If you are not familiar with this stock repair, typically what happens is the wood cracks lengthwise in the small area between the magazine and trigger inletting (red arrow). You won't see it because it is covered by the bottom metal from below and the receiver at the top. The brass rod is installed crossways (black line) most of the way through the stock.
I've seen new, factory Remingtons pre-repaired this way. I guess they assume they will otherwise crack in this area. If done well it looks like it belongs there. I got it right on my first try, so there's a good chance anyone can!
All you need is some threaded brass rod and a drill bit, along with some good epoxy. Assuming you already have some epoxy, you can do this essential fix 4-5 times for about $3.30 (2002 money).
I found the threaded brass rod at the local home superstore. They are #6-32 and #8-32. The #6-32 rod rod is nice for more delicate repairs. I already had the #36 wire gauge drill bit, but you can use a 7/64" just as effectively. The #8-32 is a little biggish for fine stock repair, but just the ticket to get the attention of an old warhorse stock. For the #8-32, I had to buy the #8-32 tap to get a #29 drill bit. A 9/64" bit will do fine if you have a drill index, or just get the individual bit.
Whatever size rod you use, pick a drill bit size matching the width of the rod at the thread bottom, not the thread peak. There is a kit that comes with a pre-cut rod and a drill bit, but you can save yourself 75-85% by buying threaded rod, cutting it to length yourself, and using your own drill bit or buying just the one bit you need. A threaded rod alone cost me $1.28. The drill and tap $3.98, or individual bit, $1.97, total price, $3.25 or $5.26 plus tax, still less than one eighth the pro kit cost (and for the 5 bucks I got a new #8-32 tap to boot, which is not needed for this repair). If you are repairing Turkish Mausers on the cheap, this is definitely the way to go.
I suppose you could even buy cheaper brass (unthreaded) rod and a die and thread it yourself, but you would have to repair a lot of rifles to justify the $5 price of the die. If it amuses you, you will still come in way under the price of the "pro" kit. If threading the brass is too much hard work, you can anneal (soften) the brass rod by heating it very hot with a propane torch and dropping it in water. No need to get it red hot. You don't have to worry about it staying too soft. The threading process will work-harden the threads. If you want "flat-top" threads use some sandpaper.
Here's a picture of a brass rod repair I did using 1/8" rod from the incredibly expensive gunsmith kit. (If you look closely you can also see a brass shim made of .30-06 cartridge under the Redfield mount. This was necessary to get the point of aim within the adjustment range of my scope. And people wonder why I do my own work.) The lovely (re)finish and (re)bedding work is my gunsmith's. The photo doesn't do it justice, what he accomplished with an ugly factory beech stock.
Clean area with whiting and solvent if oil-soaked. Put epoxy in the crack and clamp the stock together. (If you have no wood vise, you can use the vinyl tubing shown above. It will add a whopping cost of $0.98 for 10 feet). Drill a blind hole 3/4 of the way through from one side at a right angle. Cut a piece of threaded rod off the width of the stock, plus enough to chuck it in a hand drill. File (or grind or power-sand) flats on the chucked end, so it doesn't slip.
Chuck the rod in a variable speed hand drill, coat it in epoxy, and slowly screw it in the hole 7/8 of the way through. Cut off the excess with a dremel or hacksaw, carefully. Then carefully draw file to dress the end of the rod. Put masking tape on the wood so you know when you are getting close.
Because of the curious nature of wood, it is best NOT to sharpen the rod like a nail. You can round it a bit but leave the tip flat. That will allow it to crush its way through the last bit of wood. Otherwise there's a good chance it will cause a new split. Only the thread should cut until it gets to the last 1/8" of wood. (Don't sweat the measurements that much. You just don't want to drill through the other side, and you don't want to do more than anchor the end of the rod in the far side.) The wet epoxy acts as a lubricant on the way in. Most of it will come off as you drill it in, so be prepared to wipe it off immediately. If done quickly and carefully, there's no reason this repair can't be done on a nice stock not slated for refinishing.
If you think you need to use two, do one from one side and the other from the other. Don't put them in line along the grain, you'll start a crack for sure. Put them above each other. The repair you see pictured actually has two. The second starts from the other side and is above and slightly over from the near side repair. Most people don't notice either. When I do point it out, then they think it's one pin that goes all the way through.
Mistakes are recoverable. If you accidentally drill all the way through, or thread the rod in all the way through, just go with it and dress both ends. You may have a little broken wood splinters if you thread all the way through, but you will already have some epoxy ready to go to fix it. Cut off the extra length of the splinters where the cover the rod end with a very sharp knife, like an Exacto. Proper preparation, like chucking it no longer than the full width of the wood, will keep you out of this trouble.
Besides the area described, threaded brass rod can be use to repair wood and secure accessories just about anywhere on a wood stock. The rod end can be ground or filed off flush to match any stock contour. Use it to secure add-on wood cheekpieces and hand grips on military stocks, secure chipped heels at the butt, repair split handguards and forends, whatever. It is also used to secure or position metal bedding blocks on sporterized military bolt action rifles. The possibilities are limited only by the length of your drill bits, the depth of your imagination, and your tolerance of little brass dots all over your stock.
Ken.
Back to Home
Back to Shooting Sports