| STOCK REPAIR OR RESTOCKING A MIROKU MANUFACTURED BROWNING OR WINCHESTER BPCR By Wayne McLerran |
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Last update: 3/15/13
In the chapter titled Stock & Forearm in my Browning BPCR book, I
documented the differences between the original and redesigned
stock. I also noted that some concerned rifle owners have
reinforced the stock through-bolt hole in the original design stock to
prevent possible breakage. Included in the book appendix are details
on two reinforcement techniques. In another chapter titled Shipping
Your Rifle & Cracked Stocks I discuss the most common reason for
stock damage and identify some of the steps you can take to
mitigate damage. What I’m leading up to here is a limited discussion
onoptions for repairing the stock or restocking a Miroku
manufactured Browning or Winchester BPCR.
In addition to the several hundred rifle owners I communicated with
while writing my book, I have bought, sold, handled, disassemble and
reassembled scores of Miroku manufactured Browning and
Winchester BPCR. Many of the Browning’s had the original design
stock. Although I’ve heard of a couple of original design stocks that
cracked around the through-bolt hole, I personally have seen only
one rifle with a small crack at the toe of the butt, the area next to
the through-bolt hole where the wood is the thinnest. The crack
was a result of dropping the rifle on the toe of the butt plate in a
concrete floor. By far, the most likely cause of stock damage
(usually at the wrist) is during shipping or if the rifle is dropped on a
hard surface.
In any case, you may be reading this because you have a damaged
forearm or stock and are wondering what the options are to return
your Browning or Winchester BPCR back to like new condition, or at
least as close to like new as possible. Most of the following
discussion will focus on stock repair or replacement since forearm
damage is much less likely. Concerning do-it-yourself stock repair, I
don’t have the in-depth knowledge and certainly do not intend to
instruct you on the techniques involved. The intent of this discussion
is to pass along the knowledge I’ve accumulated while having a few
stocks repaired or replaced.
No doubt some readers have woodworking experience and may have
repaired a stock or two in the past. If the stock is not damaged too
badly and you feel comfortable in tackling the repair, go for it. The
key words here are “feeling comfortable” while keeping in mind that
if you mess up it’ll cost you in the neighborhood of $500 + to have
someone else replace the stock.
I’ve “steamed out” dents in many stocks and have successfully
repaired a few cracked stocks and forearms. When properly
finished, most of the repairs were invisible and the repaired stock
was as strong as or stronger than it was originally. I will admit to
“messing up” a couple in the process of learning some of the finer
techniques. Certainly, in my opinion, the hardest repairs are cracks
in the checkered wrist area. In that case, after making the initial
repairs, you’d better be experienced in touching up checkering and
have some of the basic checkering tools on hand.
Assuming you have decided not to repair the stock yourself, as I see
it, you have four options:
1) Send the rifle to Browning/Winchester for stock replacement.
Since the rifle is proof fired after any repairs, they will need the
complete rifle (minus the stock). Prior to replacing the stock you
will receive a notice confirming the total cost and requesting your
permission to proceed. Expect the cost to run around $450.00. A
new case colored butt plate and grip cap is included. Only the new
design stock is used, which will also fit the earlier manufactured
Browning’s with the original design stock. Send the Rifle to
Browning/Winchester Repair
1 Browning Place, Arnold, MO 63010. Phone: 1-800-322-4626, ext.
2860.
2) Contact one of the companies listed below that purchase, stock
and resell obsolete parts from Browning/Winchester. In some cases
they may offer installation services. I do know for a fact that from
time to time one or more of these companies had BPCR stocks in
inventory which you could purchase. Be advised that some, most
likely minimal, inletting and refinishing will be required by you. Also
note that the stock will likely be the new design, which will also fit
the earlier manufactured Browning’s with the original design stock.
This means that if your broken stock is the original design, the
original butt plate will not fit the new design stock. The new design
replacement stock may be supplied with a new butt plate and grip
cap “in white” (unfinished condition). The grip cap is
interchangeable but the butt plate is not, meaning you will have to
send the new “in white” butt plate off to another company for color
case hardening. See listing below on Signal Mountain Gun Works.
Western Gun Parts
18124 107 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T5S 1K5, Canada, Phone:
(780) 489-5711, Fax: (780) 489-5717
Email: wgp@junctionnet.com
Midwest Gunworks (MGW)
1101 Mason Circle Drive South, Pevely, MO, 63070, Phone: (636) 475-
7300, Fax: (636) 475-7303
Email: customerservice@midwestgunworks.com
Commemorative Arms Company
5149 Daggett Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, Phone: (314) 771-5700,
Fax: (314) 771-5767
Signal Mountain Gun Works
PO Box 570, 260 Big Clearing Road, Roundup, MT 59072, Phone: (406)
323-2431
The company does color-casehardening work for Browning and
Winchester using a potassium-cyanide-based technology. Owner is
John Witt.
3) Send the stock to a reputable company that specializes in
repairing and refinishing broken or damaged stocks. No doubt there
are gunsmiths that have the ability to repair stocks, but the only
company that I’m aware of and recommend is:
Stockfixrs
18 Sage Hill Road, Glenrock, WY 82637-1843, Phone: (307) 436-5561
Email: stocks@ruralfree.net
Owner Bob Fulton and his son Doug specializes in repairing and
refinishing broken or damaged rifle and shotgun stocks. They have
an excellent reputation and usually have a backlog of several months
of work.
4) Purchase a replacement stock from CPA Corporation or Macon
Gunstocks which will require some inletting and refinishing. The cost
will be significantly impacted by the quality of the wood you select.
If you decide to take this route be aware that the original Browning
BPCRs utilized two stock designs. The rifles manufactured in 1996
thru mid 1998 had the original stock design. Around mid 1998 Miroku
switched to a new design that changed the angle of the through-bolt
hole, which necessitated a change in the butt plate.
The stocks are interchangeable but the butt plate is not.
CPA Corporation
RR 2 Box 1012, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328
Phone: (570) 828-1669, Fax: (570) 828-8333
Email: info@cparifles.com
Owners are Paul and Gail Shuttleworth. The stocks are semi-inletted
and will require some fitting and finishing. Several grades are
available, and either right-hand or left-hand cheekpiece versions.
Current replacement Browning BPCR stocks are patterned from the
1st generation (original design with 3.2” butt plate screw center-to-
center spacing), which has the opening of the through-bolt hole very
close to the toe of the stock. But since the through-bolt hole is
drilled in a separate step, CPA indicated it can be located to match
Browning’s redesigned stock, which moved the hole opening away
from the toe and has a 4.05” butt plate screw spacing.
Macon Gunstocks
34535 Lickingteller Ave., Warsaw, MO 65355
Phone: (660) 438-4699
Email: macongunstocks@dishmail.net
Macon makes very reasonable priced stocks for Winchester/Browning
Miroku manufactured 1885 rifles. The stocks are machine inletted &
require some additional hand-inletting to obtain the correct fit.
I hope the above information is useful in helping you make a decision.
Wishing you great shooting,
Wayne
In the chapter titled Stock & Forearm in my Browning BPCR book, I
documented the differences between the original and redesigned
stock. I also noted that some concerned rifle owners have
reinforced the stock through-bolt hole in the original design stock to
prevent possible breakage. Included in the book appendix are details
on two reinforcement techniques. In another chapter titled Shipping
Your Rifle & Cracked Stocks I discuss the most common reason for
stock damage and identify some of the steps you can take to
mitigate damage. What I’m leading up to here is a limited discussion
onoptions for repairing the stock or restocking a Miroku
manufactured Browning or Winchester BPCR.
In addition to the several hundred rifle owners I communicated with
while writing my book, I have bought, sold, handled, disassemble and
reassembled scores of Miroku manufactured Browning and
Winchester BPCR. Many of the Browning’s had the original design
stock. Although I’ve heard of a couple of original design stocks that
cracked around the through-bolt hole, I personally have seen only
one rifle with a small crack at the toe of the butt, the area next to
the through-bolt hole where the wood is the thinnest. The crack
was a result of dropping the rifle on the toe of the butt plate in a
concrete floor. By far, the most likely cause of stock damage
(usually at the wrist) is during shipping or if the rifle is dropped on a
hard surface.
In any case, you may be reading this because you have a damaged
forearm or stock and are wondering what the options are to return
your Browning or Winchester BPCR back to like new condition, or at
least as close to like new as possible. Most of the following
discussion will focus on stock repair or replacement since forearm
damage is much less likely. Concerning do-it-yourself stock repair, I
don’t have the in-depth knowledge and certainly do not intend to
instruct you on the techniques involved. The intent of this discussion
is to pass along the knowledge I’ve accumulated while having a few
stocks repaired or replaced.
No doubt some readers have woodworking experience and may have
repaired a stock or two in the past. If the stock is not damaged too
badly and you feel comfortable in tackling the repair, go for it. The
key words here are “feeling comfortable” while keeping in mind that
if you mess up it’ll cost you in the neighborhood of $500 + to have
someone else replace the stock.
I’ve “steamed out” dents in many stocks and have successfully
repaired a few cracked stocks and forearms. When properly
finished, most of the repairs were invisible and the repaired stock
was as strong as or stronger than it was originally. I will admit to
“messing up” a couple in the process of learning some of the finer
techniques. Certainly, in my opinion, the hardest repairs are cracks
in the checkered wrist area. In that case, after making the initial
repairs, you’d better be experienced in touching up checkering and
have some of the basic checkering tools on hand.
Assuming you have decided not to repair the stock yourself, as I see
it, you have four options:
1) Send the rifle to Browning/Winchester for stock replacement.
Since the rifle is proof fired after any repairs, they will need the
complete rifle (minus the stock). Prior to replacing the stock you
will receive a notice confirming the total cost and requesting your
permission to proceed. Expect the cost to run around $450.00. A
new case colored butt plate and grip cap is included. Only the new
design stock is used, which will also fit the earlier manufactured
Browning’s with the original design stock. Send the Rifle to
Browning/Winchester Repair
1 Browning Place, Arnold, MO 63010. Phone: 1-800-322-4626, ext.
2860.
2) Contact one of the companies listed below that purchase, stock
and resell obsolete parts from Browning/Winchester. In some cases
they may offer installation services. I do know for a fact that from
time to time one or more of these companies had BPCR stocks in
inventory which you could purchase. Be advised that some, most
likely minimal, inletting and refinishing will be required by you. Also
note that the stock will likely be the new design, which will also fit
the earlier manufactured Browning’s with the original design stock.
This means that if your broken stock is the original design, the
original butt plate will not fit the new design stock. The new design
replacement stock may be supplied with a new butt plate and grip
cap “in white” (unfinished condition). The grip cap is
interchangeable but the butt plate is not, meaning you will have to
send the new “in white” butt plate off to another company for color
case hardening. See listing below on Signal Mountain Gun Works.
Western Gun Parts
18124 107 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T5S 1K5, Canada, Phone:
(780) 489-5711, Fax: (780) 489-5717
Email: wgp@junctionnet.com
Midwest Gunworks (MGW)
1101 Mason Circle Drive South, Pevely, MO, 63070, Phone: (636) 475-
7300, Fax: (636) 475-7303
Email: customerservice@midwestgunworks.com
Commemorative Arms Company
5149 Daggett Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, Phone: (314) 771-5700,
Fax: (314) 771-5767
Signal Mountain Gun Works
PO Box 570, 260 Big Clearing Road, Roundup, MT 59072, Phone: (406)
323-2431
The company does color-casehardening work for Browning and
Winchester using a potassium-cyanide-based technology. Owner is
John Witt.
3) Send the stock to a reputable company that specializes in
repairing and refinishing broken or damaged stocks. No doubt there
are gunsmiths that have the ability to repair stocks, but the only
company that I’m aware of and recommend is:
Stockfixrs
18 Sage Hill Road, Glenrock, WY 82637-1843, Phone: (307) 436-5561
Email: stocks@ruralfree.net
Owner Bob Fulton and his son Doug specializes in repairing and
refinishing broken or damaged rifle and shotgun stocks. They have
an excellent reputation and usually have a backlog of several months
of work.
4) Purchase a replacement stock from CPA Corporation or Macon
Gunstocks which will require some inletting and refinishing. The cost
will be significantly impacted by the quality of the wood you select.
If you decide to take this route be aware that the original Browning
BPCRs utilized two stock designs. The rifles manufactured in 1996
thru mid 1998 had the original stock design. Around mid 1998 Miroku
switched to a new design that changed the angle of the through-bolt
hole, which necessitated a change in the butt plate.
The stocks are interchangeable but the butt plate is not.
CPA Corporation
RR 2 Box 1012, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328
Phone: (570) 828-1669, Fax: (570) 828-8333
Email: info@cparifles.com
Owners are Paul and Gail Shuttleworth. The stocks are semi-inletted
and will require some fitting and finishing. Several grades are
available, and either right-hand or left-hand cheekpiece versions.
Current replacement Browning BPCR stocks are patterned from the
1st generation (original design with 3.2” butt plate screw center-to-
center spacing), which has the opening of the through-bolt hole very
close to the toe of the stock. But since the through-bolt hole is
drilled in a separate step, CPA indicated it can be located to match
Browning’s redesigned stock, which moved the hole opening away
from the toe and has a 4.05” butt plate screw spacing.
Macon Gunstocks
34535 Lickingteller Ave., Warsaw, MO 65355
Phone: (660) 438-4699
Email: macongunstocks@dishmail.net
Macon makes very reasonable priced stocks for Winchester/Browning
Miroku manufactured 1885 rifles. The stocks are machine inletted &
require some additional hand-inletting to obtain the correct fit.
I hope the above information is useful in helping you make a decision.
Wishing you great shooting,
Wayne
