How do I shorten a synthetic stock?

[centershot]

Sounds simple enough doesn't it? But, how do you attach the buttplate after you've lopped off those nice plastic ribs it was attached to? I need to cut 1-1/4" off my Ruger American to make it fit, gonna' shorten a Stevens 200 to the same length if I can figure out "How"! Hollow plastic stocks on both rifles. Anybody have any thoughts?

[sparky45]

Here's a Youtube video that might give you some ideas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LOpTfzOOz4

[country gent]

Alot of the stocks may be foam filled to help support the fiber glass shell, if so cut it back and repour the ribs with fiberglass or bedding material. If it is a truly hollow stock a piece of strofoam fitted to the inside dimensions and glued in place then rebuild the ribs with bedding material or fiberglass. I would also recomend roughening the inside up to get the best bond between the two. The plug for the hollow stock could be made of foam, wood ( i would be hesitnat here as woods expansion may cause issues over time) , plastic, or metal. It needs to fit snug and securley all around to seal so filler dosnt run thru.

[centershot]

Cutting the stock is no problem. Gotta' find a way to attach the buttplate once the ribs have been cut down. I was wondering about using something like Bondo. Maybe fill the stock with spray foam, cut out an inch or so when hard and then pour in Bondo to accept the screws?? Yes, it is a hollow plastic stock.

[Bzcraig]

just my opinion but before I would go through all that I'd just put a better stock on it from Boyds and get a custom length of pull.

[country gent]

The spary foam will work bondop may be a little on the brittle side for this. I would use the fiberglass and mix some fibers from the matting into it to give it more strength. Insert could be turned from brass aluminum or steel and set right in it when pouring tto get machine threads in it

[Parson]

When cutting it do it by hand or if using an electric saw go slow or even back up several times or you will melt it. Score the inside where you plan on putting some sort of epoxy putty or it may come loose, most do not stick well to plastic. Most anything can be used for a filler, I generally use styrofoam used in packing cut to shape

[Mk42gunner]

I glued a Pachmayr pad onto a Savage stock one time. Unfortunately, I don't remember just what type of epoxy I used, maybe Accraglas Gel?

I do know that it stayed on for several years before I traded the rifle off.

Robert

[lefty o]

a good epoxy may work, but if it were me and i had to shorten one of them cheapy factory plastic stocks,id cut it then make a wood plug to fit in the stock. glue the wood plug in then screw a pad onto the wood plug, and then sand the pad down to fit the stock.

[pietro]

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I've shortened several synthetic stocks, and have successfully attached/secured buttplates/pads by filling the hollow with sprayed-in expanding foam, the digging out the last 1" of the cured foam.

I then run in & seat the buttplate/pad screws into/through the buttplate/pad, coat the exposed screw threads with wax, fill the dug out area with fiberglas bedding material, then seat the pad/screw assembly into the uncured bedding compound, securing the pad in place with tape (duct tape, masking tape, etc) until the bedding's cured (usually overnite).

After everything's cured & it's time to cut the pad/plate down to fit flush with the outside of the buttstock, either file/sand it down by hand, or be very careful not to build up any heat if power grinding/sanding to fit.




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[centershot]

Thank you pietro, that sounds like the most foolproof plan I've come across. I'll give it a try!