Rifle Stock - Woodworking Talk

Mysteriouswoodsmen · 02-02-2008, 11:17 AM

Any of you guys ever tryed your hand at building a rifle stock. I've been thinking about it but haven't gotten there yet. Haven't had much luck finding much info on the net about it either.

JF Lures · 02-02-2008, 12:38 PM

mm-man, This is a great question I have been considering this myself. Please help us!!

drcollins804 · 02-02-2008, 01:12 PM

I have seen an article outlining the process but can't find it right now. I will try to find a link and post it when I can. I never tried it but have seriously considered trying it my self.

johnep · 02-02-2008, 03:33 PM

Have been progs on 'how its made' and also on discovery TV.
Bet there are some vids on utube.
johnep

Mysteriouswoodsmen · 02-02-2008, 07:26 PM

What did you put in for your search on youtube? I've designed a vise for my stock on Sketch up to laminate the wood together. Isn't anything special just a 2x12 with a bunch of holes drilled in it 2" from the edge and 1 1/2" from the edge. Whole thing is 60" got nine 1" holes down each side for bolts to be put through and tightened down. It'll hold a 6 1/4" Wide piece of wood from what it measures in sketchup.

LarrySch · 02-02-2008, 11:19 PM

I do not think the outside of a gun stock is that hard to do - but to inlay the action - now that is hard and everything has to be right on.
This is one that I did - I tried to copy a 10/22 stock. As I stated, the action was the hardest to do. I finally had to get a real gun stock maker to re-do the action inlay for me.

Messman · 02-03-2008, 12:24 AM

I have never done a rifle, but I did work on an over under shotgun. I will have to say that it was the hardest project I ever took on.

http://members.cox.net/messman/Shot%20Finished.JPG

If you do take on a project take your time and when you think you are moving to slow, slow down some more, it will help you from making mistakes.

Chris

LarrySch · 02-03-2008, 12:57 AM

Messman that is a great looking stock - did you find keeping the outside lines straight a problem. I really kept thinking the stock was warping until I figured out that I was shaving wood from the wrong side.

Jake · 02-03-2008, 10:05 AM

The inlay fit of a rifle stock effects the way the rifle shoots. I have never tried to inlet one for this reason. You can get inlet blanks from Richardsons very reasonable. You can shape the outside to your liking.
I have used several of there inlet blanks and they have all turned out great, great shooters too.

Messman · 02-03-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LarrySch

Messman that is a great looking stock - did you find keeping the outside lines straight a problem. I really kept thinking the stock was warping until I figured out that I was shaving wood from the wrong side.

Larry,

No I did not have a hard time with the outside lines. I roughed it out after laying out the desired shape on the wood. The layout was the hard part making sure that the lines were even and in line with each other. I used the old stock as my base line reference. But since I was building the stock larger and heavier than the previous stock, that was all I could do was use it as a reference.

Chris

LarrySch · 02-03-2008, 10:59 AM

I agree Jake with the comment on Richardsons blanks. But they do have a flaw - their stocks that are suppost to be comleted are so rough cut - that you have to re-do them anyway - so you may as well go with their action inletted blanks.

Messman · 02-04-2008, 11:59 AM

Larry,

The hardest part over all was doing the inleting (is that a word? LOL). I worked the whole stock from scratch from a nice piece of walnut. The owner was pleased with the stock and reports that he has no problems with it.

I would encourage buying a blank with the inleting already done unless you want to pull your hair out or you really enjoy the challange of very import detailed work.

Chris

Hack · 02-04-2008, 01:28 PM

I have not tried a stock for a long rifle, but I have made grips for handguns. I get my stock really cheap from a local place that sells walnut gunstock blanks. The ones that aren't perfect get sold as firewood. I have a friend who buys the stuff by the cord ($70). I just pick a nice piece and make the scales myself...

LarrySch · 02-04-2008, 07:33 PM

Very nice Jeff - out here there is no walnut at all unless you want to give up your first child for it. (hummmm - sometimes that may not be a bad idea either.)

metalhead781 · 04-16-2009, 08:41 AM

i don't find inleting a rifle stock too hard. you just have to pay attention. most recently i completed a prototype thumbhole stock for a marlin 917m2 bolt action rifle. i'm new to the this forum because of this thread. i'd be glad to share some tips with anyone who would like them.
as far as inleting a stock. i would suggest first of all to complete any milling with a router or drill press, even a designated mortister first. at that point you can route the barrel channel then the inleting for the reciever and action. if all of this work is done prior to the shaping of the stock, you'll have alot less headaches. i'll be doing another stock soon for an identical rifle as a finished prototype, made to my friend's specifications once that is completed i may be producing the stocks.

Olympus · 04-16-2009, 10:43 AM

I've been big into guns for quite some time. I've messed around with stock-making as well. As you can see in my signature line, I have a small side business making 1911 grips from exotic woods.

But as for rifle stock making, you're looking at a SERIOUS undertaking. It can be done, don't get me wrong. But for the average person with average shop tools, it will take a long time and will require a LOT of patience. As someone said earlier, it's fairly straightforward getting the outside of the stock done. It's a lot of hand sanding to get all of the contours just right though. The serious work is the inletting for the action. If you've got a rifle that is just a beater truck gun then you can gouge out a rough slot for action and put it back together. But if you want the gun to keep it's original accuracy or even improve in accuracy, you're going to spend a lot of time making sure that the action of the guns fits smoothly into the stock. Take too much material and you'll need to come back and and bed the action with some bedding material. Don't take enough material out and you'll have a pressure point that will work against you in the accuracy department. This is all assuming that you don't have any warpage issues.

There's a reason that hand-fitted and finished stocks cost thousands of dollars!

Tweegs · 04-16-2009, 04:26 PM

Never made a stock so I can't help in that regard, but this is one of my all time favorite gunsmithing supply stores, they've got about everything.

http://www.brownells.com/categories.aspx?c=4812

The link will take you to all things related to stock making.

My dad and I used this stuff to glass bed the barrels and actions:

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/sto...ACRAGLAS%20GEL~

metalhead781 · 04-19-2009, 01:50 AM

It's long been said that bedding the action is always the way to go for accuracy. Any stocks i make are strictly to factory specs. and dimensions. As far as pinch points, a little lithium grease then latex paint on the bedding surfaces shows the specific high points to take care of. I've also inlet several stocks with simply a set of fostner bits, straight chisels and the proper box core bits for the diameter of the action/barrel. The biggest thing when using a router table for inletting the radius of an action is measure10 times, run a test piece and cut once. Since i laminate my own stock blanks, I start with the same dimmensions for every stock so keeping a routertable setup specificaly to inlet the action and barrel channel makes it alot easier. I don't want to sound pretentious but inletting to factory specs by reverse engineering a factory stock isn't that much of a challenge.

metalhead781 · 04-19-2009, 01:58 AM

PS. if you do a youtube search for "midway usa gunsmith" there are alot of useful video clips on modifying and shaping rifle stocks. it shows a mechanical approach to blending and shaping from a gunsmith's point of view.

bigo5552000 · 04-24-2009, 12:03 AM

i have never made a stock for a rifle but my dad has. i just finished my first attempted at making grips for my .357 though here is a link with pics of both!http://www.defensivecarry.com/vbulle...tom-grips.html