Cracked stock

29 November 2001, 10:35

John Frazer

Cracked stock

The stock on my old Model 70 (pre-war) .30-06 is cracked from top to bottom, between the rear of the magazine well opening and the front guard screw hole. If I pinch it in my hands I can see the crack open and close.

So that I may be an educated customer when I go to the gunsmith, what are my options for a solid repair?

29 November 2001, 11:00

Fritz Kraut

Ask the gunsmith what heï¿½ll do with it. Personally Iï¿½d would use AccraGlas and two stock bolts as on safari rifles. At the same time I would bed the action.

Good luck!

Fritz

[This message has been edited by Fritz Kraut (edited 11-29-2001).]

29 November 2001, 13:08

<Daryl Elder>

I agree with Fritz. The glass would probably be stronger than the wood. I repaired a few like that by gently spreading the mag well so that glass could be forced into the crack and then bed the whole thing.

29 November 2001, 13:35

Atkinson

Just glass bed the stock and put a couple of hidden threaded screws in it and it won't even show if done properly...Its a $35 to $75 job.

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

29 November 2001, 14:04

<Don G>

Ray's got it right. I'd do it myself, but a good gunsmith will tell you he'll warm it up, gently spread the crack, push some acraglass or epoxy in there then firmly squeeze it shut and put at least one piece of brass allthread through it. The screw might be superfluous, but I'd do it. Brownells sells a kit to do the brass screw bit.

Don

29 November 2001, 14:39

Craftsman

I would definately repair the crack first then glass bed.

One point a lot of people don't address. If the crack has been there for any amount of time it will probably have oil in it. I normally drill a short 1/8 inch hole in the cracks, take a plastic syringe of acetone or MEK and flush the crack, then blow out with compressed air.

Then I gently spread the crack a little, take a plastic syringe with thin acraglass and saturate the crack, then clamp with padded cabinet makers wood clamps or surgical tubing. The syringes are available from Brownells and will put a suprising amount of hydraulic pressure on the glass and do a better job of getting glass into every bit of the crack than anything I've tried.

Depending on the situation I will then inlet cross bolts, drill and route for hidden cross bolts or fabricate U shaped pieces of metal, drill and route for them, glass them in and finally glass bed over all the repairs.

29 November 2001, 15:10

Bill Leeper

Since I drill a 5/8 inch hole through and cast a pillar the crack would be largely removed. It is impotent to check and be sure that the crack has not moved ahead of the lug or behind the mag well. It is a good idea to put a hidden screw in behind the mag well as Ray suggested. Regards, Bill.

29 November 2001, 15:13

Bill Leeper

It is actually important and not impotent to check the rest of the stock. Regards, Bill.

29 November 2001, 23:57

Fritz Kraut

quote:
Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
It is actually important and not impotent to check the rest of the stock. Regards, Bill.

Reminds me of a young lady co-student a the university: I named a teacher and stated, that he was "incompetent". She looked a bit curious at me and just asked: "Impotent?" "No, in-competent." Her conclusion: "So whatï¿½s the difference?"
She had a point...

Yours unseriuosly,

Fritz

[This message has been edited by Fritz Kraut (edited 11-29-2001).]

30 November 2001, 00:59

John Frazer

Thanks to all for the helpful replies.

Curious about a couple of them that talked about "hidden" crossbolts or allthread -- how do you hide them?

If this were any old rifle I'd take a whack at it myself. But, it's a semi-heirloom (and still extraordinarily accurate after 64 years) so I believe I'll throw some business to a smith who's helped me out before.

John

30 November 2001, 13:46

Atkinson

you take a drill press or even a drimel tool or a chisle and cut a mortise cross wise into the recoil lug and lay a threaded screw or bolt or piece of roughed up welding rod, whatevers handy in there and fill with glass to below surface and be sure the action is being squeezed a little to close up the gap and push glue out every place...then glass bed the whole gun after that has been done and set up....

I normally just install Brownells cross bolts as they look really nice and I have a jig..I do glass them in also.

As to blowing acetone with compressed air, I was informed by Jack Belk that can result in a vertual bomb and injure the smith...I have done it for years but thats what he said and he is supposed to know...For what its worth.

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com