Using Bondo to position secure Butt Plate; acceptable or butcher job?

[Joemolf]

I had purchased 4 or 5 years ago a 40 cal flintlock from a manufacturer many probably know. I had ordered a custom gun (there’s another story for that one) from them but I was getting tired of waiting. They had several rifles already built on display at there website. Pretty rifle plain Southern Style in cherry. I literally have maybe 20 balls through it. It’s been sitting in closet in NH. I head north to check on the house this past weekend I didn’t bring any of my regular shooters and was getting itchy. I dig it out from the closet take it out of the case and the base of the stocks butt is now separate from the rest of the rifle. The crack was perfectly clean. Before attempting any repairs I tried to reposition the crack off piece of stock back in position. I could not get it to line up because the butt plate was in the way. Basically there was so much tension on the stock from the butt plate and induced the crack. It cracked from the buttplate screw hole across. I was left with a triangular piece of stock. So I think a couple of things went wrong. I don’t think the stock was properly dried and it shrunk while sitting in the closet. The butt plate before things went south fit perfectly. But there was no way after removing it to reattach the crack piece. I tried heating the buttplate red hot and bending it back to take tension off the base of the stock. It would not bend; bad enough the stock cracked I didn’t want to crack the butt plate too. So using a drum sander I took 3/16 off from the bottom of the stock to the center of the screw hole where the stock cracked. Tapering it 3/16 to nothing. While doing this i was confused by the white dust! it didn’t dawn on me until i went to redrill the existing hole and added a new one higher it was bondo. Seems they hollowed out the butt to fill it with bondo! ! I couldn’t believe it! They obviously must have screwed it up and to save the stock did a bondo job. Actually did a pretty neat job but had I known I would have never purchased it. The rifle is basically in the same shape as when I purchased less these new crack features. I had similar problems with the rifle they built custom for me. I bit my tongue sent it off to a master builder and he redid the entire rifle. So I am a bit annoyed and want consideration or I’m going to let the world know about my experiences with them. It’s been a number of years but it’s the whole truth and nothing but the truth the gun could have been sold as new. What do you all think?

 

[Joemolf]

Of note after I haphazardly glued the piece back on the stock I attempted to reattach the buttplate. It snapped off the lower corners of the crack piece as I tightened the screw that is why you see two cracks.

 

[Joemolf]

I had to file about 5/16 off the buttplate and about the same from the piece at the base of the stock. I added the upper hole; what looks like a hole at the bottom is where the wood tore out of the second crack and the black CA glue I used seeped through

 

[2 shots]

maybe shorter screws are in order? you could dowel up the holes and install shorter screws maybe, cant tell because they are not in the picture. dowels and epoxy will also support the repair

 

[HSmithTX]

Maple dust is pretty darn white, are you sure it was bondo? I am not seeing it in the pics. You can move a buttplate quite a bit on the toe end with the screw, and it's always a bad idea. Add shrinkage or swelling to that and it's extra bad. The buttplate should fit with very little or no pressure on the screws and have 90% or more contact along the edges (that should be flat). If you can't close the gap with your fingers you need to keep fitting imo.

 

[Phil Coffins]

One you got screwed.
Two, Bondo, plastic metal or the like has no place in custom or hobby gun work.
Three, once you worked on it it’s yours and any warranties are void.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Whom produced it?

 

[Joemolf]

As a minimum hopefully they will be so kind is to tell me what stain and topcoat they used so I can address my haphazard repair!

 

[HSmithTX]

As a minimum hopefully they will be so kind is to tell me what stain and topcoat they used so I can address my haphazard repair!

That ship likely sailed when the glue went on, most glue won't take stain or color at all unless it's IN the glue. Sorry. The glue lines are there forever. You can darken that part a lot and hide them somewhat and that might be your best option. For it to look OK you'd likely need to refinish the whole stock and 'age' darken it in appropriate places so a dark toe doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.

 

[Joemolf]

One you got screwed.
Two, Bondo, plastic metal or the like has no place in custom or hobby gun work.
Three, once you worked on it it’s yours and any warranties are void.

Twice I also bought a custom rifle from them that when I started looking at it inletting and other it was pretty bad. I removed the lock plate and lock to clean it and let’s say it was not pretty.
The rifle is 4 or 5 years old if I am not mistaken the warranty is long gone.

Warranty or not the pictures speak for themselves they are hacks. I will call them one of these days and see what they have to say. I’m sure i am not the only person who purchases guns and never uses them.
I can’t in good conscience without discussing my findings with them who it is. I

I’m sure I’m not the only one they screwed! Trust me on that.

 

[Joemolf]

Whom produced it?

You’d might be surprised I’m holding off for now.

 

[Joemolf]

That ship likely sailed when the glue went on, most glue won't take stain or color at all unless it's IN the glue. Sorry. The glue lines are there forever. You can darken that part a lot and hide them somewhat and that might be your best option. For it to look OK you'd likely need to refinish the whole stock and 'age' darken it in appropriate places so a dark toe doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.

I’m not worried about having to refinish if it cannot be blended. After all the stock is cracked and I noticed a hairline crack at the inlet for the ramrod.

 

[Joemolf]

I’m not worried about having to refinish if it cannot be blended. After all the stock is cracked and I noticed a hairline crack at the inlet for the ramrod.

Rifle is worthless in a sense

 

[Joemolf]

maybe shorter screws are in order? you could dowel up the holes and install shorter screws maybe, cant tell because they are not in the picture. dowels and epoxy will also support the repair

I did dowel it so that should hold it a little. It’s a very plain rifle nice though one of these days I’ll refinish it; it has a very soft finish. That is if the manufacturer won’t fix it!
I didn’t know about the bondo until this morning when I added the additional hole to the buttplate. At least they didn’t use spackle!

 

[Joemolf]

Maple dust is pretty darn white, are you sure it was bondo? I am not seeing it in the pics. You can move a buttplate quite a bit on the toe end with the screw, and it's always a bad idea. Add shrinkage or swelling to that and it's extra bad. The buttplate should fit with very little or no pressure on the screws and have 90% or more contact along the edges (that should be flat). If you can't close the gap with your fingers you need to keep fitting imo.

It’s a cherry stock concur on the whiteness of maple

 

[Joemolf]

Maple dust is pretty darn white, are you sure it was bondo? I am not seeing it in the pics. You can move a buttplate quite a bit on the toe end with the screw, and it's always a bad idea. Add shrinkage or swelling to that and it's extra bad. The buttplate should fit with very little or no pressure on the screws and have 90% or more contact along the edges (that should be flat). If you can't close the gap with your fingers you need to keep fitting imo.

I just wanted to add that the gap as HSmithTX commented on was 3/16 of an inch at the center of the screw hole. I have never seen anything like this. Granted I have limited experience with these but this where I think like my other rifle from them the stock was assembled in a very humid environment. The buttplate as HSmith TX notes should essentially just fit. To need to tourqe that center screw to pull the center of the plate in says something is out of whack. You can see in the pictures I didn’t exaggerate what I had to trim off.
I just found the receipt I purchased it 11/18 for $2400 plus $90 to ship. A ton of money I wish I had today. I have to say it’s the only rifle I purchased where it shot on target. The sights were all dialed in for 50 yards. It was not worth what I paid for it but it was a very nice looking mountain rifle until time passed the wood shrank and I discovered the bondo job which they even stained. What bothers me is I can’t control myself! I could have done a better job. I ordered leather pads for the vice, CA and Epoxy but couldn’t wait so I marred the stock using pine boards and the white glue line should not be there. The lower dark spot is the CA; most i was able to carefully scrape. But because i couldn’t wait for FedEx i marred it more. I have no patience anymore my brain doesn’t work like it used to before Long Covid! Anyway I will do something eventually. Tomorrow now that i have the useless receipt im going to brighten there day as they did mine the past few!

 

[TDM]

I’d take a step back. First, make sure the cracks are cleaned and properly glued. Use Titebond or super glue if you prefer. Clamp it and leave it for a day or so. Make sure your dowel pugs are securely glued and cured. Before you start to reattach the butt plate or bottom plate make sure the fit properly, file and trim as needed. Don’t use the screws to pull them into shape. Sand down the most of the shoulder area of the stock, not necessarily to bare wood, but enough to blend in a similar stain and finish. You can cut the stain with alcohol to blend as needed.

 

[Joemolf]

I’d take a step back. First, make sure the cracks are cleaned and properly glued. Use Titebond or super glue if you prefer. Clamp it and leave it for a day or so. Make sure your dowel pugs are securely glued and cured. Before you start to reattach the butt plate or bottom plate make sure the fit properly, file and trim as needed. Don’t use the screws to pull them into shape. Sand down the most of the shoulder area of the stock, not necessarily to bare wood, but enough to blend in a similar stain and finish. You can cut the stain with alcohol to blend as needed.

Sound advice TDM unfortunately I have been very anxious lately. Regardless I will be be going back over it. It’s not as bad as it looks; some TLC (should have been applied in the first place) and it will be okay. Stock still cracked which affects its value along with the bondo. It looks as though the stock was hollowed out the entire length of the top of the buttplate and down to the center screw. They must have either covered the overflow with plastic wrap and then used the buttplate, held in position until cured, dressed it up and attached it. I didn’t realize it was bondo until I added the new screw LOL. When I take the buttplate off to clean up the edges I post another photo. Great camouflage job LOL. I’m laughing but crying only because of the money spent.
Cheers!

 

[TDM]

Sound advice TDM unfortunately I have been very anxious lately. Regardless I will be be going back over it. It’s not as bad as it looks; some TLC (should have been applied in the first place) and it will be okay. Stock still cracked which affects its value along with the bondo. It looks as though the stock was hollowed out the entire length of the top of the buttplate and down to the center screw. They must have either covered the overflow with plastic wrap and then used the buttplate, held in position until cured, dressed it up and attached it. I didn’t realize it was bondo until I added the new screw LOL. When I take the buttplate off to clean up the edges I post another photo. Great camouflage job LOL. I’m laughing but crying only because of the money spent.
Cheers!

Sorry you got such a raw deal on that rifle.

 

[Brokennock]

Twice I also bought a custom rifle from them that when I started looking at it inletting and other it was pretty bad.

First, I'm sorry you got such a bum deal.
Second, based on this quote, I have two guesses as to who built these guns. I have a gun from one of those two and at first glance the gun looks really good. When one starts looking at how some of the metal parts are fitted it starts looking a little off. Nose cap isn't square and centered with the end of the stock, some other pieces aren't quite straight. I think some might call it, "finished in a workman-like manor." No where near as bad as your broken stocked gun though.

Good luck with this. I hope you can get it resolved.