doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Stock Wood damage, how

This is the second time I have seen this on L.C. Smiths. The first one I saw is on a 1927 Field Grade Longrange that I just bought from an internet dealer that never showed a picture of it or would send me other pictures. This one is from Cabelas with the same damage in the same spot.
Any answers? I took mine apart and there is no oil saturation at all, it is clean.

Maybe it is damage from hanging out the truck window...Geo

I'd have to guess that someone used something on the metal that was very unfriendly to the wood, if it is not oil soaked inside, as you said. The forend shows some of the same.

It sure looks like oil damage; however, if the finsh is off it may be moisture damage. If it is moisture caused you should see some rust in the action area.

I'm guessing it was either a routine use of a cleaning solvent or a particular brand of oil that had an additive. It'd probably be some kind of product from yesteryear that may or may not be available today. Maybe Marvel Mystery Oil or some such thing?

Thanks for the replies. No, I seriously doubt that it is from oil on mine, and I doubt from moisture. The wood is still firm not soft. I repeatedly used a very wet cloth and a steam iron and was able to raise the wood some to where it is not blackened now, but still looks porus.

I wasn't kidding (entirely) about the damage being from hanging out the truck widow. Look how the damage pivots around the trigger-guard and how the notch in the head of the screw is polished. Wasn't road hunting for partridge a major pass-time in Pennsylvania up till a few years ago?...Geo


Speaking of use by a PREVIOUS owner, of course!

George, I'm sure in northwestern Pa. along the old logging roads it did and probably still does happen. On the gun that I have it is a 32" full/full choke gun that weighs 8 lbs. 11 oz. Chambered for 3" shells, a great duck/goose gun. The one from Cabelas, I forgot the state it was being sold in, but it might be possible with that one.

It almost looks like a burn. Either from heat (?) or some type of solvent. Like the Browning salt guns, something has reacted between the metal and the wood. Could it be from someone using used motor oil on it, yet it never soaked the wood? I know a lot of the old timers used it on guns. Have you ever removed the trigger guard screw to see what the wood looks like down in the hole? If you have, is the wood rotted out deep down in the wood? Or just on the surface? Or could it be some type of fungus that didn't grow until after it left the plant? Surely it didn't leave the factory like that.

Wow! I have one just like it, dry wood, no oil problem, case color is 100% in the area and there is not even a light scratch on the metal to indicate any bruise from handling? The only clue I can add is the finish was wrinkled from some unknown cause. I refinished the wood and the results were great except at the "burns". I then tried to glass the "burn marks" and the results were not great.
wthigo?
bill