I have a Mauser 98 sitting in a beautiful Fajen stock I picked out in Warsaw, Missouri back in '69. Unfortunately, the stock has developed a crack just behind the action, on top running down to the left around the wrist. Someone told me to superglue it. It's a very nice stock. What's the best way?

Can you post a pic?

Without looking I'd say use thinned epoxy, especially if the crack can be wedged open with a few toothpics, but I'm hesitant to say anything without seeing how it looks.

SST,
I would get a very strong wood glue(gorrilla glue ect) Clean area with denatured alcohol,
Apply glue to crack (in and out) And use a quality clamp (padded to save your finish)I would also consider a hevy duty staple to stop the crack from progressing. (not from a staple gun but one that you might hammer in.)
After about 24-36 hours release clamp and inspect. good luck 223

What do you thin epoxy with?

quote:

Originally posted by SST:
What do you thin epoxy with?

I use acetone.

There are times when one is best off to fully break the stock and then use glass bedding epoxy as a glue to repair it.

This stuff is incredible.

The best way to repair any crack in any object made of timber or wood is PU construction glue
(Polyurethane) You can get it at every hardwarestore.

This glue expands when in contact with wood/air and thus fills up any space completele

Among others it is used for joints that must be waterproof.

You must apply the glue as deep in the crack as possible abd then tie the cracked parts together, otherwise the glue will push the parts away from each other.

Cover the parts with masking tape and don't touch the foam till it is completely hardened. Then you can scrape it away.

I've used surgical tubing rather than a clamp.
I inspected a rifle recently which had a broken wrist and found after looking hard a dowell insert which was drilled and then glued in. The end was later stained and the butt finished. It was hard to see without really looking.
Frank,

No to gorilla glue. It foams and expans as it cures, not a good thing on stocks.

Scrape the joint to bare wood, removing any oil that has soaked in, the longer the crack has been ignored, the more oil soaks in.

Mix up some Acraglas and dye it if you want to.
Make sure to spread the crack slightly if possible and get as much surface area coated as possible.

Wrap tightly with surgical tubing and let cure over night.

The next day, if all goes well, the surgical tubing should pop off, the two sides of your crack should be flush with each other, or very close, just spot refinish and you are done.

Or you could take it to a gunsmith and for under $50, let him take care of it.

-Spencer

I use thinned epoxy. If the crack goes through I pull a vacuum on the bottom with the shop vac. It really helps pulling that thin epoxy all the way in.

The crack starts at the tang and runs to the back and down to the left and ends at the checkering. It's not a wide crack and it doesn't go clear through, but I want to get it stopped before it gets out of hand. It's a beautiful stock.

use the accraglass, but do a little something more. see if you can spread the crack a bit so you can force the glue in, then take an air compressor at about 40#'s and blow it at the glue in the crack. It makes a bit of a mess to clean up, but it will blow the epoxy well down into the crack

oops i forgot, - clean up the area around the crack right away by wiping it down with a vinegar soaked rag. Vinegar will wipe the glue clean

Sam,
I would also not use Gorilla glue. I have had some disappointing results using acetone to thin epoxy. It does dissolve the resin and I have had some that did not cure at all.

My suggestion would be to tape the stock so the residue does not get all over the stock. Leave a small gap along the crack. Apply an epoxy glue and blow it in using compressed air and then use surgical tubing as a clamp. You can blow epoxy fairly deep intot the crack if you keep at it. Use a slow cure epoxy and not the fast stuff in the tubes. Do a trial run dry and leave part of the crack visible so you can see if the tubing is pulling it closed.

Good luck.

If you can't easily find surgical tubing try some cut up bicycle inner tube.

It sounds like the tang is setting back. You have to reinforce the recoil lug seat, and relieve the tang a bit. If you slightly undercut
it will not show, then you can epoxy it.
Good luck!

I appreciate all the comments. Why is the tang hitting now after all these years shooting a 300WinMag? Do I need to rebed at the least, or even add reinforcement behind the recoil lug? If so, what's the best way.

quote:

Why is the tang hitting now after all these years shooting a 300WinMag?

BWAHAHA, I had a good chuckle at this since the first thing that ran through my mind was "Why has my back been so sore recently after all these years of feeling fine!"