Guys,

As a result of various trading around I've ended up with two non-aluminum frame Hogue Mauser stocks.

I've put them on the smallest chamberings I own in Mausers ... a .270 Higgins FN and a .264 Win Mag on a Mark X.

Working with the .270 Win at the moment. Action bolts are spaced such that the action is not torqued in the stock. Rifle still not doing well holding groups. Forearm of the stock is "flexible" shall we say ... not conducive to the installation of a pressure point.

Any suggestions for stiffening the forearm of these stocks or getting them to shoot well (other than replacement)?

Thanks,

I hope you will forgive me if I don't adequately answer your question - directly and specifically - stiffening the forearm.

I just want to share some observations from using the Hogue stocks, like the ones you have described.

Surely the forearms can be stiffened, but IMO the method to do it in some manner that's correct just doesn't come to mind. Perhaps because I'm not craftsman enough. Frankly, if a stiff forearm is an essential requirment, I would sell the two stock in their unaltered state, and simply buy the version with the full aluminum insert. It's cheaper and far less headache than dinking around, and besides any alteration to the stocks you have reduces their value on resale.

That said, I have several Hogue stocks, and only one has the full aluminum - stiff forearm. The flex in the forearm hasn't been a henderance to accuracy or anything. However, if I have a rifle that won't shoot with the barrel free floated, I get rid of it.

You mentioned "Action bolts are spaced such that the action is not torqued in the stock." I'm not sure what that means. So, I don't know if that's good or bad.

So, I don't know if I'm answereing your question or not. But, I have used a strip of plastic as a spacer horizontally behind the recoil lug, primarily to lift the barrel enough to just barely clear the forend tip of the stock. I cut the piece from the plastic packaging from Leupold rings. or something similar. It doesn't take much.

I have no Hogue stocks in use with factory barrels. Generally the barrel contour and factory barrels leaves too much gap to suit me. When ordering a custom barrel, I order it with a countour that fits the Hogue barrel channel properly as a drop in or with a little material removed. A #3 or #4 contour works great. I figure that if I'm ordering a custom barrel anyway, it might as well look right in a Hogue, which is a pleasing barrel contour anyway. That way, I can test the rifle and start enjoying it right away, and think about replacing the stock at a later time. It's worked out so well, that I'm generally in no hurry to replace the Hogue, but it's always an option to think about. Meanwhile the rifle is ready to go.

KB

KB,

Did not know how best to phrase the idea that the bottom metal is properly spaced from the action such that when the screws are tightened, the action is not torqued.

you could drill out the bolt holes and put pillars in there to stop stock compression
and allow you to torque the receiver bolts

quote:

Originally posted by mstarling:
KB,

Did not know how best to phrase the idea that the bottom metal is properly spaced from the action such that when the screws are tightened, the action is not torqued.

Definition to torqued:
torqued past participle, past tense of torque
Verb: Apply torque or a twisting force to (an object).

In other words, the stock is made corerectly, and actually fits your action properly, thus you do not suspect that is the problem causing inaccuracy???

KB

Correct.

Tighten the front trigger guard bolt. Then tighten the rear one ... feel no movement of the barrel against the stock.

There is a small space between the bottom metal and the action.

Rear pillar is in place.

That small gap is generally not a problem - unless the follower hangs up on it, or the tips of the bullets hang up, which will cause a feeding problem. You'll just have to test it by filling the magazine and trying feeding all the cartridges several times to see that nothing is catching in the small gap. It's good to load a full magazine when at the range too, instead of single loading, just to test feeding under situations when the cartridges in the magazine will be subjected to recoil.

If the forend tip is touching the bottom of the barrel, then it may be a good idea to try my plastic shim idea, horizontal right behind the recoil lug, to temporarily raise the barreled action to clear the stock all the way down the channel, and test it for accuracy that way. If it's accurate, you can eliminate the need for the shim by removing a little material from the stock barrel channel to clear the barrel. Of course with the shim in place, the gap you mentioned, between the bottom of the receiver and magazine, will be larger.

Let us know if the rifles are shooting accurately with the barrels free floated.

KB

I have one rifle with a Hogue overmolded stock and have no troubles. Mine is a .308 I built on a K98 action. It is the standard stock and it is just droped in and tightened. Shoots 1/2 inch groups when I do my part. Never noticed much flex in the forearm. If you decide to scrap one of the stocks cheap and it will fit a 98 let me know I may need one. Hope you get the problem fixed though.