Wood Stocks

[DimitriS]

Anyone ever made a wood stock using a peice of wood ??

I was thinking about the possibility of making one to replace another. Wanted to make it out of maple if that means anything and have checkering.

Tips/Tricks/Advice anyone ??

Dimitri

[surg_res]

Are you a very skilled woodworker?

I'm an amateaur carpenter and wood-worker and rate the project under the very difficult category. I've had similar thoughts in the past with various weapons that I wanted to see dressed up in pretty wood, etc. Bottom line is this: the expense of tools and level of skill needed to create even an adequate stock greatly exceed that which one would need for just a couple of stocks. In other words, unless you see this as a serious devotion, job, or serious hobby, do not undertake it.

As you research more and more, you'll see that there are excellent stock blank makers, and unfinished stock makers, etc. Basically, there is a product for each step in the production of a stock. In the end, without some degree of serious proficiency, you will save much time and money by simply buying the new stocks you need, or unfinished replacements.

[DimitriS]

Bored_Med_Student,

They dont "sell" stocks for the rifle (well stocks that arnt extact copies of the ones the rifle aready has) I want hense why I'm thinking about this.

As for my wood working skill I'm not too skilled I could do the sizing and the shaping of it and the inletting with time I belive

As for cost of the tools I aready got almost anything I'd need execpt checkering tools as my father was a woodworker

Still unsure though about what to look for in selecting wood and the like for the rifle that will whithstand the recoil and the like without cracking

Dimitri

[cntryboy1289]

Brownells and MidwayUSA both sell a book on stockmaking that can answer all of your questions for you. Although I agree with bored med student about it being a lot easier to just buy a stock, I do understand where you are coming form in wanting to undertake the task.

I would get the book and read it carefully before you decide what you are going to do. Even if you decide to buy a stock, you will have the knowledge to talk to the maker about what you want him to do for you.

I have no idea of what rifle you have, but if the maker has a duplicator, he can use the original stock as the pattern for your new stock. Most of the decent stock makers have the duplicator.

[Harry Bonar]

Dear Shooter:
When young, before I was told how difficult it would be, I made stocks for Mausers, Springfields, Monsin Nagants and various 22 rifles.
I bring up this subject as an object lesson: "How were the very first schools started?"
Well, a man, a very inquisitive and intelligent man, came to "understand" "something." In the course of events he "taught" this to others, the crowd increased and finally he had to assign teaching to others and then needed a building in which this could be taught (whatever it was) to others! Thus, a "school" was born --- from ONE MAN!
Can you build a stock? Certainly!
Look at the gun, if you have another gun scribe on a blank the outline of the stock (leave some extra) and saw it out. Position the barreled action on the blank and drill two holes (usually) that match the hole spacing on your action! Put two long screws in the holes, drill the stock - use those holes for positioning and slowly "inlet" the parts into the stock blank (I usually inlet the trigger guard in first on a bolt action.)
Take your time - use the inventitiveness that the good Lord gave you and you'll do it!
A school only teaches what they know, hence you will only know what they knew when you graduate!

[Coltdriver]

Certainly with enough time, materials, the right tools and practice you may be able to make a stock.

But it is incredibly time consuming. I just had a semi inletted stock fitted to a Ruger #1 action and just the fitting took about 45 hours.

If there is absolutely no pre shaped stock for what you need a stock for, then you are stuck.

You can still get a nice maple blank for not much. Take a look over on ebay, there are a lot of really fine wood blanks sold there for relatively low prices.

[DimitriS]

Thanks for the replies

Well its my FN49 I'm thinking of doing this to. I want to make myself a thumbhole stock if possible. Only stocks sold for the FN is millitary ones they pulled off other FN's for the most part

Dimitri

[DimitriS]

Opps double.

[surg_res]

If you are to undertake the project, I'd recommend buying a cheaper wood of a similar hardness and make a "practice" stock first. The basic cuts and spoking are not the issue, but the fine details and checkering. In other words, without practice, one could turn a $200 piece of high-grade wood into a scratched-up mess.

The best woodworker I know, a friend of my grandfather, never makes a single cut on expensive wood without first making a complete prototype out of cheaper wood, i. e. poplar, which he then gives away (i.e. rockers, etc.).

As for wood choices, maple is very very hard and will take a toll on your tools and hands. Not to re-invent the wheel or anything, but I would recommend walnut. Nevertheless, you can look for blanks of exotic woods that have similar densities, etc. A blank is the way to go, so as to not have too much waste.

Let us know how it goes and enjoy the project.

[Scorch]

Sounds like a great project! First step, find a good piece of well-seasoned wood. Don't use chemically dried wood, it will rust the metal. If you use insufficiently dried wood, the stock will eventually shrink and possibly rust the metal it touches.
Make a drawing of what you want the finished product to look like. If you feel up to it, you can make a blank by filling a trash bag with sealant foam (I believe one brand is called Good Stuff), then carve the foam into shape, or find big pieces of styrofoam and build a model.
Have a plan before you ever start working on the wood. Work slowly, using the old wood as a pattern for fitting to the metal. Shape the stock the way you want it, then fit it to the wood. Use standard woodworking tools used for furniture making, not construction tools. Remember, once you take wood off your project, you can't put it back on.
Once you have it shaped to your liking, block sand it with 60, then 150, then 220, then 320 paper. Seal the wood with Tru-oil or other stock finish. Do not try to invent your own stock finish, as gun solvent will dissolve most everything you might want to use. Build up coats of Tru-oil a little at a time, sanding with 500 grit paper between coats. You'll know when you're done by looking at it, but if you have more wood than the military stock or fewer than 5 coats of tru-oil, you're not done yet.

[DimitriS]

Thanks for the replies

And I'm going to start it this summer I hope, I should have alittle more time then

Dimitri

[surg_res]

And most important, take your time and have fun