I wonder if anyone can advise best course of action here.

I have a Sako 591 308 with wood stock.

The stock has a fitted rosewood cap that has a hairline crack starting longitidanaly beneath the level of the barrel channel.

The spilt at the moment is 1 cm long.

I wonder if there is anything I can do to stop the split getting any larger.

Or should I remove the current cap and fit a new one?

If the latter are they dowelled in place or just glued then shaped to the profile of the forend?



Your assistance is welcomed (and needed),



Thanks

bad news
it will probably split all the way
good news, you can use a razor (all safety warnings apply - be careful) and slightly open the crack, just enough to get super glue in ... you might practice on a bit of scrap, and then put a couple drops in, make the surface "proud" (higher) ... then buff down to match finish with some 400 or 600 sandpaper 2 hour later, depending on your local humidity

Does the crack start on the joint where the tip is glued on? Many times the type of glue used can expand around the dowels and split the tip. That is why you need to use grooved dowels to allow the glue to be forced out. Tight dowels can also exert pressure that later develops into cracks, irrespective of glue.

I would lean toward using clear epoxy. Heat the stock and the glue with a hair dryer. Use a rubber glove or finger cot and force the glue into the crack with your finger tip. The heat will make the glue less viscous and allow it to penetrate the crack. Wipe off excess cross-grain with a paper towel.

If the crack is in the barrel channel you can take a 1/32 drill bit and drill a hole at each end of the crack to stop it. If you can determine the direction of the grain, drill these holes parallel to that grain. Drill deep but obviously not through! Then fill with glue as per above.

Unless it had a matching rosewood grip cap I'd cut it off and install a piece of ebony.

To repair, I'd use plain old acraglass. Force it into the crack and wrap with surgical tubing until it cures.

Andy, the second most important thing is to drill a small hole across or infront of the fissure line. This will prevent the spreading of the crack beyond the drilled hole. It will also provide a wonderful place to apply the assorted bonding agents suggested.

I am assuming from your description that the visible part of the crack is below the barrel, but exposed towards the muzzle. Which leads me to think that with the barreled action removed from the stock, such a bore hole would be possible. Then I strongly suggest the super glue or acraglass epoxy methods of your choice.