The beautiful 9.3 posted by Ray has two cross bolts. I have seen these on large bore rifles but never understood exactly how they function. Is the tube glassed into the stock? Where, in relation to the action, are they placed? Which calibers would benefit from them? I see them in wood stocks but not in synthetics. Why? Thanks, Cobalt

They are there to take the brunt of the recoil instead of having the wood compress or crack.

Generally they are a rod (often threaded) that is tapped into a hole drilled through the stock by the recoil lug and tang.

Any rifle can benefit by haveing one or two crossbolts installed, but especially those in .338 and up.

Many synthetics don't need them or they are concealed under the paint on the stock. Some synthetic stock manufacturers recommend them on rifles .375H&H and up.

Hope this helps,
George

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Shoot straight, shoot often, but by all means, use enough gun!

I am puzzled because there seems to be some cross bolt controversy. Some gunsmiths insist on them. Others tell me that cross bolts don't do anything.

What's up with that?

Aye, crossbolts, better have them on .400 and above, otherwise you will find out what a split stock is. I like them on .338 and up. In addition to reinforcing the stock for rear thrust, they also reduce spreading of the stock just ahead of and behind the magazine well during heavy recoil. Either pirate some from old M98 Military stocks, or buy from Brownells, or make them from 4140 as I do. And do not think a laminate does not need them, I have seen the recoil lug area of a laminate pushed back by a 300 Magnum. Fiberglass stocks need them also, they really flex. Except for the Pacific Research (ever seen the cut away drawing of a RimRock Stock?) I just hope Jim Borden still builds them the way Pacific Research did. The best cross bolts are square or rectangular in cross section, internally threaded on each end, the round head you see on the outside of the stock has a threaded stem that threads into the cross bolt. I set them in with epoxy. Besides, a classic rifle just looks naked without crossbolts.

A properly installed crossbolt has two "nuts" on the outside that are larger than the crossbolt itself. When these are tightened (or better still glassed in and tightened) they keep the wood in compression. On the rear crossbolt, that is the main function - keeping the wood from flexing or bowing outward and cracking longitudinally in the relatively small wood section behind the magazine.

The front crossbolt keeps the sides compressed, but also gives a steel surface for the main recoil lug to act against. This spreads out the recoil force over more area, making it less likely to crack, or batter, then crack.

Composite, and (to a large extent) dense laminates do not benefit much from crossbolts.

Laminates that are not saturated with resin will usually benefit from crossbolts.

As with any general statements, the above will sometimes be wrong.

Don

Aesthetically, I believe that heavy rifles cry for crossbolts. Functionally, my gunsmith here in California, who has built things clear up to .50 BMG and Wenig, the stock making folks, both believe that a decent job of steelglass bedding makes them superfluous. This is a pity, because a thick barrel with sling swivel band and sweated on front sight just looks better with big, black crossbolts in the wood. However, putting them in properly is not a job to be taken lightly. It requires skill and care, which means money. Steelglass bedding can be done well at home and it's cheap!

Sarge

Thanks guys. I am rechambering from 9.3X62 to 64 and just wondered if they would be a worth while addition. (Walnut stock) Don G-Your response answered my question. The forward cross bolt is in contact with the rear of the main recoil lug. What about the rear bolt? Just behind the magazine? Cobalt

Rick and Don about covered the subject..

I have a few comments on the posts and that is I believe Laminates need cross bolts as much as wood stocks. I have this theory and that is I have seen laminated golf clubs seperate after years of use and I have seen laminatis split lenthwise through the action..I have seen fiberglass stocks destroyed by recoil in very big guns and I have seen steel bedded guns succomb to recoil...Most big bore gunsmiths have seen all these things, talk to David Miller about the 458 Lott...

My approach, right or wrong, is I believe all big bores 416 and up should be cross bolted and glassed in the action recoil lug, tang and barrel lug if it has one...

I believe all 338 Win. up through 375 H&H should have cross bolts just to be safe. that includes both of the 9.3's. or glass bedded, one or the other.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

The crossbolts are sometimes set up so that the recoil lug of the action acts directly on them but their primary purpose is to prevent the stock from splitting as it flexes outward at the mag well from recoil. Even on lighter calibers a cross bolt at the rear, just ahead of the trigger group will add strength to the stock. This can be either a conventional two headed crossbolt or a concealed bolt glassed into the stock. A stock that splits in this area can look fine but loses a lot of it's rigidity and will cause a loss of accuracy.
I actually think the laminates may have more of a tendency to split than a good piece of walnut so can benefit from the bolt for sure.Regards, Bill.

This has come up at just the right time!

Pal of mine brother has a 458 BRNO with a plain-jane stock that split from the front recoil lug on the barrel through the main lug and out the back to the hand. This was on the 17th shot, so I can only assume a bad bed job at the factory.

On first exam I thought it was a hopeless task but I think if I add X-bolts fore and aft we may have a fighting chance at fixing it. I'll make my own up out of cap screws and countersink them and cover them with black glass.

Cheers

pete

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I hunt, not to kill, but in order not to have played golf.

Pete,

Did you see the post about spreading the split slightly with wedges, heating to 120F or so to get the acraglass to wick through the split? Sounds like what you need. I'd get a couple of old Mauser mil crossbolts, they should be cheap.

Don