You have an accurate but unattractively stocked rifle. Ever change the stock?

[Tallbald]

I'm an enthusiastic woodbutcher who's been at it 55 years. Years ago I bought a new 392PA Benji, not knowing that the wood stocked version was leaving us.
I cared not for the kinda bulky oversized stock with the plain brown wrapper stain. I set about re-contouring the factory stock carefully, giving it a slimmer profile and 5 coats of gunstock oil. Each time I heft my Benji I like what I feel now. I have plans, since expanding my skill set, to use my Foredom flex shaft tool to texture the pistol grip and forearm too to suit my tastes. I decided to retain the handsome blonde wood color too.
I expect that the fully Mike Melick tuned XS46U .22 I've ordered will receive similar changes when I have it in my hands.
So. Do others feel free to reshape and re-finish a wood stock to suit their individual tastes? if so, maybe others here would be inspired by your efforts and shared photos would be appreciated. I know that I'd enjoy seeing other's changes.
Don

[Roadworthy]

Hats off to you and your capabilities.  Knowing my own capabilities (or lack thereof) I tend to leave my stocks "stock".  "A man's got to know his limitations." (Dirty Harry)

[Tallbald]

Roadworthy it belongs to you. Change it to make you smile. Nice thing about woodworking? Sandpaper and imagination cover any "mistakes", and folks can move along if it doesn't suit their tastes(!).
Good to see you! Don
Oh That's a favorite quote of my precious Penny grin.

[Habanero69er]

Nice work Don.

[Tack Driver 10]

Reworked and upgraded this Crosman 140.

[Ronfiveo]

I've been thinking I might want to work on the top of the fore stock
of my Daisy 853,
It looks like they just used a table saw and cut it flat down the top where the barrel
fits in.
It's sharpish and uncomfortable if you pick it up wrong.
I guess a fine rasp and some files and sandpaper could put a radius on that part.

The only thing is I don't want to be with out for the time it might take
to radius the top.

If I had a router it would be a lot easier.

Ron

[Tallbald]

Such handsome work you all. So handsome...
Don

[Motorhead]

Changed out many an UGLY or Non-Fitting stock for something Nicer and Better fitting 

[Van]

   I did the same thing with my 392 stock.  Yours looks great! I also cut off the old clunky trigger guard and replaced it with a similar one I had that was slimmer.  No safety now but I never used it anyway.  Those old wood stocks on later 392s were styled like a fence post in front.     

[Tallbald]

Beautiful examples all, friends. Thank you each for your replies! Very encouraging to this old bald fat man.
Van, your post says you too are in KY(?) I'm in Bowling Green. Don

[K.O.]

Van's work inspired my choice to put my 3 Maximus into refinished 160 stocks... he was kind enough to p.m. me with details about the inletting mods needed and how he did them... refinished with an alcohol-based stain... Cheated things forwards just a touch to get perfect trigger finger positioning...

below is Max Maximus... he is tuned for 6 50fpe shots with 25g .22 K.O...

also below is my .177 fortitude in a 2260 stock... only work needed was using a 1" hole saw to make the gauge inletting... just cannot bond with the Maximus stock which the Fort also uses...

bonding with the below stocks was natural...probably due to their similarity to the Remmy 512's stock that I grew up shooting with...

[K.O.]

I am not into tactical type stocks and wanted an iconic stock for my .177 and .22 Icons... The Reminton 513 stock fit the bill and was inletted for a near 1" bull barrel that only needed a small bit of work to fit the Icons air tube...

 below is an in-progress pic... it now sits level in the stock... this particular stock I picked up cheap because had been shortened... so I added an extension hidden under the buttstock cover...pull length and trigger placement is custom to me... It did mess with the bolt and its relief not matching up but I chose function over aesthetics... made the trigger guard from a repo 513 T guard turned inside out and hand bent to my taste..

I could do a lot of reprofiling but probably will not... I like that it is recognizable as the Matchmaster 513 T stock...Like I said above it is an Iconic stock... from an Iconic rifle..

will be doing more sanding and refinishing to clean it up better...

[Tallbald]

I did post this in another thread friends so forgive me if I annoy those who've seen them. This is my finished Xisico XS46U .22. I wanted to have a slimer grip, a grip cap, more pronounced cheek rest, slimmer forearm and some stippling. I'm pleased with how it turned out for me. I did not apply any stain. This is the wood's natural color. Thinking it's maybe beechwood(?).
Thank you all for sharing photos of your beautiful stock modifications. Inspiring! Don.

[Mzq284]

I tend to think of these things as good raw material. I don't buy high end anything, so modifying my guns/knives/whatever is not a big deal. If I ever buy a higher end, collectable airgun I'll leave it as is.
The second rifle down is a 362 in a Crosman 114 stock that's been slimmed and trimmed and a rubber recoil pad added. Great feeling rifle, it feels like it belongs in your hands.
I picked up another stock like it. The plan is to pick up a 3622 as soon as I get my airgun projects done and fit it to the stock and reshape and stain it an acorn brown like the older Crosmans.
Mod away folks, these guns are cheap and parts readily available. No reason not to have fun with them, they'll never be worth more than we paid for them in our lifetimes. Life's short, enjoy it with a custom airgun!