I am in the process of finishing a stock for my 404J that will need cross bolts. I quite like those that look simply like a flush black dot on the stock surface.

How to do that?

Is there different methods and materials used to cross bolt? Eg Steel bolt and nut, wooden dowel etc

What tools are required for a professional finish?

If there is reference to another thread then please let me know.

Cheers

Well drill your holes so the bolt head and nut well be under the wood surface .

Mix up some black epoxy fill in the area above the nut and bolt head let it harden sand to match the stock surface.

Or, install your cross bolts so the heads are deep enough to put ebony plugs in the holes and sand them flush prior to finishing.

Thanks.

I drill and tap the stock in the correct position and insert a piece of 5/16 all thread. That in turn is drilled and tapped on the ends for a flat head allen screw and epoxied in place to fit under the stock line. The end caps are lathe turned to fit the 1/2" hole bored in the stock and the ebony caps epoxied in.

My 404 Mauser was cross bolted when I bought the rifle so don't know how it was done but the original Oberndorf sporter stock has held up perfectly with the 3 crossbolts which are flush fitted. Although I don't have a preference, the flush bolts do look tidy.

I have copied this from an old thread where I built my 7mm-08, I am no expert but this is how I did it. Hope it helps.....

Well the inletting is at 90% so I am going to work on a few other things, cross bolts and ebony fore end tip before I finish the inletting.

This rifle will not be a heavy recoiling rifle but I feel that due the the cylindrical nature of the Remington 700 action cross bolts are a good idea. I am of the opinion that the cylindrical action acts as a wedge when the action screws are tightened and feel that cross bolts are a good precaution. I decided to go with ebony covered cross bolts as I feel that they fit the more modern style of this rifle.

Initial Layout of the placement with a square and a caliper.




I drilled the holes by hand then took it to the mill to counter bore for the cross bolts.



Here is the crossbolt inserted, it is just a #6 screw cut to size.


Here I am cutting a few plugs on the drill press with a plug cutter.


Here are the plugs inserted, in the second picture you can see the screw thread. That will get covered with bedding material, Richards removed more wood that necessary in this area and I am going to fill it back in with bedding.




Then I put a few clamps on it to hold everything together while the epoxy dries. I will post a picture of the finished work when it dries and I have dressed it down.

Many thanks chaps for the photos and advice.

This gunsmithing site is like no other.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
My 404 Mauser was cross bolted when I bought the rifle so don't know how it was done but the original Oberndorf sporter stock has held up perfectly with the 3 crossbolts which are flush fitted. Although I don't have a preference, the flush bolts do look tidy.

My 404J Charles Osbourne is identical to this. Do you have a photo of the full stock?

Brad,
Many thanks for the pictures. I forgot about plug cutting drill bits and was about to have a piece of ebony turned to size. Your method is much simpler - many thanks again.

L/D

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
My 404 Mauser was cross bolted when I bought the rifle so don't know how it was done but the original Oberndorf sporter stock has held up perfectly with the 3 crossbolts which are flush fitted. Although I don't have a preference, the flush bolts do look tidy.

My 404J Charles Osbourne is identical to this. Do you have a photo of the full stock?

No not in one photo but here are a couple more of the rest off the stock.

Does anyone use a solid dowel epoxied in as a "bolt" or does it have to be a metal screw covered by short dowels?

Jim Kobe did this for me.

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Jim Kobe did this for me.

That metal work looks familiar. It must have come from someone with good taste but not enough brains to hold on to it...

Jason, I'll not touch that. I am very proud of it.

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Jim Kobe did this for me.

That metal work looks familiar. It must have come from someone with good taste but not enough brains to hold on to it...

I Don't understand. Would you explain? roger

Roger,
I bought the metal work off of the classifieds on this forum. I think JBrown originally commisioned Dennis Olson to build this and it was then sold to Adam in Australia for him to see it to fruition for his PH in Mozambique. The PH was accidentally shot and very seriously injured by a Client. Adam decided to sell the metalwork and I sent the money to Mozambique to the PH. Adam was a super guy to help a fellow like that. I picked up a piece of wood from James Anderson that he had purchased many years ago. The wood and metal work was shipped to Jim Kobe. Jim carved a marvelous stock and did the rust blue.