The Savage-Stevens 325A Project Phase III Part 1

I guess this is the project that wont die.

If you missed the first part of this rifle build, click on the links below

Phase 1 Part 1
Phase 1 Part 2
Phase 1 Part 3

This is what the gun looked like after phase 1:

Phase 2 Part 1
Phase 2 Part 2
Phase 2 Part 3


This is what the gun looked like after phase2

Just for a reminder, here is what the gun looked like when I brought it home:

After finishing phase II of this rifle I was at the gun show and spotted a Savage 325 stock in a bucket of stocks. The stock was in pretty good shape, I couldn't resist asking the price.....
The vendor said $1, everything on the table was a $1 each!

My wheels started turning and I thought, why not refinish this stock and then reblue the steel and make it look like new again?

So I bought the stock , it was missing the butt plate, but they had a rubber one from a Boyd's stock for $1 so I bought it too. I could have bought a reproduction butt plate for $15-$20...but I couldn't see the point of that

I found this vintage Hunter brand leather sling with QD swivels attached last spring for $1, it will be perfect for this project

The original butt plate screws came with the stock, but the heads are too big for the Boyd's recoil pad, so I rummaged around in my screw bin and found some that will work.

While I was at it I cleaned up the old ones, I will reblue them and save for another project

Time to get started on Phase III!   

I measured the length of pull and found it to be nearly 14" without the recoil pad, with it we were close to 14 1/2". 

So I taped off the stock (to help prevent chipping of the wood), measured off 1/2" and cut it with my compound miter saw. I cut it 90 degrees to the comb.

I then drilled the holes out to 5/16" and plugged them

After the glue dried I cut them flush and then sanded the stock with a block of wood and some 150 grit sandpaper

Then I marked the holes, drilled them and installed the pad. Remember when doing this to use wax on the threads and when using recoil pad like this in which the screw heads are hidden, use a round shank screw driver and coat the screw heads and screw driver in dish soap to prevent tearing of the pad.

I then fitted the recoil pad to the stock with the belt sander

Next I remove the old finish with CitriStrip, brush it on, wait 30 minutes and scrap it off

Then I wipe it down with acetone and a cloth, the stock is ready to be sanded, have the dents raised, then stained and refinished.

First we fill some holes,  I have this gouge along with two small holes

I use 5 minute JB Clear Weld epoxy mixed with saw dust

After curing overnight I use a file to trim the repair flush

 

Next I sand it with 150 grit sand paper, removing any small scratches and diggers left by the belt sander

Here it is after sanding with the 150 grit

Next I use a pencil to mark the dents to be raised

I use a hobby iron (for model airplanes) but a standard clothes iron works fine. Use a cotton towel, soaked in water....it should not be dripping wet, but completely wet

I press the iron to the wet cloth for 10 seconds or less, sometimes it takes a few applications to raise the dent, sometimes they don't raise at all.


Stay tuned for Part 2