Oops.... Southpaw Goof

[mongrel]

A short while back I got into production-line mode on a bunch of stocks for new builds, which included several lefthanded blanks. After inletting barrels I moved on to breechplugs and percussion drums -- and got so much into a rythym that it wasn't till the next day I noticed this one.

Middlin'-grade curly maple, inletted for a 26" RIGHTHAND CVA Bobcat barrel (or actually any CVA or Traditions barrel of similar dimensions). But note in the second photo the very distinct lefthanded cast-off to the butt, as well as a chunk of wood left for a cheekpiece. No way can any amount of trimming make this into a suitable righthanded stock.

I was tempted to feed the thing to my chop saw and put the pieces aside for firewood this winter, but something stopped me doing that. Then today in the shop I noticed it in the scrap pile and had a thought along a different line and now am wondering if it wouldn't be a worthwhile salvage project to find a Bobcat (or Deerhunter or Fox River Fifty or Frontier or or or....) with either a synthetic or trashed wood stock, and a decent barrel, and build the parts into this stock, righthanded lock and all, and sell it at an attractive discount as a makeshift lefthander's starter rifle.

Dunno. I just hate waste and I also know from experience I can NOT fill that drum cut-out and have it look even remotely decent -- so what to do, what to do....

[cutshurt]

This might sound dumb... but what about doing a cut down blanket gun, do some tack work and stuff ... I been wanting one of those for years :)  might even trade for it, lol
I make some pretty mean hawks ... hint ...hint




Darrel

[bubba.50]

i'm a lefty shooter & all my guns are right handed. and i know a couple others who shoot the same way. so i'd imagine there'd be a market for it. heck, if i wasn't so blamed busted i'd commission it myself. just sayin'...... luck to ya & have a good'en, bubba.

[William]

I saw one a while back and it looked pretty good, so I would think about going ahead with it, making it a left hand stock with a right hand lock.  Think of it this way; I was shooting RH caps locks for so long that when I got my first lefty I was still going through the same right handed routine st the firing line and slowing everyone down.  Now you have something to offer a lefty that allows him to keep the same loading routine, be able to shoot the rifle more comfortably and have a unique firearm as well.

[Red Badger]

I dunno....     I am sure you think of something....

I know....    turn it into a crossbow!

[pathfinder]

It's called "Cast on".Some European target gun's were actually purpose built with cast on,along with shotgun's.

Although a patch would be obvious. a Field repair with metal tacked over it and a "crack" scribed in the wood,then some disstressing. I HATE TO WASTE WORK!!!!!!!!

[cutshurt]

Ok well all hints, jokes, offers aside ... allot of what I do is for putting bread on the table, but every so often I make stuff thats "working art" keeps me from going crazy. If you try to make a left handed gun from this stock I feel that you will hate it! and sell it for cost or less! because its a mistake!!! and thats all you will see it as. If on the other hand you look at it as art! there are no mistakes in art! just design mods !!!! you can cut the butt down past the worst of the cast off maybe get some knife scales out of it sell them and recope some cash, if you can find a barrel you would not mind cutting down for it .... I can see a sweet blanket gun there, then you can sell it it for what its worth and feel good about it. blanket guns were made back in the day from a gun that was damaged in some way and what a great way to salvage it, this could be allot nicer in that it would be made to be that from the start. The hard part for me as I am sure for you as well is finding the time to do somthing like that. It might even be fun to share some of the build with somone who you admire there work ! and split the money from its sale.

Just my 2 cents

Darrel