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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ Hollowing out a stock? |
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Posted:
Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:08 pm
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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I like my guns a bit weight forward to aid in follow throuh. Is hollowing out a stock to transfer weight forward and shave a couple ounces a bad idea? Are there any dangers should be aware of? |
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Posted:
Sat Nov 24, 2007 3:20 pm
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Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 268
Location: Meridian, ID
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I did it to balance my 16ga Ugartechea after adding a recoil pad. If you ever want or need to move the balance back you can fill the hollow area. The biggest danger is breaking through the side of the stock while drilling.
There were a couple of articles in Shooting Sportsman on how to do it. I will find them and post which issues the articles were in. |
_________________ If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl.
H.L. Mencken |
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Posted:
Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:03 pm
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You didn't mention what type of gun you're shooting but taking a bit of wood out of your stock doesn't seem like it wouldn't add up to enough of a change to your gun's balance. If you hook up with a good gunsmith, he can initially set you up with some lead tape forward of your forend and let you shoot a bit to see how you like it. I know they can add a bit of lead in the magazine plug if you're shooting a pump and auto. I have a mercury recoil reducer that I have on my Beretta 390 auto (looks like hell but it works) that provides a barrel forward balance. If you're shooting a double, they can make a lead inlays drilled inside your forend. Putting choke tubes makes a mess of a SxS but that also adds a bit of weight forward to your gun. |
Last edited by Terry Imai on Sun Nov 25, 2007 1:39 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Posted:
Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:26 pm
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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I thought of hollowing out my new 16b Ugartechea sxs. I'll be putting a permanent pad on it soon, so I thought that would be a good time to try hollowing out the stock. I shoot fine with it the way it is, but since I'm a fan of longer barrels, I thought a tad more weight forward might help my swing even more on my 28" gun. I might try the lead weight idea first and see how I like it. Thanks for the tip. |
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Posted:
Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:44 pm
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Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 268
Location: Meridian, ID
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UncleDan
You will likely have to hollow the stock in order to maintain the current balance of the gun after adding the pad. When all is said and done you might not be able to remove enough wood to get a weight forward balance. Your gun probably varies a little from mine, but based on my experience it might be difficult to achieve. The barrels on your gun are 2" longer so that will definitely be a plus.
The articles mentioned in my post above appear in the March/April 2007 and May/June 2007 issues of Shooting Sportsman. Based on my experience there is one thing I would change from the method used in the articles. I will explain it in another post or PM if you like. |
_________________ If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl.
H.L. Mencken |
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Posted:
Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:23 am
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Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 81
Location: Illinois
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I've hollowed out the stock on several of my guns. I was able to take 6 oz. out of my restocked Fox Sterlingworth to get the balance I was after. I don't think you will have too much trouble getting 2 to 3 ounces out of the stock to account for the weight of the recoil pad. I just use a 7/8" drill bit and drill 3 holes in the stock as deep as you need to get the weight out. |
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Posted:
Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:00 pm
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Member
Joined: 01 Jan 2007
Posts: 1043
Location: Bozeman, MT
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h1tdk00 wrote: |
I've hollowed out the stock on several of my guns. I was able to take 6 oz. out of my restocked Fox Sterlingworth to get the balance I was after. I don't think you will have too much trouble getting 2 to 3 ounces out of the stock to account for the weight of the recoil pad. I just use a 7/8" drill bit and drill 3 holes in the stock as deep as you need to get the weight out.
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I've done EXACTLY the same as described here with the 3 holes on jig's Sterlingworth, a Model 12, Model 37, and a French Robust double.... it's easy, but as somebody said, just keep a sharp eye on your bit so it doesn't stray towards the sides. I cracked one of them, the Ithica I think, yeah, and had to reinforce with fiberglass inside so it wouldn't spread, which was no sweat, and the crack doesn't show on the outside. I got a little careless. I've also taken a chisel and hammer after drilling and tapped out the uneven spots. I hollowed them to add pads and maintain balance, as mentioned, and it sure worked. As some of you may have gathered, I like 'em as light as I can get 'em.
Duncan |
_________________ "Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans"....... anonymous |
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Posted:
Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:00 am
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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Thanks guys! Maybe it would make sense to start with a small 1/2" bit first, just to be safe. |
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Posted:
Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:52 am
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Member
Joined: 01 Jan 2007
Posts: 1043
Location: Bozeman, MT
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UncleDanFan wrote: |
Thanks guys! Maybe it would make sense to start with a small 1/2" bit first, just to be safe.
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good idea for getting started, and then IF YOUR HOLES ARE STRAIGHT, you can follow up with the bigger bit, removing more heavy, superfluous, ungainly, redundant stock wood |
_________________ "Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans"....... anonymous |
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Posted:
Tue Dec 04, 2007 2:06 am
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On the Jan/Feb 2008 Shooting Sportsen, they have an article on balancing your gun. They showed some different ways of performing that task that could fix things up for you.... |
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Posted:
Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:42 am
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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Thank you Terry, I'll get a copy and check it out. |
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Posted:
Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:47 am
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Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 268
Location: Meridian, ID
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This is where you will find the articles on balancing a gun.
nutcase wrote: |
The articles mentioned in my post above appear in the March/April 2007 and May/June 2007 issues of Shooting Sportsman.
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Go with the larger bit right from the get go. Speaking from experience on this topic, going from a smaller hole to a larger bit for the same whole can create problems. If your using a hand drill as I did and the bit catches just right the drill could twist right out your hand. It happened to me and I'm surprised I didn't crack the stock.
As the article in Shooting Sportsman suggest use a forstner bit. Drill the top and bottom holes first then a center hole using the same bit. Skip the smaller holes as shown in the article(he used a spade drill for the larger wholes.) Just don't get in a hurry and make sure to check your holes often. |
_________________ If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl.
H.L. Mencken |
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