Gunsmithing my stock grew?!?

[komishe]

I'm having a little dilemma with my Boyd's blaster on my 10/22. I emailed Boyd's and Kurt Maus himself gave me his phone#, but we've both been to busy to get in touch by phone. I thought I'd try the experts here.
Here's the email I sent to Boyd's
Hi Guys

I bought a Boyd's 10/22 blaster stock last January. I was extremely pleased with the new look and feel of my Ruger. The action dropped right in and the fit was perfect.
I shot it all spring and summer and had absolutely no problems with it.
However, after putting it up this fall, I recently re-barreled it with a volquartsen of the same diameter of the E.A.brown it replaced. I noticed an EXTREME amount of wobble(horizontal only) of the barreled action in the stock. I can move the tip of the 24" barrel about 1". Upon investigation, there's a gap around the entire action is about a credit cards width(at least)
I'm assuming that the the humidity was the culprit, as the action has been bolted back in my hogue and the fit is as it should be.
I'm just wondering if you've ever heard of such a problem before and if there may be any solutions.


Thanks
Komishe Kan

It got a bit better leaving it in the living room with the wood stove burning the last few months, but it's still unacceptable. I'm just wondering if there's a procedure to get it normal size and stabilized, or if I'm effed....
So a B&C stock or a kydex riser project on the Hogue may be in the future if this can't be saved. 1/2" groups @ 50y with the dreaded hogue is acceptable(the cheek riser I jimmy rigged on with gorilla tape isn't.HA!Not one single one available within 100 miles,and I need to shoot)
So I don't really NEED a high end stock at the moment, just something a bit more ergonomical.

 

[thickstrings]

Re: my stock grew?!?

Get some aluminum tape,the kind they use for heating ducts.Put it on the action where the gap is..Not a permenent solution, but it will work for a long time.When it mashes down, you can put on another layer. 1" does seem excessive though.

 

[seanh]

Re: my stock grew?!?

So, the moisture content has increased in the stock and you now have a loose fit?

If that is the case and you need to dry it out, setting it next to the stove will work. You can, build a hot box using a hot plate as a heat source...dry the stock then once back to the proper moisture content, seal it with polyurathane.

Maybe leave it as is, bead it, then seal it.

 

[komishe]

Re: my stock grew?!?

already been done.......ghetto bedding special. Forgot to mention that.It did help, and now that it shrunk some, it's nearly acceptable. Thanks for the input

 

[komishe]

Re: my stock grew?!?

I have a low temp oven I built for cerakote(holds+-5degrees to about 300ish. What would be a safe temperature for it, and how long.
It was waayyyy to big a gap to bed according to my buddy who's done few bedding jobs. It may be acceptable now......
I know nothing about woodwork.
Thanks for the input

 

[seanh]

Re: my stock grew?!?

Can you get some pics showing the fit around the action? Maybe a pic of the tilt?

Call Chad Dixon and ask him about bedding. To give you an idea of how thick bedding/filling can be. Chad generally will only do stock work on a blank stock...no inlet done. When I sent my rifle to him I'd asked about having it fit...couldn't afford a new stock.

He offered to fill the stock, recut it and bed it...his bedding is .050 thick, using marinetex (believe that's what he uses)

if all you are is credit card thick off... you'll be good to go.


What temp? I don't recall exactly. From memory, it's about 200 Deg F, for about an hour. I'd call Boyd back and see what he says...you can do all the research yourself but I'd rather hear it from a stock maker directly. Maybe he can replace it?

can your oven temp be adjusted?

One other thing you may consider is installing a nylon tipped screw in the stock to push down on the back of the receiver.

 

[komishe]

Re: my stock grew?!?

I left the stock at the gf's house, so I can't get pics of it till monday.
I always get voicemail when I call the # he gave me.
The oven temp. is fully adjustable up to 300ish. It was only a $100 stock, so I'll giv'er a quick blast in it and see what that yields me.
I'd like to use it for a 1st bedding job if I can get it decent again.
I've seen nylon nuts, but never screws. I'll investigate.

Thank you

 

[former naval person]

Re: my stock grew?!?

Drying it out completely is good. Be sure to seal all the wood afterward, inside and out, with thinned epoxy or polyurethane. (It sounds like Mr. Boyd's wood wasn't thoroughly cured.)You can build it up with Devcon steel to any thickness you desire. I'd do it in two stages tho...relieve any tight points and bed full thickness with a couple of layers of masking tape on the action, let set up for a few days, then skim bed with Devcon or Marine Tex...be sure to degrease the first bedding thoroughly and light roughen with 80 grit sandpaper for bonding purposes. Use wraps of electrician's tape around the barrel in two locations, near and far from the receiver to center the barrel. Use the same tape over the barrel center to pull the barreled action into contact with the stock. (Chad's way would be the best...especially if he does it!!!) JMHO

 

[komishe]

Re: my stock grew?!?

I just got off the phone with Kurt Maus at Boyd's. He said he's only heard of them shrinking, so I guess I got the anomaly. He was super friendly and was wondering why I didn't just want a replacement(it has sentimental values)
I told him I wouldn't hold him liable, so he said a hundred degrees for 3 hours and check it. He said 300 degrees was the highest temperature during their build process, so slower and lower temp is less risky.

I'll give bedding it a try for sure when it's better. Like I mentioned, it was only $100, so I'd rather use it to learn something new than spend any more dough on it.

Buddy is on the way with some kydex to fool around with on the hogue for the weekend.
If it all falls to hell, at least I'll have a good reason to buy a new B&C HA!

Thanks Everyone

 

[former naval person]

Re: my stock grew?!?

So...when you have it dried out, and the temp is back around 100 degrees F, coat it inside and out with thinned epoxy...it will suck it up and harden quickly making it stable to moisture changes.

 

[komishe]

Re: my stock grew?!?

thanks person
I've never thinned epoxy before. Do you prefer denatured alcohol, or acetone. And what ratio would I be mixing at?
That also looks a mite bit glossy for my tastebuds from what I've browsed. Is there a way to make it semi flat?

 

[former naval person]

Re: my stock grew?!?

Acetone or Methyl-ethyl-ketone works. Just mix the standard mix and add a little solvent at a time until thin as you like. It will soak in, the solvent will evaporate and the epoxy will set up. For a duller finish rub the stock down with 0000 steel wool after the epoxy hardens. I like the West System epoxy. Shelf time is years. The company sells a book on using their epoxies on boats...wooden and glass. The info applies directly to epoxies and gun work. Most any marine supply store handles it. West Marine or Jamestown Supply are two I use. Good luck.

 

[komishe]

Re: my stock grew?!?

Thanks
I got a few marine supply stores locally. I retrieve my stock tomorrow and the fun will commence mid-week.

 

[seanh]

Re: my stock grew?!?

don't forget the release agent for the marine tex...