This is an H&R rifle from around 1968. It has deep cracks and they show through to the underside. It is a mannlicher style stock. My question is can this be repaired/ strengthened with epoxy or something. Similar to glass bedding. Ive looked around and am not finding any replacement stocks. Maybe convert it to a different rifle stock. Ideas or thoughts folks?

I'm not an expert on stock repair, but it's a frequent topic on some of the milsurp forums I frequent, for obvious reasons.

It's my understanding that most cracked wood stocks can be fixed using brass pins/screws and epoxy or fiberglass. The issue are more:

A) Is the value - either monetary or at least sentimental - worth the associated expense to do so

and

B) Can you locate one of the few remaining true gunsmiths (not just parts swappers, but craftsmen) who has the ability to get around to it within a reasonable amount of time

Acra-glass,
Dye it black, mix it, spread the crack open, smear in with toothpick, squish, wrap it or use a wood clamp, let it sit overnight.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Acra-glass,
Dye it black, mix it, spread the crack open, smear in with toothpick, squish, wrap it or use a wood clamp, let it sit overnight.

Thank you. Just the type of info I was hoping for.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
I'm not an expert on stock repair, but it's a frequent topic on some of the milsurp forums I frequent, for obvious reasons.

It's my understanding that most cracked wood stocks can be fixed using brass pins/screws and epoxy or fiberglass. The issue are more:

A) Is the value - either monetary or at least sentimental - worth the associated expense to do so

and

B) Can you locate one of the few remaining true gunsmiths (not just parts swappers, but craftsmen) who has the ability to get around to it within a reasonable amount of time

I appreciate the feedback. I don't know any good local gunsmiths here anymore.

I know there are some commercial mausers of similar vintage that are well know for cracking their stocks. Maybe due to poor inletting or whatever. Point being you might want to dig deep on the net, rather than just glueing the crack, some other bedding work might keep it from happening again or getting worse.

Jumped back in to say, there’s a guy on you tube mark novak who runs a channel named anvil. In his series he shows several different splits and cuts and fixes. And he uses acra-glass.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
And he uses acra-glass.

Good stuff in my experience as well.

I'm a big fan of Mark Novak because when he fixes something in places a greater emphasis on Function than he does on Appearance. So he will use dog bones to insure a lasting repair than simply gluing it back together to maintain an undamaged appearance. I would suggest anyone contemplating a repair of this magnitude spend a few hours watching how he repairs a stock.

I will also state that the stock in question for this thread appears to me to be very much in need of some method of reinforcement in the repair. To be honest there appear to be thin areas in that stock that produced a very weak design from the start. This may be a case where a polymer stock is the best option for this action. Because polymer has a lot more "give" than well aged hardwood and when the basic design is weak a bit of "give" will yield a longer service life.

Accra Glass and brass pins will fix lots of issues,

re your location, if I read that as Colorado,

Chuck Moline, who goes by ChuckinDenver, on various forums, it as good as it gets re gunsmithing, esp on milsurps

Thanks for the additional ideas folks. I agree it looks to be a poor/weak stock from the get go.

I bought a Remington 700 BDL from 1964 at a gun show five or six years ago. The guy was a gun store owner and gunsmith. After playing it with it for a week or so I happened to notice there was a crack from the trigger well through the magazine well. I called him and he said he could fix it if I didn’t mind driving from Raleigh to Camp Lejeune, basically. So when I got there, he wedged it open, injected Acra glass into it kind of bellowsed the stock in and out until the glass spread throughout the crack area , then put it in a padded vise. We sat around, shooting the shit for two or three hours to let it set up. Then I drove home. Good as new. Probably better than new.

Never used Arcca Glass but it looks pretty good.
I have used on a variety of different projects Devcon 10110 with good success.
Also JB Weld as well.
Blending the colors or having to paint is what I see as an issue.
I am sure the stock is salvageable, good luck, hope to see a successful restoration.

An old time stockmaker we knew would cut along the crack if it were under the bottom metal and not visible. He made a slot to fit a fitted piece of wood like a book in a bookshelf. Rough up the surfaces and epoxy it in. He said if the wood was oil soaked you had to cut to clean wood.