Need Help Repairing stock Win 94

[doctorggg]

I recently purchased a Win 94 Frontiersman Commerative rifle in 38-55. It was new in the box unfired from 1979. I have shot less than 100 rounds through it. The stock cracked about 2 inches on both sides of the top of the stock connecting to the butt plate. Any ideas on how to repair this?
Thank you in advance. Gregory

[docone31]

A repair like that, will be visible. Knowing that, you have choices.
Definately Long Set Epoxy, with threaded brass rods to pul the sides together. These can be removed later and replaced with wood dowels.
Pictures would help, otherwise we are just guessing.

[gandydancer]

I recently purchased a Win 94 Frontiersman Commerative rifle in 38-55. It was new in the box unfired from 1979. I have shot less than 100 rounds through it. The stock cracked about 2 inches on both sides of the top of the stock connecting to the butt plate. Any ideas on how to repair this?
Thank you in advance. Gregory
photo's photo's photo's.

[doctorggg]

Having trouble posting photos. Keep getting error message the file is not an image. It's a jpeg???

[doctorggg]

Pictures are too large. Anyone computer savy enough to tell me how to downsize? Thanks

[gkainz]

Upload to photobucket resize there and link to here.
Or use any of a number of photo resize utilities, windoze I think even has a built in now? Right click on pic, select properties and resize? Guessing now as I'm not on windows (and assuming you are?)

[doctorggg]

Photos

[doctorggg]

docone31 has given me some marvelous tips. I would like to publicly thank him for his time and effort. Any other comments are welcome. So far I have vertically countersunk 2 brass screws after using Devcon slow set epoxy. Thinking about inlaying the philips heads with silver per docone31 suggestion. Waiting for the epoxy to dry 24 hours. Thanks

[stocker]

If you ever have to do one of these again:
A high quality cabinet makers glue will work fine and be much less visible. Wrap with multi wraps of surgical tubing to close the gap or use a protected clamp. Don't put any visble screws in the wood. Withe the butt plate still removed inlet the bottom of the stock so you can fit in an X-shaped (Dutchman) piece of very hard wood that straddles the crack. The Dutchman should not be visible on the outside of the stock and will be covered by the plate. Install it with glass bedding compound flush with the wood surface of the butt. Check that the butt plate was not bent as it appears the stock took an impact on the heel causing the cracked wood. Straighten it if required. Drill the butt plate screw hole over size once your Dutchmen fix has cured. Double coat wax the butt plate with JPWax and double wax the screw. Mix a bit more bedding compound and put enough in the hole to fill any gap around the screw and the wood. Insert the screw and align the screw slot vertically on the plate . Just tape it down tight until the glass around the screw is cured. The wax should allow the screw to release from the glass mix if needed. Do a little finish blending and it should be hard to find the original crack.

[doctorggg]

You are very astute in your observations. I hadn't noticed it before but "supposedly an unfired gun" had some problems. The butt plate is bent forward at the top and upon removal has rust under it. I noticed where someone had removed it previously by the look of the screws. I guess I found out why I got it at 50 % of the going rate. Still I can't complain because I bought it to shoot not collect. I just finished doing something similar but not as strong as your suggestion. I put a dowel rod in each butt plate hole. Filled the large hole with wood putty and then removed the lower dowel rod and replaced the one screw. I am waiting for that to set up then I will continue. Thank you.

[flounderman]

I wouldn't have used screws. I believe the screw that held the butt plate on was too tight and moisture swelled the wood. there probably wasn't any finish under the plate. All the surfaces should be sealed or moisture can migrate thru the stock. The crack, if it runs thru the screw hole, probably was started when the screw was put in.

[MtGun44]

Good glue like epoxy or Titebond 2, work into crack well, with butt plate off. Wrap with
LOTS of surgical tubing, stretched tight. Layer it enough to close the gap, with a layer
of waxed paper between the tubing and the wood. Let it cure and then rework as
necessary (sand and refinish).

If that crack is caused by the buttplate screw, make sure you properly drill a clearance hole
as large or a bit larger than the solid inner portion of the screw. Too big is OK, it doesn't
take much to keep a buttplate on, and it is a wedge trying to rip your stock apart.

Bill

[quack1]

+1 for stockers evaluation and repair suggestions. I'd say that crack wasn't caused by the buttplate screw, but that the gun was dropped at some point, butt first. The crack appears in the pictures too near the heel to be a problem with the screw.

[doctorggg]

Quack1 I guess one of my friends could have dropped it while we were shooting. The butt plate had been bent forward and I had not noticed it. The crack was above the butt plate screw hole.
your summation is correct. Thanks guys.

[Gunfreak25]

There's some good advice here, but also a few things I would advise against. One being glue, which should never be used on a gunstock. Glue is not very resistant to the harsh vibrations a stock is subject to and if any oil makes it way to the glue it will begin to break down. I've been performing professional grade stock repairs to people all over the country from nearly every state since I was 16 or 17 years old. As far as using screws or pins goes, they can be used but need to be used properly. More often than not a screw will cause a crack to become larger or puts more of a spreading force on the area rather than a clamping force. I use do brass screws to reinforce broken forends, but I GLASS the screws into the barrel channel after cutting a long slot of wood out rather than actually screwing it into the wood.

This is a very easy repair to do, I finished a Model 97 stock a few months back that had a broken toe and a large piece broken off in the wrist area on the right side of the grip. I will see if I took photo's of the repair job and try to post them up.

I would be more than happy to do the repair for you. It looks to still be a very clean break and the repair would be nearly invisible and guaranteed for life.

www.tomsstocksmithing.com

[MBTcustom]

I would give it to Tom. Even if you already drilled the brass screws, the man is a magician with wood, and at the price you got the rifle, you can have it professionally repaired and still say you came out ahead.

[Gunfreak25]

Much obliged! I appreciate the kind words.

[doctorggg]

PM sent to Gunfreak25

[Gunfreak25]

Message received

[MBTcustom]

Your welcome, I read the sticky you wrote. Masterfully executed.