I basically plan to Bubba a factory stock in the name of gaining experience. First I’m gonna start with the functional part of reinforcing it, then get down to the styling. If I ruin it, I’ll be happy enough to get a nice piece of custom wood for it which is the thought lurking in the back of my mind. Beside, I just converted an ugly hogbacked Bavarian cheeckpiece into a nice round cheekpiece and easier lines, and it looks like it was done by someone who knew what they were doing…

The ZKK 602 .458win I’ve just had reamed out to .458Lott has a hogbacked stock with horrendous inletting. To the point that I’m worried about shooting it without bedding first. I’ve decide to put at least two crossbolts and a wristpin through it.

After a fair bit of research on the installation of crossbolts, (I couldn’t find much on wristpins) I think I have a fair handle on it.

Just a few questions to clarify a few doubts;

If I will be expoying and covering the crossbolts with ebony or rosewood inserts, can I just use threaded steel rod and two nuts to make the crossbolts?

Is it a good idea to profile the wristpin so that it mates with the action somewhere in the tang area, rear of the last screw, therefore transferring the shock more directly?

Why doesn’t anyone seem to mention pillar bedding on these projects?

Is the need for a jig to simply get the crossbolt placement right? Is it simply to aid you in getting the holes perpendicular to the stock and coming out in the same place on the other side or does it serve some other purpose as well? I’ve heard the jig is no good for the CZ 550 stocks and this one is a ZKK602 so it probably won’t fit either.
No matter, I wasn’t planning on using the jig, just wanted to know it’s purpose.

I wish I had some before pictures of the other stock I modified, I just can’t stop looking at it!

Thanks.

anyone?

If you do a search on crossbolts it has been brought up a lot here and on the big bore forum. But I'll give her a quick once over:

by "wrist pin" are you planning on putting a bolt behond the action in the wrist? If you are, then I would advise against it. If you have good bedding and 2 bolts under the action, you should be fine. No need to add the third bolt. The only gun I ever stuck 3 bolts in already had a bolt in the wrist, so I was stuck with it.

RE jig-you don't need one for any action. Do a search here under my name and 'recoil bolts" and you will find a lengthy explanation of how I line everything up. THe posts will also show you how others do it as well.

RE bolts: yes, you can just use allthread and nuts. But it is a fairly tight working area, so it would have to be small all thread. SOmething that would work as well is a machine screw with a nut on it.

In the '84 Gun Digest Hunting Annual Jack Lott shows how he puts bolts in a stock with nothing showing on the exterior. We all know how much Jack shot and how he loved heavy rifles. The system worked well for him and has worked well for me. Again, do some searches and you will find tons of info on this.

There is nothing wrong with pillar bedding the big action if you so choose. You can turn soem metal pillars or bore out the wholes and cast soem epoxy pillars. Both would work well.

Forgot to add that I applaud you on reshaping the stock! I love to see guys doing their own gun work for the first time

Thanks Marc.
By wristpin I mean a pin running down through the length of the pistol grip, not across it like a crossbolt. It should take the brunt of the rearward recoil, directing it into the thicker part of the stock rather than letting the wrist take it.
At least that is my understanding of it.
I'll take some pics of the first stock re-modelling job, then take some of this one for before and after shots.
Cheers.