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Member Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 36 Location: Idaho

I posted this over on the Fox forum and thought I would try here also.

am in the processes of restocking a 1926 Fox 16ga SW. I am looking for a book on stocking shotguns, such as layout on the wood, what to do first, how to line holes up etc. I have received good info from Mike Campbell and a few others but would still like to have a book on the subject. I bought Double Guns & Custom Gunsmithing by Hughes, a nice book but it does not have in depth photos or instructions. Any thing out there ???

Rodger

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

Hello Rodger, the book "Recreating The Double Barrel Muzzle-Loading Shotgun" Second Edition by William R. Brockway is fairly comprehensive. In laymans terms it takes the armchair gunsmith through every aspect of making a side plate hammer shotgun from an old set of sxs barrels. I realize you are making just a butt stock for a Fox but the chapter on stock making is reasonably thorough from wood selection, layout, tool use, fitting to the shooter, etc. It would not be to far a stretch to adapt the teachings in this book to making a stock for a box lock shotgun. The bibliograhpy lists all his references and at the very least it is good reading for anyone interested in how shotguns go together or resurecting an old worthless set of nitro or dimascus barrels into a working shotgun. Hope this helps, good luck with the project, Mike

Member Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 36 Location: Idaho

Thanks Mike, I will look it up. I just need some thing there to keep me doing the right things in the correct order. I was going to shape the stock first until I was told to inlet it first then shape the stock. Who knew!!!

Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 367

Clyde Baker, Gunsmithing or the revide by Traister.

Good section on stocking though Baker was more the rifleman.

Next try Virgil Howe's Modern gunsmithing, Vol 1 & 2.

As Baker says the shotgun has to stock in two directions at once, into the stock and back.

Member Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 36 Location: Idaho

The stock is coming along just great. I had a few screw-ups but for the most part I am happy with the results.

The only thing left is shaping the grip and then sanding-sanding-sanding

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

Lookin good! Great grain, keep us posted.

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 425 Location: Big D

Juglans hindsii?

THE book you should find is Professional Stockmaking by Dave Westbrook. It is out of print now but is the exact discription of your desires. Dave designed and built the photographic structures over his working area in order to record exactly what he was looking at in making this book. Step by step instructions with black and white pictures in the order needed to take a gunstock out of a block of wood with no duplicating machine.

Member Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 36 Location: Idaho

The grip is just about done, I need to put the flutes on the nose, then I am going to reassemble the gun and shoot it to see if any changes need to be made. Its turning out better than I thought it would.

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 425 Location: Big D

Interesting transition from wrist to comb...

Member Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 36 Location: Idaho

Wingshooter, that's one of my screw-ups. This is the first stock I have ever done. I had it rounded up to the comb but the wrist was to short so I cut back to lengthen the wrist and instead of rounding I cut it square, now to round it out I think would take to much off the comb, you know like measure once and cut twice and its still to short. I am still playing with it, as I havent put the flutes in the nose yet. I can't take any more off the top of the comb as its at 1 3/8s drop now. after I shoot it I will have a better idea as to what I can do.

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 425 Location: Big D

It's great first effort. We won't talk about some of my early projects. Rolling Eyes

May I make a suggestion? Using a penny as a radius guage, from the point of the comb/wrist transition, use the bottom of the penny to bring the curve back up gently to your comb transition. Use the penny on both top and bottom of the flow line. If what I see is true...you can alter what you have without going too far back past center of the pistol grip. Just my opinion. When you put the flutes in it will help make the transitions look better with the curves.

Member Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 36 Location: Idaho

Good idea on the penny thing. You don't think it will make the wrist look to long? If I have learned anything on this, it is, without the help from the members of various fourms I would have never even started this project. At this point I am down to the cosmetics of the stock, what looks good to me, the mechanics of the stock are finished. I hope the finish I put on it will bring out the beauty of the wood and I hope the the time and work I put in will do justice to the gun.

Traditionalist say that the comb should be no farther back than the middle of the center of the pistol grip. However, on a straight hand stock there is no pistol grip and where you put the comb is determined by the hand of the shooter. Some English style stocks don't have flutes and therefore the comb is further back to accomodate the hands of the shooter. (I have seen figures by some English companies as to placement of the comb...Americans are different though and do not always fit the mold).

As long as your hand fits well in the area, the pistol grip will not look too long. Your hands really determine where the comb should be IMO. If your hands are really big across the palm you will need a comb that is farther back and/or flutes deeper in order to make sure that you maintain a good hand position.

Keep the radius small and in an "S" formation if possible. One doesn't have to use the full penny radius but you may use any portion of it to establish the upward curve from your current juncture. Use small files or dowels with sandpaper wrapped around to do your sculpting.