OEM stocks cracking and or breaking

[Shootist43]

My most recent acquisition was a CZ 550 in 458 Lott built in 2007 that I suspect is most likely unfired or at most fired very little meaning a box or less. This rifle doesn't have any crossbolts in the stock and that worries me. Some of you suggested that I have them installed, others have suggested that I purchase a synthetic stock. Being a relatively Nubie to larger bore rifles a.k.a 375 and above (probably less than 200 rounds fired in total) I'm curious about what other larger bore owners have experienced with OEM wood stocks cracking and or breaking. Does "bedding" prevent stock breakage? I've read about stock breakage on bolt action rifles but don't recall ever seeing a post about stock breakage on a double rifle even when/where really big bores are being used. Is there a reason for that?

What have your experiences been?

 

[roklok]

There are a lot of variables at work and many reasons a stock could break, so in my opinion it is difficult to fully answer your question. I do not have extensive experience with big bores, but I have seen and repaired broken stocks. Bedding could indeed help guard against certain types of stock breakage, for example if the recoil lug or lugs are not bearing properly on the stock the rear tang or action bolts could split the stock on recoil. By properly bedding the recoil lug/lugs and clearancing the tang this risk is minimized. Bedding wont solve every issue though, even if the recoil lugs are bearing evenly, the wood can flex and split if not properly reinforced. Crossbolts can help immensely and I would personally add them on any wood stocked rifle of .375 and up. The rear crossbolt guards against the wood spreading and flexing alongside the magazine well, trigger inlet, and rearwards, and the front crossbolt guards against the wood spreading and splitting at the recoil lug. On wrists, improper grain flow can make them susceptible to breakage. On my .375 Mauser I just restocked, I added a 3/8 inch grade 8 bolt set in epoxy through the wrist prior to installing grip cap. This stock has excellent grain flow through the wrist, but is rather slender so I added the rod for insurance. I also added front and rear crossbolts. I am surprised your 550 doesn't have crossbolts. Every large bore 550 I have seen have front and rear crossbolts, so if yours doesn't I would definitely add them. I am not sure how the double rifles buttstocks are fit, but if I were doing it they would be glass bedded as well. What I mean by that is my skill at inletting is not such that I would trust the receiver to bear properly and evenly without bedding. I have glass bedded multiple buttstocks to receivers, for example Ruger No 1s and a Marlin 45-70. The Marlin has had 400 grain bullets at 2060 FPS through it with no stock cracking issues. Not equivalent to the Lott or other heavy hitters, but the Marlin is a much lighter rifle and I believe if buttstock fit wasn't proper it would crack or split with these loads. I am interested to hear from those with experience on heavy double rifles, because I have wondered the same thing.

 

[cajunchefray]

There are a lot of variables at work and many reasons a stock could break, so in my opinion it is difficult to fully answer your question. I do not have extensive experience with big bores, but I have seen and repaired broken stocks. Bedding could indeed help guard against certain types of stock breakage, for example if the recoil lug or lugs are not bearing properly on the stock the rear tang or action bolts could split the stock on recoil. By properly bedding the recoil lug/lugs and clearancing the tang this risk is minimized. Bedding wont solve every issue though, even if the recoil lugs are bearing evenly, the wood can flex and split if not properly reinforced. Crossbolts can help immensely and I would personally add them on any wood stocked rifle of .375 and up. The rear crossbolt guards against the wood spreading and flexing alongside the magazine well, trigger inlet, and rearwards, and the front crossbolt guards against the wood spreading and splitting at the recoil lug. On wrists, improper grain flow can make them susceptible to breakage. On my .375 Mauser I just restocked, I added a 3/8 inch grade 8 bolt set in epoxy through the wrist prior to installing grip cap. This stock has excellent grain flow through the wrist, but is rather slender so I added the rod for insurance. I also added front and rear crossbolts. I am surprised your 550 doesn't have crossbolts. Every large bore 550 I have seen have front and rear crossbolts, so if yours doesn't I would definitely add them. I am not sure how the double rifles buttstocks are fit, but if I were doing it they would be glass bedded as well. What I mean by that is my skill at inletting is not such that I would trust the receiver to bear properly and evenly without bedding. I have glass bedded multiple buttstocks to receivers, for example Ruger No 1s and a Marlin 45-70. The Marlin has had 400 grain bullets at 2060 FPS through it with no stock cracking issues. Not equivalent to the Lott or other heavy hitters, but the Marlin is a much lighter rifle and I believe if buttstock fit wasn't proper it would crack or split with these loads. I am interested to hear from those with experience on heavy double rifles, because I have wondered the same thing.

Excellent advice from someone who has worked with stocks.
The CZ 550s I’ve had in 416 Rigby and 500 Jeffery had double cross bolts.
The 500 Jeffery was also glass bedded at the relived tang and both recoil lugs. Good insurance. The 416 Rigby was an early model with the “American “ stock, properly inletted with proper tang relief. Only the action recoil lug had a slight glass bedding. It worked.
Conventional wisdom, from many experienced folks, on a CZ 550, especially in 458 Lott is double cross bolts, glass bedded tang, action recoil lug, and glass bedded secondary recoil lug on the barrel.
Threaded, glassed in drill rod through the pistol grip.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@Shootist43 Art, while this is just speculation on my part since I have no data to back it up, I suspect a lot of stock breakage on large caliber rifles is due to people overloading a Lead Sled. If a rifle weighs about 10#, an empty Lead Sled weighs in the same ball park. So felt recoil using an empty Lead Sled should be reduced by half. But nobody uses an empty Lead Sled. I have a single 25# weight on mine and there's room for an additional 25# weight but I've never loaded it that heavy.

 

[CBH Australia]

Given the chambering it is probably worth having cross bolts installed.
One Aussie gunsmith who I think may be on here has said the CZ550 stocks crack crack. He sends them out for cross bolts etc.
My .375 stock was bedded by me. They also suggest having some relief around the tang area.
Might be worth considering

 

[Uncontrolled_round_feed]

My best buddy had a non cross bolted Cz 500 in 458 Lott and the stock cracked within the first box of ammo. On the plus side, CZ replaced it without issue. I’d cross bolt

 

[Wyatt Smith]

My 550 416 Rigby is non cross bolted. I am going to add some one day.

 

[CoElkHunter]

@Shootist43 Art, while this is just speculation on my part since I have no data to back it up, I suspect a lot of stock breakage on large caliber rifles is due to people overloading a Lead Sled. If a rifle weighs about 10#, an empty Lead Sled weighs in the same ball park. So felt recoil using an empty Lead Sled should be reduced by half. But nobody uses an empty Lead Sled. I have a single 25# weight on mine and there's room for an additional 25# weight but I've never loaded it that heavy.

I've never understood WHY one would EVER use a lead sled to sight in a .416 and up cartridge used for a maximum 75yd (maybe 100?) shot in a hunting situation?

 

[poco]

You might find this an interesting read?
and maybe someone else will chime into this topic

Reinforcing Your Big Bore Rifle's Stock

I have a special passion for the big bore rifles. They make the recoil on a 300 Winchester Magnum seem like nothing and leave me with one he...

huntingetc.blogspot.com

i am no guru but have done some work on the family collection with my uncle and his custom gun stock maker friend and found it interesting information

 

[Shootist43]

S-3 Ranch the article you posted was very interesting, not to mention educational. Before I do anything else to the stock, I'm going to remove the action to see if by chance this rifle has "internal" crossbolts. Before reading the article, I was unaware of this possibility.

BTW where is Sisterdale, TX?

 

[colorado]

Agree double cross bolts, bed it with some relief around the tang. That's how my 500 Jeffery is set up. When doing load development I used a lead sled knowing the risks. That being said the rifle would still jump off the bench and knock my hearing protection off with each shot lol. Load development being done I only check sight in off the bench then shoot off hand at the range. Been rabbit hunting with it, great practice, but nothing left for the pot.

 

[poco]

S-3 Ranch the article you posted was very interesting, not to mention educational. Before I do anything else to the stock, I'm going to remove the action to see if by chance this rifle has "internal" crossbolts. Before reading the article, I was unaware of this possibility.

BTW where is Sisterdale, TX?

About 40 minutes north of San Antonio Texas or “new California “

 

[geoff rath]

Agree double cross bolts, bed it with some relief around the tang. That's how my 500 Jeffery is set up. When doing load development I used a lead sled knowing the risks. That being said the rifle would still jump off the bench and knock my hearing protection off with each shot lol. Load development being done I only check sight in off the bench then shoot off hand at the range. Been rabbit hunting with it, great practice, but nothing left for the pot.

NOT undergunned, by any chance? Those feral rabbits can be dangerous critters, I've heard ...

 

[MD Driver]

My most recent acquisition was a CZ 550 in 458 Lott built in 2007 that I suspect is most likely unfired or at most fired very little meaning a box or less. This rifle doesn't have any crossbolts in the stock and that worries me. Some of you suggested that I have them installed, others have suggested that I purchase a synthetic stock. Being a relatively Nubie to larger bore rifles a.k.a 375 and above (probably less than 200 rounds fired in total) I'm curious about what other larger bore owners have experienced with OEM wood stocks cracking and or breaking. Does "bedding" prevent stock breakage? I've read about stock breakage on bolt action rifles but don't recall ever seeing a post about stock breakage on a double rifle even when/where really big bores are being used. Is there a reason for that?

What have your experiences been?

Hi Shootist,
Mine’s in .416 and it seemed like the wood used was rather low grade. As a preemptive measure, I bought the MacMillan composite stock and it’s been a wonderful ever since. Giving up the wood before any real problems is pretty obsessive for sure, but now it’s a workhorse.

FWIW.

 

[Nhoro]

I have a 2017 CZ 550 in 458 win mag now reamed to lott. It has two crossbolts. It has a double recoil lug- one on the barrel and the conventional recoil lug. The conventional lug had a plastic tab behind it and i was not happy with that. I epoxy bedded both lugs and tightened the crossbolts. I also made sure there was 2 mm of clearance at the back of the tang. There were reports of the tang splitting the wood as well as splits behind the magazine. Wood is organic and will have weak points and tends to split along the grain. Just makes sense to me to epoxy the main recoil surfaces and crossbolt the thin areas. The epoxy just gives a flat surface wit

h no hot spots or areas for cracks to start. Crossbolts pull the grain together and reduce splitting. My gun is 6 years old- no signs of damage. My brother has a 416 rigby- original stock - about 30 years old. Wood is durable but needs a little care.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Larry Potterfield has a video on cross bolts.

 

[Philip Glass]

My most recent acquisition was a CZ 550 in 458 Lott built in 2007 that I suspect is most likely unfired or at most fired very little meaning a box or less. This rifle doesn't have any crossbolts in the stock and that worries me. Some of you suggested that I have them installed, others have suggested that I purchase a synthetic stock. Being a relatively Nubie to larger bore rifles a.k.a 375 and above (probably less than 200 rounds fired in total) I'm curious about what other larger bore owners have experienced with OEM wood stocks cracking and or breaking. Does "bedding" prevent stock breakage? I've read about stock breakage on bolt action rifles but don't recall ever seeing a post about stock breakage on a double rifle even when/where really big bores are being used. Is there a reason for that?

What have your experiences been?

My .416 Ruger stock cracked. I admit to have shot it from a lead sled on one occasion and that may have contributed to it.

 

[Red Leg]

@Shootist43 Art, while this is just speculation on my part since I have no data to back it up, I suspect a lot of stock breakage on large caliber rifles is due to people overloading a Lead Sled. If a rifle weighs about 10#, an empty Lead Sled weighs in the same ball park. So felt recoil using an empty Lead Sled should be reduced by half. But nobody uses an empty Lead Sled. I have a single 25# weight on mine and there's room for an additional 25# weight but I've never loaded it that heavy.

The directions provided with a sled also warn not to exceed the 25 lb weight.

 

[Rare Breed]

Agree double cross bolts, bed it with some relief around the tang. That's how my 500 Jeffery is set up. When doing load development I used a lead sled knowing the risks. That being said the rifle would still jump off the bench and knock my hearing protection off with each shot lol. Load development being done I only check sight in off the bench then shoot off hand at the range. Been rabbit hunting with it, great practice, but nothing left for the pot.

question please…i have two sleds for sight in only. the first is a caldwell with a solid butt end…I NEVER USE this due to fear of cracking a stock on my large bores. My second one which i use does not have a solid butt end…just a fork so that while rock steady i feel all the recoil in my shoulder which is fine yet i get the steadiness I need for sight in only…my question is doesn’t this prevent the stock from cracking due to the open end sled?

 

[roklok]

I have a strong dislike for lead sled type shooting rests. They definitely put a lot more stress on the stock of a rifle, and when shooting from them the point of impact tends to be artificially high, especially in the hard kickers. I would think if the rest has an open end with butt on the shoulder then there wouldn't be any issues though.