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Wood Gun Stock Lengthening

754 views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  Skeet_Man  
#1 ·
I have a 1980 Browning Superlight with an English stock and I need the stock lengthened 3". It was cut many years back for a much shorter shooter than I am but has now been returned to me.
A recoil pad can make up ~ 1" of the needed distance but there is still 2" left to build up.

What is the best way to accomplish this and does anyone recommend a gunsmith for this?

I can ship the gun for this service but it would be great to find someone local with experience, I live in SC about 20 min from North Myrtle Beach, SC.

Thanks
 
#7 ·
Keep in mind this is a Superlight field gun that probably weighs 5-6lb depending on gauge. Thick recoil pads, spacers, or LOP adjusters aren't appropriate for this specific task as they would add SIGNIFICANT weight to the back of the gun making it extremely backheavy.

A walnut extension can/should be hollowed out, at least to match the hollowing of the stock, so it returns it to as close as original configuration as possible.

This would work assuming it's a 12ga and you're dating of 1980 is accurate: Browning Citori Butt Stock - Sporter - Grade I - Type 2 - 12 Gauge

Possibly this one as well if your gun is a bit newer: Browning Citori 12GA English Field Stock, Satin
 
#8 ·
One trick is to put a thin "blackline spacer" between the existing butt and the extension. You'll never match the grain perfectly, so make the extension look like its intentional. I did this on a Luigi Franchi AL48 20 gauge someone cut for a youngster.
Image

Because it's a lightweight gun with a light weight stock, I used a bit of basswood I had laying around, glued a bit of black micarta on the end and wet at it. I think it looks okay, even though I did not even bother to laminate a piece together to match grain direction!

(Note, I did, but I screwed up laminating hardwood with a big hollow, and then decided it didn't matter anyhow and used the basswood. I think it came out nicer, anyhow!)

I used by butt pad fitting jig and went to town with the belt sander. Easy as doing a buttpad.

Here is an extension by Ricardo (not mine, I am short)
Image

Putting that black line there is a the way to go. Otherwise, there are artists who can paint a fake wood grain to match, but that is a very high-dollar task because they are highly skilled and it takes days to do.

If I can to it, anyone can.
 
#11 ·
I extended one myself, Walnut here was a little hard to source so couldn't be too fussy on the match but it works and is functional and I've seen a lot worse matches on some older guns getting around. It's been a couple of years now and a few more coats of BLO since the photo and it seems to be blending in a little better with age or maybe my eyesight is getting worse :rolleyes: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:

A couple of screws thru the back to hold it tight with some gorilla glue and bore a hole thru for the stockbolt (y)
Image
 
#17 ·
I have done several ( 2 shotguns and 1 rifle) by adding a piece as in post 11 above. They came out very good. Was able to somewhat match the color and grain with the new walnut piece. One can "shade" the grain a little with an air brush and some stain. I really think the applied piece looks better than spacers or wood with the grain gaining the wrong way. I understand it was pretty common for English gunsmiths to do this kind of work. Like Skeet Man said, you can make the gun "feel" right again. And...a Superlight is probably worth paying for a restock if you want to go that way. Me, I would like it fine with the conversation piece wood addition.
 
#20 ·
I doubt a Microcell and spacers would be less than wood and a plastic plate (returning it to original configuration).

I actually (probably) have all the components. A OEM Browning plate is 1.65oz, an unground microcell is 2.45, so even ground the microcell will be slightly heavier than the plate since you're not going to grind away 1/3 of the pad. I also have a sheet of PVC foam which I'm relatively confident is the same thing the Kickeez spacers are made of. It's 9.55oz for 32 cu/in, or 0.3oz/cu/in. American walnut is very nearly identical.

So there is an exceptionally high likelihood that a microcell and spacers would be the same weight or a hair heavier, but look infinitely worse.

You COULD save a bit of weight by going with a lower density wood (claro and euro walnut would be lighter, as would a myriad of other species), although chances of blending it in would go down dramatically, conversely 2-3" of non-matching wood (as long as it's stained to at least the same level of darkness) would still look better than the equivalent amount of black spacers.