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My gun bench was getting empty with only 4 projects on there so I picked up a new one. I can't wait for it to get here so I can see how bad it is !
http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/437670000/437670803/pix189672870.jpg
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=437670803
Mark Daiute
09-09-2014, 07:08
Wow, don't see how I missed it and right in my back yard as well. Good for you!
Well I think the only reason I got it was the Gun Broker Server locked up ! I couldn't even get in on my phone app. I lost out on a Winchester 1873(most of one) Went for $355 I think but the server locked up and I couldn't up my bid. That one really sucked. This time I was going "NOT FRICKEN AGAIN! ! ! NO WAY W?$%$*$#Fu%$$#! But when I did get in I had won ! :) JW
Dick Hosmer
09-09-2014, 08:23
I didn't see that one, but, I figured there wouldn't be any Krag sleepers at Carl's, so I never look too closely there. Looks like decent wood will be the biggest challenge. Some winter fun for you.
I dread any sort of problem with the GB servers, but have never had one (so far).
madsenshooter
09-10-2014, 12:54
Nothing a little super glue can't fix.
I was really glad to get one that the barrel hadn't been hacked off. I had all but given up on a full barrel and had been bidding on cut down ones to use as a carbine. I'm getting a replacement forearm from a good guy on the 1911 forum. Still need to locate a front band . :) JW
Mark Daiute
09-10-2014, 04:55
I troll Ebay for the front bands, they are always available.
Dick Hosmer
09-10-2014, 04:58
What are you going to do about the wrist?
I'm not sure yet till I see it. The stock seems really dark to. If I can get it apart I'll re-do the repair so it's not is noticeable.
Parashooter
09-10-2014, 06:57
A competent wood restorer can fit relatively unobtrusive feather-edge patches of grain-matched wood to the divots in the wrist. Here's a before/after example of such work on a model 1903 stock -
http://i62.tinypic.com/6i76lk.jpg
Dick Hosmer
09-10-2014, 07:20
That's damn nice work - at least from this angle. But, when a completely different piece of wood is put in, even if you get the color and major grain right, it is sometimes possible to view it from a different angle and the patch will visually 'pop' out at you.
Parashooter
09-10-2014, 07:32
Yes, matching refraction is tough, especially with oiled walnut - and there's no easy way to predict the best angle for the patch.
Thanks Parashooter Rick B showed me some of his repairs. I tried Gorilla glue and liked it better than epoxy. It's not for everything but worked so well on 2 repairs I did that you probably wouldn't even notice them until I pointed them out.
Mark Daiute
09-11-2014, 04:33
I have an 1898 Carbine that has the same color as the subject rifle of this thread.
Mark Daiute
09-11-2014, 02:42
Why is yours so dark?
I haven't a clue, but it looks like it came from Springfield like that. Maybe it was salt air? It spent a lot of time in the North Shore of Mass. Well, not in the shore but on the land in Beverly Mass or nearby.
madsenshooter
09-11-2014, 07:16
I've found walnut stain on some stocks, mostly Italian walnut that needed darkened. BLO darkens with exposure to sunshine. And, in some cases, the rifles were stored in cosmoline so long they absorbed most of it, which darkens them. Makes them weigh heavier too, the stock my parkerized 92/96 now resides in is very dark, and weighs maybe a half pound to a pound more than another example I have. It absorbed so much cosmoline that the 1895 cartouche is now an outtie!
psteinmayer
09-12-2014, 05:46
My 1898 that was used in WW1 has a quite dark stock too! I always wondered why it was so dark as compared to others I've seen. I always assumed it was due to it's age.
Picked up the rifle today. Looks just like the photos posted on GB. Getting ready to clean the bore and slug it. Gauged it really quick with a 308 round and it drops in almost to the case neck so it's a little loose at the muzzle. I figured I would have to cast bullets to match the worn bore. Barrel finish on the outside is pretty good really. I just need to knock off a little surface rust and a good cleaning and oiling on all the metal. I'm not sure about the wood. As some mentioned theirs being dark also, mine seems to be dark under the finish also so it's not just stained that dark. That is going to make matching new wood repairs to the old wood real fun. Still need to find a front band assembly at a reasonable price. I'm really happy with this purchase though. JW :)
Still working on the extremely fouled barrel. Cleaned the stock and although it's still very dark I can see the grain now! LOL :)
Bore slugs out to .305, .3055 to .315.
What's the over all length of the stock? thanks :)
Dick Hosmer
09-20-2014, 08:28
According to Poyer, it should be 49".
My rifle measures 49 3/16". I was looking for the stock length so I can do the forward repair. 46" maybe ? All the metal looks pretty good . The butplate is the woest.
Mark Daiute
09-21-2014, 06:21
you can purchase the forestock pre-made from East Taylor, LLC if you do not want to make one from scratch. Their forestocks are already the right length if you make the splice at the barrel band.
Parashooter
09-21-2014, 06:56
http://i53.tinypic.com/10x97v6.jpg
Thanks Parashooter ! that's what I needed. I want to save the cut off piece to hopefully use as filler pieces for the wrist areas as it is the same dark color . :)
Mark Daiute
09-21-2014, 10:09
Re-read the initial posts and see that you already have a forestock. Can't wait to see it.
Just bought a front barrel band. It was listed as a 1903 Springfield but it looked like a Krag to me. http://www.ebay.com/itm/231336611750?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/ATAAAOSwd4tUEPxO/$_57.JPG
madsenshooter
09-29-2014, 01:17
Sure is, the 03 band has a hump to accept the front of the handguard. I can't catch them all!
Got the barrel band today and made some progress on the POS stock :)
jon_norstog
10-02-2014, 09:19
WHat a change! Good work there.
jn
Mark Daiute
10-02-2014, 06:26
This is fun to watch! Can't wait to get the range report!
Dick Hosmer
10-02-2014, 06:55
It might just be the camera angle, but, to my eye, the top edges of the stock do not seem to align perfectly. Close, yes, but not "perfect". You might want to at least check that before you go too much further. Otherwise - looking good!!
No , you're right Dick. I'll sand it down now that it's all glued in place. I'm still working on the top of the wrist. :)
Wrist is done and I'm working on the staining. Matching the sparkling new walnut/sapwood to the 114 year old weathered semi punky oil saturated wood is fun. Well not really, but it coming along ! :)
The staining didn't go as well as I wanted. To dark and to red. The wrist repair had some glue lines and bad woodgrain match. I was going to start over but didn't want to bleach the stock to get the color out. We'll see what it looks like in a day or two.
Parashooter
10-05-2014, 10:03
Looks like good work to me, considering how bad it was before. After oiling (raw linseed for authenticity), the repairs should be even less evident.
I used boiled linseed oil for the finish but didn't know about raw linseed oil for the wood? I have some and I'll use that when I'm done.:)
Dan Shapiro
10-05-2014, 02:41
It's coming along!
psteinmayer
10-06-2014, 06:03
Looking good!
You have done some really fine restoration on that stock. You can do my stock work any time!
LOL! I don't know about that RCK. I fight the urge to be a hammer mechanic all the time . I just finished helping a friend do some restoration work on the 55 chevy from the movie American Graffiti. I knew he wouldn't let me get away with my short cut ways. It was good for me but very frustrating. I'm waiting for boiled linseed oil to finish drying then I'll put up pics of the finished rifle.
psteinmayer
10-07-2014, 10:32
Beautiful job! Well Done!
A little camouflage on the wrist to cover that plug.
Patch on the bottom of the wrist
Dick Hosmer
10-07-2014, 02:24
Nice job, and a tremendous improvement!!!
Ned Butts
10-07-2014, 05:19
Nice Save!!!
psteinmayer
10-08-2014, 04:55
Beautiful!
Mark Daiute
10-08-2014, 10:56
Before and after
Hot Dam!
Can't wait till you shoot it!
Hot Dam!
Can't wait till you shoot it!
I can hardly wait myself to shoot it. I got to find a range to shoot at though.
I was wondering where these rifles that were made in 1899 were used mostly? I guess mine was made mid to late summer? Ser no. 215714. :)
Dick Hosmer
10-18-2014, 06:51
If it saw action at all, it would have been in the Far East - China (relief expedition to Peking 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion) or the Philippine Insurrection, 1901-02.
The war in Cuba was fought with M1892, M1892/96, M1896 rifles and M1896 carbines.
I was looking and trying to find how many soldiers there were and where during that time frame to get an idea of how many were just being stored. Looking at serial numbers, I'm guessing 250,000 to 275,000 were made after the one I have?
I got a little side tracked when I ran across some info on the battalion my dad was in. 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
http://www.reocities.com/dcooper19.geo/87afa1.gif
Dick Hosmer
10-18-2014, 01:35
I was looking and trying to find how many soldiers there were and where during that time frame to get an idea of how many were just being stored. Looking at serial numbers, I'm guessing 250,000 to 275,000 were made after the one I have?
IIRC, highest number known is around 489,000. They had to keep pretty close records, and especially didn't want to exaggerate, because of the royalty due. Some of those high numbers were made for repairs - not all were completed guns. Production basically stopped in 1893, though there were supposedly a handful made in 1904.
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