My stock cracked from heavy 45/70 loads:-(

Tmygun · Post by **Tmygun** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:34 am

I also posted this on the Marlin owners site.
I recently posted about the safety of using heavy 45/70 loads in the Marlin 1895, and that I was surprised that they didn't crack the the stock.
Well, I took the buttstock off last night and noticed that it is cracked in the center where the screw goes through. I'm guessing it was the heavy loads, although it could have been from 8 years of regular use of all 45/70 loads, they all kick pretty hard. I'm disappointed, I thought Marlin stocks would have been reinforced against the heavy recoil of cartridges such as the 45/70/450M/444M. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement at a decent price???
Thanks for the help.

Tmygun

Sure-Shot · Post by **Sure-Shot** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:24 am

Call Marlin and see if they will restock it, should get matching wood that way.

Yellowhouse · Post by **Yellowhouse** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 4:09 pm

Go ahead and bed the tang, thats the only way to combat recoil and prevent cracking.

Tmygun · Post by **Tmygun** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 5:15 pm

Thanks guys, but I ordered a replacement stock at Midway. It's an original Marlin stock, so it should fit perfect.
I also ordered a Nikon Prostaff 3x9-40 scope, I hope it will get the rifle ( I should say me

) shooting even better than the peep sights I was using.

Tmygun

Yellowhouse · Post by **Yellowhouse** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 5:39 pm

My take, IMHO, is that if you don't properly fit and perhaps glass bed the tang areas, you will experience the same thing with those heavy loads.

Sure-Shot · Post by **Sure-Shot** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 6:43 pm

Forgot to mention, if your original butt stock is otherwise decent two part epoxy squized into the crack and put in a vice or clamp with appropriate protection for the exterior will make that area the strongest part of your rifle stock. If you don't want to do the repair and it looks decent PM me or send an email and I will send $20 to have you ship it to me, can always use another stock.

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:54 pm

Sure shot,

You are going to trash your shoulder shooting so many hot loads, you need to keep spare stocks on hand!

SW

Tmygun · Post by **Tmygun** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 2:47 am

My brother made the recommendation that I repair the old stock and save it for when I get the urge to use the really hot loads, that way I'll save the new one from taking a pounding. I think thats what I'll do

.
Thanks guys.
Good shoooting!!!!

Tmygun

Jim D · Post by **Jim D** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:30 pm

Tmygun,

Brownells sells a glue called "Hot Stuff". It is essentially a super glue, but
is very thin and will wick into the tightest crack. Put some on the top of the crack at the tang and it will flow through the entire crack. Clamp it quickly as it sets within just a few seconds. You will have problems getting any other type of glue to go through the entire crack. Hot Stuff is
very strong. And by all means glass bed the stock. If you do this I doubt you will have any more problems.

-jim

Tmygun · Post by **Tmygun** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:07 am

Thanks for that info Jim, I appreciate it. How exactly do I go about glass bedding the new stock? I've never done it before to any stock.
Any help greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Tmygun

Sure-Shot · Post by **Sure-Shot** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:13 am

Steve I am not a hot load guy, at least most of the time

. But when I have really nice wood on one I have been known to set them aside and use ones that aren't as nice for going in to the woods. Lots of wet around here. I have been looking for one to use truck bed liner on to see how well I can do it.

Jim D · Post by **Jim D** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:07 pm

Tmygun,

Brownells also sells a glass bedding kit which is not very expensive. It consists of a resin, a hardener, some coloring agent, a release agent and some fiber material.

You first coat all metal surfaces with the release agent that will come into contact with the bedding compound. I would do this two or three times, allowing it to dry between coats. Then mix the resin and hardener in the directed proportions. I mix in some walnut sawdust as well. If you use the coloring agent, use it very just a little otherwise it will make the bedding compound darker than the wood on your stock. If you use walnut sawdust, you don't need any.

Your stock probably fits pretty tight as is, so you won't need to mix up much of the bedding compound. Put some at the back of the tangs, and where the front of the stock meets the rear of the receiver. DO NOT GET ANY IN THE STOCK SCREW HOLE. As a precaution, coat the stock screw and the stock threads with the release agent. It is very easy to permanently glue the stock screw if you're not careful. After it has hardened, gently tap the stock off with a rubber mallet. Clean the release agent off the metal surfaces, and put it back together.

The thing that glass bedding will do is to distribute the recoil forces evenly to all of the faces of the stock that should absorb the recoil. Cracks happen when one surface absorbs all the recoil because the stock does not fit the metal perfectly in all areas.

Hope this helps!

-jim

Tmygun · Post by **Tmygun** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:26 pm

Thanks very much Jim, I'll give it a try. I would hate to have the new stock crack over time.

Tom

Jim D · Post by **Jim D** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 10:43 am

Good luck to you Tom. Let us know how it turns out!

-jim

Tmygun · Post by **Tmygun** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:21 am

I ordered the bedding kit from Midway yesterday, I'll let you know how I make out with it. I think I'll get my brother to help me, that way if something goes wrong I'll have someone besides myself to blame

.
Seriously though, I'll follow the instuctions and the tips you gave me Jim.
Thanks again.

Tom