Repair Question

[tenngun]

I definitely cannot claim 40 years of experience working with firearms and bow to your knowledge.
But:
Hide glues have been used for wood for millennia. Back joints on old violins are still tight after 400 years. Every piece of furniture older than 100 years is held together with hide glue. The filigree/crackle finish on glass is made by texturing the glass and applying hide glue. When it dries it is strong enough to tear off the surface layer of glass in a fern-like pattern.
Its main problem is that it turns into Jello (literally) when wet.

Back in shop class in high school we made hide glue and clamped a broken broom handle. Clamped with c clamps over night. The next day we tried to break it. Wood will fail before the glue.

 

[cannonball1]

I had a problem with a hairline crack. I followed Midway USA instruction. I drilled several 1/16" holes to the crack. The drill holes were covered up by the metal parts of the gun. I then filled the drill holes with a needled syringe full of white waterproof glue and plunged the glue after filling each hole. Even though you would have to look hard to see the crack, the glue oozed out it. Stretched and wrapped surgical tubing around the area, when dry, little finishing and it looked great.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Some times with deep cracks like this the only way to really fix them is by breaking it the rest of the way (in to 2 pieces) and glueing up the whole thing with Acriglass. Under that, you could insert a screw to hold the pieces firmly and snugly together for reinforcement. While you're at it, you could drill a long hole from the back of the breech down win and through the wrist, insert a threaded metal rod and Acriglass that in place. That will solve your grain runout issue at the back of the lock.

Of course if you go this route you will have to refinish the stock, but that's not a big deal as it looks like there's ample wood there to let you do it.

 

[Artificer]

Some times with deep cracks like this the only way to really fix them is by breaking it the rest of the way (in to 2 pieces) and glueing up the whole thing with Acriglass. Under that, you could insert a screw to hold the pieces firmly and snugly together for reinforcement. While you're at it, you could drill a long hole from the back of the breech down win and through the wrist, insert a threaded metal rod and Acriglass that in place. That will solve your grain runout issue at the back of the lock.

Of course if you go this route you will have to refinish the stock, but that's not a big deal as it looks like there's ample wood there to let you do it.

That's very close to what I had to do to fix the shattered wrist on my Brown Bess Carbine, except I used two threaded brass rods, one on each side of the screw through the wrist that goes into the "thumb piece" or large brass escutcheon on top of the wrist. I was heart sick as I broke the stock the rest of the way in half, but in the end it made the wrist exceedingly stronger than it had been before.

Gus

 

[Col. Batguano]

One thing to be mindful of when inserting metal rods in long holes like that is that it's a good idea to make yourself an exit hole for the thick and viscous glue to escape through just to make sure you have good contact all the way to the bottom. If you can hide the hole under something like a TG foot that'd be a good place for it.

 

[Artificer]

One thing to be mindful of when inserting metal rods in long holes like that is that it's a good idea to make yourself an exit hole for the thick and viscous glue to escape through just to make sure you have good contact all the way to the bottom. If you can hide the hole under something like a TG foot that'd be a good place for it.

That's an excellent tip for those not used to using "glass" or epoxy bedding.

Gus

 

[Crow-Feather]

Looks like you have a pedersoli mule ear. I needed a new lock for my mule ear and emailed pedersoli who sent me a new lock for my 1984 rifle. I would also spread and apply wood glue to the interior, but would wrap the piece to the stock with rubber surgical tubing. It applies even tight pressure to the entire piece. Use a long legnth of tubbing.

 

[Rudall]

One thing to be mindful of when inserting metal rods in long holes like that is that it's a good idea to make yourself an exit hole for the thick and viscous glue to escape through just to make sure you have good contact all the way to the bottom. If you can hide the hole under something like a TG foot that'd be a good place for it.

Another technique for the same purpose is to slightly flatten one side of the rod being inserted. Naturally easier if using a wooden dowel.

 

[Springerpanhead]

I often force Titebond Wood Glue into deep cracks using an air hose. Sometimes a slight diluting of the glue with water is necessary if the crack is very fine. CLAMP THGHTLY.