Free gun kit, well sort of

[Ppanepinto]

A friend gave me a North Star West Officer’s musket. So it is a free gun. The problem is the stock. It is a very poorly inlayed stock, looks like some tried to do the work with a dull pocket knife. I will get some pictures up as soon as I can, but I’m asking, should I just order a new stock. I know ya’ll will need to see the stock first, but wanted to get the question out there for ya’ll start thinking about.

 

[rich pierce]

Yes, if they will sell you a good one. It takes a lot of experience to hide and fix mistakes.

 

[RHill]

You could try your hand at stocking from a blank, you can use the existing one as your template and model. Can get a nicer piece of wood for about the same as a replacement stock, maybe even less.

 

[matt denison]

A friend gave me a North Star West Officer’s musket. So it is a free gun. The problem is the stock. It is a very poorly inlayed stock, looks like some tried to do the work with a dull pocket knife. I will get some pictures up as soon as I can, but I’m asking, should I just order a new stock. I know ya’ll will need to see the stock first, but wanted to get the question out there for ya’ll start thinking about.

That is sad. They are a nice gun when properly assembled. It's all too common, especially with the Officer's Model Musket because of the fairly precise inlets that guys think they can hammer the parts in with a mallet, pin it, call it good.

Restockiing an already-built gun isn't an easy chore. You have predrilled holes that must be used (underlugs, pin tabs on the trigger guard and butt plate etc.) Lock screw holes are already there and must be hit and used again through the lock plate and side plate. I'm not saying it can't be done (Lord knows I've done it...) but I suggest that you look closely at what you have and consider "fixing" what is there. Pictures would help make a determination.

Matt
North Star West, Inc.

 

[Ppanepinto]

Here are some pictures of the major problems with the stock

 

At first glance it looks like manure. The direction I would take is to study a number of originals, and their life over the years. I would tend to apply antiquating, rather than filling with acra glass, or trying to hide. I'm sure there is still wood that can be removed , and aging will cover up a lot of mistakes. Though they don't necessarily do trade guns, look at some of the projects of Mike Brooks, Eric Kettenburg, Chuck Burrough's, and Allen Martin. Make it a well used gun, that's still serviceable, possibly a captured NA gun. It's just not finished yet

Bill

 

[Linc]

Being the frugal (broke) person I am I would see what I could do with patching and inlays to repair or cover up the ugly before dishing out money for a new stock. Well used but still serviceable gives the gun a lot of character.

 

[matt denison]

OOOUUCH! I see what you mean..

"tried to do the work with a dull pocket knife"

That hurts my eyes. We try SO hard to produce something nice and it turns into manure in the hands of the wrong person. Everybody gets a gap here or there but the mistakes on this ol' girl are exceptional.