Wood stock for M98

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ftothfadd

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So, the sad story goes: I have recently bid on a 9.3x62 mauser built on an FN action with a hart barrel in a laminated stock. I thought the barreled action was nice and bid aggressively (mistake 1 ;-). Ultimately, I won the gun (mistake 2, as I have paid way too much for the rifle). Now I am having a new trigger put in it and a three position safety installed. I expected these costs but they are still not cheap (remember: I have already spent a lot more on the gun than what it is worth, but it is par for the course for me ;-). The problem is that I detest the laminated stock and I would like to replace it with a piece of respectable walnut, without having to mortgage the house. I called a person who used to do stocks and it quoted me for labour for about 4K. I nearly fainted and started to look for a hole in the wall surgery facility somewhere in the middle east where I could sell a kidney so I can pay for it...
Is this really the going rate to have a new wood stock made? If so, laminated stock it will remain.
Anyone has some experience with or advice how I can get a decent walnut stock at a more reasonable cost? Or this is indeed the going rate and I just have to accept it....
Thank you for all your insight!
 
If you have any skill in wood working you could buy an extremely nice figured walnut stock from Richards microfit, fitted 90% and you do the rest for about $500-800. It's not hard to do.

Safari Classic Style - Richards Microfit Stocks

A Cascade Classic is a regular Classic style with the rear comb dropped down, often referred to as a Classic "Monte Carlo." A traditional Monte Carlo has a rounded comb in the rear, whereas the Cascade Classic has sharp edges on the top comb. Also available in a laminate version. Click here for...
richardsmicrofitgunstocks.com richardsmicrofitgunstocks.com
1769906855465.png
 
I bought this unfinished semi-inletted rough M98 stock from an online auction for $150 ($120 US). I finished it up. Not a gorgeous piece of wood but not bad. No ebony or rosewood available during COVID so I made a tip from zebrawood. I used internal crossbolt behind the magazine.
20231019_114147.jpg

A year later I found this used stock on another online auction. I paid $200 US but required quite a bit of work: added crossbolts, wrist reenforcement rod, proper bedding, stripping, repairing dents/scratches, finish application, and modifying the bottom metal (slightly) to fit.
20240420_112851_resized_6.jpg
 
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Boyd's can sell you a decent walnut stock for $400 fully finished. They can do laser checkering too which looks okay. Or you can order an unfinished stock (more $$ for some reason) fit it to your gun and have someone finish the wood and hand checker it. Lots of artisans online doing it. Having someone custom make a stock is extremely expensive. Not necessary. There's a couple of factories on line that make stocks. Also, if you check ebay right now I'm sure you'll find several new and used 98 Mauser stocks for sale. I'm sure you can get fixed up for a lot less that $4K!
 
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Take a look ar Accurate Innovations. They produce wood stocks with aluminum bedding blocks, which usually produces good accuracy without the shifting zero common to wood stocks swelling and contracting with changes in temps and humidity. They offer utilitarian to exhibition grades of wood and enhancements. I’ve shot a couple of rifles with their stocks and found them to be accurate and comfortable.
 
ftothfadd said:
So, the sad story goes: I have recently bid on a 9.3x62 mauser built on an FN action with a hart barrel in a laminated stock. I thought the barreled action was nice and bid aggressively (mistake 1 ;-). Ultimately, I won the gun (mistake 2, as I have paid way too much for the rifle). Now I am having a new trigger put in it and a three position safety installed. I expected these costs but they are still not cheap (remember: I have already spent a lot more on the gun than what it is worth, but it is par for the course for me ;-). The problem is that I detest the laminated stock and I would like to replace it with a piece of respectable walnut, without having to mortgage the house. I called a person who used to do stocks and it quoted me for labour for about 4K. I nearly fainted and started to look for a hole in the wall surgery facility somewhere in the middle east where I could sell a kidney so I can pay for it...
Is this really the going rate to have a new wood stock made? If so, laminated stock it will remain.
Anyone has some experience with or advice how I can get a decent walnut stock at a more reasonable cost? Or this is indeed the going rate and I just have to accept it....
Thank you for all your insight!
Click to expand...
If the laminated stock fits nicely and the rifle shoots well, I’d say give it a chance to grow on you. I used to dislike the appearance of laminated stocks, but now one of my favorite rifles (pre-‘64 .300 H&H) wears a laminated stock and is my go to for wet August hunts in Alaska. I’ve come to really like the way she looks.
 
That you all for your advice. The rifle shoots well with the laminated stock, which is incidentally fully bedded. And since I am spending my funds on the other upgrades she will stay in this stock for at least a little bit giving her the opportunity to grow on me and save me some money. Maybe it will...
Sadly, I have limited woodworking skills as of now (but I am willing to learn), and I will also look at accurate innovations...
 
Some thing about those m98 husqavara 9.3x62 sets the hook on me , them breaking stocks and having to replace the wood , safety, ect wasn’t on my mind , I’m moving on to a Tikka battu if I can find one in the states or euro optics will import one
IMG_0917.jpeg
 
I got a stock for a Win M52 from Richards Microfit about 15 years ago. The rifle was a target model so more wood needed to be removed from the barrel channel. It was tedious work for me but it ended up fitting quite well and seems like it was in the $100 range- but like I said, 15 years ago.
 
My Musgrave Model 98 in 9,3x62 has got a relatively nice half stock made out of some kind of african hardwood.
Having a soft spot for nice stutzens, I bought a used full stock on eGun. Very nice wood, some minor fitting work necessary. 150 Euro for the stock, around 300 Euro for parts and woodworker. Am waiting for the return of the rifle at the moment. This is the second rifle with this kind of modification for me, kind of poor man's custom job.
You could look out for a used stock with the right barrel contour.
 
pilar said:
Some thing about those m98 husqavara 9.3x62 sets the hook on me , them breaking stocks and having to replace the wood , safety, ect wasn’t on my mind , I’m moving on to a Tikka battu if I can find one in the states or euro optics will import one
View attachment 742923
Click to expand...
Id be interested in that old husqvarna stock if you want to get rid of it.
 
foxtrot1 said:
Id be interested in that old husqvarna stock if you want to get rid of it.
Click to expand...
I didn’t buy it because of the stock and consignment fees
 
Look uo Richards Microstocks and Stocky's Stocks. They offer wood and laminated stocks for low prices. I have a Remington 700 configured stock from Richards and they are great stocks.
 
Thank you for the advice. I will look into stocky's and micro fits both.
 
pilar said:
I didn’t buy it because of the stock and consignment fees
Click to expand...
Cant blame you. My Husky had a hairline crack in that area too. I bedded it, epoxied a pilar for the rear screw and put a crossbolt through the wrist. Capped it in buffalo horn. Not ideal, but it saved the stock.
 

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Jefferry404 said:
I bought these Microfit’s 2nds to see the inlets, dark is CZ550 mag and the lighter is for Mauser 98, both fit their respective actions. Might take 16 hours or so to finish but these were $100 each.
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If that one for the Mauser comes out nice, that will be a hell of a deal. What issues did you note that caused these to be seconds?
 
Thank you for all the input. It appears that most of you are lot handier than I am when it comes to finishing stocks. I am afraid I top out at rubbing oil on the stock. Do you checker the stocks yourselves? Regardless some of these options are truly nice and attractive.
 
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