What is the correct way to add lead to a buttstock to add weight? Do you drill a hole then pour molten lead into the hole? Will this crack the stock? Will the lead expand? How do you prevent it from shifting around? Will the lead melt on a normal stove?

Pouring any greater amount of molten lead into the stock would certainly ruin it.
What I once tried was to mill a cavity in the stock, make a cast of that cavity and use that to make a mould. I then used that mould to cast a block of lead that exactly fitted into the stock.

A lot less work would be to use lead shot. You can keep that in place using construction foam.

Lead will melt on a normal gas stove. However, I would not melt lead on gas flames indoors since if overheated, a lot of it becomes airborne.

[ 07-02-2003, 23:45: Message edited by: JV ]

Hello RomaRana,

Some more food for thought.

You can mix lead shot with epoxy and pour the mixture into holes drilled into the stock. I also heard someone this weekend say that they mix lead shot with Elmer's white glue - if you want to remove it, you just wet it down until the glue softens and dig it back out. The epoxy/shot mixture would have to be machined (drilled) out if you wanted to remove it.

Molten lead would not be the way to go, but molten Cerrosafe would probably not harm the wood, as it melts around 175 degrees F - neat stuff, but not cheap:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=384

Regards, Bill

I have and old Remington hammer double that had lead added in the buttstock. Someone simply added lead shot to the hole. Over many years the lead oxidized and split the stock. So, if you add lead, be sure to coat it with something that will prevent expansion due to oxidation.

If you are adding lead to help balance AND reduce recoil you might take a look at the
"break-o" recoil reducer [ or other brands]. Once installed you do not have to worry about oxidizing, shifting around, glue melting etc.

Add some lead shot to a gob of putty and mix it well, place it in a plastic bag and shape it to the hole in the stock. Then stuff it all into the stock and pack it tight. To remove just grab the bag and pull.

[ 07-05-2003, 08:41: Message edited by: Wstrnhuntr ]

Epoxy and lead is best,Use epoxy that flows good.
put some in hole first add lead shot, then epoxy,
and so on,.It will coat lead so it minimizes oxidation.And it adds a lot of strength.Don't use fast drying, as you want the lead shot to sink in
and get as much lead as posssible in the mix.Ed.

I concur with N E 450 No2: If you are going to drill a hole in a stock, why not put something in it that you know will reduce the recoil. There are several types of recoil reducers; I have the Hiram's Bear Trap variety from Brownells for use with LH guns, but I am going to assume you are RH; p/n is 405-001-100. Cost is $50. This one is full of mercury and some kind of valving system that keeps the quicksilver from just sloshing around inside the thing. I also have a smaller one from Break-O that fits into the forearm of a riflestock, p/n is 352-205-000 and cost is $40. I can really feel the recoil reduction when I shake the small one back and forth, so I would have to think they really work. There are models that clamp to the magazine tube of a shotgun, thus allowing you to test it out before you drill that stock or you could buy a stock model and duct tape it to the magazine tube, take it out and blast through a box of shells to see how it works. You like, you keep. You no like, you send back. Go to Page 60 of Brownells Catalog Number 55; available for viewing on-line at www.brownells.com 1022 EDT: For some porkin' reason I can't get to Brownells via this post, so go there from your address bar.

[ 07-05-2003, 18:23: Message edited by: rootbeer ]

Gents,
The technique I used to add a extra bit of lead to the back of my 500A2 was to remove the recoil pad, try a couple different sizes of copper tubing to get a tight fit, pull the tubing back out and temporarily put a cap on one end,then fill with molten lead. Once the lead hardens I covered both ends with epoxy until set and then I have a custom fit-removeable weight. I have even dropped a spring into the hole after the lead filled cylinder but did not notice any benefit.
YMMV 45nut

Look up the thread I started on the Big-Bore section. Don't waste your money on contraptions that will reduce recoil just exactly the same as adding nice, inexpensive lead.

I used pieces from an old battery and poured the lead into a 4"x3/4" pipe nipple. I drilled a hole into the stock and placed the lead rod into the stock.

To get the lead oiut of the nipple, I used a flange to screw onto the nipple, heated the nipple with a torch and smacked the end of the lead with a bolt used as a punch and it popped out. My total cost was $4.50.

I used to believe in the merc reducers until I did the math. They are no better than lead, or rocks for that matter. Personally I feel the reducers are less effective in the sense that the rifle will move back the length neccessary for the tube to contact the blob of merc very quickly, then it slows. Well, think about that, if it has to move 1.5" to contact the mass, that is 1.5" it is compressing the recoil pad and your shoulder.

I believe the reason the "perceived recoil" reduction people claim for those things is the fact they feel the rifle butt slowing when it slams into the merc. The point is the actual numbers are the same (well virtually the same).

I use 44 cal. cast bullets in a hole drilled slighly undersized to get a snug fit.