More work.

[44man]

A friend sent a new Taurus PT 78 in .380 over. It would lock open with every shot. I found it was put together with the spring out of place.
Fixed, works fine.
Then a Rossi lever gun in .410. I swore it was a Marlin! The recoil pad stuck out all over big time so I ground it for a perfect fit. He wants a gloss finish and some checkering but I did not want to remove the finish from the white wood. I put a coat of Tru Oil on it soaked it up like a sponge. This thing would not take water in the rain.
I have to find a Marlin checkering pattern to put on it. Then after I have to match the stock color close in the checkering.
I need to make a crutch for the checkering cradle too.
I am getting too old for this junk! :holysheep

[x101airborne]

I hear ya. It has to be a labor of love.

[firefly1957]

I have a cheap Chinese double That I tried to checker what ever the wood is it would not take a 22 line to the inch checkering and it also absorbed oil and stain like a sponge.

[44man]

Yeah, I have two coats on this one and it soaked it all up. I hope it checkers but I will not go fine.
I had fuzzy walnut once and kept losing diamonds on one side. I mixed Accra Glass, added some stain and put it at the lost spots. After it got hard, I cut it and it looks great. Gotta do what you gotta do!

[woodpile]

You can also use a very thin super glue to stabilize the wood before checkering.

[runfiverun]

as much as i like the rossi leverguns.
one needs to remember that you [the customer] is/are the final inspector.
that's pretty much a quote from thier factory rep.
some fit well and have a nice finish,others need the wood sealed before it will take oil.
i have a couple with walnut stocks,some that look like they will [maybe] have nice wood if i want to finish them, and a couple that fit the metal nicely but might just be pine or balsa wood.

[44man]

I decided not to checker it. I figure it will take at least 26 to 30 hours to draw it up, fit it and cut it. That would exceed to price of the gun.