Didn't like the thin bottom wood and large dead space between the head of the action bolts and the tenons they screw into. These stocks can definitely crack with a little too much torque.
Started by counting the number of bolt rotations needed to screw in the front and back bolt, then took off the stock and with the bottom metal and trigger guard in place, measured the gaps from the tenons to the trigger guard and bottom metal after screwing in the bolts the same number of turns less 1/2 turn (to raise the action just a hair to reduce contact with wood). I then turned two pillars from aluminum bar to 0.45" diameter on my lathe. The length of the front one is 0.37", back one 0.48". Of course, if you do this, you will need to measure for your own stock because of thickness variation. I also cut 2 good glue grooves around each pillar. The upper face of both pillars need to be faced perfectly perpendicular to mate up with the face of the tenons. I used a belt sander to work down the bottom of each pillar until they were the correct length.
I then carefully drilled out the front and rear bolt holes slightly larger than the pillars, made some little cardboard "dams" on both sides of the rear pillar area and the back of the front pillar area inside the stock. Next, I coated the bottom of the trigger guard, the bottom of the magazine bottom plate, the action bolts, and the barrel tenons with Kiwi paste mink oil as a release agent.
Next, I mixed West System G-Flex epoxy and added some diatomaceous earth to thicken it some, covered the outside of the pillars and the inside of the drilled holes with the epoxy, put them in the holes in the stock, and put the trigger guard and bottom metal in place. Then working from inside the stock, I filled in around the pillars to create a built up area even with the tops of the pillars. If you get epoxy on the outside of the stock, a vinegar dampened rag will clean it right up as long as it hasn't cured (also cleans it off of you hands).
I then ran the bolts through the pillars and replaced the action/barrel on the stock, put a thick card between the barrel and the stock to be sure the barrel stayed centered and free-floated and screwed it down snug. About 4 hours later, took off the stock, trimmed up the epoxy a little bit inside the stock, reassembled to let it cure the rest of the way.
It could be done prettier if I took more time to make better "dams", but it is very solid, and no danger of anything breaking with proper torque on the action bolts now. Sorry no build-along pictures, but hopefully my drawn-out explanation will do.
Started by counting the number of bolt rotations needed to screw in the front and back bolt, then took off the stock and with the bottom metal and trigger guard in place, measured the gaps from the tenons to the trigger guard and bottom metal after screwing in the bolts the same number of turns less 1/2 turn (to raise the action just a hair to reduce contact with wood). I then turned two pillars from aluminum bar to 0.45" diameter on my lathe. The length of the front one is 0.37", back one 0.48". Of course, if you do this, you will need to measure for your own stock because of thickness variation. I also cut 2 good glue grooves around each pillar. The upper face of both pillars need to be faced perfectly perpendicular to mate up with the face of the tenons. I used a belt sander to work down the bottom of each pillar until they were the correct length.
I then carefully drilled out the front and rear bolt holes slightly larger than the pillars, made some little cardboard "dams" on both sides of the rear pillar area and the back of the front pillar area inside the stock. Next, I coated the bottom of the trigger guard, the bottom of the magazine bottom plate, the action bolts, and the barrel tenons with Kiwi paste mink oil as a release agent.
Next, I mixed West System G-Flex epoxy and added some diatomaceous earth to thicken it some, covered the outside of the pillars and the inside of the drilled holes with the epoxy, put them in the holes in the stock, and put the trigger guard and bottom metal in place. Then working from inside the stock, I filled in around the pillars to create a built up area even with the tops of the pillars. If you get epoxy on the outside of the stock, a vinegar dampened rag will clean it right up as long as it hasn't cured (also cleans it off of you hands).
I then ran the bolts through the pillars and replaced the action/barrel on the stock, put a thick card between the barrel and the stock to be sure the barrel stayed centered and free-floated and screwed it down snug. About 4 hours later, took off the stock, trimmed up the epoxy a little bit inside the stock, reassembled to let it cure the rest of the way.
It could be done prettier if I took more time to make better "dams", but it is very solid, and no danger of anything breaking with proper torque on the action bolts now. Sorry no build-along pictures, but hopefully my drawn-out explanation will do.
Attached Files