stock in the vice and every morning as he walked in the workshop he just cranked it a bit more a smidgen at a time. It came out spot on. It's a risk you have to take. Alternative is as you say sculpting the stock. If you intend keeping the gun then no problem, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks as long as it fits you and you enjoy shooting it. A BSA and a Beretta are two totally different guns . I have altered more stocks than I can remember but it will all depend on how much needs casting , and the particular wood involved .Some I would do some I would not because of risk of breakage . Having the stock slimmed down or hollow faced can be the answer but again it will depend on whether the stock is hollowed out inside or not and the position of the stock bolt . would have a word with someone else to get a second opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPP Posted July 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2020 5 hours ago, Gunman said: A BSA and a Beretta are two totally different guns . I have altered more stocks than I can remember but it will all depend on how much needs casting , and the particular wood involved .Some I would do some I would not because of risk of breakage . Having the stock slimmed down or hollow faced can be the answer but again it will depend on whether the stock is hollowed out inside or not and the position of the stock bolt . would have a word with someone else to get a second opinion. Thanks, found an excellent chap locally who looked at the thicknesses (luckily a thick stock) and discovered that the face was slightly convex, making this flat is pretty close, I need to try it for a few weeks then go back for final adjustments and finishing.. Thanks for advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 13 hours ago, PPP said: Thanks, found an excellent chap locally who looked at the thicknesses (luckily a thick stock) and discovered that the face was slightly convex, making this flat is pretty close, I need to try it for a few weeks then go back for final adjustments and finishing.. Thanks for advice! Suprising what an 1/8" off can do at the cheek , I agree entirely that have him take some off and try it , would have done so myself .When its OK then it can be smoothed off on both sides to match and be refinished . When done it should be impossible to tell so will not affect any possible future sales value . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPP Posted July 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 10 hours ago, Gunman said: Suprising what an 1/8" off can do at the cheek , I agree entirely that have him take some off and try it , would have done so myself .When its OK then it can be smoothed off on both sides to match and be refinished . When done it should be impossible to tell so will not affect any possible future sales value . Yep he’s going to match so no one would know, not that I’ll be selling! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted July 23, 2020 Report Share Posted July 23, 2020 Good outcome and sounds like a good solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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