https://thegreatmodel8.net/

A few months back, I posted my model 8 and asked for some help in identification. The kind patrons on these forums helped me grade my gun. As stated in the title, it's a grade 5 model 8 in .35 rem. When I inherited this gun, it the wood was in sad shape. A poor stock repair had been done years earlier. My father wanted to hunt with this rifle this fall. He'd hunted with it as a kid and wanted to take it out to the field again. After looking over the repair job, I didn't feel that the gun was safe to shoot. So, I priced out what it would cost to have the gun restocked. The numbers weren't that bad, but I couldn't find a local stock maker who would do it with my wood. They all wanted me to buy wood from them, which put the price tag a bit out of my reach. After looking at the old stock, I figured I'd give it a go of making a new stock myself. This is my first attempt at carving a stock. There are mistakes. There are blemishes. There are obvious faults and probably poor technique to a collector's eye. And I shudder to think the faces that trained woodworkers are making as they look at this. But, being a layman, I'm happy with the results. I know it's safe to shoot and my dad like's it even though he may be biased. I haven't checkered it yet as I'm in the process of teaching myself how to checker. I won't touch it with checkering until I feel I'm proficient enough at it to do the gun justice... which may be awhile.

Since I had such a positive response the first time, I thought I'd post these pictures for your enjoyment. Of course I still have the original butt-stock, fore end, and butt plate.

Before 1


Before 2


After 1


After 2


After 3


After 4


After 5


Engraving for those who missed my post several months back

Hey Wes,

Are you sure this is your first try at stock building? You have done a very good job and you have the satisfaction of doing it your self. I am sure your Dad will appreciate having this gun ready for action.

Thanks for sharing the pictures. They are great.

jack1653

looks great good job

ya did a real nice job, it looks great

I'm so jealous!!

If this is your first "bad" effort let me send you one to do "good" Great job and beautiful wood, love the knobby pistol grip.

imfuncity wrote:I'm so jealous!!

If this is your first "bad" effort let me send you one to do "good" Great job and beautiful wood, love the knobby pistol grip.

Amen Mitch. Great job Wes, you did a fantastic job.

Thanks for the kind words, Gents. It might be another 6 months, but when I get it checkered I'll post a few more pictures. That is assuming I don't botch the checkering job!

I do have a question. As you can see in the before pictures, the gun had a peep site on it. I'm leaving the peep off and I plan to shoot it with just the leaf and bead sights. But I now have 3 holes that were tapped for that peep. Any advice on what to fill those holes with? Or if someone makes filler screws? I'd like to stay away from welding and all that. I don't have anyone near by that I'd trust with that kind of work.

Thanks,

Wes

Wes,
I agree with everyone that you did a nice job on the restock.

I hope you have not tossed the original wood. I can give you some names of people who do amazing work and could bring it back to where it would be very difficult to see the repairs.

Hey Wes,

If you decide to take Dennis's sugestion on getting the old stock repaired and putting it back on your rifle, please let me know if you would be interested in selling the stock that you made. I could certainly use it on one of my rifles amd would like to have it.

Jack

Thanks for the offer, Jack. I don't have any plans on selling this stock. It's not a professional job, so you'd be better off buying a stock from a pro. I do have a question you folks might be able to help me with. The rear tang screw that pulls the tangs together and holds the stock on the rifle is a bit sad looking. I think it may even be a replacement screw. I was wondering if there's any place I can order the proper part from? I've tried Brownell's, but they were out of stock on the mod. 8 part. They had the rear tang screw for the 81, but that won't do much good for this rifle.

Thanks for your help.

Wes

Wes,

I have some spare Model 8 pistol grip tang screws. Please contact me at cat9x@hotmail.com

Cam

You may want to contact Joe Hulett with Apertures-N-More.
http://stores.ebay.com/Apertures-N-More

His email used to be jhulett@chartermi.net and it may still be good.

Back in May of 2007, I worked with him on the tang screws for the Model 8 straight grip, semi pistol grip and the model 81. He has the dimension for all three and made some I know for the model 8 straight grip and sent them to me to try in the rifle. Perfect fit. Joe makes these in a special steel and hardens and blues them. Of course, he made me ship them back to him. I was allowed to keep one for all my efforts and info.

I also got him to make me some forearm screws for the Model 8 that had screwdriver slots in them similar to the ones on the model 81. Since I don't take these guns dowm for transport, I think the screws make them look cleaner.

Robopump

Great job on the stock.

Like the post of the rusty piece of junk found in a dump and restored to its glory, you have restored this Royal Bird from a badly damaged Phoenix's ashes. Looking at your stock creation are you by any chance a professional sculptor? Fantastic stock work, will be awaiting new pictures when checkering is completed. jerry

Thanks for the kind words Sighthound. No, I'm not a professional sculptor or stock maker. I did intentionally change the lines on the stock just a bit. I changed them so that the lines of the gun flowed better... well, at least to my eye. Since it wasn't an original stock, I didn't think it would hurt anything if i changed a few things to my personal tastes. I taught myself to draw when I was younger and I know that the lines on some guns just look more elegant. That was what I was aiming for. If you look at the lines of the original stock, they look a bit harsher or blocky to me. I just got some files, shaped the new stock to match the original, and then smoothed out some lines for better overall flow. Again, this is a very personalized gun. It won't be to everyone's liking.

I saw the the pictures of that rifle found in the dump and brought back to life. That was amazing. I was very impressed with his work. I love these old guns and anytime someone brings one back with some TLC, it's a good day.

~Wes

Leave it to Sighound to see the changes! I noticed that I really liked your stock but I didn't know why. Great job.