I am considering a purchase so am hoping for some input. Its a sidelock Scott. As you can see there is an old stock repair that is making me a little nervous. I can get no movement out of it and I believe it to be an old repair. It was camouflaged at one time but that is coming off. I won't be able to take a lock off to see what it looks like underneath. My hope is that the repair will last a long time and if it does give out then I will have someone competent repair it again. SO, is this a repairable area? Worst case scenario this repair does not hold is this the kind of damage the the "stock doctors" cringe over or do they typically say bring it on? The pin that holds the locks in is slightly raised but may just need a turn or could be a replacement, just not sure but thought I would include a pic of it. Funny, the repair looks worse in the pictures than it did in person. Thanks in advance. Jim

What is with the proud screw? I've got nothing for you on the repair without seeing the locks off.

Not sure why that screw is proud. I think it may just need another half turn but it could be a poorly fitted replacement. I will try to get the lock off tomorrow afternoon and get some pics. That should tell me a little more about that screw at the same time.

Re the screw, since the head is engraved, I'd bet on original and just needs tightening. Can't imagine going to the trouble of making a new screw that doesn't fit but engraving the head. Unless some gunsmith found a screw that only sorta fits.

Looks like the wood from the action to the joint may have been replaced??? It would take a lot of skill to make this a strong repair.
bill

I'd be very leery of that one, from what I can see in these pics. As Fishnfowler said, pics with the locks off might help a lot.

SRH

From just the pictures I have to agree with Bill in that it looks like a replacement piece of wood. Looking closer the pores look different and the wood is lighter.

On the side plate connecting screw, on the right side is it recessed or flush to the plate?

I'm a machinist not a gunsmith, but have "strong backed" a couple of similar cracks on Sterlingworths.

If you remove the lock and there is nothing else to interfere, and I don't think there is, you could dremel a small groove perpendicular to the crack on the horizontal surface, and accraglas a .060 to .080 diameter, grooved or knurled, steel or brass pin in. Cover it with a dust/acraglass mixture, replace the lock and it would be semi invisible with the lock removed. Then you just have to deal with refinishing over the visual crack on the outside.

If it were mine, that is how I would approach it.

Just a thought.
Hope this helps.

Bill

So you are looking at a repaired gun which the repair is stable but not invisible or even good looking right now. First thing to figure out is it a solid repair? I'd say yes because it is a fairly old one. Second thing is what does it look like under the lock plate? Don't buy it if you can not see what is looks like under the plate. It could be just the horn or half the head of the stock. You don't know until you see what is under the lock. And lastly could you do better? Well that is an old repair that has lasted for sometime. Perhaps that is as good as it gets or at least as good as it needs to be.

If you have to restock that gun it becomes a money pit. If you can live with the repair it is worth the risk if you can evaluate that level of risk. Otherwise just keep on looking.

The bottom ear has been replaced in the past. The question is how is it connected to the inside portion of the head. Just glued or interlocked wood and glued? If the latter it will hold up a long time. If just glued, the picture shows oil soaked wood becoming evident. Oil and glue do not forever bond. Yes, I fix this kind of breakage.

Dennis Earl Smith
The Stock Doctor

I've done similar repairs, and also repaired other's repairs to strengthen them. I also agree this is a replacement piece of wood, and not a bad match, but should have been fitted at an angle to give the repair joint more surface area. The longer the angle, the more overlap the existing wood, and the repair will have. This will also make the repair less visible if the joint is angled and longer. A butted repair stands out much more!
If I think the area is weakened by a repair, I remove it and redo the joint the way I like. I also remove excess wood on the inside, and use thin fiberglass cloth, and Acraglass it in place on the inside where it wont show, to strengthen the wood, and the joint. I use Acraglass to install donor wood also, as it's stronger than the surrounding wood.

Thank you all for your input. I am going to roll the dice. The stock doctors have given me some confidence. I will be out shooting it after the 10 day wait. If it lets loose some day I will have it repaired again.

+1 I have a gun here now which i have just done the same repair on.
Its sound.

Stock Doctor, et al, how about carbon fiber rods inlet and epoxied into place to reinforce this type of repair?

DDA

Generally if doing this kind of repair one would draw as muck of the old oil from the wood as possible. With a good join and modern adhesives with the wood sealed post repair it is not going anywhere quickly. The way I do it is not simply attaching to the broken off section of the bottom ear I chisel out a rectangular section from the head of the stock then soot the replacement wood into place, then clean the wood to remove the soot, whiting to draw out the oil if necessary, scratch up the contact area's to make a good key then glue in place. Cure for 24 hours then re fit for any affected parts.

It has been done. Usually the area to repair is too thin for rods. I try to make sure all oil is removed from the head so glue will hold. Fiber rods need perfect alignment in order to make the repair well done. Replacing wood in that area, I prefer to make the new piece part of the entire head. that way part of it abutts a larger section of the receiver when possible.

I have seen these fingers on Scotts break off due to mainsprings breaking and blowing out the wood undernieth them.