I am new to this big bore stuff and keep coming across a term I am unfamiliar with. What are crossbolts? What is their function/how do they work? Why do we need dual crossbolts on bolt actions?
Andy

Crossbolts are necessary on any WOOD stocked big bore over .375 H&H to keep the stock from splitting. Two are used normally with one just behind the action recoil lug and the other between the front of the trigger and the lower back of the mag box. The holes in the stock are produced using a specialized jig just for the stock in question. A treaded metal spacer is inserted and held in place by epoxy and on each side a specially made round head bolt is inserted into a counterbored hole in the stock. The bolt heads are often engraved for visual effect and are inserted with a special tool. They are inserted to reinforce the weak points in the inletted area of bolt action magazine fed rifles with substantial recoil. Without them your stock will crack/split internally despite misguided attempts to rely on glass bedding only. Many here have learned that lesson painfully ( pocketwise). Cheap insurance!-Rob

OK here's a few picture of cross bolts and what they are used for

basic usage of a cross bolt is to reenforce the stock from cracking or breaking under recoil

Here's a picture of a stock and where bolts or rods can be used to re inforce the stock

Without me writing a story on this, look at the pictures first and the ask any question you like


GREEN - this is what the wooden stock wants to do under HEAVY recoil
RED - this is where a lot of stocks crack from heavy recoil
BLUE - Areas that can be reinforced with crossbolts to stop the webbing from splitting


Hi-Tensile SAKO cross bolts

regards
S&F

Rob and drew....

I would add older Husqvarna's to your list. They seem to be notorious, especially the 9.3 x 62/57's.

archdlx

OK That clears up most of my questions. One left. I have never seen a crossbolt installed behind the rear action screw. Is this not a common practice, or with the other two is it not necessary?

thanks

A lot of people will put a blind pin in the wrist of the stock to reinforce it but they don't have the big heads on them like crossbolts do.

A good stockmaker will probably tell you if the stock is made correctly (good grain, thick and heavy) it doesn't need all this re inforcing, this is partly true

Crossbolts are a belt and suspenders type of re inforcing, good wooden stocks aren't cheap to replace if you keep breaking or cracking them

Neither is you face, your neck or your shoulder

A crossbolt behind the rear action screw is usually put in as a repair once a stock has started to split, although I have seen this factory installed. In addition the wood at the rear of the stock is freed up so the action doesn't touch it at all

The blind pin Frank is talking about looks like this picture, it runs nearly the full length of the pistol grip, cut off flush with the bottem of the inletting and epoxied into place

Why

Some pistol grips can crack or even worse shatter under recoil, if your stock is inletted correctly the rear should rarely split, but if you think of your action as a block splitter or a blunt axe, pushing back hard on the rear inletting of the stock under heavy recoil, you might begin to understand why some stocks can split here

Cool photos guys!!
Thank you very much. I have a much better understanding of function and necessity now.
Andy

I put a 3rd crossbolt behind the action scew on my CZ 550 416 Rigy. The first is just behind the action recoil lug, the second is just behind the mag box. I also put a wrist pin in it exactly as pictured above (except I used a drill bit). To avoid having to shave down the end of the metal pin, I drill the hole into the upper end of the hole for the action screw, then drill the hole about 1/4" longer than the rod or drill bit that I am using for the pin. Then, at most you have to trim a bit of epoxy that squeezes out, not a piece of metal.

I started doing it that way when repairing the military mausers I collect (probably got the cracks in the wrist from clubbing something), as a way to completely hide the repair.

One is good, two even better on hravier kicking rifles. Any stock, even the best bedded can crack under recoil strain. I even managed a crack in my laminated 338-06! It received double cross bolts to repair it.

Not having put cross bolts in original Model 70 375's is the reason why about every one that has been shot some, is cracked behind the front guard screw and between the mag cutout and trigger cutout.

I had an origional model 70 converted to a 450 Ackley. I sold it to a friend and bought a double. Anyhow the stock broke shortly after I sold it to him. It broke at the pistol grip and the rifle did leave a fairly good mark, requiring stitches, on his face. The stock was bedded and had two crossbolts but I guess the pistol grip decided it had enough of those 500 grain bullets at 2450 MPH! A blind pin such as the one pictured above would have probably kept this from happening.