Traditions Kentucky Kit

[tennesseejeff]

Gentlemen, and ladies if any be present,
I was thinking of building a Traditions Kentucky Kit. I need something inexpensive and quick to build. My question is, why the two piece stock? Ease of shipping or something? Do you think a piece of wood could be substituted for the brass "divider"?
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[bbuck]

I've got one just like yours I've had sence 1995 and have shot about 3-4,000 rounds through it and have never had problems, I put a bouble set trigger in mine though, just personnel preferance. To answer your question In a word Yes. I have seen one in washington state with a dark stock and a white pice of plastic or ceramic or some thing that replaced the brass plate. I also seen one in oragon where a man put a piece wood their and epoxied the hole stock together to make a one piece.
Both looked good and shot well. :m2c:

 

Jeff,

the two piece stock is probably for packaging purposes. I have a few of those old work-horses myself, and they are the perfect first project.

I can't think of any reason why you couldn't use wood and drift it and sand it all together and make it look almost non-existent once you get it all stained and finished.

have fun!

 

[tennesseejeff]

Thank you gentlemen. I think I'll pick one up.
Jeff

 

[mowolf]

I too am considering one of these kits. Does anyone know what wood they use in their stocks? All the information says is "select hardwood" lot of room their!

Waya :huh:

 

Usually they use plain soft maple. not much figure or curle if any at all.

Woody

 

[wilded]

Some of it looks like beech.

 

Some what, in that it will be light in color, but beech has a real bad tendency to twist and warp all to h@ll when it is kiln dried.
Have you ever tired to split beech wood for fire wood?
It can be one of the tuffest to get split. Alot of twist in the grain and this is a natural grain character for beech.
Soft maple ( which is a hardwood), don't let the name fool you, has a more straight grain and softer in texture.
Alot of the bueatiful guns you see a pic of here on this forum and in books are of soft maple.Just that some chose to use curley maple when they made the stock.


Woody

 

[mowolf]

Do you think it would be possible to do a faux curl finish like the orginal Leman style rifles?

Waya

 

I would imagine it could be done if you know how to do it.

I am not the one to ask about this prcedure as I have never done it.

There is nothing wrong with plain maple . It can look very nice if you use a stain that is appealing to you. Best thing is to try different stain on sample pieces first before you actully do the stock. Then decide on the one that you like and then do the stock.

Woody

 

[canyonman]

There is also the chance that it is Birch, very white wood, usually straight grained but can have good figure. Takes a stain, alcohol base works best for me. My brother refinished a stock on his mod. 99 Savage, with just plain clear finish tung oil or some such, it gave off a slight green cast, very unique :results:.

Larry