Greenwood gunsmiths

[tiptop]

Been up to Greenwood gunsmiths today to collect my old 682 Gold e.

Some years ago I took some bad advice on gun fit, so much so that I put my beloved Beretta in the cabinet and just left it. Shot the next few years with a multitude of different guns as one does. So at the beginning of the year I decided I wanted to resurrect the old gun, and decided to go to Tim Greenwood, now based near Market Drayton.

I had already decided roughly what I wanted so made an appointment and started the process.

First off is what Tim calls the "Blue Peter stage" for obvious reasons. Bits of tape and foam....and off you go for trials.

The next stage when you are happy that the fit is some where near is to take it back to have the stock work started to "in the white" stage. While it is at this stage you can go back to have as many tweaks made as you like, until it fits.

When you are totally happy that everything is as you want it the the final finishing can be done.

The work, and craftsmanship is absolutely fantastic, although the process may not be the quickest, the best things come to those that wait.

Thanks to Tim and Laura for doing such a great job.

 

[Bebo]

Tim used to be based in Pembury near Tunbridge Wells.  He did a similar fitting for my sister-in-law on her 686 Evo five years ago, with a full Monte Carlo stock requiring a big wedge of wood inserted.  He made a fantastic job of it.

 

[tiptop]

Tim used to be based in Pembury near Tunbridge Wells.  He did a similar fitting for my sister-in-law on her 686 Evo five years ago, with a full Monte Carlo stock requiring a big wedge of wood inserted.  He made a fantastic job of it.

The craftsmanship is superb, and nowhere near the cost as a full custom stock.

 

[Bebo]

The craftsmanship is superb, and nowhere near the cost as a full custom stock.

Definitely.  I was fortunate with my Beretta as it fitted me reasonable well anyway, otherwise I would have gone to him when he was based down south.  He's much missed down this way, he used to take all the work from Chris Potter's gunshop.

My current Kgun has an adjustable comb anyway, so I had the fit set on that by Mr Solomon and I don't mess with it.

 

[donna]

Tims work is superb to say the least.  He is sadly missed in Kent I can tell you!

 

[Geordieboy]

What a cracking job that is man.  I've been hankering after a made to measure bit of wood on my Perazzi and that is over £2000 for a good bit of grade 5.  If he can do that level of work on it then I'd be as happy to get that done.

 

[tiptop]

What a cracking job that is man.  I've been hankering after a made to measure bit of wood on my Perazzi and that is over £2000 for a good bit of grade 5.  If he can do that level of work on it then I'd be as happy to get that done.

Give him a call. Make an appointment to visit and discus what you want. You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[salop sniper]

Watching this with interest.....

I have my 20 bore that I love how ever the fit isn't right on it so I went to see Tim and he has told me what changes he would like to make , one includes creating a small monte carlo type stock shape by cutting the stock open and inserting two wedges and some work on the pistol grip inc extending it!

Cost is approx £500. But am nervous of how the stock will look after and if it will be right, further to that what the resale value will be if it simply just doesn't work out for me.

Please keep the photos and updates coming Tiptop  :good:

 

[donna]

Watching this with interest.....

I have my 20 bore that I love how ever the fit isn't right on it so I went to see Tim and he has told me what changes he would like to make , one includes creating a small monte carlo type stock shape by cutting the stock open and inserting two wedges and some work on the pistol grip inc extending it!

Cost is approx £500. But am nervous of how the stock will look after and if it will be right, further to that what the resale value will be if it simply just doesn't work out for me.

Please keep the photos and updates coming Tiptop  :good:

Tim done that for me before I had my adjustable comb done.  It was an excellent job, spot on and you couldn’t tell the difference.  He blended the wood in so well even the colour was the same as my stock.  I wish he was still in Kent!

 

[westley]

Watching this with interest.....

I have my 20 bore that I love how ever the fit isn't right on it so I went to see Tim and he has told me what changes he would like to make , one includes creating a small monte carlo type stock shape by cutting the stock open and inserting two wedges and some work on the pistol grip inc extending it!

Cost is approx £500. But am nervous of how the stock will look after and if it will be right, further to that what the resale value will be if it simply just doesn't work out for me.

Please keep the photos and updates coming Tiptop  :good:

If it is an O/U is there no chance of finding another stock, have one altered to fit and keep the original to put back on, should the need ever arise  ?  It would probably still work out cheaper than visiting Essie and Vera  in Italy  !

 

[tiptop]

Watching this with interest.....

I have my 20 bore that I love how ever the fit isn't right on it so I went to see Tim and he has told me what changes he would like to make , one includes creating a small monte carlo type stock shape by cutting the stock open and inserting two wedges and some work on the pistol grip inc extending it!

Cost is approx £500. But am nervous of how the stock will look after and if it will be right, further to that what the resale value will be if it simply just doesn't work out for me.

Please keep the photos and updates coming Tiptop  :good:

The the pictures above are the process from start to finish. The last 2 being the finished stock. The results are far better than I could ever have imagined. I think the pictures don't really do it the full justice it deserves.

The stock has had a wedge put in to make the monte carlo, and the old off cut out back on and adjusted to the right length. The grip has been slightly altered,and the palm swell reduced. The old large laser checkering taken off, and fine re-checkering done to match that on the forend that I bought some years ago off of ebay. The forend was stripped and re-oiled to match the colour of the stock. So quite a bit of work has been done.

Go for it you won't be disappointed.

P.S. Also had a full strip down service, and the action tightened while it was there.

 

[Geordieboy]

Quick question,

How long were you without your gun and how long did the whole process take?

Cheers

 

[tiptop]

Quick question,

How long were you without your gun and how long did the whole process take?

Cheers

The "Blue Peter" sticky tape is done at your first appointment, shoot it for a couple of weeks, and then return.

If you are happy with the the set up then the first stock work takes about 5/6 weeks. You then shoot it for as long as you like in the "white". I opted for 3 months because of what competitions I wanted to shoot with it.  You can return as many times as you like to have it tweaked until you are absolutely happy with it.

Then, when you are happy, take it back to have it finished off, with mine it took about 8 weeks. You pay at 2 different stages for the work, first payment is for the work to get the stock to the finished white stage, then the second payment is when the stock is finished and oiled. You can oil it yourself if you so wish.

As for the time scale it takes as long as it takes depends on how you want to play it. The actual work on this gun took about 14 weeks, but that again will depend on what work you have done. My first appointment with Tim was mid February, and the gun was finished at the end of August.

It really depends on what work you have done, the time frame is down to you really. The one thing Tim won't do is rush the job.

Never with out a gun always got a reserve in the cabinet. :wink:

 

[Geordieboy]

Many Thanks TipTop.  This is the time to get it done as the competition season is in slow motion at present.

Very much appreciate your detailed answer.

All the best

 

[Salopian]

Question, Do we all require a Monte Carlo Stock , if we do why is it not standard practice ?

What is wrong with either having a gun that fits you properly when you buy it , or having the stock bent as required.

Salop Sniper , you obviously have more money than sense , your being paid far too much for what you do , go out and by a new saddle and tack , it will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jeremy Baker]

I like a higher comb but not a Monte 

So this is what was made for me and Lainy

 

[Salopian]

Jeremy,

 Point I was making was that Tim does this to nearly every gun he has for alteration. Surely that cannot be correct for everyone? Prior to thse Rowing blades he always fitted Jones Adjusters at obtuse angles.

 

[Hamster]

Another interesting observation is that when you see new custom stocks being made from scratch or adapted to suit for existing guns, the comb is almost invariably raised I've always maintained that most new guns combs are too low even for people who don't particularly need or want a higher one. 

Getting the grip area fine tuned, the pitch perfect, the length optimised and the cast spot on is one thing but why on earth can't makers just admit their combs are too low for no logical reason. 

 

[Bebo]

Another interesting observation is that when you see new custom stocks being made from scratch or adapted to suit for existing guns, the comb is almost invariably raised I've always maintained that most new guns combs are too low even for people who don't particularly need or want a higher one. 

Getting the grip area fine tuned, the pitch perfect, the length optimised and the cast spot on is one thing but why on earth can't makers just admit their combs are too low for no logical reason. 

I certainly don't have a swan like neck or high cheekbones, but even my adjustable comb is raised above the minimum setting.  I'm not sure if makers are assuming that people should have a very flat sight picture and blot targets out when they swing through them. 

Personally if I don't see quite a lot of rib I end up missing underneath.  It was particularly noticeable after I'd lost weight.  Couldn't understand why I was missing rabbits that I would have previously destroyed.  Less cheek blubber meant that with the same sight picture I was shooting low. Little tweak to the comb height, problem solved.