L.E. No. 4 - gap between buttstock and butt socket

RangeRover

RangeRover

Regular
GunNutz
Rating - 100%
256   0   0
Location
Alberta
I know the butt stock on a No. 4 should snug up tight to the butt socket. What are the likely reasons why it might not? I seem to recall it's an indication of a dis-assembly/re-assembly error/damage or an ill-fitting replacement.

A rifle I'm considering has such a gap and I'd like to be more intelligent with my questions and examination.

Thanks.
 
Small gap is good.

There should actualy be a small gap (1/32") between the shoulder on the butt and the metal of the butt socket on the rifle. This is to ensure that the brunt of the force of recoil is taken on the end of the butt stub that is up inside the socket.

The wood on most rifles compress after a while and the shoulders end up very close or touching. If there is no gap, the forces will be transfered to the shoulder and the edge of the butt socket can shear and chip out shoulder wood.

The stub of the butt should be a snug fit in the socket, yes, but making sure that this butt stub is bottoming out in the socket is the critical.
 
RangeRover said:
I know the butt stock on a No. 4 should snug up tight to the butt socket. What are the likely reasons why it might not? I seem to recall it's an indication of a dis-assembly/re-assembly error/damage or an ill-fitting replacement.

A rifle I'm considering has such a gap and I'd like to be more intelligent with my questions and examination.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Someone has installed a new buttstock without fitting it properly. Since it's wood it's not all that hard to carefully, a few thou at a time, remove material, till with your hands, you can tap it down flush. The last little bit can be drawn in by tightening the screw down with your long, heavy slotted screwdriver.

push it in as far as it will go, wiggle it up and down. Pull it out, look for rub marks. Carefully file wood off there...repeat as needed till it just goes in flush. Make sure you don't remove too much material anywhere.

Ensure that the stock bolt has the correct spring washer inside the buttstock.

When it's fitted you can do a few coats of Boiled Linseed Oil on the stock, to coat all of it including the part inside the socket.
Leave the BLO on to soak for a bit, then rub it off using friction, don't leave thick residue, you want to rub it all off. Do a few coats.
Also wouldn't hurt to do all the wood, inside and out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom