custom stock work

[crankycalico]

I have been trying to find a company that can make me a military style stock for a modern center fire rifle. And no one does it. Not even the companies that claim to be able to make anything you want to have made, for the right amount.

Its just that "tribute" rifles were common a decade ago, and after seeing some of what was done, especially a rather nice 10/22 given an enfield front end circa 1914 im trying to find someone that can do it for me.

All im looking for is as close to a 1903/mauser/enfield stock set up for a modern rifle. Sure itll be tricky to adjust for say the receiver on an axis but the but stock can be left "modern" as much as needed.

[samari46]

Probably the best stock for the 1903 or 1903A3 is the type "C" stock. Has a well proportioned pistol grip that fits the hand well. Mausers were either straight stocks with no pistol grip or a rounded pistol grip. The British P14 or the American 1917 enfield both shared the Lee Enfield type pistol grip. I have a target butt stock from Parker in England that has a pistol grip but actually had to add wood to on the bottom of the pistol grip to get to a length I could wrap my hand around. About all I can say is get a stock for your rifle and add wood to the forend or where ever you want and then contact some stock makers with your pattern made up like you want. might want to get in touch with Treebone stocks and run it past them. Won't be cheap but after you get your pattern stock set up at least you'll have something which to base your dream stock on. Hope this helps. Frank

[HangFireW8]

Who have you tried?

[6.5 CM]

What "modern rifle" do you wish to put it on ?

[crankycalico]

since I was going to be getting the rifle mainly for this purpose, I was looking model 70, moel 700, model 7, perhaps a ruger if it could be done.

[Texas by God]

With enough TIME and wood removal equipt and wood replacement pieces and epoxy, you can get it done.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[6.5 CM]

A Model 70 would probably go in an 03' stock w/o too much work, just be sure to get one with a 24" bbl..

"Why" is a question I won't ask as a real 1903 is everything one could desire in a bolt action military rifle and, unlike the "put together", will appreciate every year you own it.

[country gent]

Make your pattern up and then contact some of the smaller stock makers that are still using pantographs or tracers. T e pattern can be cut down from blank ( but then you have the stock also) or glued up from pieces parts to what you want.

If you can find the pattern you want then specify the action barrel contour to be inletted for they should be able to accomplish it. A blind magazine makes this more likely as the thru magazines and magazine rifles require a certain stock depth to be right, and the military stock pattern you chose may be to deep or not deep enough.

The other is to order the stock you want with no inletting.

[crankycalico]

A Model 70 would probably go in an 03' stock w/o too much work, just be sure to get one with a 24" bbl..

"Why" is a question I won't ask as a real 1903 is everything one could desire in a bolt action military rifle and, unlike the "put together", will appreciate every year you own it.

I would love a 1903 however they are appreciating to fast for my wallet. And they are somewhat hard to find when you live in Michigan.

I have only seen 3 of them in person. at a local gun show. they were each priced at 850$. two needed new barrels out the door, so much rifling missing it wasn't funny. 3rd one had this little issue that when the bolt was CLOSED, it had the ability to be pulled back and forth about a 1/4". SO I had the feeling it needed SERIOUS work, possibly complete replacement of the bolt and receiver.

I did manage to find one on armslist for under a 800$, but it had the problem of being a rifle that had been converted into a non firing drill rifle and then re converted to a "firing weapon" by an unknown bubba with a welder and chamber reamer.

[EDG]

If you think an $800 Springfield is expensive you have never priced a custom stock. I priced a first quality stock for an 1895 Dutch Mannlicher at $8000 with no metal work.
A copy of a military stock requires an extra long blank which could easily cost $400 just for the raw blank.
Many duplicators may not have the technique, process and skill to duplicate a stock from a pattern with the long military forend.
What you want IS easily possible but it requires the following:
1. A pattern to be duplicated which is usually a rough stock made of cheap wood or other material
2. An extra long blank of decent wood
3. Rough out your stock on the duplicator
4. Hand finish the inletting
5.Hand finish the exterior shaping.
6. Fit your militry style hardware.
7. Write a check for about 2 to 3 months labor.
Custom means a lot of hand labor by a relatively skilled craftsman.
I am sure you are looking at a bill that will pay for 3 or 4 nearly pristine originals built 100 years ago.
You can buy such guns from collectors.
I see wonderful like new Mausers offered for sale a lot at gunboards.com. The prices start at about $800 and easily go twice that high.

[6.5 CM]

EDG has it 100% correct. What does the OP think a 24" bbled CF M70 will cost ? If you want to build a tribute rifle, a 700 M40, 1903A4 or a M70 like Carlos used would be way cooler than some cobbled up thing-a-ma-bob.

[RU shooter]

If were me I'd look for a sportered 03 or o3a3 their a lot cheaper than an as issued . A original stock ain't that much either .

[HangFireW8]

Since you didn't answer the question, I guess you are not serious about this project.

It is no great feat for any stockmaker to put an 03 stock on the duplicator and make you a blank with your choice of wood from service grade to AAAAA Claro. Inletting for your action can be done by them, yourself or by any competent gunsmith. I've done it and I've had it done.

[country gent]

I have seen early pre 64 Model 70 receivers bring $800-$850.00 for just the complete stock action. Granted they were very clean and in excellent condition. A savage 110 action is a very good action and is also easily adaptable to many cartridges. Find the bolt head you need and install it the right bolt stop and install it. There are some pretty decent triggers for them available. Scope mounts and sights are available

As to stock blanks, the sky is the limit on them A top grade Turkish walnut blank with fine highly figured grain and all the colors may go as high as $5000.00-$6000.00
for a rough cut blank. A plain piece of American walnut or Bastogne with little figure or color may go for $250-$300.00 semi finished. Grain figure and colors set the price fine walnut is getting better for awhile it was rare to find as most of the European forests were devastated by 2 world wars. Curly or quilted maple is another where figure and tones set the price. A lot of wood is "lost when stocks are cut due to the lay out with the flow of the grain thru the wrist and action area.

With the modern epoxy bedding compounds and putties and dyes a lot can be done to make one stock fit another actions. It can get pretty involved at times trying to modify to fit. Sometimes it easier to just fill the action inletting in and start over from scratch. Tape of the bottom action screw holes, trigger mortise, magazine cut and guard inletting with several layers of masking tape so when filled the surface is slightly proud and sand to flush when cured. Fill the inletting slightly proud with the top of the stock and again sand in to flush. You can know inlet to any action you want and have a good fit. Its a plus to use a long action stock with a long action or the other way. With the right dye in the epoxy and stock stain the only tip off is the lack of grain in the epoxy.

With the right burrs and cutters in a dremil tool some lamp black the filled in stock can be inletted and bedded to the new action. A foredom flex shaft is a better option here ( More power more rpms ). A drill press to redrill the action screws. Here a set of aluminum or epoxy pillars can be installed as easy as drilling the holes. Once the action is inletted into the stock then the barrel channel can be worked in. If to large then again the epoxy and dye fill and fit. Here a few layers if tape in the barrel gives the clearance to free float the barrel. If to small it can be sanded open to size.

[crankycalico]

one of the reasons I considering the m70 is the close similarity to the 1903 family.

surplus mauser would be great, already have one though and love it.

been looking at gunsinternational, and other places. Prices are all over the place and with auctions on springfields, most have reserves that are double what the gun should be going by "blue book".

[6.5 CM]

You only buy guns at REAL auctions, where YOU control what you'll pay !

WWW.Proxibid.com

A decent WW II rebuild of a real 1903 can be had for about a grand. Next year it will be worth more.

[Baltimoreed]

Attachment 232890Attachment 232891I put this together this year from a sporterized ‘03 from the 1930s that I picked up a few years ago. Made a sanded on scant stock proportionally fit the 21 inch bbl and then refinished the stock and handguard. Cut the grasping grooves on my mini mill. Slicked up the action also. Can be done but on the cheapish but...a lot of work...turned out nice and it’s a good shooter too.

[crankycalico]

Attachment 232890Attachment 232891I put this together this year from a sporterized ‘03 from the 1930s that I picked up a few years ago. Made a sanded on scant stock proportionally fit the 21 inch bbl and then refinished the stock and handguard. Cut the grasping grooves on my mini mill. Slicked up the action also. Can be done but on the cheapish but...a lot of work...turned out nice and it’s a good shooter too.

how well do the sight graduations work with the short barrel?

[Baltimoreed]

Thats a good question. At less than 100 yds I’m using the notch in the slide with it laying down or the peep hole in the slide with it up. Depends. My load is a 170 gr gc lead spitzer or flatnose with about 10 gr of V-V Tin Star. Hardly military ball. But it doesn’t cut holes in my steel targets. Since the rebuild I’ve not shot anything but lead through it. It’s only 3 inches shorter so I’d imagine that with ball ammo they would still be close until you got way out there but in all honesty, it’s got those good old military sights, minute of man. Built it for my cas clubs BAM matches, fun shooting, not that serious stuff.