M14 Forum

Gus Fisher

Folks, I just got this question PM'd to me and I thought others would be interested in the answer.

"ptf18
Gus: Im fitting a Boyd stock to my M1. Ive read your articles as well as others on what to look for and how to "fix" any problems I find.

I would like to know if the underside of the "U" shape projection of the lower band (where it is "inserted" into the lower band when the stock and barreled reciever are assembled ) should be hard against (contacting) the bottom 1/2 round "openning" of the stock ferrule?

I dont know if the barrel is suppose to be "free floating" thus it would have no contact with anything along its entire lenght with the stock OR is there to be a "pressure point" caused by the "U" shape projection of the lower band contacting the round "openning" of the ferrule. I know the "faces" of the 2 parts are suppose to have a gap.

I understand that grease should be applied to this contact point when the rifle is assembled. But does that mean that the there is suppose to be hard contact?"

The "U" shaped lip of stock ferrule is supposed to put downward pressure on the lower band when the stock ferrule is inserted into the lower band AND the stock is tightened down by the trigger housing. On a G.I. stock, this pressure comes from how the receiver sits on top of the stock and the barrel is VERY slightly bent to get that pressure. You can't actually see the bend in the barrel, BTW.

HOWEVER on many Boyd's or CMP stocks, that pressure is caused by the barrel hitting one or both sides of the top of the stock's barrel channel. That is NOT a good thing. I file an angled clearance on both interior top sides of the barrel channel so the barrel does not contact the top of the stock. If this is the first time you are doing it, here is how you can do it.

First, leave the handguards and lower band off the barreled receiver. IOW, you want the bare barrel on the receiver and lock the receiver down into the stock with the trigger housing. Look at the front top of the stock channel (just behind the place the stock ferrule sits) and see if the barrel is sitting on the top of the barrel channel in the stock on either and both sides. If it is and it OFTEN is, then you need to file those angled relief cuts I mentioned above. You can place the receiver with the bare barrel in the old Garand stock and lock it down with the trigger housing to see how much relief you need to cut on the top inside edges of the barrel channel there.

I find I have to do this on almost every last Boyd's or CMP stock I have fitted in the last 10 years or so.

Orlando

Heres a visual

Gus Fisher

Really appreciate you supplying a photo as I can not do that.

Orlando

No problem,

ptf18

Gus and Orlando: Thanks for the explaination and the visual aid.

I did have to "clear" the barrel channel slightly per your instuctions but even then found that the "U" shaped projection of the stock ferrule did not contact the 1/2 round openning of the lower band. Of course this was with the Trigger Guard latched closed. I had a heckof a time latching it shut although I was persuaded to do so with "help" from the fellows on the CMP Forum.

Is there anyway to get this contact between the "U" shaped projection and the barrel band openning short of relocating the ferrule? I see that others (maybe both of you ) had postings of grinding of some of the wood under the ferrule and than epoxying it back on after relocating it.

Thanks,
Lester

Gus Fisher

What I would suggest is to go ahead and shoot the rifle in the stock and see how it shoots. If it is very difficult for the trigger guard to close, you should be fine for a while.

Then, when the stock loosens up, I would definitely recommend moving the stock ferrule down a bit vs working on other areas of the stock - as that is a WHOLE lot more work to do and is going to cause you to have to glass bed at least the whole upper receiver.

The only problem you MIGHT have with trying to move the stock ferrule down is if the surface of the bottom of the stock does not stick down far enough below the rounded bottom of the stock ferrule and it would look like the stock ferrule was sort of "hanging in the wind." It would still work, it just work look a little funny.

The way to move the ferrule down is to file maybe 1/16 " off the top sides of the wood support for the ferrule and then relieve the inner part of the "U" shaped stock support so the ferrule can go down that 1/116". You will need to use epoxy bedding to make up for the open space you now have around the bottom rounded portion of the stock support and to seal the area you had to file down on the top and inner "U" channel.

I epoxy bed stock ferrules on a LOT of Garand stocks as I refurbish so many Garand stocks. The way I do it is take stock ferrule off the stock and then take the sling swivel off the stock ferrule. Then screw JUST the sling swivel screw back into the stock ferrule. NOW, you don't want to screw that screw down tight. You WANT to just start the screw into the ferrule.

Roughen up the surface of the wood on the top and down each outer side about 2/3 of the way. Fill the inside grooves in the stock ferrule with glass and press some glass on the roughened wood. Tap the stock ferrule with screw on the stock. Then hold the loop of the sling swivel close to it and screw the screw in JUST ENOUGH that there is open space between the loop and both sides of the bottom of the stock ferrule. You glass it on that way as after the glass sets up. you can tighten the screw nicely AND the stock swivel wlll still move freely. (If you glass the stock ferrule with the screw tightened down, there is no way you can tighten it anymore after the glass sets up.) You will need some Q tips and acetone to clean away any glass that squooshes out.

Trust me, this is a WHOLE LOT EASIER than trying to file and rebed the receiver.

Orlando

Guss
I had a ferrule that sat "way" to high on the stock. I removed wood until it fit properly then filled the bottom area with JB Weld stick that I had laying around. I used paste wax for a release

bd111

Only thing I'm doing different for non-bedding adhesive work is I'm hooked on Gorilla Glue.

warbird9

Orlando and Gus...Does this mod, lowering and bedding the ferrule, keep the rifle legal for JCG matches? I've done the same thing and just wondered if I should worry about being inspected. Would take a rather detailed teardown, but none the less, does this break the "as issued" rule?

Thanks in advance...

Orlando

Not legal as far as I know

Gus Fisher

I am sorry, but it is not legal for John C. Garand Match or CMP "games" rifle matches, but it is legal for Service Rifle Competition.

Orlando,

SUPERB PICS!! Thank you. I usually clean the epoxy bedding off from between the two legs of the stock ferrule so you don't see it above the top of the the loop of the sling swivel, but otherwise that is EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

wayner54

This was just what I needed. I purchased a laminated stock for my M1
and didn't have a clue on how to make sure the fit was correct for accuracy.
Thank you so much and the pictures were awesome to boot.