OK, I got scared. I have a CZ 550, .416 Rigby. I've shot over 100 rds. with no stock splitting. Just to be safe is glass bedding to keep the wood from splitting or should it have cross bolts and glass bedding?

I have glasssed in internal threaded rods that have worked well in big rifles.

Much easier and cheaper than cross-bolts.

the answer is YES to both
jeffe

HST,

Without support, a heavy recoiling gun can batter a stock to pieces over time. Cross bolts are used to aid in holding things together, while bedding helps to keep things from shifting around. For big kickers in wood, I agree, I would do both...

Malm

Getting ready to stock my 45/70 Siam Mauser. Crossbolt or not?

I have a Brno ZKK 602 in 375 H&H without glass bedding or crossbolts. I�ve fired several hundred rounds through it without splitting but the gun is very heavy when loaded, with a massive scope and sling. What do you think, should I touch it?

nainital...
Mike bought a 602 in 458 win mag (now a 470 mbogo) that the stock, without crossbolts, shattered on the 7th shot.. i KNOW it was in MY hands when it did...

then, what, 2 months later, my 500 jeffe also broke the stock, as I didn't install a barrel recoil lug, after ~300 shots...

in NEITHER case did i receive a cheek full of rifle... but i did get whacked, hard.

jeffe

A lot of CZ's have split out the factory stocks, and thats to be expected in factory rifles...I sure glass bed it...cross bolts probably are not necessary but sure don't hurt....If its a 458 lott or bigger then definatly cross bolts and glass...

Also a hidden threaded bolt in the recoil lug can help I guess...

If the gun does not shift then it won't split the stock, there has to be movement to split a stock from shooting.

I put a 416 Taylor in a very simple Boyd stock to see If I liked the cartridge and split it with the second shot (mild load). After crossbolt and bedding and relieving the tang about 1/32nd more I have fired maybe 300 full house loads and no more movement. It is simply the same stock, now checkered after glueing and reassembly.
Use both for any big thumper.
Frank

Thanks much. My CZ has blonde wood with dark stripes thru it and I don't want to take a chance on lossing the stock, so, I do what you guys said.

When you epoxy bed it use glass "mini-fibers" in the mix.You can colour the mix to match the stock with earth pigments.I use aircraft grade epoxy mix everywhere I can fit some in.I had a Husky-FN with a beech stock,that likely explains it.

Ditto Terry's answer.

I start with a stainless steel threaded bolt, cut the head off and grind two opposing flats, one to go against the lug and the other rearward facing.

The rearward facing flat is ground so to prevent the circular shape of the bolt from acting as a wedge.

This method requires hogging out a lot of wood but has worked well so far.

DWT
your quote "You can hunt longer with the wind at your back"

SHOULD read.. you WILL be hunting longer....

jeffe

The late Henry Cheatham said he never used crossbolts but instead put a steel plate behind the recoil lug when he made a stock. The steel butted against the recoil lug on the barrel. Henry said he never had a stock split this way and he made stocks for 70 years. He said it was almost impossible to do after the stock was made. He put a cross bolt in a CZ602 375 for me but didn't think it necessary with the one already there and the steel plate against the recoil lug in that rifle. Of course nothing ever moved in one of Henry's stocks because the metal and wood were indistinguishable. I don't know if the CZ 550 has the steel plate but the 602 did.