Is there a prefered method of mounting an oval shield for the owners initials on the underside of the stock?

I was going to go with the stock brownells shield with two hidden pins and do the usual inlet and glass it in; but then I remembered reading a chapter in Jim Carmiechel's [u]GUNSMITHING[/u] where after he inlets the shield he uses 6 gold wire nails around the edge of the shield to "nail" it to the stock. I reread it to refresh my memory and he referes to it as the "English Method." And states that its much prefered over the simpiler, inlet and glass method.

What's the opinion of the those that build stocks for fun and profit?

I haven't done a bunch of 'em. But, I prefer to solder a small screw to the underside of the shield or oval. Drill a hole in the stock and fill it and the inlet with epoxy and there you have it. Nails will eventually show up around the shield or oval.

BTW, it's much cheaper to make your own shield if you have a mill and a lathe.

With a boring head in the mill. Bore 1/3 of a 1" diameter hole in steel stock (my stock was 1x2x2).

Turn some round stock in the lathe that will be smaller than the bored hole by about 1.5 times the thickness of your silver or gold stock. Make it about 6" long so you have something to hang onto while your shaping the curve of you shield.

Cut the shape of your inlay out of your silver or gold ( I prefer an oval to a shield). Lay it your bored hole and tap your round bar until the curve is formed on the inlay material.

Almost faster to make than it is to type it.

I'm no pro but I do it basically the way Roger does. I make my own ovals from silver or gold coins or jewelry, then solder a brass screw on the back which I glass into a hole in the stock where the oval is inletted. Most times I've inletted ovals in buttstocks was to cover up a ragged hole where the sling stud was on a stock I'm reshaping/refinishing

Thanks guys,
I found gold sheet on line and its about 3/4 the oost of the brownells oval.
Scrollcutter: your form die is easy to make, thanks for the idea. I was going to rasp one into the end grain of a block of maple that matched the bottom of the stock profile, your idea is much faster.