SmallCaliberCentral

Picked up a Savage 93R17 a year or so ago, cheapie model with synthetic stock with the idea in mind of making a stock for it. Here's pix of the progress so far.









Pix of contrasting wood for forearm cap/grip cap/butt plate/action bottom.





A piece of the walnut and the burl with a little sanding and some finish. Had to see how it might look when I'm done.!! ;0)

Nice stock!

All the work done by you, meaning did you start it from a blank?

It started literally with a piece of walnut log. It was the last piece out of Pop's shop, left over from some he got at a relative's property in northern Iowa in the mid 1970's. They were going to buck it up into firewood. Pop being a wood worker said 'No way!!' Pop brought home a Uhaul open car carrier loaded to the max with black walnut logs!!! He had it milled and dried here in the Flathead. He eventually built a 9 drawer dresser and a huge armoir (spelled wrong) from some of the lumber. Pop passed away about a year and a half ago. I found it in his shop as I was puttering and cleaning up some. The walnut burl is from his shop also but I am not sure of it's origin. Most likely came from one of his wood working friends in trade for something he couldn't live without!! ;0) This is a very sentimental project, the first I've done since Pop passed away. I thought it fitting that I combine my love of firearms and wood working and this last piece of walnut. There is enough left from the blank to make another stock for a .22 and the pieces left from making the blank would make yet another stock or butt stock and forearm for a shotgun or some other 2 piece stock.

I'm babbling now so I will shut up!! Thank you for your interest and kind words.

Excellent job!

Ever think about doing any for customers??? My 12FV needs a new stock and I like the shape of that one!

P99.... Thank you!!! You have no idea what a compliment that is!! The design is completely out of my own mind, drawing heavily from sections of other stocks that I liked. i.e. the old Herter's varminter stock, Fajen's Aristocrat and varminter stocks and the tac-driver and wildcat sporter from Richard's microfit. I love stocks with closed pistol grips and thumb hole stocks too. I'm not a gun smith, no FFL, so the legalities of making one for someone else come into play. Not to mention I work really slow on these things. It's been 6 months or more of working on it here and there. Pm me... I have a couple ideas. Also added a pix just a bit ago of some scraps that I sanded and put some finish on. Couldn't take it any more... had to see what it might look like done!!! ;0)

More progress pix. Just need to make the butt plate and grip cap, will use same wood as tip cap, and then final sanding and finish.

Just some minor touch up in small areas and it's pretty much done. Decided to forego the grip cap for now. I can add it later if the mood strikes me. I have the new action screws done, found #12 screw blanks at Brownell's and a 12-32 die and die handle from Wholesale Tool. Will put up a few more pix after this post with the assembled rifle. Chomping at the bit to get out and shoot it!!!! Lots of imperfections in it, some left on purpose some just plain screw ups but it's all a learning process. Thanks for putting up with me!!











The burl wood didn't darken up when the finish was applied like the samples did, bummer but I can live with it I think!!

OK.... here 'tis assembled. Last pix of it I promise!!! Thanks for the comments!!

WOW!!! I like it. You did a great job on it.

EXCELLENT JOB!

I am going to keep you in mind for any future stock need!

Sweet looking rig you made there!! I hope we get to see more pics of it with it's critter victims alongside it.

Thanks for the kind words. I thoroughly enjoyed making this one even if I did leave out some of the 'ginger bread' I had thought about putting on it.

Gopher shooting this summer here in NW MT has gone back to gopher hunting. I've gotten all of one so far and only saw 3. I'll do my best to pack my camera along when I go out so I can show the spoils of my addiction!! I did go out today between thunder storms and re-sight in the .17HMR and my little Rem M580 single shot. So now the whole 'battery' is all set for the remainder of the summer. The one I got was with my Lady's 10-22.

Very nice job there!!

Pop would be proud.........

What a cool project.


Looks very nice, what a nice tribute to your dad, especially since he saved the wood from becoming carbon ash.


I have an old black walnut stock in my front yard, we cut down almost all of the English limbs and it has lived with fresh Black walnut shoots for 10 years since my wife wanted it gone. Grandpa planted it when my mom was young, probably around 1940-45, it is 6' tall and probably 10 feet in diameter, waiting to find someone that knows how to turn it into future gunstocks.


Very nice,

Allen