Does the stock make the Garand?

[paid4c4]

Last year I worked on collecting parts to make an IHC Gapper a correct rifle. The last piece was the Overton Stock I found at the Louisville gun show. I had Tim park the rifle and placed in the stock but it just didn't look right. The stock was a light color which detracted from the overall rifle. I sent the stock set to Jim in Arizona and ask him to make the stock look like a dark reddish military stock. I got the stock back yesterday and all I can say is Wow! Makes the rifle look like a totally different rifle, much like it would have originally. I'll post picture tomorrow, I think you'll agree in this case the stock set makes the rifle.
Bill

[Prince Humperdink]

I think the stock set makes the Rifle.You can have a great Rifle,but put it in a crappy stock,and You'll think"What a crappy rifle",but You can have a crappy rifle in a beautiful stock set,and will think"what a nice Rifle".....at least sometimes.

[Punch The Clown]

There is something rich about that dark brown/red color no doubt. I prefer it over that light blonde. Stu

[LAW483]

As a custom stock maker I have to agree. A nice looking stock is much more important to me than having the correct cartouches. "Correct" pieces have their place, but the ergonomic, condition, and appearance mean more to me than markings.

[cuppednlocked]

No one wants to buy an ugly rifle! It's like the food industry. If you have ok quality food and the presenation is done right people will enjoy it more then excellent food with crappy presentation.

[timshufflin]

I've said it for years and years, wood on a rifle is like _ _ _ _ on a woman. Guys just gravitate to that wood.

[checkmate19]

I agree that the wood makes the rifle also Bill, a wise man once told me that only the pretty girls get asked to the dance.
I just put my GAWs on rifles I have had and some of the were setting in some pretty nice post war stocks. I feel ok about it cause I think they matched up ok and do not look to bad. I just need about 6 more post war rifles to put these stocks on. Its been a good year for wood, between Dupage and the USGI stocks out of the CMP. Maybe I shoud use your guy for my IHC with the bad wood.

[Dave Waits]

You gentlemen are 100% correct. Here's what I consider the best of both worlds, a virtually unfired HRA and a Semi-Fancy Walnut Stockset by Dean Dilibaugh.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii180/retmsgt123/IMG_0037-1.jpg

[toolman]

Wood is everything!

[paid4c4]

Seems like in the past I had better wood?
Bill

[toolman]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ hmm!!!

[timshufflin]

You gentlemen are 100% correct. Here's what I consider the best of both worlds, a virtually unfired HRA and a Semi-Fancy Walnut Stockset by Dean Dilibaugh.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii180/retmsgt123/IMG_0037-1.jpg


He has some nice wood that Dean does. The great thing about getting his stock sets is that he fits them too.

[paid4c4]

Dean at DGR does build nice rifles. I sent him an early winchester several years ago to park and place into a fancy European Walnut stock. Without a doubt his stock work is some of the nicest I've seen, fits tighter than a mouses ear. In my humble opinion his parkerizing looks as good as Shuffs. Looks is where similarity stops as DGR prices require's a step ladder and a calendar to remember when you shipped it. My comments aren't meant to be critical of Dean, only my observations as to price and length of time for service.
Bill

[musketjon]

Wood makes the rifle. Here's before (as received) and after (corrected). It's amazing how much better good wood makes you feel.
Jon
<a href="http://s660.photobucket.com/albums/uu321/musketjon/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_0018-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu321/musketjon/IMG_0018-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s660.photobucket.com/albums/uu321/musketjon/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_0031.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu321/musketjon/IMG_0031.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[toolman]

Having good WOOD sure makes you smile!!! HMMMM>>

[timshufflin]

musketjon, could you get some closer shots of that orange blossom AFTER you did it? I have to say that it looks really really nice.

[musketjon]

Tim,
The only thing I did to that orange blossom was sell it. That's genuine USGI wood she's sporting now.
Jon

[howie]

Yup, the wood makes the rifle. Love the walnut stock pictured above. Very nice!

[Dave]

Wood does make the rifle, but I've always been careful to match the appearance/condition of the wood to the action. IMHO, if you have a worn action, like say a rack grade, then the wood should also be worn and beat, keeping the rifles appearance uniform. I've never used "new" wood on anything other than a freshly reparked rifle, and I don't have many of those. Even then, some of my reparks sit in USGI wood that has been refinished to look better. In the "Pre Shuff" days I've had rifles redone by three other vendors, Tony Giacobbe(garandguy) did a nasty looking IHC for me and I got lucky by finding a near new IHC stock set for it for a whopping $50(yea that was a long time ago) so that one looks ok. A few years later Bob Kennard(Hawkeyes Refinishing)did a 5.9 SA for me that I was using as my main shooter. Came out nice, he does a park that is jet black and I put that in a new condition post war SA stock set I got for $75(yep, still a "few" years back). Next was a Win13 I built with a brand new VAR barrel and all WRA parts. Sent that one to DGR and also had it fit into one of his Bastonge stock sets. Holy shit that rifle is so fine I'm scared to shoot it, altough I do, just not as often as my go to "beaters". My only Shuff repark so far is a receiver. I bought an early 42 SA restoration online years ago, in the pics it looked mint and has an excellent EMcF stockset. When I got it....man was I dissapointed. The rifle "kit" was all original finish, nice dark green olive, deep crisp stampings,gaged new etc, but the receiver under the woodline had severe pitting and was a defineate sandblasted repark. I tried for years to find a receiver that would match the original parts and stock set, never did find one. Instead I got one that had never been refinished but had no finish left on it, sent it to Shuff and got back what looked like a receiver that has been with the action since it was made. A nice dark charcoal with green tint, markings still nice and fresh, and the whole thing matches perfect in the stock set it sits in.
My next one to Shuff will be a complete rifle but I'm still gathering parts for it. 4 digit gas trap parts are'nt the easiest thing to find ya know! I'm almost there though, only need a trigger,safety and hammer, and of course the front end kit which will be a repro from Ratworks or Barnett. I probably won't hold the project up much longer for the trigger parts, those I can swap out at anytime.

[Cal30M1]

Does makeup, hairstyles and pretty clothes make women look better?

You be the judge.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.stylelist.com/media/2010/05/mission-makeover-connie-before-after-590sd05242010.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.stylelist.com/media/2010/06/mission-makeover-suzi-before-after590do061410.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.stylelist.com/media/2010/08/makeover-my-mom-vivian-before-and-after590do081010.jpg

Dress that girl up and everyone will want to dance with her!

[paid4c4]

Cal, good examples.
Bill

[musketjon]

I'd dance with them in a heart beat. Hell I'd trade in my old lady for either of the first two.
Jon

[Cal30M1]

I'd roll with all three at the same time! :D

[musketjon]

Ooh, la la, a three-some. I like the way you think.
Jon

[Punch The Clown]

For the apparel oft proclaims the man so be the stock proclaim the weapon-Act1 Scene 3. Of course I modified it a little. Stu