Stock cover

[Pappy Hayes]

I finally finished my butt cover for my shotgun. It did not turn out as well as I wanted it too. I could not get it to fit tight against the end of the stock at the bottom. I had so much trouble making the end piece of leather not sure if I will try another one. Unless some one can give me pointers of what I did wrong.

[JD Alan]

I can't give you any pointers, but it looks real nice. Other than getting it fitted like you wanted it, the overall exceution of the job is excellent!.

[Slowhand Bob]

Pappy, my recent post shows the problems I encountered with one for a '97.  It turned out well as far as the pattern and size goes but needs more work on my French stitch technique. Several years back I made a few on the butt covers but never liked the pattern designs I had created but I like this one.  My problem is that it may be weeks before I can get back to this project.  Which gun are you making a cover for and is it the standard unmodified factory stock? 

Now for critiquing your stock cover, I swear the photos looks as good as many I have seen for sale.  Just reduce the tab appearance at the toe a bit and if everything looks as neat as the photo, you should be good to go.  Remember that for most people, their most cynical critic is the guy in the mirror!

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Pappy,

You might try Wet Molding the end of the cover. Here is a link to a slide show about Wet Molding a Butt Cover End
http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk81/jvsaffran/Leather/Butt%20Covers/?action=view&current=095e068b.pbw

Also here is a slide show about Wet Molding a Cartridge Pouch
http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk81/jvsaffran/Wet%20Molded%20Bullet%20Pouch/?action=view&current=cb7104a7.pbw

By the way that is a good looking Butt Cover you have made. Nice design and finishing.

[KidTerico]

Hi Pappy good looking cover you made , Like Slowhand Bob said a small touches and it will be even better. KT

[Pappy Hayes]

Slowhand Bob, how do you reduce the tab? This end piece was the fourth one I tried making to get rid of it.  The stock is for my double barrel shot gun. It has not been modified. I will take a look at the videos supply here.

[Biscuit Joe]

Pappy.
I've had the same problem with the butt cuff end pieces that I have made. What I have learned is to make the molded rear cap and when putting it on to then start sewing on the top a little farther onto the side piece and sew down one side and the start at the top again and sew down the remaining side, I know clear as mud. I'd post a picture but I don't seem to have any on the computer anymore.

So at least you aren't the only one who has faced this problem in design.

[Drayton Calhoun]

Pappy, I made one for a CVA Frontier rifle many years ago. Like Johnny said, wet mold it first. Then, what I did was sew it all the way around the end cap except for about 1/4 of an inch or so. It will seem very tight, but, if you wet it once more then fit it to the butt and lace it. Once laced, keep massaging the end cap. It takes a bit of work, but it's worth it. By the way, yours is still a beautiful piece of work.
  One difference I see is, mine was double-loop laced and not sewn. I didn't overlap my edges. The Frontier has a curved butt, but I don't know if that makes the differnce or not.

[GunClick Rick]

Hey,yi yay yay yi ho! I like thunderbirds

[Springfield Slim]

Wet molding will help. You might also want to try and put a grommet in the end of the toe piece and pull if forward, that way it will not look like it is "extra" leather. Will also protect the bottom toe of the stock better. I do that with my stock covers normally already.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Pappy
     
     I think you have done a dandy job on your butt cover, heck I messed up a couple before I figured out where and what I wanted to do, you can be proud .
     I like to  make my patterns to allow a full length tail, either in one piece, or sewed on, I want the tail to go from the butt end of my rifle to where I end the butt cover, it is tucked in and laced over, this gives an added bit of protection to the wood underneath, I also like to lace from the butt end of the cover and on up to where it ends, I then tie it off and pull my lace back through to the butt end and tie off again, this way the the lace is out of your way, and I kind of like the way it looks this way, IMHO, I use a base ball glove mending tool to pull my lace through to the back. Here are a couple pictures, I hope you can see what I mean.

     Pappy check out this link also, there are some good points given in it.  http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,34602.msg446303.html#new

      tEN wOLVES  

[Johnny McCrae]

I forgot to mention that I make a sandwich out of 1/8" thick cork sheet and 1/8" thick medium soft rubber. I place it between the molded end cover and the shotgun or rifle butt plate. Just about any suitable foam or rubber material will work. This does seem to help as my shoulder does not get as sore from the recoil especially on my Sharps.

[Slowhand Bob]

Pappy, I hope to spend a short time in the shop tomorrow evening, tell me which gun are you working on now and I will see what actual pattern sizes I can find.  I think one of my old patterns was a one piece fold over from the butt end.  It was an easy make once the pattern was just right.  I really think the pattern from my earlier thread, see Ten Wolves link, would make a ood one if you do the stitch correctly and pay better attention to the proper techniques than I did.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I also like to lace from the butt end of the cover and on up to where it ends, I then tie it off and pull my lace back through to the butt end and tie off again, this way the the lace is out of your way, and I kind of like the way it looks this way, IMHO, I use a base ball glove mending tool to pull my lace through to the back. Here are a couple pictures, I hope you can see what I mean.

This is a good idea. I have been lacing up from the back then tying it off with a small tight knot. The next one will be done like yours. Very cool. Thanks for the pics.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

         Thanks Will, give it a try, I think you will like it.


                  tEN

[Pappy Hayes]

Want thank all  you pards for your good comments and suggestions. I am working on a couple of projects right now once I finish them I might try making another one using suggestions made here.

[GunClick Rick]

 Is it possible to make one with just maybe a strap or two going across the butt plate?The reason i ask is the shotgun i have has a buffalo horn butt plate (i think ,some type of horn anyway) and i didn't want to cover it so it would show if i had one made..I'd like the plate to show..

[Springfield Slim]

If you want the plate to show why get a cover at all? Just for the decoration value? I could certainly do a cover like that if you really wanted one.

[Slowhand Bob]

Actually I think most guys wanted them for protecting the wood from minor dings and scratches in the beginning.  We started beefing up the actual butt pad to protect the stock toe and then we used them to increase LOP and even add padding for the shoulder, but even with thet said I figure lots of fokes do like the leather as another means of dressing up their favorite long gun.

[GunClick Rick]

Yep,in my case just for looks