Replies

1. 
   BruceS | Jan 31, 2010 08:31pm | #1

   Whoa!! Before firing that blunder buss take it to a reputable gun smith and get his opinion as to the guns ability to safely fire a modern round. If you don't like that idea, at least clamp it to a bench rest and fire it remotely via a verrrrrry long string and standing behind something substantial. And start out with some light load low brass shells. I wouldn't attempt the stock repairs till I had the gun "Proofed".

   And if it is a Damascus twist barrel!! Remove the firing pins and never shoot. Make it a hanger !!!

1. 
   rth5 | Jan 31, 2010 09:41pm | #2

   Thanks Bruce. Yours is the same advice I gave my father-in-law. Unfortunately, I think it fell on deaf ears.

   Thanks,

   Rob.

2. 
   BrentD | Jan 31, 2010 10:32pm | #3

   I use old shotguns, including damascus guns (both rifle and shotgun). They can be very safe, and they can be very dangerous. It all depends on the details. Damascus, is not, but itself, a reason to give up on the gun, but you do need to know what you are doing. Forget about modern smokeless ammunition. Get someone that understands these things to look it over. Most garden variety smiths do not know squat about them.

   As for fixing the oil soaked stock, go to the grocer and buy a turkey roasting bag - or more like 3 of them. These are the only bags that actually work for this procedure.

   Put the stocks, fore and butt, in the bag, then add enough acetone to completely cover the wood with room to spare. Get most of he air out of the bag and twist-tie it shut. Be careful not to poke the corners of the stocks through the bag.

   Let is sit for 2-8 weeks, turning occasionally. If the acetone gets really cloudy, you may want to change it out.

   After the acetone soak, repeat the process with denatured alcohol for a week or so.

   Next, scrub the stock carefully with a scouring pad to remove any residues, then hang for a couple of weeks to evaporate any and all alcohol.

   Fixing stocks is a bit of an artform, but using thin epoxy, super glue, clamping over the cracks with multiple wraps of rubber tubing or inner tubes, inletting butterfly wedges or threaded rod across cracks and epoxying them in place are all part of the bag of tricks. Finish with full bedding of the butt stock to the action will help a lot. Seeing close up photos of the cracks would help.

   Brent

1. 
   BrentD | Feb 01, 2010 08:13am | #4

   Here is a Scott and Sons, 10 bore, circa 1880. Damascus barrels. The buttstock was in about 4 pieces with numerous cracks. It used all of those techniques I mentioned.

   http://www.public.iastate.edu/~jessie/PPB/Turkey/2003%201st%20season%20bird%201.JPG

   Well, I don't know why that photo will not display. Must be some special trick for [img] tags on this site.