Hi, getting a nice looking stain on the stock has been difficult. My first attempts with an oak colored stain looked like crap. Staining the Traditions kit stock has the same difficulty as trying to do a good stain job on pine. Walnut and oak is so much easier to stain. Found in my pile of wood stains was an old can of MinWax pecan stain. That stain so far seems to be the best color for the stock wood. The photo shows the stock with the pecan stain drying. The stock will then be give a number of Tru-Oil coats. The barrel has been polished as far as I want to take it. I don't want a mirror finish. Still struggling with what finish to give the barrel, nitre or brown.
There was a little repair required for the end of the barrel. There was a dent in the end of the muzzle rifling. It must have come from supplier rough handling. A Brownell muzzle crowning tool with valve grinding compound did the trick to clean up that ding.
All the metal parts now fit the stock as perfectly as I can. After the stock is finished, a taller front sight installed, and the barrel finish done, the pistol will be ready for shooting.
BTW, Dave's paper cartridge making kit is in the background of the stock photo.
Regards,
Richard