Mini Stock

[dfletcher]

I have a Min 14 (series 197, Ranch Rifle) with an aftermarket (Accuracy Works) 16" bbl and brake attached. I'm going to change my stock & am considering a plain old Ruger factory wood or a Hogue tan over molded. Here's the Hogue:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=639694

I'm leaning toward the Hogue, but I want to ensure it fits my version and that I don't need to buy any liner/nosecap, steel bracket - I'm fairly certain I do not, the "bracket and nose cap" are molded in correct? How does the Hogue bracketing hold up? My concern is that whatever it's made of will compress and the action to stock fit will loosen.

Cost ends up being the same - $65.00/$70.00 for the Hogue from Brownells or Midway vs $37.00 + bracket and a longer butt pad (I'm 6'5"ish) for the factory wood.

 

[blume357]

I can't imagine it will be a problem.... you don't say what kind of stock your rifle has now.... but as long as the magwell reinforcing piece and the foregrip sleeve is still there you should be good to go.

 

[dfletcher]

I can't imagine it will be a problem.... you don't say what kind of stock your rifle has now.... but as long as the magwell reinforcing piece and the foregrip sleeve is still there you should be good to go.

I have a laminated aftermarket and of course it has the steel bracket & liner/nose cap. Nice, just want something different. My concern on the Hogue is not so much initial fit, but after a few thousand rounds and "in & out" assembly will the Hogue (which doesn't have the steel but is molded in) bracketing compress & loosen.

 

[Richbaker]

I'm pretty sure you can take the liner & bracket out of your existing wood stock and use them in a new wood stock...

 

[blume357]

Richbaker may have figure out what you are asking.... I'm a little confused.... but then the only experience I've had is with Butler Creek folding stocks....

On those you remove the fore end metal and the mag well reinforcement part and put them in the new stock.... I was just assuming you did the same thing with the Hogue...

 

[dfletcher]

My fault - a "failure to communicate is always the deficiency of the party having greater information" and that's me.

The Hogue does not use the steel brackets/inserts. Those are molded into the synthetic stock and of what they're made I've no idea. So I'd pop the action out of the current wood stock, the bracket stays there and the action gets drop into the Hogue - no steel bracket needed. Obviously the gun is all steel, it's going to be recoiling and slam banging a bit inside the stock and I wonder if that takes a toll on whatever those molded in inserts are made from.

 

[blume357]

Interesting and I didn't know that.... and it is a good question, which I can not answer. I guess the way to find out is to do it and shoot the rifle and let us know...

 

[X - Man]

I have a Houge overmolded stock fitted to my Mini 14. The following is a description of the trick I used to prevent the receiver from digging into the rubber of the stock.

I got a bunch of 3/16" steel dowel pins from the local Ace hardware store. Took the pins and chucked them up in a hand held drill, then polished one end flat by holding it against a sheet of sandpaper. The other end got two flat spots ground on them. This is to permit the epoxy to get a good grip.

The stock was marked to show where the receiver rests against it. At those locations, where the web of the receiver was widest, and contacts the receiver, I drilled a hole for each pin into the stock. Used four pins along the top face of the receiver. I used a vertical end mill, but a drill will also work.

Then, coating the bottom of the receiver with a mold release agent, I filled each hole with epoxy. Pushed each pin into the hole, but not all the way down, and locked the receiver into place with the trigger group.

As the receiver was seated into position, it pushed the pins down into place. Allowed the epoxy to set, then removed the receiver from the stock. The end result was a set of four steel pins which the receiver sits on that prevents the rubber of the stock to wear any further. The pins give a very good base for the receiver to rest on.

I've used this technique on several different rifles with very good results. Helps to maintain good contact between the receiver and the stock while providing for a very tight lock up.

This trick can also be used on the underside of the stock and the trigger group.

The idea is to prevent the stock from compressing when under the load of being locked up with the trigger group.

 

[dfletcher]

Interesting - sort of an external pillar bedding set up I guess. Have you had any experience with the inside brakets of the Hogue compressing under recoil?