[hilltopper55]

Greetings, I have a very old Stevens 5100 12 ga SXS. The stock and forearm are checkered. There are two small cracks about 1-1/2 inches near the receiver. Can the stock be resonably repaired? How would you glue it and what would you use? I can buy a 95% finished stock, but it has no checkering. Any help Appreciated. Thanks

[Clemson]

Most cracks can be repaired fairly easily. They can be repaired almost invisibly, and the repair will be stronger than the underlying wood.

Their are many options for a repair agent, but I like to use Acraglas from Brownells. Use the Standard Acraglas and NOT Acraglas Gel. The standard Acraglas is a bit runny, and that is what you want for a crack repair. You also need a can of compressed air like "Dustoff." Mix the Acraglas, lay a bead on the crack, and blow it deep into the fissure with the Dustoff. Bind the glued up crack overnight using surgical rubber tubing. You can clean off any Acraglas that runs out with vinegar on a cloth.

Properly done, the crack repair will be permanent.

There was something that caused those cracks in the first place, and I like to "glass bed" the action to the stock. Using the instructions that come in the Acraglas kit, you can do that with the same stuff that you fixed the cracks with. (Fix the cracks first.) Basically, you skim coat the end of the stock that makes up to the receiver of the shotgun, reinstall the stock bolt to pull things up tight, and let it set up. This will close all the gaps and make it much less likely that recoil will open up new cracks. The only caveat here is to use release agent on the metal parts so that the gun won't be glued to the stock.

This is the Acraglas kit that I would recommend. It is stock # 081-003-002. http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/productdetail.aspx?p=1033&st=081-003-002&s=3758

Good luck!

Clemson

[hilltopper55]

Clemson, Thanks you very much for the information on how to repair a cracked stock. I will order the product for Brownell and begin the operation. Do you recommend boring the crack from the end and inserting a metal rod?

[rcmodel]

I wouldn't do that!

Clemsons advice is spot on!

The only thing I might do differently is take a Dremel and grind some slots across the cracks on the inside to hold more AcraGlas.
Also, skim a layer of inside wood off with the Dremel to make absolutely sure there is no old oil soaked into the surface.

The cleaner & rougher the wood is prepared, the better the AcraGlas will be able to bond to it.

rcmodel

[hilltopper55]

Thanks to both of you for the advise. Have a great weekend!