How about a lever action story 🤔

[Pat C]

We'll call it " The Good ,the Bad, and the UGLY "

The Good
Recently in my travels spied an unfortunate 1st model 39 A made in 1939 $400 . Most all the original color case and rust blue.

The bad is some light surface freckling from moisture that should clean up with TLC .

The ugly , rifle was leaning again a wall in some fellas basement which flooded. Destroying the butt end of stock.

I'm hoping the cut that end off and splice a matching filler .

[Griff]

IDK, but what I'd just find a replacement stock for it. But, (no pun intended), then my wood working skills are limited to house framing.

[Pat C]

You could but stock is serialized to rifle. I'll get it stripped to check color and exact grain orientation .Look for a matching section . Mortise and tennon fit with Tightbond glue.

[GunnyMack]

There is an epoxy made that self levels and is intended for rotten wood.
Since you are concerned about keeping the serialized stock the epoxy would save it better than cutting it off and splicing it .
However a set of number stamps could serialize a new stock to replace the original, keep the original for future resale.

[Grizz]

OR, get a pretty nice 2x4 for the stock and give it a really big story . . . :)

[Pat C]

Had time to do a little cleaning on the 39-A , got most of the freckling off .Some staining and few light pits remain but over all cleaned up nice. Bore is mint and it's a shooter.

Spent two hours trying to get the stock bolt out ,twisted my new Grace driver using a wrench on it. Finally got mad dog mean and used magnabit and 1/2 drive ratchet, it gave up.

Fully rusted from moisture.

Found the fix for the stock. MIRROR CAST by System Three, made for checks and cracks in wood. Soaks into fiber and fills voids. Tintable to match color.
So this fall I will do the repair.

[Pat C]

Few more.

[JimT]

NICE WORK!

[Pat C]

Thanks, Now if I can get that stock fixed up I'll be happy camper.

[Streetstar]

Thaaat -- is a nice find !!!! and a very nice price !

[Pat C]

Little story to add to this find ,

25 plus years ago a coworker came in said he had a .22 he wanted to sell . I asked what it was he said Marlin. Unfortunately he used some improper chemicals to clean it and tool all the finish off wood and metal. Just a pitiful looking grey barewood gun.

I ended up trading him a Winchester semi auto that a guy give me . Which was in excellent shape and $100.

I ended up fully restoring it, Don Menk color cased it , local gunsmith reblued barrel mag tube small parts. I did a deluxe oil finish on wood. It was spectacular.

I showed it to my coworker , he begged me to sell it back to him. As it was his Dad's. He never thought it would look rhat good again. So I let him have for my cost in finishes . Plus $100 back . It killed me but I felt was right thing to do.

He was thrilled to have it back . I was sad.

Fast forward I see this problem rifle I couldn't help but think my good deed had came back around. Meant to be

Now I do not know the whole story of how and who owned the rifle . But I would like to think if they were a collector they would be pleased .

[Ysabel Kid]

Wow! Excellent work!!!

[LeverGunner]

Awesome story and conservation work.

[ikocher]

That's a bucket list gun for me. Some day I'll pick one up. That's a good find.

[Pat C]

Thanks folks!

[Grizz]

Had time to do a little cleaning on the 39-A , got most of the freckling off .Some staining and few light pits remain but over all cleaned up nice. Bore is mint and it's a shooter.

Spent two hours trying to get the stock bolt out ,twisted my new Grace driver using a wrench on it. Finally got mad dog mean and used magnabit and 1/2 drive ratchet, it gave up.

Fully rusted from moisture.

Found the fix for the stock. MIRROR CAST by System Three, made for checks and cracks in wood. Soaks into fiber and fills voids. Tintable to match color.
So this fall I will do the repair.

I fell under a night time sales pitch and bought this produce to test -->

https://superzilla.us/

it released the 2007 rear drum brake innards on the 2007 Toyota. it releases stuck lug nuts, and various engine parts. better than kroil for some things . . .

it might have released the stock bolt, it has done similar for me.

i know i sound like i'm hawking world series box seats, but not so. it's just something that surprised me when i started using it, and your bolt tale reminded me.

grizz

[Pat C]

Never heard of it , may try some. I just used liquid wrench and break free CLP.. My grace set fit better but ,crecent wrench on handle twisted it. The magna bit with 1/2" drive started it. But it was back and forth . The rusty shank is what had it.

[Pat C]

This is the stock repair I plan on using.

[gamekeeper]

Great story and photos, looking forward to seeing the final results...

[ikocher]

ohhh This is turning out very nice indeed. I can't wait to see it done.

[Pat C]

Started the stock repair a month or so ago , steamed wood butt area twice and scrubbed hot water . Wrapped in damp cloths closed those cracks by 50% widest is .030".

Today after drying for weeks I damed up sides with tape and poured the epoxy in from butt area. Kept feeding it in until it soaked full length of cracks. Almost 100% fill . It settled some on top . But plan to cut off 1/16" to true up .So it may be good with one pour.

Ended up using Envirotex lite , cheaper and locally available.
Let it cure for at least a week before sanding.

[Pat C]

All that on top soaked into wood . After couple hours.

[Pat C]

That epoxy resin is the chit , really made this stock solid again .Almost ready to start wet sanding with John Kay's red oil .
Once that's done and sealed if epoxy lines show I'll color them with acrylic paint to blend.

Very anxious to get this done to start shooting it.

[Pat C]

Before and after

[LeverGunner]

That's amazing work. Thank you for sharing. I wouldn't have figured that stock could have bene saved. Great before & after pictures.

[Pat C]

I've fixed many cracked or broken stocks but nothing this bad.
Never used epoxy resin either . So I learned something myself.
Old time gunsmith I know told me about a process I will try if needed. Called Frenching the grain , basically you stain and seal with poly. Any epoxy or defects are carefully painted with acrylic paint mixed to match stock color.

Very light thin applications of paint until it blends out .Then covered with poly . Then any top coat can be applied.

[Pat C]

Wet sanding pore fil is done , will decide after sealing if epoxy lines are not to my liking .But as of now if you didn't know the damage it previously had I'm not sure most could tell what's been done. Will probably have to refinish forend to match as it's very light . I might pick up a dark replacement and keep the original.

[Pat C]

Still working on that oil finish which takes a long long time.
I decided today I would look into that week trigger spring which is the early flat leaf type.

Found the problem which was due to the hole punched in it left an enormous displaced metal on bottom acting like a shim. I peened it down flat and stoned it. Then put just a hair more downward bend to tip.

Now have nice crisp audible clicks and smooth after running EX LAP hone over contacts.

[Pat C]

The outboard corner of hammer notch is chipped or rounded from factory. The hammer notch actually overhangs sear.