I've got an old Model 70 that I rebarreled to .35 Whelen a few years back. I'd really like to take that gun on a British Columbian wilderness hunt, but the stock is the original walnut stock that I spent considerable time refinishing to "custom" standards, and I hate to expose it to the harshness of the Canadian wilderness. It crossed my mind that I might be able to overcome this problem by purchasing a "spare" stock (either a fiberglass stock, or a laminated stock) and fitting the barreled action to it. Heck, I'm not above dropping it into an injection-molded stock, if I can get it to shoot accurately.

So I was wondering, has anybody ever bought a spare stock for their rifle and bedded it so as to make the action interchangeable to either stock? I can see that there might be some issues with screw length, which can be overcome with a spare set of action screws. What other problems could I encounter?

I have an old Savage 110 that I have fit to three different stocks. I bedded the original wood stock and then when I wanted a more weather resistant stock I bedded it into an MPI fiberglass stock. Then later when I put a heavy barrel on it, I fit it into a semi-benchrest Sharp Shooter Supply stock. I swap barrels and stocks on it all the time.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
I have an old Savage 110 that I have fit to three different stocks. I bedded the original wood stock and then when I wanted a more weather resistant stock I bedded it into an MPI fiberglass stock. Then later when I put a heavy barrel on it, I fit it into a semi-benchrest Sharp Shooter Supply stock. I swap barrels and stocks on it all the time.

Has your accuracy stayed consistent between the different stocks?

I bought a Savage110 rebored from 30-06 to 9.3X62. Was in a tupperwear looking stock. So I got a nice walnut used stock from Gun Parts/Numeric Arms and fitted it. I now have a walnut stock and one for bad weather.

For at least a few years Griffin & Howe was offering a second, synthetic, stock as an option with rifles they built. The idea was that you could keep the nice stock at home while you beat up the synthetic. It never made much sense to me. Why bother with the wood if you are not going to use it?

I took a Holland & Holland .375 to Alaska for an eight day drop in hunt. The rifle was wet from the moment we pitched camp till we were picked up by a float plane on the last day. The wood looked sort of hazy. I sent it to Paul Hodgins and he "refreshed" it and it came back good as new. It would have cost me more for a fitted plastic stock and the wood stock fit me perfectly. I would do it that way again if given the choice.

The accuracy of a rifle is basically a function of the receiver/barrel/scope/ammo...the stock being just something to hold on to and be pretty/functional.

That being said...IF YOU don't bed that system correctly in however many stocks you chose to use, the accuracy goes to He** in a bread basket.

I've bedded several "rifle systems" in several stocks, bedding blocks bolted to my bench, solid pieces of OAK, Alum, Steel, parts of Tupperware stocks connected to support structures etc., all to check accuracy, for looks, field use and whatever struck my fancy.

As long as I did MY PART with the bedding the accuracy was maintained and sometimes increased...all factors included.

I still have a couple of Sav "Tupperware" stocks, a LA and SA that serve as test beds that have the forend basically sliced through longitudinally/horizontally so I can use barrels of different diameters, stiffened with a piece of allthread and an aluminum bedding block all bedded in steel/alum epoxy. I can swap in the correct size barreled action and test to my hearts content. Those stocks were set up so I can use a bipod, my benchrest or bolt it down to the bench.

I had a similar setups way back when I was bench resting for Rem LA/SA actions and a simpler setup for dialing-in Ruger/mauser actions. I don't get that persnickety today or for quite a while back.

SHORT ANSWER...Yes...bedded right there shouldn't be ANY change in accuracy...bedded WRONG, and all bets are off.

With todays stocks and bedding methods you should be able to swap around with minimal fitting or problems and I'll bet if you ask/look around you can find a take-off plastic stock for chump change at any gun show, gun shop...maybe Gun Parts Int...or in the "parts wanted" section or just about any gun forum.

There is ALWAYS that possible problem of weather extremes affecting accuracy even with supposedly weather unaffected materials.

Luck

About 17 years ago I booked a backpack Dall sheep hunt in Canada's Northwest Territories. The rifle that I wanted to take was my .257 AI that I had in Fancy walnut from Fajen.

Although I had used that rifle on numerous Montana backpack Bighorn sheep hunts, I wasn't sure of the weather in Canada so I bedded it in a Ram Line plastic stock.

After that hunt I put the barrel and action back in it's walnut stock where its been ever since.

Peter Flack does this with his 375 and 416. A good idea in my opinion.

I wouldn't worry about it I bed it and shoot it one might have to do some sight adjustment but unless you do a lousy job on the bedding I dough that there well be much of a different

quote:

Originally posted by GAHUNTER:

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
I have an old Savage 110 that I have fit to three different stocks. I bedded the original wood stock and then when I wanted a more weather resistant stock I bedded it into an MPI fiberglass stock. Then later when I put a heavy barrel on it, I fit it into a semi-benchrest Sharp Shooter Supply stock. I swap barrels and stocks on it all the time.

Has your accuracy stayed consistent between the different stocks?

I had pillars installed in all three stocks and torque the stock bolts to 40 In/Lbs. I don't even have to re-sight it in when switching between the sporter and fiberglass stocks.

It is a hunting rifle; it will be fine; go for it.

I have done that many times on custom rifles at the request of clients..A hunting stock and a closet Queen stock, The switch out fine but be sure and position your floorplate screws for each gun. Test and sight it in before heading for the North country..

I have a mod 70 safari classic in 416 Rem Mag. I have full length bedded the wood factory stock and full length bedded a Bell and Carlson medalist stock with the aluminum chassis. I would have no problem switching between either stock although I prefer the synthetic for it's toughness.

I have not checked to see if accuracy changes with a stock swap but this gives me another great excuse to go to the range. I admit I have not shot the Rem much since acquiring a 416 Rigby but that will change after I rechamber the Rigby into something bigger. If by chance you encounter a dramatic shift in point of impact....you could always mark the turrets for the different stocks zero.

Fjold,
Have also bedded barreled actions into multiple stocks and switched barrels also. One Savage 110 has three stocks and five barrels. We lefties have to be versatile.
To our host on this topic:
Go ahead. As has been mentioned screws are important. I have a set for each stock just to be sure its right.

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:

I took a Holland & Holland .375 to Alaska for an eight day drop in hunt. The rifle was wet from the moment we pitched camp till we were picked up by a float plane on the last day. The wood looked sort of hazy. I sent it to Paul Hodgins and he "refreshed" it and it came back good as new...

Just curious, your guide who is out in such elements for much more than 8 days of the year,
-did he have a wood or synth. stocked rifle?

I have a Model 700 that came with a nice-looking wood stock that was sensitive to humidity. Next stock was from a barrel of them at a Connecticut rifle shop, synthetic with an aluminum bedding block, which works nice. Last attempt was with a 40X stock from a different barrel, could never get it to shoot.

I've stuck with the synthetic, ugly as it is...

As I said it works well...but anytime to remove a stock from a gun or switch stocks even when they work, its imperative to test fire and be sure the return to zero. same for scopes...I have seen and been the victim of failure to do so...

Never hunt without testing your rifles zero every chance you get.

I have a Dakota 375 with a lovely stock. I decided to have MPI build a nice synthetic stock for it and that gets most of the use. One brown bear hunt convinced me to do that.

Yep I have a rifle in a nice piece of French that has a 1# Kevlar MPI I use for long carries in the mountains.

a M70 FWT xtr in 257 Roberts purchased as a barreled action and put into a synthetic stock, and also in a shortened wood stock I made for my kids.

i have a husky 46 in 9.3x57 used mostly by my wifr and bedded in wood and ramline synthetic stock and there is no change in POI and we are using qd rings too ...