The thread about synthetic stock longevity, prompted me to document this change as the stock I used is pretty old, I'm not sure when B&C quite casting sling mounts into their stocks.
A while ago, I decided I wanted to put a synthetic stock on my B-14. Partly because I wanted to to keep from damaging the very nice wood stock, and I've been having issues with consistent accuracy in this rifle, and a partly to see if I could drop some weight (looks like I need aluminum bottom metal also, anybody wanna trade for heavy steel?
).
The options I considered we're both older factory 700 stocks, and factory Bergara stocks, both tho are a little short for me. The Bergara more so.
I cruise eBay alot and tried a cheap, poorly listed, old six enterprises stock, but it was one of the later injection molded ones and also short. I sent it on it's way.
I also looked at used B&C's, McMillan's, and others, but 100 bucks was all I was willing to spend on this project which severally limits options.
I ended up getting an old beaten up B&C for what I was willing to spend, it was likely a factory second as there were some pretty sever grinder rash on the barrel channel, but it was under the gel coat.
These stocks are glass impregnated foam, with a thin glass laminate on top. At least, that's what it appears to be to me, I've only had two of them.
To start the work, I fitted the action and checked for high spots, or other issues. Finding a few, the safety was one, and a couple spots in the barrel channel, I removed material till everything sat in correctly.
I also removed the paint and gelcoat from where the grinder rash was and made sure the barrel had good clearance.
At that point I filled the areas that had larger gaps with Bondo, and sanded everything smooth. To reseal everything I roughed up the rest of the channel and applied a coat of westsystems epoxy. A final sanding after that hardened and it looked much more presentable.
To finish the functional work, I bedded the action and bottom metal to the stock.
I considered giving the stock a texture paint finish, as there were alot of small chips in the exterior finish, but they weren't bad enough to really NEED it.
Then the whole thing got an olive drab basecoate with a stripish? Camo patern over the top. I'm not horribly good at this kinda stuff, but this style usually comes out ok (which means it's really hard to screw up). Final application of satin clear to blend everything and it was ready to sit for a few days.
I got out to the range the other day with the rifle in it's new/old stock, as well as a few others. I'm happy to report that the gun actually shoots to the same point of aim, and with the slightly better average accuracy, than when it was in it's wood stock. Hopefully my issues with it giving me consistent groups like that one day, then vertical stringing 2-3" another, are over.
I've never had a stock change go quite that well.
A while ago, I decided I wanted to put a synthetic stock on my B-14. Partly because I wanted to to keep from damaging the very nice wood stock, and I've been having issues with consistent accuracy in this rifle, and a partly to see if I could drop some weight (looks like I need aluminum bottom metal also, anybody wanna trade for heavy steel?
).The options I considered we're both older factory 700 stocks, and factory Bergara stocks, both tho are a little short for me. The Bergara more so.
I cruise eBay alot and tried a cheap, poorly listed, old six enterprises stock, but it was one of the later injection molded ones and also short. I sent it on it's way.
I also looked at used B&C's, McMillan's, and others, but 100 bucks was all I was willing to spend on this project which severally limits options.
I ended up getting an old beaten up B&C for what I was willing to spend, it was likely a factory second as there were some pretty sever grinder rash on the barrel channel, but it was under the gel coat.
These stocks are glass impregnated foam, with a thin glass laminate on top. At least, that's what it appears to be to me, I've only had two of them.
To start the work, I fitted the action and checked for high spots, or other issues. Finding a few, the safety was one, and a couple spots in the barrel channel, I removed material till everything sat in correctly.
I also removed the paint and gelcoat from where the grinder rash was and made sure the barrel had good clearance.
At that point I filled the areas that had larger gaps with Bondo, and sanded everything smooth. To reseal everything I roughed up the rest of the channel and applied a coat of westsystems epoxy. A final sanding after that hardened and it looked much more presentable.
To finish the functional work, I bedded the action and bottom metal to the stock.
I considered giving the stock a texture paint finish, as there were alot of small chips in the exterior finish, but they weren't bad enough to really NEED it.
Then the whole thing got an olive drab basecoate with a stripish? Camo patern over the top. I'm not horribly good at this kinda stuff, but this style usually comes out ok (which means it's really hard to screw up). Final application of satin clear to blend everything and it was ready to sit for a few days.
I got out to the range the other day with the rifle in it's new/old stock, as well as a few others. I'm happy to report that the gun actually shoots to the same point of aim, and with the slightly better average accuracy, than when it was in it's wood stock. Hopefully my issues with it giving me consistent groups like that one day, then vertical stringing 2-3" another, are over.
I've never had a stock change go quite that well.
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