Making my own rifle stock

[sumpnz]

Well, as I've probably mentioned in other threads I'm an amateur wood-worker. One thing I've been tossing around in my mind recently is making my own rifle stock, specifically a replacement for my Turkish Mauser's original stock. That particular stock has a number of significant cracks in it, not to mention that it still oozes a little cosmoline (not much, and only on very hot days but it's there). Plus, the fit to the metal leaves a lot to be desired.

Anyway, point of this thread is, what kind of tools are going to be necessary to accomplish this task? Hand tools and power tools. I'm not averse to a lot of hand working with rasps, files, chisels and such, so if that's the best way to do certain things then I'm fine with it.

I already have a bandsaw (rough cut the blank) and a router. I would imagine that with a number of homemade jigs I could use the router to hog out the barrel channel, and the space for the receiver, magazine, action, and trigger group. But, would something else work better than the router?

In order to make a cheek piece, other than hand carving or making a fancy jig for the router, I'm not just sure how to do that. For checkering, would a Dremel and a steady hand be good enough, or would I need other tools. How would I do the shaping of the grip?

Any books or websites you can recommend?

What else am I overlooking?

I'm not looking into this to save money, and I don't want to buy an 80-90% finished blank. I want to do this just to say that I can. I probably won't be able to start a project like this for a while, but I do want to know what I'd be getting into so that I can plan ahead and maybe even put some tools on my Christmas list (one way to get gun stuff from my parents without them knowing - unfortunatly they're somewhat anti-gun).

 

[DeBee]

You should start with 2 books- Stockmaking by Alvin Linden which shows you how to layout and inlet from a block of wood and make the necessary tools and 2nd, Professional Stockmaking by Wesbrook which better shows you how to shape and sand perfectly then gives a variety of finishing techniques... Bandsaw is good. Router will get you no where fast- a hollow chisel mortise attachment on the drill press will help with the magazine box...

You'll quickly see why most people go for the semi inlet...

Then, you'll eventually want to checker. Dremels have there place in gunsmithing but not anywhere in the stockmaking phase. Step one: make a checkering cradle. Get your checkering tools. Practice checkering baseball bats. You'll know when you are ready to go for a stock.

 

[shoobe01]

I don't see why the router would be a problem. OTOH, the checkering is gonna have to be done by hand. Look in brownells to get the tools. The books are a good place to start. And keep in mind that wood can be cheap. Get a block of something solid enough to work accurately, but not necessarily right for a stock, and make a practice one or two. Might be you just can't do certain things well, or hate how they turn out.

Chisels. Big deal. Get a set if you don't have a good one. Only about a year ago I replaced the 'set' of inhereted and one-offs with a real (but still cheaper) set and it made a world of difference.

Though, like all woodworking, more handmade is nicer, I have always been fine with at least some machine work. I've seen film of factories making '03 and Garand stocks and they were about 100% on machines. I've never heard of anyone complaining how those turned out.

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

just use the router to cut the barrel channel while the blank is still square, it's no big problem.....

i used a belt sander to shape the stock for my saiga, it's not real pretty caused i'm not a big fan of hand sanding, but it's an AK already...

just get ready to spend some time breathing dust...

 

[JPM63US]

You can always go to Boyds and get a stock which is nearly fully inlet. Just some final fitting, and sanding. Then finish as you see fit. Hard to beat the costs.

 

[sumpnz]

JPM63US - see the first sentence in the last paragraph of my first post

DeBee, shoobe01 any yesterdaysyouth - Good info. I'll definatly look for those books before I get too serious about making sawdust.

just get ready to spend some time breathing dust...

My lungs wouldn't know what to do anymore without sawdust!

I already have a mortising attachment (1/4"-1") for my drill press, hadn't thought of useing that :banghead: . Thanks for pointing it out.

My chisel, file and rasp collection is seriously wanting. I'll be putting that on my Christmas list.

I was figuring the router would make quick work of the barrel channel, and could probably be used for some shaping of the outer profile (there's all sorts of speciality bits that can be had to cut all manners of shapes). The mentioned mortising of the mag well makes a lot more sense than trying to use the router. Sounds like some careful work at the bandsaw beyond just roughing out the side view profile might also be possible. Hmmm, definatly need to get those books.

Anybody know of good websites for stockmaking instructions? I tried googling and got way too many hits that were not what I really wanted to wade through.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

You'll also need stockmaker's screws appropriate to the action of the rifle. These long screws allow you to pull the action into the stock as you progress and check the fit.

It's a long, painstaking job -- but if you like it, go for it!

 

[4v50 Gary]

A router may be used to some extent to inlet the barrel.

Hand tools include numerous chisels, a spokeshave or drawknife, block plane, hand drill (or auger), inletting tools, checkering tools, #49 & #50 Nicholson file, surf form. Those are just some of the tools I use.