I recently tried to improve the inletting on one of my stocks so the barrel wouldn't be touching the stock anywhere. Improved the accuracy of the rifle but I didn't notice that I had taken too much out on one side. While I was sanding away at it I thought I was keeping an eye on just how much I was taking out, but I took out way more wood on the left side than the left. It is hard to notice until you are shouldering the rifle and looking down the barrel. Is their anyway to fix this cosmetic problem? Say like a stainable putty or did I just make this stock ugly for good.

a thin strip of veneer, perhaps. rockler has it. in my limited experience, wood putty looks worse than the problem.

Even up the other side and chalk it up to a lesson learned.

yeah I should have had a gunsmith do it. Used sand paper wrapped around a wooden dowel like that guy from Midway shows on National Rifleman. Next time I will just get an inletting tool. I might have the rosewood tip cut off and have it replaced. Most of the damage is in that last quarter of stock at the end anyways. Might need to move it back a bit or something too if it doesn't make it look too bad.

A jerry fisher scraper works pretty good if you're not removing much. a piece of masking tape applied carefully in a straight line can help as a guide on a factory stock where a tight fit is impossible anyways. I think everybody has screwed something up at one time. Next time you won't. Depending on the circumstances perhaps replacing the tip and a inch of wood might do it. If the sling stud is close you could always add a band instead. It will ride a little lower on your shoulder which I like since I'm taller than average.

What a marvelous opportunity to go shopping for a real nice stick of french walnut and a custom stocker to do your rifle up to a new standard.

Your problem may not have been a result of you just taking too much off one side. Often times, when floating a barrel, the barrel will not be seated in the barrel channel correctly and to float it one must take all of the material off of one side. It could be a result of one of those Remingtons that have the barrels or actions not square to each other.

I had a rifle that this was done to and my gunsmith tore it out of the stock and removed all the bedding and re-bed it to split the difference from the front to the back and it came out pretty good. A little in the back one direction makes a lot of difference in the front. Don't know if this is the right way to do it but it came out pretty well. Shoots fine, too.

I'm not saying I am any type of an expert but I've done that and fixed it by getting some 5 minute (clear) epoxy and mixing alot of sawdust (from the stock)with it and filling in the area - let it set - sand again to the right spot.

Its alot harder to sand epoxy than wood so try not to get too much epoxy in the area.
If 5 minute is too quick for you I think you can get 15-30 minute epoxy too.

All at Home Depot.

It's worked for me - inlaying a veneer would look better but do you have the ability or patience?

Lance

Glass bed the barrel channel using 10 mil pipe wrap tape on the barrel to give you free-float space. Dye the glass brown to match the stock. That'll fix it.

I agree either wrap or wax the barrel 3 Times place wax paper in the barrel channel after mixing the bedding compound lay the action in . have good clean rags and popsickel sticks or short soft wood strips , to clean any excess off before it dries .

Toomany Tools Has the correct fix IMO .
Good Luck , with care it should be fine .
Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
What a marvelous opportunity to go shopping for a real nice stick of french walnut and a custom stocker to do your rifle up to a new standard.

I have thought about it and I would, but I really love the shape of this stock. To have a stock made to match it would probably be more than I am willing to pay right now. It is an H&R model 340 in 7x57, I love everything about the stock except I think it might be too long. I have even considered buying another model 340 and swapping out stocks then reselling that rifle. Even with the slightly screwed up stock (which I would note of course) I could recoup some of my losses and would still be cheaper than a new stock.

quote:

Originally posted by Toomany Tools:
Glass bed the barrel channel using 10 mil pipe wrap tape on the barrel to give you free-float space. Dye the glass brown to match the stock. That'll fix it.

quote:

Originally posted by Dr.K:
I agree either wrap or wax the barrel 3 Times place wax paper in the barrel channel after mixing the bedding compound lay the action in . have good clean rags and popsickel sticks or short soft wood strips , to clean any excess off before it dries .

Toomany Tools Has the correct fix IMO .
Good Luck , with care it should be fine .

I might have to try this first and if it doesn't work there is always my back up plan. Thanks guys.

It is probably still no too late to do what Pegleg suggested; it probably needs bedding anyway.

The problem with filling gaps with glass is that it looks like a gap filled with glass, not sure it's an improvement.

If one colors the bedding compound correctly just slightly darker , I seriously doubt anyone would ever notice . Especially if one knows how to do end grain patterning in the compound before it sets rock hard .

I'm assuming theres no more than 1/8" of material removed .

If there is . Simply cut off and put a fancy fore end tip on it .

I'm not familiar with that particular model of rifle . Would that look Bad ?.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

quote:

Originally posted by Dr.K:
If one colors the bedding compound correctly just slightly darker , I seriously doubt anyone would ever notice . Especially if one knows how to do end grain patterning in the compound before it sets rock hard .

I'm assuming theres no more than 1/8" of material removed .

If there is . Simply cut off and put a fancy fore end tip on it .

I'm not familiar with that particular model of rifle . Would that look Bad ?.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

It already has a rosewood tip on it. I might just see if I can get it replaced.

Is it just out at the end where the tip is , that has to much material removed or is it the entire length of the barrel channel ?.

Replacing the tip shouldn't be a serious problem .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...