Gunsmithing Can I Salvage This Stock?

[jrhtx]

I need suggestions to see if I can salvage this stock. McMillan A3 for a Tikka T3 CTR.

First, it was NOT bought on SH.

It is also not returnable. It is my fault that I didn’t ask enough questions but the seller was not completely up front about the “bedding work” that was done to the stock.

OK, that said. I have not shot it yet; my range has been closed for over 2 months and won’t open for a few more weeks.

The action bedding is not great but it is at least hard and the lug is bedded and the barreled action seem to fit tight..

My issue is the gray material in the mag well area. Besides looking like crap, it is soft, almost like putty. If it is epoxy it obviously was not mixed properly. What I am thinking is to scrap out all the gray material, clean it up with acetone, and then use Devcon or Marine Tex to bed the bottom metal. Not having tried bedding an action or bottom metal everyone has to start somewhere. I am using the factory Tikka bottom metal.

I have not found any info or video on bedding bottom metal. Lots of info on action bedding. Anyone have something on bedding bottom metal? I really don’t want to scrap the stock. It was less than a new McMillan but still have money in the stock.

I pulled the barreled action on my APA 223 and it looks like the Surgeon bottom metal is bedded. As usual, Jared’s work is perfect.

Thanks!
J

 

[supercorndogs]

Its probably doable, I don't think I would put the work into it. Usually bedding the bottom metal, you are just snugging up the fit, not trying to refill a huge gap.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Go for it and do it yourself. If nothing else it'll be a good learning experience.

 

[Millsworks]

Gouge out the soft stuff and skim coat it with epoxy resin to seal it.
That is likely all that is needed to make it stable. But I myself would use a air die grinder with a rasp bit and nock it all down an eighth of an inch or so. If it all seems hard ,then I would refill and bed it again.
If more soft spots are found ,then keep grinding and start over.
Sounds worse than it is to do.
I have done similar rebedding on goofs in the past.
Soft bedding is only good for sleeping on.

 

[Mike Casselton]

I say scrap it and send it to me for disposal.

What the others said, clean it up and rebed it. It will be fine.

I have one on my bench that was inletted to a Winchester. It's all fitted up for a 700 now and just needs to be bedded in.

 

[LRI]

Short of running a composite stock through a tree chipper or an incinerator, you literally cannot ruin it. You just make more work for yourself.

Based on that, the only real decision is to accurately gauge your level of commitment. I own a well equipped shop and were setup for exactly this kind of thing. If it were here, we'd gut the core completely and fill it back up. -Something we do all the time when stocks come in that were "gunsmitt'd" by whoever.

Replacing what is there is the easy part. The work comes when its time to inlet it all over again. It can be done with hand tools, but you better have the patience of a saint. Experience, software and automation sure make it a whole lot easier.

If this interest you, just give us a call. Happy to help.

C.

 

[jrhtx]

Thanks for all the recommendations.

Chad - Well, I do have a chipper at the ranch. Hadn't thought of destroying it but wouldn't want to chip the blades with metal parts. Will try and call this afternoon to discuss.

 

[mudpig]

Soft gray stuff might just be putty that they used as a dam for the epoxy. As everyone else has stated, it's not that bad of a job and if you screw up you just grind it back out and do it again

 

[supercorndogs]

Soft gray stuff might just be putty that they used as a dam for the epoxy. As everyone else has stated, it's not that bad of a job and if you screw up you just grind it back out and do it again

I think everyone saying "its not a bad job" is not looking at or not comprehending what is shown in the pictures. Its going to be a big job, and PIA to refill the the bottom metal inlet and re-cut it.

 

[powdahound76]

I will give ya $6.

I need a therapy project......

 

[Mk32784]

I looked at the first picture and was thinking "oh this isn't to bad..." scrolled down "oh.........."

I agree it's definitely salvageable, grind it all out redo all of it. But depends on how much time yous spending learning. I would send it off to LRI if it was mine.

 

[308pirate]

Short of running a composite stock through a tree chipper or an incinerator, you literally cannot ruin it. You just make more work for yourself.

Based on that, the only real decision is to accurately gauge your level of commitment. I own a well equipped shop and were setup for exactly this kind of thing. If it were here, we'd gut the core completely and fill it back up. -Something we do all the time when stocks come in that were "gunsmitt'd" by whoever.

Replacing what is there is the easy part. The work comes when its time to inlet it all over again. It can be done with hand tools, but you better have the patience of a saint. Experience, software and automation sure make it a whole lot easier.

If this interest you, just give us a call. Happy to help.

C.

OP, take the hint.

Fixing an inlet is one thing. Fixing an inlet and then re-inletting for something different is a whole nother ball of wax

 

[jrhtx]

I have a call into Chad. Maybe talk today.