Carving your own rifle stock

Bluehighways · February 11, 2010, 10:20 AM

Hi all, I am interested in carving my own stock for a project rifle of mine. I am a professional machinist and prior to that I was a cabinetmaker. Carving, however is one area of craft that I have never explored.

I think I can reasonably follow an outlined figure, removing only what's necessary from the blank. Inletting won't be a problem; I don't see how it can be any more technical than hand fitting dovetails or mortise and tenon joints.

I am wondering if anyone here has carved their own stocks before. If you have, please share any tips, processes, notes, or follys you encountered/discovered during carving.

Anything information or experiences would help. As it is, I can't seem to find any instruction on the internet, and money is REALLY tight right now so I can't go and buy books. Thanks.

Lavid2002 · February 11, 2010, 10:24 AM

dont have much to share.... I stated with a 10/22 stock and I added some "Curves" to it and channeled it for a .920 BBL. I painted the stock. This was to my advantage because a stained stock will show imperfections. More than paint will at least. Since it was painted I could epoxy all the area I cut down too far and try again! No big deal

Hope this helped. Good luck! Its just a piece of wood dont let it frustrate you. Google search rifle stock from scratch there are several DIY's out there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrKT-KciSyw

KEN K · February 11, 2010, 05:38 PM

I've made 5 stocks so far, I'm an ex cabinet maker also. I do all the inletting for the barrel and action before I worry about the outside other than a ruff cutout of the shape, then go to work with a rotary rasp in a die grinder for most of the shaping. Just cut away all the stuff that doesn't look like the stock you want. Ha! I like thumb-hole stocks, they feel good to shoot. I did start with a piece of pine on the first one to get the feel of before jumping on a $50. plank of black walnut. Feel free to contact me for details and pics. Good luck with your project.

jestor · February 11, 2010, 07:08 PM

Go to a luither or guitar building site see how they carve the necks will help you out a bunch.

grymster2007 · February 12, 2010, 02:15 PM

I've never done much woodworking, so being a machinist myself, when Mrs. Grymster wanted some fancy dressing screens, I put them on a $300K machining center and made them perfect!

I might try and make some revolver grips someday, but probably won't try my hand at rifle stocks.

Bluehighways · February 12, 2010, 04:33 PM

grymster: Isn't that just the way we do it. Total overkill.

Gotta love having fancy-pants CNC stuff at your disposal and using it for "Government work". The best I've seen was a former colleague who made himself a collapsible gambrel out of 2024 aircraft grade aluminum and had sealed ball bearings in the pulleys. He did it on a 1.5 million dollar 5-axis with a 40hp spindle on his lunch breaks. Total overkill.

Sorry moderators. I know that was off topic. I won't do it often. Promise.

waterfowler · February 18, 2010, 03:33 PM

Start by making the cuts behind the action. That has to fit perfectly and the rest comes easy

oldone · February 18, 2010, 03:57 PM

I started on this stock by finding a piece of a huge fallen limb from a pecan tree. I cut the center part out of the limb and worked from there. I'm not any kind of a wood worker but I just used patience and another stock as my pattern. It took me three weeks, working on it after work, till I got it as I wanted it.

February 11, 2010, 10:20 AM	#1
Bluehighways Member Join Date: January 4, 2010 Location: The frozen North Posts: 42	Carving your own rifle stock Hi all, I am interested in carving my own stock for a project rifle of mine. I am a professional machinist and prior to that I was a cabinetmaker. Carving, however is one area of craft that I have never explored. I think I can reasonably follow an outlined figure, removing only what's necessary from the blank. Inletting won't be a problem; I don't see how it can be any more technical than hand fitting dovetails or mortise and tenon joints. I am wondering if anyone here has carved their own stocks before. If you have, please share any tips, processes, notes, or follys you encountered/discovered during carving. Anything information or experiences would help. As it is, I can't seem to find any instruction on the internet, and money is REALLY tight right now so I can't go and buy books. Thanks.

February 11, 2010, 10:24 AM	#2
Lavid2002 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2007 Posts: 2,568	dont have much to share.... I stated with a 10/22 stock and I added some "Curves" to it and channeled it for a .920 BBL. I painted the stock. This was to my advantage because a stained stock will show imperfections. More than paint will at least. Since it was painted I could epoxy all the area I cut down too far and try again! No big deal Hope this helped. Good luck! Its just a piece of wood dont let it frustrate you. Google search rifle stock from scratch there are several DIY's out there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrKT-KciSyw __________________ Math>Grammar

February 12, 2010, 02:15 PM	#5
grymster2007 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: In the oak studded hills near Napa Posts: 2,203	I've never done much woodworking, so being a machinist myself, when Mrs. Grymster wanted some fancy dressing screens, I put them on a $300K machining center and made them perfect! I might try and make some revolver grips someday, but probably won't try my hand at rifle stocks. __________________ grym

February 18, 2010, 03:57 PM	#8
oldone Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2009 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 164	I started on this stock by finding a piece of a huge fallen limb from a pecan tree. I cut the center part out of the limb and worked from there. I'm not any kind of a wood worker but I just used patience and another stock as my pattern. It took me three weeks, working on it after work, till I got it as I wanted it. __________________ If you want to kick the Tiger in it's ass, you'd better have a plan dealing with it's teeth.

February 11, 2010, 05:38 PM	#3
KEN K Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2006 Location: mid west Georgia Posts: 102	I've made 5 stocks so far, I'm an ex cabinet maker also. I do all the inletting for the barrel and action before I worry about the outside other than a ruff cutout of the shape, then go to work with a rotary rasp in a die grinder for most of the shaping. Just cut away all the stuff that doesn't look like the stock you want. Ha! I like thumb-hole stocks, they feel good to shoot. I did start with a piece of pine on the first one to get the feel of before jumping on a $50. plank of black walnut. Feel free to contact me for details and pics. Good luck with your project.

February 11, 2010, 07:08 PM	#4
jestor Junior Member Join Date: October 4, 2009 Posts: 5	Go to a luither or guitar building site see how they carve the necks will help you out a bunch.

February 12, 2010, 04:33 PM	#6
Bluehighways Member Join Date: January 4, 2010 Location: The frozen North Posts: 42	grymster: Isn't that just the way we do it. Total overkill. Gotta love having fancy-pants CNC stuff at your disposal and using it for "Government work". The best I've seen was a former colleague who made himself a collapsible gambrel out of 2024 aircraft grade aluminum and had sealed ball bearings in the pulleys. He did it on a 1.5 million dollar 5-axis with a 40hp spindle on his lunch breaks. Total overkill. Sorry moderators. I know that was off topic. I won't do it often. Promise.

February 18, 2010, 03:33 PM	#7
waterfowler Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2010 Posts: 115	Start by making the cuts behind the action. That has to fit perfectly and the rest comes easy