If anyone of you have a Ruger Magnum in 458 Lott can you let me know if you have had issues with the stock cracking due to recoil related issues. I normally glass bed my heavy guns but was just wondering what other owners may have experienced with this particular rifle.


Thanks

AR

I have one that I have used for a couple of safaris plus shot on the rifle range. So far, I have had no problems with the stock. Maybe just lucky.

My 458 Lott is not a Ruger but I did just crack a stock with less than 20 rounds threw it. Mine is fairly light at 8pounds 2oz mine cracked at the tang where did yours crack? It happens sometimes especially in bigger calibers

This has been discussed on AR in the past.You need to bed the rifle and keep the screws tight or it will crack.Many have had theirs crack but nobody that I recall did after bedding it.BTW,it cracks at the tang.

Is it just me, or is it normal to spend the better part of 2K on a rifle, a DGR for that matter, and wonder why you need to then send it to a gunsmith for a few weeks to several years to be able to shoot it without destroying the stock? Probably spending a few hundred dollars more for the work because of shipping? It is like buying a brand new car and having to send it to a professional engine builder to rebuild the engine before you drive it because if you don't the engine will throw a rod or something?

Arjun,

The Rugers in 458 Lott and 416 Rigby are pretty famous for the stock cracking. A good bedding job usually fixes this.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Arjun,

The Rugers in 458 Lott and 416 Rigby are pretty famous for the stock cracking. A good bedding job usually fixes this.

Mark

Hi Mark,

Who is a good smith doing this kind of work? I have an RSM Rigby I'd like to get bedded. Thanks.

My RSM Lott cracked behind the tang, inletted around the problem area, problem solved.

quote:

Originally posted by AlanFaulkner:
Is it just me, or is it normal to spend the better part of 2K on a rifle, a DGR for that matter, and wonder why you need to then send it to a gunsmith for a few weeks to several years to be able to shoot it without destroying the stock? Probably spending a few hundred dollars more for the work because of shipping? It is like buying a brand new car and having to send it to a professional engine builder to rebuild the engine before you drive it because if you don't the engine will throw a rod or something?

You can have issues like this with the most expensive custom rifle.We are dealing with very heavy recoiling rifles.It does not require a complicated bedding job simply fill in the recoil lug recess with glass bed and you are set.Anyone who is serious of hunting DG should have a basic knowledge in doing simple maintenance on his rifle,IMO.

could always get a xlr chassis lol . wont crack one of those

quote:

Originally posted by AlanFaulkner:
Is it just me, or is it normal to spend the better part of 2K on a rifle, a DGR for that matter, and wonder why you need to then send it to a gunsmith for a few weeks to several years to be able to shoot it without destroying the stock? Probably spending a few hundred dollars more for the work because of shipping? It is like buying a brand new car and having to send it to a professional engine builder to rebuild the engine before you drive it because if you don't the engine will throw a rod or something?

I totally agree with you. I cannot understand why the manufacturers don't take care of this issue before it leaves the factory.

I think there are quite a few custom rifle builders also who omit to sort out this MAJOR issue, but focus more on the cosmetics of producing a $$$$ custom rifle.

Thanks all for your feedback, I always get my big rifles bedded to be safe, but just wanted to hear about Ruger 458 lotts in particular.

quote:

Originally posted by AlanFaulkner:
Is it just me, or is it normal to spend the better part of 2K on a rifle, a DGR for that matter, and wonder why you need to then send it to a gunsmith for a few weeks to several years to be able to shoot it without destroying the stock? Probably spending a few hundred dollars more for the work because of shipping? It is like buying a brand new car and having to send it to a professional engine builder to rebuild the engine before you drive it because if you don't the engine will throw a rod or something?

Alan,

You see them running down the freeways everyday...new tires and wheels, jacked up or lowered, new very 'loud' sounds system, exhaust system, blower or turbo added, etc... Sometimes the factory just can't or won't deliver what you want 'cause their 'custom order' sheet only allows adding or eliminating standard factory options...

But it keeps the factories running PLUS it keeps the knowledgable gunsmiths/rifle makers in business so that they're available when you really need them...

Just sayin...

It's true that the Ruger Safari Magnums in 458 Lott are prone to cracking at the tang. I had one of mine sent off to LeRoy Barry at Canyon Creek Custom Gunstocks. I had LeRoy and his wife Connie, redo the entire rifle, including custom engraving on the metal, bedding, custom checkering, etc. The stock is a Cecil Fredi bastogne walnut stock. What a gorgeous rifle! Nothing will cause that rifle stock to crack now!

After reading this thread, I thought that I would check my M77 RSM in .458 Lott just to make sure everything was okay. Sumbitch…..look at this! Now I'll need a restock job also.

Garbage like this is why I won't buy a Ruger. Some folks think they have been making bolt action rifles for 40 years. Seems more like they have been making bolt action rifles for a year 40 times. When will these people learn?

My Ruger M 77 RSM in .458 Lott is going to Canyon Creek Custom Gunstocks, LLC of Darby, Mt for a restock job. The blank will come from Cecil Fredi of Gunstock Blanks, LLC of Las Vegas, NV. It will be a Bastogne Walnut blank that is heavy, dark, and hard. I am stoked. Just sorry that I will be having to spend more money on this job than what the original rifle cost to begin with. However, the rifle, once it is finished, will be more or less personalized to my specs I like the way the RSM feeds, ejects, etc. …..even more nicely than my Sauer Hatari in .458 Lott. It is a DRG that I am conident with Cheers, Chip.

IMO all Afrian DG rifles should be glass bedded to one degree or another, then have two cross bolts..On a full custom of .375 and up I usually add two cross bolts, hand inlet it, then apply at least two paint coats of glass to seal the wood and make perfect contact.

Sometimes I will bed a really big bore in 3/32s to 1/16th of glass with cross bolts, depending on the caliber, and a a 505 or 500 with same but with steel bed, and a laminated heavy wood stock isn't a bad idea..I also let the owner file in his own sights to match his eyes, or at least thats what I tell'em!

Swaunee Tim,
Its not just Ruger with the big bores, ALL factory gun and more than a few high dollar custom rifles have split out with the big bores on Safari, ask any PH...,

I suspect it is mostly because of production costs and availability of proper wood. MOst factory wood isn't cured properly and not laid out properly but good wood is too costly then you have the lack of hand work..They cannot afford to build Big bore rifles like they should as it would make the cost too high for the general public..Were lucky as hell to get what we do, for many years we did without any big bores other than high dollar customs, so having to tweak a factory rifle is a blessing IMO...

I have been dreaming of owning a real Big Bore rifle for decades and got my CZ 550 in 416 Rigby about 15 months ago.

Having read plenty about the crack at the tang syndrome of most wood stocked rifle, I got a Kevlar synthetic model.

The reasons why these wood stocks crack are as follows

1. Bulk factory made stocks from varying grades & grains of wood will not fit snug & perfect 100% of the time. All you need is a bit of uneven tension in the stock and a weak spot in the wood will give.
2. These are not custom stocks like the classic British or German / Austrian Big Bores of old. Even these old classic custom stocks occasionally cracked at the tang.


Now the solution is simple and does not need expensive work by a gunsmith.

Glass bedding a rifle stock is easy and inexpensive. Even pillar bedding is straightforward for anyone with basic hand tool skills like myself. I have not attempted installing cross bots but inserting a brass or steel rod through the pistol grip is also straightforward.

I would recommend using Bisonite (with atomised steel) instead of the more common Acraglass Gel. I have used Acraglass mixed with brass filings (many years ago from work) & that works well too.

The trick is to inlet the wood on the inside while not removing any wood from the very edge. A simple 5 mm drill with a few holes in different direction is all it takes to get the bedding compound to stay solidly in the wood and give perfect support to the action. If you have left the top edge of the wood in tact, you will not be able see the bedding unless you look very carefully.

capoward...not quite the same. Everything you mentioned are modifications to please the owner or possibly make it run better. NONE of those are necessary to add to prevent a catastrophic failure (like a split stock on a $2K rifle!) The items you list are more like adding a horn forend tip, better scope rings, scope, new and/r checkered bolt handle or recoil pad.

Unlike all the rifles I can think of that have vertical screws holding the action in the stock,the Ruger's main guard screw is at a 45 degree angle.This has the potential to cause the action to move horizontally.To prevent the stock from breaking you need to tighten this large screw down to the recommended torque setting which is very high and make sure it does not get loose.Bedding the action will also prevent the action from moving horizontally.

One more thing to bear in mind, everyone loves a perfect wood to metal fit but the tang of a big bore rifle is not the place for that. 1/32 of an inch gap between the vertical surfaces of the tang and the wood will prevent the tang from pounding the wood apart. Same with any other small or curved surface perpendicular to or nearly so to the barrel. The surfaces that transmit recoil to the stock should be large, flat and perpendicular to the barrel. Anything else is a split waiting to happen.

Reddy375, A 458 Lott is one of those calibers that should always be glass bedded.