Looking for advise on putting a sling onto a Stevens 58 in 410

[Tokarev]

Hi all,

Hoping everyone is safe and sound, and my prayers are with all the members of this forum!

I own a bolt action, tube-fed 410 Stevens 58 shotgun with a blonde stock that has no sling studs or other means of attaching a sling.
After looking at many ads of hardware for this purpose, I am weary of the screws because I am convinced that they will work themselves loose sooner or later.
Since I have never done any stock work, except for shaving a fraction of an inch from a brand new Boyds stock, to let my action drop in, I am soliciting advise as to the most reliable way to attach a sling to my shotty.

Looks like there is plenty of meat in the foregrip area, but I am still not sure if just putting a screw stud in there is a good idea.

Thank you!

Attachment 258795Attachment 258796

[Jedman]

I see no problem with a screw stud for the rear of the stock if installed right it wount pull out. For the front they make barrel band style metal swivels that clamp on and work well.
Another idea looking at the pic of your stock it looks like it is generously inletted and maybe you could take a piece from a skinny leather belt or what have you and make a small loop and secure it to the wood on the inside of the barrel channel or a screw into the metal block separating the barrel and mag tube ?

Jedman

[Tokarev]

I see no problem with a screw stud for the rear of the stock if installed right it wount pull out.

Thanks for the input! So you believe that something like this will not unscrew all by itself from being carried in the bush?

Attachment 258810

[porthos]

the better guns have coarse "wood screws " in the buttstock. in the forend machine screws and a nut (usually round and inletted into the wood). they don't work loose if installed properly.

[Bazoo]

With as thin as the forearm is, I'd guess you'd have issues with the standard wood screw stud. They make a machine screw stud with a nut you inlet on the inside. I'd look at modifying one of those to work. You'd likely have to thin the nut some but it could be rather thin and still hold securely, and with some loctite, never give any trouble.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1006453692

Uncle mikes makes similar as well.

[Texas by God]

The forend wood should be at least a bit thicker than the short stud pictured to work. If not, seek out a mag band swivel for lever action rifles. I've never had a swivel stud unscrew itself in 50 years of installing and using them.

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[JSnover]

Thanks for the input! So you believe that something like this will not unscrew all by itself from being carried in the bush?

Attachment 258810

I have those on two of my rifles and they've never come loose. Installed them in the early 90s.

[kaiser]

You might want to consider a "shotgun" sling, which consists of two loops at the end of a leather, or cordura sling; one looping over the stock and the other (smaller) that loops over the barrel. It is easy on and off, and it folds to go into a vest or pocket when not in use. You can usually find this type of sling in sales catalogs that specialize in waterfowl and upland game shooting accessories.

An alternative would be obtain a sling that has a large, wide front portion. Cut a hole in the front portion large enough for the barrel to go through, stitch around the hole to reinforce the stress area, then drill and install a "sling eye" for the common sling swivels to attach. While it's not the prettiest sling, it is functional, and more than serves the purpose when you need to free both hands at the same time. I have such a sling on an old Savage 1899 that I didn't want to drill the thin forearm or attach a barrel sling stud to its nicely contoured barrel. Good luck!

[pietro]

Thanks for the input! So you believe that something like this will not unscrew all by itself from being carried in the bush?

Attachment 258810

You have the wrong studs with that set - the buttstock screw should be a wood screw; the forend screw should be a machine screw with nut.

The hole for the forend machine screw is drilled through the forend wood, into the barrel channel; then the inside of the barrel channel at the inside end of the hole should be countersunk enough so that the nut will not contact the barrel. (the end of the machine screw may also need to be shortened accordingly, to clear the barrel).

[samari46]

Pietro is absolutely correct. Machine screw for the forend and wood screw for the rear swivel. You may have to trim the machined screw for length to avoid contact with the barrel. I have a Parker Hale sporter made after WWII. They cut down the original for end and I used one of the lightening recesses in the stock for the sling swivel stud. And added a tiny brass washer to spread the load under the nut. And had to trim the threaded section to prevent contact with the barrel. Frank

[JSnover]

You might want to consider a "shotgun" sling, which consists of two loops at the end of a leather, or cordura sling; one looping over the stock and the other (smaller) that loops over the barrel. It is easy on and off, and it folds to go into a vest or pocket when not in use. You can usually find this type of sling in sales catalogs that specialize in waterfowl and upland game shooting accessories.

I always thought that was a great idea. If nothing else, a tough little sling like that can come in handy for a few other things.

[Mk42gunner]

Not sure just how thin the wood is on your foreend, but you can replace the machine screw theaded nut with a standard hex nut if you have clearance issues. IIRC they are a 10-32 pitch.

I also tend to use Accraglas gel to lock the front sling stud and nut in place, truthfully, just about any good epoxy will work for this purpose.

Robert

[Thin Man]

I have a Savage Sporter 25-20 and plan to carry it out to meet the local coyote population. This rifle is in very nice appearance condition so I have resisted the idea of installing sling studs in the stock. Lately I bought a few shotgun slings, tried one on this rifle and am very happy with the way it works. Now I can retain this rifle's originality and still carry it through the woods with ease. Wish I had learned about this solution years ago with some other long guns I have carried out hunting.

[Tokarev]

Not sure just how thin the wood is on your foreend,Robert

About 1/2" in the beefier section in front of the "action".

I will try two solutions: one will be the 100% leather, mounted to the mag tube in the front and the stock in the back, and if that will not work well then I will put the machine screw stud in the foreend and the wood screw stud in the stock.

This garden-variety shotgun does not have much value in its original state and modifying its stock does not feel like butchering it.