Can anyone offer some pointers or references for learning how to make a stock from a blank for a Ruger #1?

What about Brownells Gunsmith kinks? Is that a worthwhile investment?

Wstrnhuntr,
The first thing you have to do is to line up and drill the hole on the blank for the through bolt. If it were me, I would send it off to someone who does those stocks often like Mark Stratton and have him drill the hole for you. You can drill them on a metal lathe but you have to know what you are doing. You will not do it with hand drills or a drill press. Once that hole is cut, you can slide the blank on the bolt and start inletting so it will slide on the rear tang. Get that inletted and then you can start to shape the stock, using the barrel centerline as a starting datum line. Then you just cut away everything that does not look like a gun stock.

I have one I am doing right now but it is beyone that stage.

Oops, forgot the Kinks. Yes the gunsmith kinks are good books. They are a collection of suggestions from gunsmiths all over the world that show up in the Brownells Newsletter. Look for them on eBay.

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Originally posted by Customstox:
Wstrnhuntr,
The first thing you have to do is to line up and drill the hole on the blank for the through bolt. If it were me, I would send it off to someone who does those stocks often like Mark Stratton and have him drill the hole for you. You can drill them on a metal lathe but you have to know what you are doing. You will not do it with hand drills or a drill press. Once that hole is cut, you can slide the blank on the bolt and start inletting so it will slide on the rear tang. Get that inletted and then you can start to shape the stock, using the barrel centerline as a starting datum line. Then you just cut away everything that does not look like a gun stock.

I have one I am doing right now but it is beyone that stage.

Oops, forgot the Kinks. Yes the gunsmith kinks are good books. They are a collection of suggestions from gunsmiths all over the world that show up in the Brownells Newsletter. Look for them on eBay.

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Thanks Chic,

So I need the hole and then just use a bolt like action pins are normaly employed. That will get me off on the right foot.

By the way, my rust blueing has vastly improved of late. Thought you might like to know. If it werent for you and a few other ARF members I wouldnt even know what rust blueing is. Many thanks.

Do you happen to have a way to contact Mark?

You can reach him at 425 745 8309. Glad the rust bluing is going well. It is amazing how good that can look when done. Even more amazing how well it holds up.

Take care

Or, you might send it to a carver like TREEBONE. Just like these coustom stockers do and save a lot of trouble and time. Or Crossno, Lots of them out there! And yes you can drill a buttstock with a drill press, It's a simple setup. The trouble starts when you go to buy the bit to cut the hole. P.S. You do need a floor mount drill press to do the job. Or if you know someone that has a Shopsmith these work really well for the job.

Wouldn't a hollow tailstock center work on a lathe? Thats the direction inwhich I am headed. Folks that make lamps use these on a wood lathe and they can be had at the local WoodCraft stores in a few different MT & bore sizes. I always wondered why folks try to do this on a drill press... if you spin the wood (slowly!) you control the boring axis.

My other gunsmith buddy cut a V-notch in a long piece of wood and clamps this on his work bench aligned with the stock blank. With a long drill (avail at HF) he "shoots" the hole in this manner for his Sav 99 buttstocks. He says this works great for him.

Chic,

I am a few weeks off from staring a Savage 99, I was thinking about how I was going to drill the stock for the through bolt, after reading your comments I have to rethink this some. I was planning on doing it with a drill press using an old stock a my gunsmith buddy has to get the angle and dia etc. I havent done a two piece before, boyds lam for 40 bucks is sounding pretty good , and I hate plywood to boot.

Here's a link to a boring page on the WoodCraft site showing such an operation using a lamp auger and hollow tailstock. The hollow centers in 3/8" or 5/16", MT1 or MT2 are only $10.
Tailstock boring

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Originally posted by BFD:
Or, you might send it to a carver like TREEBONE.

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George at Treebone has made a few stocks for me and I can highly reccomend his work. In fact I just sent him 2 super nice American Black Walnut blanks to have him turn me some stocks for mine and my Dads Win 9422's. I have seen some of his #1 stocks and you will be very happy with his quality of wood and work.