Hi everybody. I'm not sure if this belongs here or in Gunsmithing, so mods please feel free to move it. I went out shooting today and cracked the stock on my 375 SR20 pretty bad. There's no pieces missing, but it still looks pretty bad. I've never seen a crack like this. Does anybody know what could have caused this, and what I can do to prevent it from happening again? I think that the crack is a pretty easy fix for a good gunsmith. I'm thinking that when I have it repaired I'll also have the rifle fully bedded and have a crossbolt installed (just because I think they look cool). Is there anything else that I should have checked or anybody that you could recommend to do to the work? I took some pics of the damage when I got home.

Here's a pic of the inside of the stock.


The crack starts near the front checkering,


runs through the front recoil lug,


through the rear of the magazine,


and through the wrist. Here's the top near the tang,


and here's the bottom.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I suspect that a snappy housekeeper such as you might have neglected to keep his action screws properly torqued?

That stock is trashed.
You need a new stock.
See if Heym will replace it.

Wow what a shame, not much meat in the timber and it doesn't look like real good qualitiy timber either.
Maybe you should think about a new stock rather than try and repair that mess,,,you must be a tad upset,,good luck with it..

OUCH, that makes me sick and it aint even my gun.

I used to own something similar from the same maker. It had express rear sight and two factory x-bolts. It seems this one does not have x-bolts which did not help prevent stock from splitting.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
snappy housekeeper

I was thinking the same thing, sorry.

RIP is correct, you need a new stock, I would pressure Heym to replace it.

That looks to me like an improper bedding job that led to the round sides of the receiver wedging the stock apart. I would send it back to Heym for replacement. That stock can actually be repaired, but the bedding would need to be altered to prevent it from happening again.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
snappy housekeeper

Yeah, my place is kind of a mess. I'm home from college, and I guess it's obvious what wins when I have to choose between shooting, fishing, and cleaning.

I guess I'll start by calling Heym. Is it Heym USA that I should contact? I'm assuming it is, but I don't know. Thanks for the help everybody.

Were you shooting that from a Lead Sled or similar rest?

quote:

Originally posted by PNWHunter:

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
snappy housekeeper

Yeah, my place is kind of a mess. I'm home from college, and I guess it's obvious what wins when I have to choose between shooting, fishing, and cleaning.

I guess I'll start by calling Heym. Is it Heym USA that I should contact? I'm assuming it is, but I don't know. Thanks for the help everybody.

Yes, I would start with the importer and work my way up from there. Tell 'em you want a new .470 double as compensation for your frustration.

Is that a giant green tennis ball under your bed?

PNWHunter

That's a pretty ratty looking stock, with average wood and no wood of consequence left between the mag cutout and trigger assembly cutout and the rear action pillar. In fact it is one of the worst inletting jobs I've seen. You need at least three cross bolts on that stock although there is no room for an important one between the trigger assembly and magazine.

Sorry to be critical but that is bad and a new one from Heym, if inletted the same, would not turn me on at all.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
PNWHunter

That's a pretty ratty looking stock, with average wood and no wood of consequence left between the mag cutout and trigger assembly cutout and the rear action pillar. In fact it is one of the worst inletting jobs I've seen. You need at least three cross bolts on that stock although there is no room for an important one between the trigger assembly and magazine.

Sorry to be critical but that is bad and a new one from Heym, if inletted the same, would not turn me on at all.

Seen many others with much more wood between the Mag and trigger guard ? Looks pretty much like most stocks to me and that part isn't (or shouldn't) be load bearing anyway.


I agree that cross bolts are needed. Especially on big bores.

I am a tinkerer with limited gun money. I try to salvage everything. That looks like firewood to me.

A crossbolt may have saved that stock before this mishap, but it won't help much now. As has been pointed out by a few others earlier, there ain't much wood there in the first place! It might have withstood the recoil of a 257 Roberts, but it was destined to crack at the wrist on one good fall.

Is that a giant green tennis ball under your bed?[/QUOTE]

I was wondering the same thing. Furthermore, is that a lug wrench or long slim flashlight going under the giant green tennis ball?

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
Were you shooting that from a Lead Sled or similar rest?

Nope, I was shooting offhand.

quote:

I was wondering the same thing. Furthermore, is that a lug wrench or long slim flashlight going under the giant green tennis ball?

Yeah, that's a giant tennis ball that took me about $200 to win at the fair. It's not a lug wrench, that's the end of my barreled action, with the gigantic brake. I've only had the gun about three months and I already hate the break.

Yes, I far prefer the punishment on my shoulder as opposed to my ears!!

quote:

Originally posted by DoubleDon:
Yes, I far prefer the punishment on my shoulder as opposed to my ears!!

+1

Hopefully that thing is removable, completely unnecessary on a .375.

I'd say give Heym a call and see if they'll replace it. They made the rifle, they apparently just didn't do so well on the stock. I'd ask them to chop that muzzle break off while they're at it too.

On the next stock, definitely try and get crossbolts, glass-bedding, and a wrist pin.

I had pretty much the same thing happen to my 416 Sako hunter about six years ago.

Brownells sells a gun stock repair kit for very little money. I used mine will Gorilla Glue to put in seven threaded thin brass rods to pull it all back together.

Next I am sending it off get duplicated from a slab of straight grained walnut. Then I will put in more substantial cross bolts. Then I will remember to check my stock bolt tightness every twenty rounds, even if I am in the middle of blasting ground squirrels or just practicing on milk jugs scatted across a hillside 200+ meters away.

Soooo, just keep on breathing, get the repair kit and Gorilla glue (it works better than the acraglass that Brownells recommends. Take your time and put it back together. Then get a copy made in prettier wood if you wish. Then have a competent gunsmith/stock maker install three strong cross bolts.

Do not worry, a year from now you will be much happier with your rifle.

When you shoot it again, remove the muzzle brake. Start off with lower power loads, and very slowly work up to moderate full power.

Best of luck.

Do not worry about the neat nicks on the forum here. Their wives make them clean their rooms. Heck, you can even see the floor. I see no problem there .

LD

It looks like there was no bedding done to the stock at all. I would guess this caused the action to stress the stock enough to cause the problem. I have had cracks on factory bolt action rifles in the rear tang area, and around the recoil lug but never had a stock split that bad. I think you are going to need a new stick of wood for that one.

That sucks BTW. Maybe you will get lucky with Heym. Did you buy it new from a dealer or is this a second hand rifle?

Good luck

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
PNWHunter

That's a pretty ratty looking stock, with average wood and no wood of consequence left between the mag cutout and trigger assembly cutout and the rear action pillar. In fact it is one of the worst inletting jobs I've seen. You need at least three cross bolts on that stock although there is no room for an important one between the trigger assembly and magazine.

Sorry to be critical but that is bad and a new one from Heym, if inletted the same, would not turn me on at all.

Seen many others with much more wood between the Mag and trigger guard ? Looks pretty much like most stocks to me and that part isn't (or shouldn't) be load bearing anyway.


I agree that cross bolts are needed. Especially on big bores.

Yes, here's how it can be done. Plenty of room in the original Mauser stock to have three cross bolts inserted.

The SR20 has been superseded by SR21 and SR30. If Heym can't help you try to find synthetic SR20 or used wooden Mauser Model (2000/3000) stock. Heym used to supply SR20 actions or complete rifles to Mauser I suspect stocks used on them might fit with slight modification.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
PNWHunter

That's a pretty ratty looking stock, with average wood and no wood of consequence left between the mag cutout and trigger assembly cutout and the rear action pillar. In fact it is one of the worst inletting jobs I've seen. You need at least three cross bolts on that stock although there is no room for an important one between the trigger assembly and magazine.

Sorry to be critical but that is bad and a new one from Heym, if inletted the same, would not turn me on at all.

Seen many others with much more wood between the Mag and trigger guard ? Looks pretty much like most stocks to me and that part isn't (or shouldn't) be load bearing anyway.


I agree that cross bolts are needed. Especially on big bores.

Yes, here's how it can be done. Plenty of room in the original Mauser stock to have three cross bolts inserted.

Nice 404. Is that a PH model or another make ?

I have and had numerous one's with the cross bolts installed.

.

That looks like Oberndorf Type A "PH" veteran marked 10,75x72. Based on choice of mounts and scope it's now owned by an American.

PNW - throw that stock out. Not worth the risk.

Looks like the .404 ammunition was made before the rifle. Yummy.

Cross bolts are fine. Laminated is better (assuming correct construction).

PNWHunter,
Yep, you keep house just like my son, I understand ... well, I don't understand, I just know it happens.
And that's all I have to say about that.

The stock is cracked from stem to stern and through some checkered areas.
It will never be repairable without visible evidence of the cracks, even if it is completely stripped and sanded smooth after the repairs (pinning and epoxy) and recheckered and crossbolted and allthreaded out the wazoo and properly bedded and pillared and refinished.
It could make a "service-able" beater stock if repaired.

Yes, I would rather have a synthetic stock to replace wood like that!
Yes, good laminate is better than bad walnut,
but good walnut is better than bad laminate.
Only good walnut laminate is better than good walnut.
A laminate is only as good as the wood in any of the laminations.
But best of all is a good synthetic stock with full aluminum alloy bedding block.

One of my fancy walnut stocks from CZ snapped completely "in-two", broke right off, through the wrist/grip checkered area,
after minimal 404 Jeffery shooting, and despite crossbolts and bedding in glass and pillars.
CZ-USA was "big enough" to replace the stock with a "Kevlar" Wunderstock.
They offered another fancy American black walnut stock but I begged for the Kevlar instead and they made good.

I think the stock wood and bedding on your rifle was defective.
Heym should always do better than that.
Geez! It was only a .375 H&H and had a muzzle brake!
Sheesh! Heym needs to make good on that.
Surely Heym-USA is the place to start getting directions toward satisfaction!

Go for it!!!

BTW, what is that gray, irregular blob in the primary recoil lug recess area?
Is it a piece of plastic that fits between the recoil lug and the wood?
If so, that is atrocious, and even more reason for Heym to get you another stock.

Looks like a drunken beaver chewed the inletting of your stock:

OK, where is new_guy?

Heym (the German Company) should take care of this young man and the problem.

Write it off on warranty work.

It's good P.R.

Besides, with the money saved, he can get a pretty, young, French maid to tidy his place up.

quote:

Originally posted by ROSCOE:
That sucks BTW. Maybe you will get lucky with Heym. Did you buy it new from a dealer or is this a second hand rifle?

I bought this rifle used about four months ago. As far as I know, these haven't been made for around 20 years. The guy I bought this from said that it only had three boxes through it, and since I bought it I've put almost three through it, so it hasn't been shot too much yet.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
BTW, what is that gray, irregular blob in the primary recoil lug recess area?
Is it a piece of plastic that fits between the recoil lug and the wood?

That's a steel block that slides out.

The more I look at this stock, the more I think it's completely trashed. I tried to call Heym USA today but they were closed, so I guess I'll try again on Tuesday. It really sucks, because I really liked this stock. Schnabel forend with a lefty cheekpiece (yes, I'm a lefty) in a 375 that came in under seven pounds with a barrel slightly over 25" (not counting the muzzlebreak). I guess I found out how they kept the weight down.

quote:

Originally posted by PNWHunter:

I bought this rifle used about four months ago. As far as I know, these haven't been made for around 20 years. The guy I bought this from said that it only had three boxes through it, and since I bought it I've put almost three through it, so it hasn't been shot too much yet.

I really liked this stock. Schnabel forend with a lefty cheekpiece (yes, I'm a lefty) in a 375 that came in under seven pounds with a barrel slightly over 25" (not counting the muzzlebreak).

Good luck getting it warrantied. I do wish you luck, but I don't see it happening.

Your best bet(after talking to Hyem) is to send the stock out to be duplicated.

A decent blank and duplicating will run you $200-400. If you got real simple checkering, or did it yourself, and refinished it at home you could be back shooting for just a few hundred dollars.

quote:

Originally posted by DoubleDon:
OK, where is new_guy?

Heym (the German Company) should take care of this young man and the problem.

Write it off on warranty work.

It's good P.R.

Besides, with the money saved, he can get a pretty, young, French maid to tidy his place up.

Donald is giving you the best advice yet on this thread (especially the part about the hot little French maid). PM new_guy, who is a member here, about this and tell him you expect for Heym to make this right. I don't know Chris (new_guy) but have heard nothing but good things about him and his commitment to customers, so much so that I wouldn't hesitate to buy a double from him. Good luck in getting this resolved.

Oh, a slide-out steel plate sandwiched loosely between the recoil lug and the wood?
No wonder it cracked!
No fault of yours, that is just bad, bad, bedding!

If it goes back into walnut, it needs proper glass bedding, crossbolts fore and aft of the magazine well, pillars, and a long-axis allthread rod through the wrist.

I had to use a 1-pound Brown Precision stock, a No.3 Sporter contour barrel (0.625" at the 24" muzzle), and a Pre-64 M70 action,
in order to build a .375 H&H of less than 7 pounds dry weight (6.75#).

So, they really scimped on the MASS of walnut, and did zero epoxy bedding, just inserted a loose coin between wood and metal?

Demand a new stock, properly bedded, and no drunken beavers allowed to work on it this time!

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:

Demand a new stock, properly bedded, and no drunken beavers allowed to work on it this time!

On a rifle that was discontinued 20 years ago? Man, if they do come through with a stock under warranty that will be top shelf customer service.

quote:

Originally posted by Paolo9,5x73:
That looks like Oberndorf Type A "PH" veteran marked 10,75x72. Based on choice of mounts and scope it's now owned by an American.

The Mauser is an Oberndorf Type A Pattern No 1 originally in 10.75x68 now opened up for the 404J cartridge (10.75x73). No don't blame the Americans for everything, owned by me a New Zealander.

That is my Sako Finbear stock - over 30 years old. I bought it from a guy for $100 & found it had a crack from tang through the pistol grip. I just drilled 3 criss-cross holes in the checkering with a 2mm drill and filled them with Bisonite epoxy + steel powder. It hasn't moved for the next 12 years despite over 1200 rounds of 280 Ackley Imp. You can see two of those repairs spots at the lower end of the postol grip checkering.

I would suggest that you first bind the stock tight so that the cracked parts are all virtually closed tight & then cut a channel in the wood behind the recoil lug & fill its with Bisonite or Acraglass mixed with steel. You can do the same for the inside of the side panels. I would take the pistol grip cap off & drill a 4mm hole through to the tang - not right through but stop just short of the action bolt. Then I would fill that hole with a steel rod epoxied in. You could try graphite fishing rod if you are concerned about weight.

I would only do the cross bolts after the above repair.

Good luck.

PNWHunter

I have to agree with RIP's drunken beaver bit. Sorry I don't mean to belittle your rifle and I honestly feel for you ending up with a situation like this.
The rounded end steel block Heym have used cannot help but split that stock if the front action screw is not fully tight especially the way the recess for the block has been routed with matching rounded edges.

It also does not appear as if any part of the action or barrel/receiver is being pulled onto the wood to give a good solid bedding contact. I am really surprised just how little wood is left between the magazine and trigger cut outs. My Mauser, pictured, has over an inch of wood in that area even with the Timney trigger in place which did require a tiny amount of scraping to fit. One of the cross bolts sits just behind the magazine box to prevent any splitting in case of set back (not that there has been any). I agree with 500N that this area should not be load bearing but hey it's far better to be safe than sorry. Likewise for the third crossbolt sitting behind the rear steel pillar and bolt.

As I said in my earlier post, I would expect a hell of a lot better from Heym if they did provide a replacement.

I agree that you should get heym to replace the stock. See if they have a thread protector they can throw in so you can flush that ugly muzzle brake.

The stock work looks terrible and yes there should be crossbolts for sure.

quote:

Originally posted by DoubleDon:
OK, where is new_guy?

Heym (the German Company) should take care of this young man and the problem.

He's been in Mexico soaking up sun.

PNWHunter - Sorry about your stock. Jason is right, the SR 20 was discontinued many years ago. So I can promise you that there aren't a lot of stocks (if any) sitting in inventory for you to pick a replacement from, but we'll try to find something better than what you have now.

I saw at least one McMillan for an SR20 the last time I was there, but that was last year... It's not wood, but it would work. I'm sure there's gotta be a wooden stock or two hidden somewhere there (let's hope so!) The factory is closed until the 9th, so it will take a couple of weeks to find out what exactly is available.

Give me a call, and we can discuss.

As usual, Heym rules.