I bought this rifle for$20, with a 32-20 WCF barrel and no breechblock. The stock had apparently been made from a 2×6, because it still said ‘Boise Cascade” on it in green letters. I would have kept that but for the fact that it was loose and therefore useless. I found an octagonal 22 blank and a correct breechblock, and I have to make a firing pin which I will do on monday. These are the first pictures of the stock, which began as a 2″ by 8″ piece of bloody hard wood- so hard that it will probably not take a finish, and will have to be buffed- as it gets fitted to the receiver. I have the receiver completely apart so none of the pieces get lost, and once I have the stock fitted, and the barrel chambered, and the ejector fitted, i will fire up the tank and blue this puppy. I hope to have a functional single shot by spring.
inletted-top.jpg

This is the top of the stock as inletted to the receiver. It’s a long way from block of wood to this point, trust me.
inletted-bottom.jpg

The bottom. You get an idea how much material has to be removed to make this work.

roughedblock.jpg
The block roughly shaped with the receiver inletted to it. Now I need to start shaping, and this is a light rifle, and this is dense wood, so I need to remove a LOT of it. Here’s the first evening’s sanding progress.
roughed.jpg

There’s a LOT left to do. This is going to be like a splinter when it’s done.

Now I understand why Pope liked that ballard action so much- almost no stock fitting to do, no tang, nothing.