M14 Forum

Charlene32

i got this exotically figured birch.....almost looks like a giraffe print. anyway, i have not shot my rifle with this stock yet because i am wondering if i should attempt to repair the small crack near the receiver (as seen in last pic). i know birch is very strong but the fact that the crack is near the receiver, it makes me wonder. there is also daylight creeping out the full length of the heel of the receiver. it might warrant a bed job.

Young guns

That is one crazy awsome stock you have, were did you find it if you dont mind me asking. I would bed that thing if light is showing through under the heel, on the crack i would use a clear drying glue.
Just looking at your rifle i can see metal in the slector cut out, does your rifle have a rear lug?
Good Shooting.

glockshot

I would see if there is any way to try and spread the crack and work some glue in from both sides.I would then skim coat a bit of epoxy over the area on the inside for a little extra strength..I think it will be fine..I thought I had some nice tigger stocks..But wow ! that is incredible.....Glock

JayKosta

For a crack like that I'd look for a good furniture/chair repair person.

My 'wood-butcher' thought is to rout a small slot on the inside of the stock perpendicular to the crack and glue in a tightly fitting piece of wood or metal as a reinforcement.

Trying to just get glue or epoxy into that small crack looks like it would be a problem.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

JBS

If you want to keep the repair in character with your rifle you want to do an armorers repair to that area. PM Gus and see if he has a photo of what the correct repair looks like for that area, sorry I don’t have one.

bd111

That's not a place that easily lends itself to clamping or drilling holes. That said, I'd probably fix the crack from the inside by making a least one, maybe two, small pins from wood screws, Dremel a recess the length/width of the screw at a right angle to the crack, Acraglas the screw and lay into place to where you can fill over the cut(s) with Agraglas and allow to dry. That'll keep the crack from growing. On the outside fill the crack with FRESH Elmer's wood patch, smooth with a barely damp paper towel. When it dries level it to the undisturbed wood with small piece of 600 grit or finer sandpaper. Dab on a little of the finish product you used on the rest of the stock and the crack will be barely visible, if at all.

sven556

I would try to pin it to give it some extra strength over glue alone. That, or something like BD111 posted; epoxy a screw in there somehow.

dozier

Boy that is a weird spot to get a crack. In that spot it certainly doesn't seem like it was caused by the rifle recoil. Almost like somebody dropped the stock w/o the action in it. I would try to separate the wood and work in some Acra-Weld from Brownells. It's a two part epoxy made for wood split repairs. If a long clamp won't work, Brownells also sells surgical tubing that can be wrapped around odd shaped items to hold together while the glue sets. I've done various stocks this way with good results. Good luck on the repair. dozier

Charlene32

thanks for the responces guys. it is a very small crack....and the wood is very hard. looking at it and feeling it it does not seem like it would be a problem, but i have second guesses because i wonder if the receiver vibrates it might make the crack grow. i think i might try and get some gurilla glue down in there and epoxy the inside surface.

like i said the crack is very small. you cant even feel it when you rub your finger over it. the crack is a little wider inside the stock and in the nitch.

thanks for the comments on the stock. im having anthony at LAW483 Enterprises make me a matching 'mottled' birch handguard to match. can't wait for that one!

Dave67k

I think that I would leave it alone for awhile and see what happens, like whats the worst that could happen, crack? maybe you could flow a small amount of slow cure nonfuming gap filling CA into the depth of the crack and avoid disturbing the interior or exterior finishes altogether. that stuff will stick to birch real good.

jens5

Charlene, Where do you come up with these? You have an addiction I think

How'd the one you got from me turn out?

Seventh Fleet

This is exactly what I would do and I've had very good luck repairing muzzle loader stocks using this same method. That is one gorgeous hunk of wood and it's well worth the effort to save it.

7th

Charlene32

thanks for the feedback. i will look into that Acra-Weld from Brownells.

most of the stocks i acquire on gunbroker. when i get my matching birch handguard done i will post some updated pics. im also going to put a dummy kit on there. usually i go with the button "nob" kit, but for this one i think i will opt for the "switch".

Gus Fisher

On active duty, such a crack would have caused us to route out the wood and repair it with fiberglass or throw the stock away. Yes, even the Arsenals used fiberglass to strengthen or repair wood stocks from the 1960's onwards.

What I would do is hold the stock in a well padded vise around the receiver area. Then turn the vise so the buttstock is up against a well padded wood surface until the crack actually opens up a litte. Lock the vise down to keep the crack open. Clean out the wood in the crack with acetone. Lay GOOD two part CLEAR epoxy in it and then move the vise to take pressure off the stock. Turn the stock in the vise and once again force it against the padded wood surface to force and hold the crack closed. I would not clean the squooshed out glue until after it set up. Then I would scrape the excess clue off when it dried and lightly sand and oil the wood as (and only IF) required to match the rest of the stock.

Charlene32

dang, "throw away"? so you are saying that this crack will be a problem if not repaired? the crack is very small and im not sure if i would be able to "separate" the wood as you say. i will be sure to attempt a repair before i shoot my rifle in this stock.