Shortening LOP on wood stock: keeping it square?

[Elkins45]

I have a recently imported left handed Zastava 98 Mauser. These guns only came into the country with what were essentially stained but barely finished walnut stocks. I slopped a little bit of oil on mine and hunted with it this fall. Along the way I discovered that the LOP is way too long for me (and I have gorilla arms!) when wearing a heavy jacket. So I want to shorten it a bit and do a proper refinish job.



How do you make sure your cut is square? I don't want to have to hand flatten the butt with a rasp because I cut it off at an angle. I do want to install a pad or at least a but plate of some sort, so just leaving a canted wood butt isn't really a solution. Besides, that would see way too much wear when used as a real hunting gun.

I have access to normal hand and power tools. My first thought was to use a table saw and square the blade to the butt. I'm concerned that it would be tough to guide with the butt against the fence, and I also fear that tearout would be a problem when the teeth exit the cut.

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[creeper1956]

Tape. Use tape to determine your cut line, using your original butt end as reference. Cut on the tape line with a fine tooth saw, slowly and carefully.

As to recoil pads... I like to use the Morgan adjustable butt plate and pad. At $55, even the premium kit is a hell of a deal. You'll have to grind, file, sand and polish the aluminum plate (or plastic if you get the cheap one) to fit it to the stock, but it's well worth effort.

Here's a shot of one I mounted on my HW97K.

 

[Clipper]

I use my cutoff saw. Shim the stock along the barrel channel on the floor next to the saw until the butt is just touching the saw table and cut. The abrasive wheel will make an absolutely flat cut with no chipping.

 

[BBBBill]

Both methods mentioned above are good and will avoid tearout which is of concern with power tools. You can do it with a power miter saw by carefully shimming the stock and verifying alignment before turning on the saw. A fine toothed blade and tape along the cut line with a slow feed will get it done. I like to leave a tiny bit to finish by hand with a sanding block.
My question for you - Where to find another of those? I've been jonesin' for a lefty Mauser actioned rifle.

 

[Elkins45]

Thanks for all the good ideas so far. Info on the lefty Mauser group buy is here: http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/837108194/m/4751008871