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Lightening a Laminate stock
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Anybody have a laminate rifle stock with drilled out wood in the butt under the pad?

I have a Ruger 270 with the ruger lam stock. This thing is on the heavy side.

I was feeling its balance (butt heavy) and thought of drilling some wood out of the stock.

Any problems with it being a laminate, pros, cons?

My baretta 686 field shotguns have
a big ol' hole hogged out in their butts for lightness...
 
Posts: 4821 | Location: Idaho/North Mex. | Registered: 12 June 2002Reply With Quote
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David Miller does that very thing to lighten up the laminate stocks on his lesser priced rifles, as well as on his walnut stocked rifles.
If you have a copy of Turpin's book on Miller and company you can see photosof this work.
 
Posts: 7090 | Registered: 11 January 2005Reply With Quote
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This laminate was lightened just as you said.



First, I removed a lot of material from the exterior. Most stocks are supplied way too thick. Just look at Michael Petrov's great pics and see how thin most stocks of yesteryear were. Then I drilled three three large holes in the butt at angles that followed the exterior stock lines. Then I chiseled the balance out to form a large cavity. I milled a channel in the barrel channel to further reduce weight. I removed material from either location until the balance was right. I was able to shed more than a lb. And, realistically, I could have shed more but needed the rifle done NOW! It is fine but IMO could have been thinned a wee bit more. Someday.




Aut vincere aut mori
 
Posts: 4865 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 07 February 2002Reply With Quote
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Fajen sold there stock with a lightened option on the laminated styles. They bored 3 holes in the butt, a hole under where the grip cap would be mounted and under the barrel leaving 3 "ribs" or cross braces. Was a nice option. Fajen nicely inlet rectangular pieces across the holes to mount the buttplate and grip cap. I have several and also agree that there is usually much too much wood outside.
 
Posts: 312 | Registered: 12 June 2005Reply With Quote
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Boyds does the same


http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/custom.htm


opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club

Information on Ammoguide about
the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR
What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR.
476AR,
http://www.weaponsmith.com
 
Posts: 39924 | Location: Conroe, TX | Registered: 01 June 2002Reply With Quote
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The only laminate I have worked with was very heavy. Drill large, deep holes in the butt. Then I drilled holes in the forearm, starting near the tip, until I got the balance like I wanted. I did not do it on the mill, I just put a Forestner bit in th edrill press and did it that way. Left a web between the holes in the forearm. That way it is more rigid than a single hole I could have milled out. How much it really mattered, I have no idea. I would be happy with it either way.

But any way, the point was the forearms are heavy too, and I removed weight starting at the ends. I wanted the bulk of the weight to be between the hands when shouldering the rifle.
 
Posts: 2509 | Location: Kisatchie National Forest, LA | Registered: 20 October 2004Reply With Quote
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