I have a chance to pick up a semi-nice sporter stock for my Mauser. Only problem is a crack in the pistol grip (down from the rear tang). Is there any way to fix this? Epoxies? or should I pass on the whole deal?

Thanks,

CAL9

I've had some success fixing stock cracks. The best situation is where the crack can be forced open. If that can be done, I'll mix a small amount of Brownell's acra-glas and dilute it 50:50 with acetone. I pour the mix into a plastic syringe, open the crack, force the tip of the syringe into the crack and squeeze the mix into the crack. Once it's filled, tightly wrap the pistol grip with surgical tubing and let the epoxy set.

To further reinforce the cracked area I may drill a 1/8" hole through the grip just behind the rear guard screw and about halfway down. I'll then cut a piece of brass rod(or an 1'8" brass screw with the head cut off) to the same length as the stock thickness. File down the rod or screw piece so that it is not a tight fit in the hole, coat the metal with epoxy, slide it into the hole and let set. If one is organized, all the epoxying and wrapping with tubing can be done as one operation.

Usually, I will refinish the stock after the repair is done. At that time, the brass rod can be carefully filed off to match the surface of the stock.

If it's not oil soaked it can be repaired as outlined above.

It should be OK for anything 338 or smaller.

Don

I agree with the above...If it is oil soaked you can take the oil out and you may have to drill it out some and put a threaded bolt down through the grip...There are a number of ways to remove oil from wood......

Here is a picture of the the brass rod technique:
http://www.charm.net/~kmarsh/brass_repair.html

I'll add my 2� worth.
it's all fine and dandy, except I take a 1/8 id SS tube, or 1/4 (how big is the stock) SS tube, fill it with acraglass, and use it to repair the same. The SS and epoxy make a "stronger than steel matrix" and you dont have to worry about oxidation for, oh, 200 years or so. I also suggest using a slightly larger drill, and actually making a bend in the tube, but that's probably not neseccary.
jeffe