This stock is cracked all the way through lengthwise from top to bottom, inline with the rear tang. I've gotten two rifles from the pawn shop that are split like this, both are magnums. Both stocks are also cracked inside in the inletting (behind the magazine) as well. The guy that works at the pawn shop said it's from not tightening down the rear screw enough.

I would guess that the inletting is too tight of a fit (pressed it) causing stress. But that would just be a guess.

Jim Carmichael mentions that you should always relieve behind the tang a little to keep the stock from splitting in his book. Maybe this is what he was talking about.

If it matters, the rifle in the pic is a SAKO L61R in .338 win mag, the other is a Weatherby MkV in 300 Wby. Both guns are unaltered in any way, completely stock, as they came from the factory.

This condition is frequently caused by not providing sufficient strength in the wooden web behind the magazine box. The stock sides tend to momentarily spread under recoil, and sometimes if the spread is wide enough it becomes a split. Observant owners have noted that Remington has long provided an unobtrusive small brass crossbolt through the web behind the mag box, this is the reason.

The problem is aggravated when slab-sawn wood is used for the stock rather than quarter-sawn, but if proper stocking procedures are followed then slab- or flat-sawn wood is fine.

Most folks think the crossbolt behind the recoil lug is the important one but this simply isn't so. If you can install only one crossbolt then the one behind the mag box is the one to use, it's FAR more important.
Regards, Joe

And has far more surface area to spread the forces too. The front cross bolt is relying on thin sections down the sides of the box magazine.

If one of todays engineer's had designed the bolt action it would have been magazine feed from the top. I say this for two reasons one it allows ample wood under the action for support and the engineer would never think about the magazine getting in the way of the sights

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Originally posted by J.D.Steele:
If you can install only one crossbolt then the one behind the mag box is the one to use, it's FAR more important.
Regards, Joe

You are so right. The SAKO has a massive crossbolt just behind the recoil lug. The crack actually went from just behind the mag well cutout to where you can see in the pictures.

Is there any way to repair this stock without adding a rear crossbolt, and have it hold up?

No, not a good one. Spread the crack a bit and force thinned epoxy in the crack with compressed air and add a cross bolt after clamping the area of the split and give the epoxy time to set completely. This usually requires a minimum of 24 hours. Do not use rapid setting epoxy as it is not as strong as the long open time stuff.

As others have written, be sure to relieve the inletting behind the action tang. While you are at it, might think about a front cross bolt. Just looks cool, adds strength and balances the appearance. Just my opinion.

Notice the highly technical term "cool."

Stephen

I'm a big fan of hidden stock reinforcement but it takes some forethought and unusual approaches. I almost always use a short crossbolt behind the mag box, long enough to span the box width but not long enough to require exposure on the outside. I inlet it horizontally into the vertical wood surface at the rear of the mag box and then epoxy it in place, with the glass providing a good support for the back of the mag box. If necessary, as in the case of flat-sawn Claro Weatherbys (VERY common), even a really weak stock can be invisibly strengthened to withstand even the 460 with no failures but requires a LOT of metal and epoxy.

Think of the rebar inside a concrete structure, the application is very similar.
Regards, Joe

My fairly new #1 Ruger single shot exhibits the same crack. It was in .223. Figure? roger

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Originally posted by bartsche:
My fairly new #1 Ruger single shot exhibits the same crack. It was in .223. Figure? roger

Green wood?

quote:

This condition is frequently caused by not providing sufficient strength in the wooden web behind the magazine box. The stock sides tend to momentarily spread under recoil, and sometimes if the spread is wide enough it becomes a split.

That would also be my assessment . I may be full of it , however wherever screws or action screws go through or into the wood ,I would prefer a sleeve or insert ( such as a thermoset or knive cert ) preferably epoxied into place ; especially where the rear tang screws into the wrist . If I'm not mistaken this is the or one of the most problematic areas of a stocks failure .

Similar with metal working ,in order to prevent cracks or stop them , drilling a hole forces stress release elsewhere .

I'm not a gunsmith or a stockmaker ,however I'm attempting to somewhat rectify that latter short coming !.

How many fine old firearms have we all seen with cracks or repairs within the wrist area !!!.

quote:

Green wood?

I'll take a guess and say To tight a fit , shock transmitted through the wrist !.