Rifle Stock Doctor advice needed...

J

JacquesT

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Location
Aylmer Qc, Ottawa Area
I just got a nice 308cal Parker Hale Safari (K98)...original nice walnut stock...after removing the action, I noticed the Timney trigger and also that the stock had to be slighltly formed to accept the new space claim of this replacement part...I noticed that the stock was cracked on the north/south axis...not big but noticeable...basically, looking from the top of the bare stock you see from the chamber area to the trigger area that the wood is cracked... (not noticeable when the gun is assembled). I know that the k98 have a retaining cross stock screw (device) just near the large ring...should such a cross stock bolt/implement/prothesis etc, be connsidered? to ensure this stock crack become worst...thanks
jacques
 
The proper and accepted "armoury" repair would include istalling a cross-bolt like you had mentioned. Hardwood stocks will sometimes naturaly crack just from drying-out, but their strength is not critically weakened. The key here is to simply prevent the crack from "running". This would be accomplished by drilling a hole through the crack and installing a simple x-bolt. There are many examples of this on WW2 mausers. I do not recommend "opening it up", that would ruin an otherwise sound stock with a simple, common crack.
 
Most cracks in Mauser stocks will just get worse if they're not repaired. As Dan said, open the crack as much as you dare then get some good quality epoxy into the crack. Then wrap the stock with surgical tubing as a clamp and let the epoxy set.

To get the epoxy into the crack, I use a syringe with a fine tip to inject the epoxy. Heating the epoxy when it's in the syringe will help it run. I use a heat gun(registered, of course).
 
Let's be clear here, by opening it up, I don't mean pulling the stock asunder, I simply mean opening the crack enough to get a needle tip into it to inject epoxy into the crack. Then as mentioned, surgical tube around the stock to hold it tight and let it dry. I have done this with numerous rifles over the years, and have had no problems. I won't put a cross bolt in there (particularly on PHs), unless the gun is recoil heavy (358 Norma and up, in my estimation). FWIW - dan
 
To repair cracks like this, I first clamp across the crack to hold it together tightly. Then, I drill a 1/4 inch hole along the crack from frnot to near the rear of the crack. I then remove the clamp, pour epoxy into the hole ( I use Acraglas liquid), push a 1/4 inch dowel into the hole, then reclamp. The dowel acts as a piston a pushes the epoxy into the crack and you should see it oozing out of the crack, top and bottom.
Now, mix some glass fiber into the remainder of the epoxy and glassbed the recoil lug area since this is the reason it cracked in the first place. With planning, this can all be done at once. Regards, Bill.
 
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