Reinforcing stock wrist - anyone done this?

[Ontario Hunter]

I recently picked up a very nice used stock for my standard 98 Mauser 404 Jeffery. It's a beautiful piece of wood with very nice checkering. Required some minor modification to the Brno vz.24 action before it would fit this apparently commercial stock. In particular, this stock is much thinner through the tang and grip. I cut down the tang screw and shaved a bit of metal from the top of the magazine box to make the tangs pull together. I also had to reform the Timney trigger's shoe to make it clear the trigger guard. Eventually everything fit together fine ... but just barely (almost ran out of thread on the tang screw).

So, it's now ready for crossbolts. Curiously, this stock must have been cut for a heavy hitter as the barrel channel indicates it formerly held something that was thick and tapered (not a varmint or target bull barrel without taper). Also, it only had one sling swivel at the butt, indicating a DGR style barrel band was formerly used. But no crossbolts? Odd. I am building a crossbolt drilling jig to set up on my Shopsmith. Don't foresee any issues.

But I'm thinking crossbolts won't be enough. I have a similarly thin-wristed commercial Mauser stock that broke there. Not enough meat left in the wrist. Sure makes for a nice looking elegent rifle that grips very well, even for my size L-XL mitts. But I'm concerned. I don't want to put the time, effort, and money into making this very nice stock fit my action and then have to throw it away when it breaks. So I'm thinking I will need to add reinforcement to the wrist. I have seen Potterfield's video and he makes it look easy. I'm sure it is not! He uses 1/4" threaded rod but I am concerned that will require too much wood removed from such a thin wrist. Instead I bought a long-shaft 3/16" drill and some stainless rod (smooth not threaded). Threaded rod might provide better grip with epoxy but I'm not able to find any in 3/16" locally. Also, thinner threaded rod might be weaker?

So, I'm throwing this out for advice or tips from anyone who may have tackled this. Any thoughts?

PS: Note the unusual concave recoil pad. Not collapsed. It's made that way by Pachmayer. I've never seen another one like it. Perhaps for trap shotguns?

 

[mdwest]

the only techniques Ive seen are essentially the same... the use of threaded rod.. or the use of a high tensile strength epoxy (basically fill the entire drilled void with epoxy rather than epoxying in a threaded rod)..

 

[Stompbox]

I have reinforced the wrist on a few of my hunting rifles, especially if it's a heavy caliber or something that's gonna get hard use or be transported in a scabbard on a horse. Although it's never happened to me, I have seen stocks get broken in the field and this gives me Peace of Mind

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have reinforced the wrist on a few of my hunting rifles, especially if it's a heavy caliber or something that's gonna get hard use or be transported in a scabbard on a horse. Although it's never happened to me, I have seen stocks get broken in the field and this gives me Peace of Mind

Thanks for those images. What make of rifle? What thickness is that threaded rod? Looking carefully at my stock today, I note the grain suddenly takes a downward turn right at the wrist at an angle almost parallel to the pistol grip. This stock may be more sound than I first estimated. If the grain was straight through that skinny wrist, I would be more concerned.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Another question. I'm ready to drill the crossbolts. Should this be done before or after glass bedding?

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I use 3/16 stainless allthread rod, available from boat chandlers or fastener suppliers, and will fit one or two depending upon the wrist. I put as much epoxy in the hole as possible using the rod as a "push rod" then screw the rod into the glue. If I don’t get a lot of squeeze out I will un-screw the rod and put more glue in to make sure the rod is covered all the way. And it often helps to somehow push and hold the rod in till the glue has set, the hydraulic pressure of the glue can push the rod out, although the screwing action should work the glue to hold it in place properly.
And as to the cross bolts, I do them before bedding, that way if you have a mishap and break the wood internally whilst drilling, you can use the bedding to fix it........I think that’s another way of saying hide it....
gumpy

 

[dneaster3]

A great tutorial from MidwayUSA…

I’ve done this on a 416 Rigby for peace of mind. Hardware store threaded rod and slow-set epoxy or bedding compound.

So far so good.

The most difficult part of the job is the pucker factor while drilling… don’t want to go too far or too crooked!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I use 3/16 stainless allthread rod, available from boat chandlers or fastener suppliers, and will fit one or two depending upon the wrist. I put as much epoxy in the hole as possible using the rod as a "push rod" then screw the rod into the glue. If I don’t get a lot of squeeze out I will un-screw the rod and put more glue in to make sure the rod is covered all the way. And it often helps to somehow push and hold the rod in till the glue has set, the hydraulic pressure of the glue can push the rod out, although the screwing action should work the glue to hold it in place properly.
And as to the cross bolts, I do them before bedding, that way if you have a mishap and break the wood internally whilst drilling, you can use the bedding to fix it........I think that’s another way of saying hide it....
gumpy

Thanks. No threaded rod in this town smaller than 1/4" so I will have to make due with 3/16" stainless rod. I just made a jig to guide the extra long drill into stock. Used my Shopsmith to drill a piece of 2x4 with correct angle. I will center it on top of the stock and secure with 3" wood screws through thin plywood plate on underside of stock.

I bought a pair of engraved Winchester crossbolts. Decided I don't like having something that thick through the stock. Such small heads vs thick shafts seems to defeat the purpose. I have picked up 1/4" fine threaded rod. Will cut the full length female crossbolts to make opposite male ends into two more female caps. Then use sections of thinner threaded rod to connect them. The purpose of crossbolts is not to provide lateral strength but rather to keep the stock from spreading and cracking during recoil. Thin threaded rod will do that without tearing up a lot of wood inside the action cavity. I would have preferred Weatherby style internal crossbolts for this pretty stock but the previous idiot owner or his bubba gunsmith gouged out way too much wood in the trigger area trying to make a trigger block safety fit. Fortunately, it appears he gave up when he discovered the bottom metal and action wouldn't pull together. Not smart enough to figure out a fix for that. Anyway, there is not enough wood left to anchor internal crossbolts. But glassing up the hole and adding an external crossbolt should hold it together.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

A great tutorial from MidwayUSA…

I’ve done this on a 416 Rigby for peace of mind. Hardware store threaded rod and slow-set epoxy or bedding compound.

So far so good.

The most difficult part of the job is the pucker factor while drilling… don’t want to go too far or too crooked!

Yes, I saw that. I decided 1/4" threaded rod would take too much wood from this thin wrist. The pucker factor also concerned me, especially trying to keep a wobbly extra long drill centered and going in a safe direction. So I made a guide to attach to the top of the stock (see above post). I'll ad some photos of the jig when I finish this up tonight ... after the Toronto Bluejays finish being massacred. Good grief. Houston just hit  another homer. Argh! Oh for ... and now another one. That's it. I'm headed for the exits.

 

[Mauser3000]

My Mauser has a stainless steel rod through the wrist as reinforcement. The added weight helps with the balance of the 25 inch barrel. I wouldn’t worry too much about removing wood while drilling. Glass with be stronger than that walnut anyway.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I make my cross bolts from 1/4" keyway stock, I make each one to fit the actual stock in question, I turn the threads on the ends of the square shank which is bedded into the wood with a chisel when I’m fitting it. I make the "heads" from 5/8 mild steel rod that is turned down to 13 mm, pin holes are drilled on the mill, rust blued and fitted to the stock.
gumpy

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Ready to hook up the drill and go for it. Pray for me fellas. I've never attempted this before.

Worked like a charm! The rod will be cut off flush with channel for rear action screw. When it's glued, I'll slip the action screw pillar tube in place and that will keep the rod from backing out. It's a tight fit in the stock. I think I'll use Dremel cutter disk to make a channel full length of rod to allow epoxy and air to escape as I push it home in stock.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I make my cross bolts from 1/4" keyway stock, I make each one to fit the actual stock in question, I turn the threads on the ends of the square shank which is bedded into the wood with a chisel when I’m fitting it. I make the "heads" from 5/8 mild steel rod that is turned down to 13 mm, pin holes are drilled on the mill, rust blued and fitted to the stock.
gumpy

Alas, I don't have that kind of shop equipment. I'm just a shade tree bubba. See above photo.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I drill at a shallower angle to go into the stock under the cheek piece
gumpy

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Also, if you work out the angle and the depth, you can put a bit of masking tape around the drill bit at the depth you want to act as a visual indicator of were the drill bit is
gumpy

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Also, if you work out the angle and the depth, you can put a bit of masking tape around the drill bit at the depth you want to act as a visual indicator of were the drill bit is
gumpy

I marked the bit with a red Sharpie. Easy to see when to stop. The mark is not visible because it's behind the C-clamp in the photo.

I don't see any way I could have drilled the rod all the way back under the cheek piece. Not enough wood in the wrist. Anyway, I felt it was more important to avoid lining the rod up anywhere close to same direction as grain. Stocks typically break through the wrist, usually parallel or nearly parallel to grain, especially in straight grained wood. I positioned the reinforcement rod so it crossed the grain through the center of wrist and pistol grip, as Potterfield did.

Will JB Weld work for adhesive? I typically use it for bedding.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Next up is crossbolts. I'll need to pick up better drills for cleanly recessing heads.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I use an Australian made epoxy ( megapoxy 69) for the reinforcing rod and devcon for bedding, the megapoxy is a wicking high strength epoxy designed for joinery. And forstner bits will give a clean surface cut, or you can make a wad punch/hole punch on the lathe, with the bevel on the inside, that’s the same O.D. as your crossbolt head, with a stub as a pilot to centre it on the hole, then clean it out with a small chisel
gumpy

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I use an Australian made epoxy ( megapoxy 69) for the reinforcing rod and devcon for bedding, the megapoxy is a wicking high strength epoxy designed for joinery. And forstner bits will give a clean surface cut, or you can make a wad punch/hole punch on the lathe, with the bevel on the inside, that’s the same O.D. as your crossbolt head, with a stub as a pilot to centre it on the hole, then clean it out with a small chisel
gumpy

My forster bit set is not high quality. I will go to specialty tool shop and pick up a couple of good quality bits tomorrow.

Presumably I drill in from both sides and meet in the middle as opposed to drilling through from one side.

 

[Nhoro]

I would rough up the rod with the grinder all over and make some shallow notches around the rod to help key in the glue. That is why they used thread bar- for the bonding strength. I have also seen where a guy used a carbon fibre fishing rod instead of threaded bar.