There was a thread a bit ago about the flexyness of the Norinco M14/M305 plastic stocks. Someone had mentioned somewhere about using arrows to strengthen M14 stocks. The young lad and I tried flexing one and sure enough they flex and twist though with some effort. Being bored and having tools at our disposal (never a good thing) we went about using carbon fibre arrows and JB weld to stiffen the stock. It was the perfect father son project. He did the gouging and fitting while I roasted chestnuts on the shop wood stove and ate them. Plus the best thing. The project involved firearms
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One section arrow shaft was used on the right side and two, one above the other, on the left. We whittled out grooves in the stock ribs down low and used short pieces zig zag on the bottom. Whittling the rib notches was done with a round rasp from the front end and a wood chisel. Be careful with the chisel as you are using it with force in an awkward way. Slip and you may stab yourself.
JB Kwik weld was used to hold the parts in and then regular JB weld put on later to blend the works together. Afterward, much fitting was done to get the barreled action in and functioning. The arrows could not go to the front end as they interfered with the gas assembly. We had to start the second rib back that is behind the front swivel rivets. At the back end the arrows butted up against the stock at the mag well.
It isn't pretty and way too much JB weld was gooped in. Hence the need for much fitting to make the action work. Learn from our error. I would use less next time though a round rasp is your friend. Also sand the area you are applying the epoxy to in order to rough it up and give the epoxy something to grip to. Sand each layer of JB weld if you are doing layers so the next batch has something to grab on to.
The arrows were cut with a Dremmel and cutting disc. The stiffer the arrow the better. Wear a full face shield when doing so and try not to breath the fibers. The young lad is a very good archer and has respect for the damage a carbon fibre arrow can do if they shatter so I take the hint about safety from him.
Did it stiffen the forward end of the stock? Sure did. It took about 75% of the twist and flex out best we can figure by using our bare hands to twist and bend it.. Will it make it shoot better? Remains to be seen. Did it add weight? Yup. Why did we do it? Because some of our imaginary friends on the interwebs complained about a flexy stock so we set about to find a solution for a problem that we don't care about. If we destroyed the stock it wouldn't matter. The Chinese are making them every day.
No doubt there are others who have stiffened a plastic Norinco M14 stock and will have a better way. Please chime in. This is a simple method used that is easy for someone without a workshop and machinery to do.
Closer view showing how messy it was done.
.One section arrow shaft was used on the right side and two, one above the other, on the left. We whittled out grooves in the stock ribs down low and used short pieces zig zag on the bottom. Whittling the rib notches was done with a round rasp from the front end and a wood chisel. Be careful with the chisel as you are using it with force in an awkward way. Slip and you may stab yourself.
JB Kwik weld was used to hold the parts in and then regular JB weld put on later to blend the works together. Afterward, much fitting was done to get the barreled action in and functioning. The arrows could not go to the front end as they interfered with the gas assembly. We had to start the second rib back that is behind the front swivel rivets. At the back end the arrows butted up against the stock at the mag well.
It isn't pretty and way too much JB weld was gooped in. Hence the need for much fitting to make the action work. Learn from our error. I would use less next time though a round rasp is your friend. Also sand the area you are applying the epoxy to in order to rough it up and give the epoxy something to grip to. Sand each layer of JB weld if you are doing layers so the next batch has something to grab on to.
The arrows were cut with a Dremmel and cutting disc. The stiffer the arrow the better. Wear a full face shield when doing so and try not to breath the fibers. The young lad is a very good archer and has respect for the damage a carbon fibre arrow can do if they shatter so I take the hint about safety from him.
Did it stiffen the forward end of the stock? Sure did. It took about 75% of the twist and flex out best we can figure by using our bare hands to twist and bend it.. Will it make it shoot better? Remains to be seen. Did it add weight? Yup. Why did we do it? Because some of our imaginary friends on the interwebs complained about a flexy stock so we set about to find a solution for a problem that we don't care about
. If we destroyed the stock it wouldn't matter. The Chinese are making them every day. No doubt there are others who have stiffened a plastic Norinco M14 stock and will have a better way. Please chime in. This is a simple method used that is easy for someone without a workshop and machinery to do.
Closer view showing how messy it was done.
