WiFowler,
While I've never done a Merkel I have done several old lever actions. There has to be enough wood in the front of the stock to allow a pivot point. Forearm more than likely will need to be mounted to something else to allow it to pivot assuming it is to be reused.
Good info and thanks for the reply. The Turkish blanks I'm considering are 18 1/2" - 20" long; the stock I'd like to duplicate is 16" long (measured whilst still on the gun).
