Advice on Custom Musket

[musketnut]

I have an original Zouave that would be considered to be in excellent condition were the stock not so jacked up. I love the feel of the stock. and weight and balance of this gun and think this would be a good candidate to transform into a shooter. I would like to find someone who can take all of the old hardware from this gun and put it on a new stock which would hopefully be as close to an original as possible and put a new barrel on this gun or reline it although since the barrel retains about 95% of its original bluing I am a little hesitant about doing that. Glass bed it, proper front sight if needed and a trigger job and I think I would be set.

I would love any advice on this possible project.

Thank you!

[Southron Sr.]

Get a Dunlap Zouave stock. The stocks are 95% carved and you can easily fit the parts into and on to the stock. Then the stock has to be finished.

http://dunlapwoodcrafts.com/military-stocks#16

[John Holland]

Describing the stock as "Jacked Up" doesn't tell me anything at all. What is actually wrong with it?

[musketnut]

The stock is extremely dented, dinged and cracked between the bands. It is also very dried out. I may be wrong but I just don't see it being restorable.

Describing the stock as "Jacked Up" doesn't tell me anything at all. What is actually wrong with it?

[Lou Lou Lou]

Are you able to post pictures?

[Southron Sr.]

You can always remove the finish on the stock, then wet a bath rag with water. Lay the rag on the dents in the stock and press a hot electric clothes iron against the rag covering the dent. The steam produced by the iron and rag can actually "raise" the dent, although several applications of steam might be necessary.

Anyone that can work with glass bedding can repair the cracks and gouges in the stock. Refinishing the stock with Linspeed stock finish (assuming that the "collectors value" of the gun is almost nil) will do wonders for the stock. Just follow the instructions that come with the stock finish.

[ead]

I've seen many stocks in the condition you describe restored to an amazing degree.
It would be a shame to not use your original stock
Have it restored and still use it as your shooter.
If you have to have that new stock just be sure to hold on to the original stock.