C stock for 1903A3

[samari46]

Have a nuce c stock for my 1903A3 springfield. However the previous owner cut the stock behind the mid band spring. What I would like to do is attach a piece of well fried rosewood. I was figuering on a piece 2" long and attaching it with a dowel with some type of long setting 2 part epoxy. Locktite sells a 2 part Marine epoxy. I've never so if someone could give me a thumb nail sketch on how it should be done I'd appreciate it/ Thanks,Frank

[Winger Ed.]

The marine epoxy will work great, but you really shoudn't need all the extra qualities it has over the regular 2 part.

I put a ebony wood fore end tip on a 50's era Fajen stock I scrounged and put on my sporterized '03 20 or so years ago.
It was the one with sort of flat sides & bottom like a old school Weatherby.

I used slower set version (I think) of Locktite brand 2 part epoxy with 2-- 1/4" dia dowels going into each part about 3/8 inch deep.
I did a snug, but not tight fit so the epoxy could get a grip on everything as it set up.
I drilled the holes in the stock, then with 2 layers of masking tape on the new piece, put it up to the stock and tapped it.
You'll see impressions of where to drill the holes in it.

I'd seen a white line spacer crack & break on something once.
Instead of plastic, I got a piece of 1/16th inch thick basswood from the hobby section
of the local hardware store and made my spacer out of it.

Its tan instead of white, but I doubt it will crack and a have chunk fall out in my lifetime.

I epoxied it all together about 20 years ago, and it still looked great when I passed the rifle on to my younger sister last year.

Make your ALL your saw cuts & shaping on the new piece before you glue it together.
You want to minimize how much sanding you have to do once it's all together.
That helps avoid any possible damage or 'shrinkage' to the original stock.

When sanding, always use a block with a hard, true, and flat surface.
Sand over and around a curve, never along it, or you'll get flat lines instead of following the curve.
Without a block, you're guaranteed to get humps, uneven levels from one wood to another and 'finger tracks'.

Good luck with it, and it'll be great to see pictures when ya get it done.

[samari46]

Thanks for the tips. I have an 2' long square 2"x2" stick of rosewood and will be cutting wither 2" long or slightly shorter. Once the epoxy is setup will use an old stanley (made in England would you believe it?) and try to get the wood pared down and a straight edge so follow the original lines of the stock. And maybe a small spokeshave if I can find it. Pretty neat design that stock. palm swells on both sides, wood is pretty thick along where the action is and some of our modern commercial rifle makers could take a few clues and the comb is way higher than what Remington,and Ruger and others use. My one peeve is Ruger does
is having a low comb and have to get my fat face on the comb to get a good cheek weld.wither that or buy one of the competive target shooters cheek rest. Same with my Rem sendero. Then I"m gonna get me one of British cheek risers for my Long Branch Parker Hale sporter. I have a British back stock that was sold in upstate NY.I'll run a forsner bit toget a flat surface and add on an 1" thick piece of walnut so's I have something to actually to hold to. Frank

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Sure hope that you take and post some photos of your project! :-D

[samari46]

Craig and others. I don't know how many times someone has asked for me to post pictures. What can I say is that I never learned and at 73 I'm electronically challenged. Not to take anyone to task but even my Chinese alarm clock gives me fits at times. My last printer I gave away cause I couldn't get it to work.
One thing I thought about is finding my old steel ruler cause I'm going to need it to make sure the forend tip follows the lines of the forend otherwise that stock is going to look like it swallowed an egg. But thanks for asking by the way. Frank

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Sure know the feeling and the situation there, pard. I'm 77 and can't even get the hang of texting on a flip phone. My daughter and son-in-law got me one on their plan, and it only costs me $10 per month, so I leave it turned off in my desk drawer unless I go somewhere, and then if I remember I take it along in case I have to call AAA for a tow. But, I don't turn it on unless I need it. What the hey-- I've got a landline and an answering machine-- the way God intended for things to be. Love computers and e-mails, and can send and post photos, but I think it's easier on some programs than others. I've got an extra ruler and still have your address if you need one.

Here's sort of an unusual fore-end tip I did maybe 6 or 7 years ago on a Krag that someone had decided to cut off like a Weatherby -- back angled.
The replacement fore-end tip, if you want to call it that, maybe stock extension was unusually long to put the stock in proportion to the barrel length. It is walnut on walnut, but a nice contrast.
Click to enlarge.
250122

One of my favorites is maple on walnut. Kind of understated and conservative (like me!).
250123

Rosewood will be nice, I know. :-D

DG

[Winger Ed.]

. I'm electronically challenged. Chinese alarm clock gives me fits at times.

You're in good company.

George Senior once said he never could get the clock on his VCR to stop blinking 12:00.
And he was the President of the United States.

[lefty o]

pins or dowels used in conjunction with epoxy will work fine. be aware that rosewood is a waxy wood, and should be well degreased just before installing it.

[gnoahhh]

Good advice, re: de-oiling the rosewood before epoxying. (Ditto when using ebony.)

When attaching a forend tip I stick a 1/4" dowel in just to locate it and secure it until the epoxy cures. For a final sure-fire way to keep it permanently attached I have adopted the following protocol: when all said and done, I mill a mortise in the barrel channel that subtends around an inch of walnut and an inch of the new tip. 3/8 or 1/2" wide and at least 1/2" deep, and then epoxy in a wooden tight-fitting floating tenon. Super strong and guaranteed to never allow the tip to part company with the stock. (Without use of a milling machine, it can be accomplished with a chisel too, but I would execute the mortise in the tip before installing, or at least rough it in before attaching, so as not to over stress the little dowel that's clinging to life under the surface.)

[TNsailorman]

I have repaired a stock or 2 by using glass bedding epoxy and dowels. When the stock is broken in 2 piece, I sometimes use a metal screw of the appropriate length and size with the head cut off. Drill a hole on each side of the break and fill with the epoxy and the screw, epoxy the two piece at the break and join together. Hold/clamp in place until the epoxy has dried. It might break in another place but not where it is repaired(at least I have never heard of it happening).

[samari46]

No milling machine but have a drill press and a set of forstner bits or could use a dremel with variable speed to epoxy in a dowel. Would work. Never knew rosewood was a waxy wood. But have had it for over 20 years if that makes any difference. If worse comes to worse I have a piece pf cherry which I can cut a piece off of.

Craig, no worries regarding a steel ruler. Have a couple in my tool chest of machinists tools. Not that I'm a machinist.Just like to do odd ball stuff on my lathe. Frank