Stress cracks on Shotgun Stock

slushee

slushee

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Okay, first of all, i know it sucks that i dont own a digi cam, so sorry, no pics. I will try my best to explain whats happening.

I have a JC Higgins Model 20 (12 ga.) shotgun with an 18 1/2" barrel and full stock.

When I recieved this old beauty from my father, it had one VERY tiny stress crack on the top of the stock immediatly behind the action (where the metal meets the wood).

Since using this every other weekend for a few months, I noticed 5 or 6 more stress cracks developing all around that area of the wood. I attribute the cracks forming from the backward and upward motion of the recoil stressing that section of the wood.

My question is, can it be home repaired? Or should I look into just replacing the stock completely? A local gun shop has an identical shotgun for sale for $200 and i was thinking about buying it for parts....
 
If the gun has sentimental value, yes try and replace stock, if no sentimental value, i think you will find that a new replacement stock costs more then the gun is worth.....try to find a used one in good shape or glass bed existing one if possible.
 
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curious, western gun parts web site says, "Western Gun Parts Ltd. is committed to providing fast, efficient service to dealers and gunsmiths."

Will they only sell to dealers or gunsmiths? Or can regular ppl like me order from them?

Numrich Arms seems to be sold out of stocks :(
 
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Wgp

Western Gun Parts will sell to regular people. They will even help you in person if you stop in at the store at Edmonton!
 
Without seeing the cracks it might be possible to epoxy them so they don't get worse.

Numrich is listing used stocks for the J.C. Higgins Model 20 but is sold out of the new ones. Also, the J.C. Higgins Model 20 is a rebadged High Standard Model 200 and gives you another heading to look under. Numrich's price is $68.10 for a used stock for both guns.

Western Gun Parts will probably be more expensive but it is worth the extra bucks to save the shipping and potential border hassles. They are great people to deal with.
 
Claybuster said:
Without seeing the cracks it might be possible to epoxy them so they don't get worse.
Click to expand...

See that is what I was thinking. Can you sand down the entire stock, spread epoxy over the area getting it in those very very tiny cracks, resand it all down and then stain it? Or I was even thinking about rhino-coating it or stoneguard ... not really sure about the finish. I am not too fussy about a wood finish, even just painting it a black and clear coating it. But obviously I would need some advise as how to properly finish it.

Any suggestions on if this would be something to try?
 
i would try and get some of the super glue (I cant remember the trade name - but it is the cyano type glue -- maybe called Hot Stuff??) from Lee Valley Tools - the thin stuff and a hypodermic needle from drugstore -- thin .5-1 cc or so. Also get some thinner for the same glue while you are at Lee Valley.

Then inject a little thinner into the end grain of the stress cracks and try and flush out the oils etc that may be in there. Then take your hypo needle and inject the super glue into the end grain of each crack or wherever you can get some glue into the wood. if you take a very small screwdriver or another stick pin you may be able to slightly spread the stress cracks and then inject the glue. quickly wrap it with surgical tubing or even a rope and tighten it for a few minutes -- you should find when you inject the glue that some runs out further down the crack -- thats good. wipe it off with a little thinner before it sets and after drying you should fnd it good to go another generation of use for about $10 in glue

btw -- you may then refinish the stock if you wish and youmay never see the cracks
 
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