wooden stock worries

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BoltActionPrepper

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Hello everyone,i just joined THR today and this is my first post.I have a question regarding wooden rifle stocks.Most,if not all,military bolt action rifles with wooden stocks have a cross-bolt in them.It is my understanding that this is to reinforce the recoil lug area to keep the stocking from splitting/being damaged.So if this is considered a requirement on military rifles,why doesn't bolt action sporting arms with wooden stocks have a cross-bolt?Wouldn't it be just as necessary to preserve the integrity of a sporting stock?:confused:
 
Most sporting stocks are not expected to have to endure living weeks or months in a foxhole full of water.
Or shooting rifle grenades off of them with the butt stuck in the ground to absorb the horrendous recoil.
Or bayonet fighting.
Or used as a club in hand to hand combat.

Cross-bolts on sporting rifles are generally used in very hard kicking African calibers like .416 or .458 to keep the magazine box from splitting the stock apart.

Not really necessary in lighter calibers.

And todays near perfect glass bedding in wood stocks, and synthetic stocks have pretty much negated the need for them at all.

rc
 
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that makes sense i suppose,but i plan on using my new cz550 american in 30/06 really hard....is there any way that i can have a cross-bolt installed because like i said,i'm going to shoot this rifle ALOT.
 
Sure, any decent gunsmith can do it.

Or, you could have him inlet the back of the recoil shoulder in the stock and glass bed a hidden steel rod in it. Thats probably better & stronger then a through-bolt.

rc
 
If you're that worried about it and are expecting it to be a utilitarian rifle, you could look into an aftermarket synthetic stock.
 
that would be alot eaiser snakeman,but i'm a wood-stock man myself....i'd rather just go out of my way to improve the wooden stock....i'm also thinking about having the hideous monte-carlo cheek piece removed and a steel grip cap installed,and thats impossible with a synthetic stock (i think anyway)...i'll end up putting alot of money in this rifle but the end result will be awesome...my one good gun.
 
I would suggest heeding RC's advice and don't worry about it. There are better things to spend your money on. If you were building a custom .375 or .416, it would be different.
 
The only way you are going to damage your stock is by shooting alot of overpressure loads or abuse. You will wear the bore out before you wear the stock out. The most likely reason people have had their stock crack is because they let the action screws become loose. I have been shooting rifles with no crossbolt for over 50 years with zero problems with the stock.....chris3
 
Usually larger caliber hunting rifles have them. My model 70 supergrade in 300 win mag has one and I know the Alaskan and African m70's have two cross bolts to handle more powerful cartridges like the 375hh 458 win mag ect. Even my sako 85 classic has two cross bolts and thats chambered for a relatively weak cartridge, 25-06.
 
i'm also thinking about having the hideous monte-carlo cheek piece removed
Click to expand...
Has it occurred to you that Monti-Carlo comb was put there for a reason?

If you scope the rifle, it needs to stay right where it's at for cheek support and eye alignment the same each shoot.

rc
 
Has it occurred to you that Monti-Carlo comb was put there for a reason?

If you scope the rifle, it needs to stay right where it's at for cheek support and eye alignment the same each shoot.
Click to expand...

True enough, but there are other ways to get cheek support and eye alignment without a monte-carlo cheekpiece.
 
That would be still a one piece option?

Seems like folks forget that the cheek piece or comb of the stock has to go hand in hand with the sighting method. Rifles intended to run scopes need a very high cheek piece or comb to make up for the rise of the rings. To the point, in fact, where some of the thumbhold stocks are actually a good idea.

I could see shaving down the Monte Carlo cheek piece to suit the owner's face and eye placement so the rifle sort of locks into position naturally. But to simply remove it entirely because it offends the senses without actually seeing if it works with the intended sighting method seems a little too much like throwing the baby out with the bath water.
 
Glass bed it and forget it. Anything else (besides a fiberglass or laminate stock which you don't want) is really unnecessary. After it's properly bedded it's not going anywhere and it might shoot better.
 
I'm curious what CZ model has a Monte Carlo cheekpiece??? Seems to me the American models have a straight comb and the Euro models have the Bavarian style buttstock.
 
The cross-bolt is a durability feature. Sporting rifles are expected to have much nicer lives then military rifles.

Sporting rifles are not expected to need to survive...

* Firing hundreds of rounds in a few hours.
* Launching grenades.
* Being used to beat somebody to death.
* Employment as a cane.
* Being used as a spear.
* Spending weeks in a soggy mudhole in freezing conditions.
* Bearing the weight of a 160 pound soldier and 80 pounds of equipment leaping on them.
* Being fired with corrosive junk ammunition for long periods without even basic care.
* Being lost in hostile conditions.
* Explosions and shrapnel happening everywhere.
* Acting as an improvised all-purpose blunt force application tool.
* Being pulled over the ground.
* Having several lifetime users.
 
most all wood stock cz's have the monte carlo cheek piece as far as i know....except some of the 527's......i picked the rifle up yesterday and it is a well built machine let me tell you!...i'm going to have iron sights installed,so thats one reason i want the monte carlo cheek piece removed (that and i think its just plain ugly)...when i use a scope i'll just attach a removable leather cheek piece that laces to the stock for proper eye alignment with my leupold vx-2.....i still think i'm going to see about getting a cross bolt installed.because,if anything,it'll give me a warm and fuzzy....i'm thinking about using brownells steel-bed for traditional bedding....i'll post more as the project progresses....btw,thanks for all the info guys,this is a great forum.
 
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By the way, most rifles do in fact have a recoil lug, and it is nice and broad such as on the Remington 700 or Savage 110. The issue with military rifles, is that their lugs are very narrow and so easily split the stock. Some rifles do in fact have a recoil bolt, but many don't because the lug is so wide, the chances of breaking the stock are minimal.
 
@ rcmodel....i'm sure it's a 550!....i might be wrong in calling it a monte-carlo cheek piece though.....google image the 550 and you'll see that the left side of the stock does indeed have a large,protruding cheek piece....maybe it isn't of the monte carlo style,thats just what i always heard 'em called :)
 
Monte Carlo style cheekpeice.
http://rifle-stocks.com/montecarlo.htm

Monte Carlo roll-over style:
http://rifle-stocks.com/rollover.htm

Classic style cheekpeice.
http://rifle-stocks.com/sierra_classic.htm

Modern Classic:
http://rifle-stocks.com/modernclassic.htm

Regardless, if you want to ruin a good stock on a fairly high-dollar rifle whittle away.
You paid for it, so you can whittle if you want too I guess.

Meanwhile, I think I will go out in the driveway and grind that goofy tailgate flip-up wing thing off my new Dodge Hemi Sport pickup.
Come to think of it, those hood scoops might have to go to!

rc
 
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