Making your own stock?

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Even though it probably won’t be cost effective, the thought of making my own stock out of some “purdy” wood and hand fitting it to my build and the rifle has always appealed to me. For starters I would probably try my hand at an Encore stock and a few matching forehands. Are there any good books out there (or online sources) that detail out how to make stocks?

[flounderman]

If you never have done any stock work, buy a semi inletted blank and don't make too many changes in the profile. If you are a glutton for punishment, calico has the weatherby seconds with no inletting for 25 or 35 dollars. I just finished one of them and it came out nice but it was starting to feel like a career before I finished it and I been doing this for 55 years or more. I know where there are some unfinished encore stocks and fore ends, or there were some. I'm in contact with the person about some one piece stocks and if you are interested, I can ask if they have any.

[Reverend Recoil]

I have made several stocks from the blank. It is not as hard as it may first appear. The key is to break it down to specific details. Most all of the information that you will find will be on re-stocking bolt-action rifles. Those are most easier done than the typical two-piece rifle or shotgun stocks. If the Encore stock is attached with a through-bolt going through the grip that will make things much easier.

The NRA's book, "Gunsmithing Guide" has very good information for making a stock from the blank. It is no longer in print but can be found on Amazon and Ebay. Wolf's "Gunsmithing Tips and Projects" is also a good book with this information. It is availible from Brownells and directly from Wolf. http://www.riflemagazine.com/catalog/detail.cfm?ProductID=1655

The layout is the critical part of making a good stock. It helps to have an old stock beside you to transfer inletting measurements. Good luck.

[geargnasher]

I've made a few, starting with sawing down the tree. Last one I did was a Henry buttstock out of a particularly pretty scrap of cabinet-grade black walnut, it was already planed smooth to 2" thick and straightlined, cut it out with a bandsaw. It felt a lot like cheating.

It ain't impossible, but it ain't easy either. It helps if you have a GOOD set of wood chisels, a bandsaw, and a bench-mounted belt sander. An electric random d/a sander is also handy as is a tablesaw and a carving horse with work clamp.

Gear

[Bent Ramrod]

You will have a great sense of accomplishment when you finish, but the job does go on and on,unless you're talented or otherwise expert.

For someone who is neither (like me) I find the trick is to go slowly enough so I can head off mistakes before they become too noticeable, but steadily enough so I can eventually shoot the rifle. Take the stock into the house with you, don't just leave it in the shop overnight, and keep looking at it critically, and comparing it with stocks you already have. You will begin to see what it takes to get the graceful proportions and geometry that makes it look good. Almost anybody can look at a rifle or shotgun and know the stock is a masterpiece, but getting that shape out of a blank piece of wood is surprisingly tricky.

For a first book, there is only one choice IMHO. Alvin Linden's four volume treatise on stock making is not only great for step by step instruction for specific examples, it is also great for overall general philosophy and fun reading into the bargain. I think it's been reprinted in one volume by Wolfe or somebody.

You might also check out the stockmaking chapters in Howe's Modern Gunsmithing.

[Bret4207]

Bent Ramrod beat me to recommending Alvin Lindens book. The general gunsmithing books like Howe, Dunlap, Baker, Vickery, Fraiser, etc. also cover stocking. In fact, there are a lot of books out there showing how it's done. Seeing ti done and doing it are two different things though! And don't forget Brownells Gunsmiths Kinks series too, and all the black powder gunsmithing books. THe principle is the same in all- get rid of everything that doesn't look like a gun stock and fit the metal with no gaps and solid support where needed, or something like that.

There was a joke going around years back about a guy bragging on the stock his kid was going to do. Everyone told him it would take weeks or months to do. He came back 3 days later and said the kid was putting the final finish on it that night. Everyone was amazed! Then the guy noted that all the kid had left to do after that was inlet the barreled action..........

[leftiye]

Seriously, with a die grinder with a large oval wood burr, you can literally whittle your extra wood into shape. If you're not dremel friendly, you need to be careful, wood doesn't cut the same from all angles. Chiseling out the action recess is the hard part. P.S. a big rasp thas sharp is a good tool to have.

[Beekeeper]

I make all of my own stocks.
It takes a lot of patience and being able to kinda see what you are trying to get it to look like.
My first was made from looking at pictures more than 50 years ago.
Didn't come out right but the learning experience was worth it.

My suggestion ,
Find a stock you like and maybe want yours to look like.
Use it as a pattern.
Cut your blank ( I use common old bannister grade wood)
Leave at least 1/4 inch or more all around the blank ( some goofs can be covered up)
Cut your barrel and receiver channel first ( this is the hardest part getting it straight) and then form the exterior.
Buy a good heavy tooth rasp and a couple of smoother grades for finish work on the outside.
Buy (and most important) a GOOD set of chisels both flat and gouges in various sizes and keep them razor sharp.
Nothing , I repeat Nothing will screw up your work faster than a dull chisel or rasp.

You have to be able to zone out while you are working on it so lock the door and turn off the phone as any distraction will cause a slip and maybe ruin a couple of weeks work.

Best advice, Rome wasn't built in one day and you will not make a stock in one day so go slow and when you loose your concentration STOP and pick it up annother day.

Have fun as that is what it is all about anyway!!


beekeeper

[Bren R.]

Best advice, Rome wasn't built in one day and you will not make a stock in one day so go slow and when you loose your concentration STOP and pick it up annother day.

I second that.

Last week, I cut out, thicknessed, did some primary shaping and inletting on a set of grips, did a test for depth, and then did the next bit of inletting... on the wrong side of the grip.


Have fun as that is what it is all about anyway!!

Second that as well.

Bren R.

[Casting Timmy]

I don;t know how you guys feel about Bill Holmes books, but he really suggest using a milling machine for the majority of the wood removal. I really like the sound of that as I am more comfortable with a milling machine than most wood working tools.

I suggest using the tools you are most comforable, for me I would use a milling machine.

[paul h]

Actually I'd say stock making is one of the activities that is definately cost effective if you're looking to make a nice custom stock out of a nice piece of wood. It can easily take 40 hours to complete a stock which is why custom wood stocks are very expensive, lots of skilled hand laobor. I was fortunate to be tutored by a friend who's been making stocks for decades and is a master wood worker.

One comment of his that has always stuck with me is that it takes just as much labor to make a stock out of a piece of firewood as it does to make a stock out of the finest blank you can find. The corralary is that if you start with a cheap piece of wood you might fall into the attitude that you can take shortcuts on your work and not put forth your best effort. In that case, all you've done is learn how to make a mediocre stock and hence have wasted your time and a piece of wood.

I'm not suggesting starting with a $2000 piece of Circasian Walnut, but I would recomend getting a nice enough piece of wood to encourage yourself to put forth your best effort and to be happy with the end result.

A 90% inletted stock has 100% of the easy work done and 0% of the hard work. Also remember that to remove a high spot, all you have to do is remove the high spot. To remove a low spot, you have to remove everything but the low spot.