has anyone mounted a rail directly onto a Hogue oermolded rifle stock

[Sheepdog1968]

I don't want to start a thread on mini-14 relability or accuracy or it's choice as a weapon.

I've got a mini-14 that I have found to be accurate and reilable. I want to mount a small rail near the front of the right side of the stock so I can attach a light onto it. Has anyone done this on a Hogue overmolded stock? It's "plastic" so I'm not sure if screws would work or I should use rivets. Have any of you done this? I don't know if this would put stress points in the plastic and cause it to crack.

There are lots of other solutions (other stocks, heatshields w rails, things I can bolt onto gas port or barrel, use a wood stock, etc). I don't want to use these other solutions. I just want to mount the small rail onto the side of the stock.

Many thanks for your help.

 

[highorder]

I've found that you can firmly mount things in plastic by choosing an appropriate diameter pilot drill and UNC threads.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Thanks Highorder. Anyone else?

 

[pbrktrt]

Kkina, the creator of the Accu-Strut did just that to his Houge. If you go to PerfectUnion.com there should be an older thread with step by step instructions and pics. I believe he used some nut inserts with the teeth on the flange and it worked well.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Kkina, the creator of the Accu-Strut did just that to his Houge. If you go to PerfectUnion.com there should be an older thread with step by step instructions and pics. I believe he used some nut inserts with the teeth on the flange and it worked well.

Thanks. I'm getting the impression that it isn't going to crack on me. I'm also considering just using pop rivets.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Kkina, the creator of the Accu-Strut did just that to his Houge. If you go to PerfectUnion.com there should be an older thread with step by step instructions and pics. I believe he used some nut inserts with the teeth on the flange and it worked well.

I found the article. Was very easy to find doing a quick Google search. I had done Google searches before on this but couldn't find anything. Many thanks for pointing out who and which discussion group. I've posted the link below in case anyone else is curious.

http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/showthread.php?p=590303

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Well, I mounted the rail over the weekend. I basically used Khina's method descirbed above link in Perfect Union but I wanted to use pop rivets instead of screws.

I took an aluminium non-descript rail and cut off about a 2" long section. I drilled and countersunk 1/8" holes (9/64th actually so slightly oversized for the rivet). I had clamped the rail in place when I didn't the initial holes so that the holes in the synthetic stock and rail were aligned. I used pop rivets (1/8" aluminium longs so I was using similar metals) that had at least a 1/8" protusion all the way through the holes into the stock. I shimmed to the front with a 1/16" thick washer to slighly shift the focus of the light (similar to what Khinda did) which in all honesty really wasn't needed at least out to 25 yards. The pop rivets worked just fine. As my dad said "that rail is bonded so strong you could do chin ups on it."

I'm happy with the results and I now have a place to mount my light without having to but a bunch of aftermarket add ons which I didn't want to do since I really like the stock look of the mini-14.