Cracked stock simple fix, yeah right :(

[LAGS]

That is a good Idea Contender1.
I would have never thought of it.
Just happens ,a local Owl ate another bird last night in my Mesquite tree.
The ground is covered with Dove Feathers.
I will have to go out and collect some of them to use on my stock repairs.
Thanks for the tip.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Very interesting thread, ideas, and knowledge. I use the threaded brass rods coated with AccraGlas Gel run through the stock across the cracks. I get what epoxy I can into the cracks before running in the rods, but more as a filler than for the glue, as once the rods are through the stock the cracks will never again spread. Looking at your photos, it's pretty bad. It would take a minimum of 3 rods to stabilize, and perhaps 5 due to the length and severity of the cracks. There is no guarantee that once repaired a new crack wouldn't appear somewhere else.

Frankly, I don't think it's worth the effort, since the stock may not have originally been for this model rifle anyway. I do realize that it's a sporter stock with a cheekpiece and pistol grip, but what if you could obtain an original military stock and just cut the fore end back and reshape it to a sporter configuration as has already been done to millions of military rifles. The sky is the limit on what can be done with good woodworking skills and some imagination, but it seems to me that just a cutoff military stock that is in sound condition would be preferable to what you're going to end up with. Cutting off the fore end and reshaping it, refinishing the stock can make a very presentable rifle, especially since yours still retains the original military sights and the job wasn't taken any farther than putting the metal into a stock for which it might not have been intended anyway.

I just happen to have about a dozen Turk take-off stocks, still "as-issued" and would be happy to give you one for your project if you so desire. It would have the spacer for the rear trigger guard/tang screw still in it, as well as the original steel butt plate. If you want to PM me your mailing address I could get it sent out sometime next week. You could reimburse me for the postage. Talk it over with your friend.

Here's a refinished, but otherwise as-issued Turk M-37. You can get some idea of how your project could look if you cut the stock off at about the location of the center barrel band and rounded the tip, and no upper handguard.

Attachment 254575
click to enlarge.

[wyofool]

I've decided to take DG up on his offer. In the mean time I believe I have fixed the trigger guard Attachment 254642
I will use the stock to develop my crack fixing skills.
LAGS I'm not so much a "Stock Doctor" as a "Fixer of Things"Attachment 254641
Even the Grandkids know

[swheeler]

I've decided to take DG up on his offer. In the mean time I believe I have fixed the trigger guard Attachment 254642
I will use the stock to develop my crack fixing skills.
LAGS I'm not so much a "Stock Doctor" as a "Fixer of Things"Attachment 254641
Even the Grandkids know

Looks much better now. I like the sign, my grandkids gave a coffee cup, MR Fix It

[LAGS]

For Christmas , my Grandkids gave me a similar sign to go on my shop door.
My wife says , " You are Not McGyver.
You are the guy McGyver Wants to be ".
Fixing these stock keeps me in practice for the time that one Rare rifle comes across my bench.
Then I will have all the skills practiced and well refined.
I use to fix cracked stocks , then use them as a Pattern to make a new stock on a Duplicator.
But I ended up with so many of similar patterns that I just started installing them back on the rifles

[wyofool]

Got the stock from DG and it mostly fits. It will need to be shorter and bedded.Attachment 254782 I think having the front band would help keeping things together. The barrel and reciever seem to fit well. Attachment 254783
there is some foreward/aft movement but bedding should take care of that
The stock around the trigger guard will have to be trimmed a little but the front and rear holes do align nicely. Attachment 254785
The LOP on the "new" stock is a little shorter than the cracked one, I hope it won't be a problem
Attachment 254786

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Glad to see that this has a possibility of working out for you. I'll send you a band if you'd like, complete with sling swivel. Since there's already one on the butt you'll be able to attach a sling without having to install any swivels. You will note that the band retaining spring in that particular stock is broken off, so you'll have to drift out the shaft which remains in the wood. Sometimes they're rusted in, so it may take a strong pin punch and some determined pounding. Best to try it from left to right. I did not send a band or the spring as I thought you would want to cut it off behind that location to maintain a pleasing ratio of stock to barrel. But, not actually seeing your project you may come out just fine. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and since it's your project you'll have to be the judge of what looks good. We're getting heavy snow here, so I may not make it out to the Post Office until perhaps Friday.

[415m3]

I see a LOT of excellent advice here. I'll just add a tiny fragment of an idea I learned a long time ago about stock/wood repairs.
Cracks need glue,, and to get the glue in the tiny spaces,, a small bird feather, using the edge can work into the cracks quite nicely. It's thin, strong, and can be used easily.

My son and I picked up a wrist cracked, all matching Gewehr 88, with numbered stock that just had to be saved. We carefully spread the crack, cleaned with acetone in a syringe, drilled small dowel pin holes at opposing angles, and used non waxed dental floss to drag epoxy deep into the fissures. Filed grooves in the dowels, tapped them in, and clamped for a week. Once dry, we smoothed the tops of the dowels and stained them to match stock. We've shot it quite a bit and it's holding strong. Feather's a good alternative to the floss.

[wyofool]

DG I haven't had a chance to discuss with my friend yet but was thinking the front band would help make things stronger. Like you say cutting the stock back would make a more "pleasing ratio of stock to barrel." I'll let you know in a PM. There is no hurry as my friend would like to be "involved" in the process and he just had some "back and knee stuff" done and is "down" for awhile.

[AZ Pete]

The way I was taught to get good penetration into a stock crack, with epoxy, is (using original acraglass), apply the epoxy to the crack and blow it into the crack with a hair dryer. The heat of the dryer thins the epoxy and I usually get very good penetration. Try it out.