Stevens Favorite "Help"

[Old Moss]

  Afternoon all,  I need  help!  I am an old fart and have a 22LR Stevens Favorite single shot, I'm a fair home gunsmith with limited tools; but if I say so my self I do a pretty good job restoring or upgrading rifles
I Need some help with this very sentimental rifle (my Grandfathers, and the first gun I ever shot at age 7yrs)  Here is what I need help with.

Rear Stock oil soaked, and a lot of wear I really want to save it.  still attaches ok, but the reciever end is cracked in several places and the very end edges are a bit chewed up.  What is the best way to restore???

 I thought possible using wood glue in cracks and clamping but they are very narrow and the wood is oily.

What about building up areas with glass bedding?  I do not want to have to do a lot of enletting.

Any suggestions      Thanks Old Moss

[iiranger]

There is a process for soaking the oil out of wood without damage to the wood using sodium thiosulfate. Brownells has it in  acouple of the books they sell. Might out line it free if you email them. Then also sell the range of good to great finishes for that sort of thing. Original or up to date plastic. I would lean toward fitting the stock back into the receiver (wood cracked, not the metal???) with accuraglass. You can color it to be almost undetectable... luck.

[gunnut69]

I use a mixture of acetone and mineral spirits with whiting(a powder) to make a paste which will draw out the oil. One can also soak the wood in straight acetone but be cautious as acetone straight can desolve wood over a long period of time. The paste can also be made from cat litter.. Just trowel it on and let it dry. I sometimes use a bit of heat from an electric heat gun to extract a little more oil. This process will likely have to be done several times.  To glue the cracks I use DevCon 5 ton epoxy..blow it to the rear of the spread open cracks with compressed air. You could glass the stock but it will surely show. If you glass the stock to get a tughter fit, perhaps the edges won't matter too much.. These kinds of guns have earned their scars.. Heck you can likely remember how some of them got there.. If you must fix it, cut small wedges of walnut out and notch the stock to accept them. They can be glued in place with the epoxy and held until it sets with masking tape. When shaped to the stocks contour they will usually blend quite well. Brownells sells coloring agents to help the epoxies to blend in.  I've used them with both accraglass and Devcon..

[trotterlg]

I know it sounds harsh, but try oven cleaner, it will dry out the worst oil soaked stocks.  Turns the oil to soap, then just rinse it off.  Then I would glue it up with plain wood glue and see what you got.  Larry

[Old Moss]

  Thanks Gents!  I'm not sure which way I'm going to go yet but well keep you all informed    I'm working on the metal parts Cleaning every thing first.

1.  My Grandfather used a lot of black powder original 22LR because it was cheaper back then according to my Uncle
2.  Smoothing all parts De burring each I am NOT removing to much though, still have machine marks left!!
3.  Cold bluing all parts feels and looks more original plus I want to do as much of the refinish as possible.

4.  New Problem -- When all together and the hammer is cocked ready to fire (if I let go of the lever) - the lever swings open and the action opens.  Is this normal for the 1915 Favorite or is there a spring missing

iiranger -- No cracked metal only wood, over all metal parts and frame in good shape

5.  Because of early corrosive ammo I will have to have the Barrel relined (light pitting and faint rough rifling).    I hope there is enough metal in the Favorite's barrel to allow for relining?

Thanks again Old Moss   P.S.  I have some great stores about this gun where would you all like me to post them (that's if you want to hear them?)

[gunnut69]

It is not normal for the favorite to fall open but it's not unusual. Know what madel it is?

[Old Moss]

  It is a Stevens Favorite Model 1915, 22 LR    Thanks Old Moss

[gunnut69]

I will include a link at the bottom to 'Wisners' a good source for new made parts for a lot of old weapons including some of the stevens guns.. They have several excellant articles on gunsmithing the crackshots and such under 'Additional info and parts identification'. If yours is a 1915 it will have an over center cam on the protruding from the front of the extractor. This snaps over center of the breachblock screw. This snaps the empty from the chamber. The tension from this part if properly installed, will keep the gun closed.

 http://www.wisnersinc.com/

[Old Moss]

Gunnut 69 -- Thanks this is exactly what I needed to know and the web sight was great!  One step Closer

Folks came up with a stock oil removing process based on all the info given, Old Moss's Formula:

Two cups clay cat litter
1/2 cup or so Rubbing alcohol
mix well, stick part of stock into the drunk mud (used a zip lock bag)  be sure to cover areas and into cracks well
Don't close bag leave open to air dry
once a day readjust stock and move aside dry mud for still wet mud and in about 4 days I have an oil free stock with no apparent damage to the wood.

I will keep you all informed Thanks again Old Moss

[gunnut69]

Sounds like you're well on the way! Good luck!! and keep us informed..

[Old Moss]

  Afternoon Gents

I have cleaned and sanded/polished all small parts.     They all cleaned up and cold blued very well    Even the sights were saved and came out nice.  Completed the Barrel as fare as cleaning and sanding down; kept all the flats flat and was able to keep the memory marks alive.  Cold blued the barrel and it turned out better than expected.  I used Birchwood Bluing & Rust remover - then used their Perma Blue. -- came out very antique looking = like old color case hardening

Whats next I still have the receiver and breech block/lever group to clean-up and blue.  And to start work on the rear stock.

Finally to reline the barrel.

We are getting there.   THANKS again for all the help.    Hopefully some pictures in the future.    OLD MOSS