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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Cutting Down A Stock


bja105

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What is the best way to cut a stock to a shorer length of pull?

 

I bought a sporterized m96 Swede, and I would like to make it fit my 5'1" wife. I cut the barrel to 20 inches. I would like to shorten the stock and add a recoil pad.

 

Cutting tools I have;

Circular saw

scroll saw

Sawsall

Hacksaw

 

I thought about measuring from the buttplate, and penciling a line, then scoring all around with the hacksaw. I could cut it long and file back to the line. I worry about splinters.

 

Anyone have a better way to get the stock fit to the shooter than trial and error?

 

Any reason to alter the existing angle of the buttplate?

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You may be able to go to a gunshow or shop and let her pick up some youth guns or anything shorter than normal and see how it feels. Then measure length of pull and use that on your gun. After you take off the existing pad / plate, stand the butt up on something dead flat and scribe your new line. I cut some off my No 1 to add a thicker recoil pad. We used a table saw and decent carbide blade. I don't think we scored it. We tried a cut first that was still long and it cut clean. You gotta know someone with a table saw. I'm not good enough with a file to flatten that much area after a cut from a narrow blade. It's tough to bring an end grain flat enough not to show gaps. But thats me, you may be more talented.

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There are different schools of thought as to the angle of the but-plate or recoil pad from the line of the barrel.

 

I go with 90* square to the barrel.

 

If you stand the stock upright with the butt on a table I don't think that you will get 90* to the barrel line with the original butt.

 

 

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I always tape the area of the cut all the way around the stock, and then cut through the tape. This prevents splintering. I use a power miter saw as the angle of cut can be set easily. The comb is not straight but tapers down toward the reciever making it hard to cut straight without an adjstable fence. I would never attempt to cut a stock with a hacksaw. I tried a bandsaw once and almost ruined a good stock. Table or power miter is the only way to go.

 

Swamprat

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Thanks, Swampy. Now that I get to teach a bit in a Gunsmithing curriculum (in addition to taking a bit also!), I find that I get as much satisfaction out of showing/explaining "how-to" as in the accomplishment of the task itself.

 

Clemson

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Hey Clemson

 

I'm glad that you had the shot of the stock with the square. That is what I was trying to communicate in my post.

 

Can you possibly provide your directions on using the grinding jig?

 

I know that you turn something upside-down and backwards and it works, but I can't work that out in my head.

 

My son ( the mechanical engineer ) built me some gunsmith tools. One of those jigs amongst them.

I've used everything else but not that yet. He built the tools from drawings. No directions on how to use.

I just haven't quite figured that one out yet.

 

Thanks!!

Tinker

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Hi Tinker. I will try to post the instructions that came with the jig later this week. The jig is in my home shop, and I am at work and at the school for the next two days.

 

The pitch (angle of the butt) will change with individual fitting. Generally speaking, thin men may take very little pitch, whereas women, generally require a bit more angle there because God gave 'em (thankfully) some anatomy that we guys just don't have. When the person being fitted makes a "pocket" on his/her shoulder to fit the buttstock into, that pitch angle should give the maximum amount of butt surface to shoulder contact. Women may wonder just where to put the gun. I generally instruct them to put the gun butt right on top of their bra strap. A gun that has only the toe of the stock in contact with the shoulder will hurt like hell to shoot. One with strong heel contact will tend to rise and smite the shooter in the cheek. Get it right, and the gun feels much better to shoot.

 

Now I have told you more than I know about shotgun fitting!

 

Clemson

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Clemson, that was about a perfect tutorial. Have you ever considered doing a series of these as loose leaf pages which could be added to a loose leaf notebook. By doing one at a time you could sell them one at a time to the other fellows who either couldn't afford the whole collection, or, were only interested in specific issues.

 

I try to add tips on items I've dealt with but don't have a camera and writing this out is difficult and long if you want to get info which is clear and accurate. Congrats, you and Z have the experience, camera skills, and knowledge to really do it professionally. I know I'mleaving one or two other highly qualified fellows out, sometimes I think I have terminal Senior Moment Syndrome. Bill.

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