I'm building a custom stock on a Winchester 70 action chambered in .280 Rem and was wondering if it would be a good idea to install crossbolts to give the stock some support for the recoil. I know it shouldn't need double crossbolts as its not a magnum caliber, just just wondering your guys' thoughts.

I answered this elsewhere.

It won't hurt if your a traveling hunter and use your guns hard, glass bedding and cross bolts can keep from ruining a high dollar hunt..regardless of how well made a gun is, Ive seem them all break for various reasons, Some will advise you that a properly inletted gun won't break or give you any trouble, well thats bunk, let an elephant step on it or a truck run over it or it flys out of a pickup bed as you grab for help!!Ive seen it all, build a gun to be tough as BALL PEAN HAMMER, is a good idea, no gunsmith in some parts of the world, take a glass bedding kit, some duct tape and bailing wire is a great idea..IVe seen a few beautiful custom rifles and a number of factory rifles get slack in the recoil lug or movement from some place split out from recoil 500 miles from nowhere..better to be safe than sorry..and yes a composite stocked ss gun is the best, but I would rather risk a wood stock for what ever reason I don't understand!

I'm a DIY type guy that stocked or re-stocked most of my hunting rifles, and have glass bedded all of my bolt action rifles, including the ones that I left in their factory plastic stocks.

The only stock that I put Crossbolts in was the laminated stock for my .375 RUM. I put one Crossbolt between the barrrel recoil lug and the front action screw, and another Crossbolt between the trigger opening and behind the magazine opening.

For Crossbolts, I used #10 machine screws. I counter sunk both ends and coated the screw threads filling the screw holes and filling the screw heads and nuts holes with black Accu Glass.

I did not put Crossbolts in my .300 Weatherby stock and have shot hundreds of rounds through it without any problems.

quote:

t won't hurt if your a traveling hunter and use your guns hard, glass bedding and cross bolts can keep from ruining a high dollar hunt..regardless of how well made a gun is, Ive seem them all break for various reasons, Some will advise you that a properly inletted gun won't break or give you any trouble, well thats bunk, let an elephant step on it or a truck run over it or it flys out of a pickup bed as you grab for help!!Ive seen it all, build a gun to be tough as BALL PEAN HAMMER, is a good idea, no gunsmith in some parts of the world, take a glass bedding kit, some duct tape and bailing wire is a great idea..IVe seen a few beautiful custom rifles and a number of factory rifles get slack in the recoil lug or movement from some place split out from recoil 500 miles from nowhere..better to be safe than sorry..and yes a composite stocked ss gun is the best, but I would rather risk a wood stock for what ever reason I don't understand!

This is the voice of experience. Well said Ray.

Another way is to glass in hidden cross bolts.

Go inside the recoil lug area end cut a 5/16 ' wide slot side to side as wide as you can.
Then use a peice of 1/4" all thread as the cross bolt
Glass in place.
You can also do this behind the magazine box on many types of stocks

Also can drill a hole from the inletting down lengthwise thru the grip and insert a peice of all thread and glass in place to reinforce the grip area

Done correctly just as strong and all hidden
I have repaired many cracked and split stocks this way over the years

J Wisner