The L.C. Smith Collectors Association

The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
[ The L.C. Smith Collectors Association ]

12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Bob Kayes on July 2, 2021, 11:55 am

My refinished Eagle Grade has a stock that measures 12 3/4" LOP to the end of the wood and 13 5/8" LOP to the end of the pad. It was built in 1942. I am not happy with the wood refinish and I don't know if a soft rubber or a hard rubber pad would have originally been on it.

It is in good condition with the lever a bit right of center. I'd like to shoot it and was wondering the best option to bring it to about 14 1/4" LOP?

I have contacted a few people who would install a wood spacer and the cost approximates $600 to $800+ depending on the spacer showing or not and both fore end and stock being refinished. I also saw a 1 1/2" rubber pad on NECG that would bring it to the length I want that I could install myself.

I guess my question is what would be the best and recommended way to not only correct the short stock but to keep the gun as correct as possible without a complete stock replacement. Also, I believe that the higher grades were an oil not a high gloss finish.

Thanks, Bob

Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Charlie Brooks on July 2, 2021, 1:40 pm, in reply to "12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

Bob,The pad that you are talking about may be the one from Tony Galazan.If it is, that is the best solution to your problem.You will need a fixture to do the job right.I have put several of these on guns that were short like yours.If finished right it will look original and work well.Feel free to call me,if you like.Best of luck,Charlie.

Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Bob Hamilton on July 2, 2021, 5:56 pm, in reply to "12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

Bob,

I would put a Hawkins pad on your Eagle Grade (Connecticut Shotgun sells reproductions). Then you can use a leather velcro add-on recoil pad to get your ideal LOP when you go shooting. I have also made different foam inserts that can go in the recoil pad to get the desired LOP, if needed for different guns. Please see the picture below for the recoil pads I use and one of the foam inserts (from a workout mat). This set-up works great for me, I'm 6'2 and need about a 15" LOP, believe me there are very few vintage guns with that LOP.

I really don't like the thick 1 1/2" pads, they are distracting to me. This way you don't alter the gun and save a ton of money. Just my opinion.

Hope that helps,
Bob

Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Tom Archer on July 2, 2021, 6:19 pm, in reply to "Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

Beauty and grace are in the eye of the beholder they say; and using a 1 1/2" pad is clearly the least expensive alternative to your problem, but they make a gun butt look danged ugly in my humble opinion. I thought I had a picture of one of those pads fitted to an A-3 with a short stock; but the pad was so ugly I cropped most of it out of the pic posted below. At any rate that pad is the 1 1/2" version of Galazan's Silver's pad; but you can at least see its black base is wider than the on their 1" version of the same pad (3/8" vs. 1/4"). If you'd seen this A-3 the first thing you would've noticed was how badly the thick pad detracted from the otherwise great lines and looks of that beautiful gun. That said, some of the ugliness of these extra thick pads can be tempered somewhat by covering same with a nice piece of leather, but even then the gun just won't look "right". Another inexpensive alternative would be to attach one of those removable leather pads that wrap around the butt and fasten with Velcro.
But the best, and also most expensive (besides restocking) solution is to send your gun to the Stock Doctor and have him lengthen the stock to your LOP while simultaneously matching grain and
color. And at that point you'd also have the option to finish the butt with any of the butt treatments Hunter offered their customers from their standard hard-rubber plate to a skeleton butt. I own too many ugly guns myself and thoroughly understand that correcting these flaws can be expensive, so good luck!

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Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Dan Wildhaber on July 3, 2021, 12:48 am, in reply to "12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

It is a nice gun and as such it requires a quality repair.
Dennis Smith, The Stock Doctor, or
Mark Larson (Mark Larson Gun Art) would be who I would recommend.
A buttstock transplant would be another option; the splice being hidden in the checkering panel but your gun appears to have been stocked with a decent piece of wood so just adding the extension might make more sense.
If the stock is a bit too glossy for your taste it is a simple matter to tone it down with Brownell’s Triple “F” Stock Rubbing Compound to whatever sheen you want; just follow the directions on the can

Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Dan Wildhaber on July 3, 2021, 2:41 am, in reply to "Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

If you go for the extension, go for the invisible one regardless of who does it.

Extensions you can see are as horrendous as 1.5" recoil pads

Stock extensions

Posted by Drew Hause on July 3, 2021, 7:14 am, in reply to "12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

Mark Larson does wonderful work
https://www.marklarsongunart.com/

Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Phil Carr on July 3, 2021, 8:46 am, in reply to "12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

I would do exactly as Bob Hamilton has suggested. I don’t like the 1 1/2” pads. I don’t like extensions. Do you know what the original stock length was?

Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Bob Kayes on July 3, 2021, 10:19 am, in reply to "Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

The authentication information I received from the LCS Collectors Assn. states that for Eagle Grades “ The stocks were made from imported walnut”. It doesn’t mention anything regarding stock dimensions or type of butt plate or pad.

Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Bob Kayes on July 3, 2021, 10:27 am, in reply to "12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

First, I'd like to thank everyone for their suggestions. And, since I have very little invested in it I am leaning towards having it done either by either Mark Lawson who I have had correspondence with or Dennis Smith [Stock Doctor] who I have been unable to contact as yet. And I think sending both the stock and fore end in so they could be done in the same finish would also make sense.

If I do go that route I will post before and after pictures.

Thanks again for the ideas.
Bob

Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Bob Kayes on July 6, 2021, 2:36 pm, in reply to "12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

At this time I am going to go with Bob Hamilton's suggestion and get a leather Tourbon slip on recoil pad for $26 and see how that goes. Adding a wooden spacer that would blend in and not be seen, a new pad plus refinish and shipping charges is very costly and I don' think putting that kind of money into the gun would enhance its value for down the road.

Thanks everyone,
Bob

Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Bob Hamilton on July 6, 2021, 6:38 pm, in reply to "Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

Bob,

I think you will be very happy with the slip on pad. I actually like the looks of them. I did not picture it above, but I also have a lace-up pad that I think looks pretty neat on an old gun. At some point you have to "live and let live" with these old guns.

Now, the next inexpensive item that you might really like (I do) for your vintage SxS is a leather hand guard. I just like the look and feel of them. I rarely shoot at a rate that would really heat up the barrels at sporting, but if you shoot trap, they are very useful if you have a splinter forearm. I don't think your Eagle has a beavertail from the above post. Jeff's Outfitters carries them at a very good price. Jeff is a very nice guy and he has a lot of other gun cases and cleaning items. His website is nice and you might just enjoy looking at what he has.

Bob

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Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock

Posted by Bob Kayes on July 7, 2021, 7:03 am, in reply to "Re: 12ga Eagle Grade with Short Stock"

Bob,
Thank you for the additional information and mentioning Jeff's Outfitters..... neat site.

I really like your comment " you have to "live and let live" with these old guns. ". Letting them be as they are if they are not damaged is probably a good way to go.

Thanks,
Bob

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