Red Label - Broken stock

[hedrok]

Looking for a bit of advice regarding a Red Label 12ga...stainless receiver...that
has a broken stock. Not cracked...broken. Rather large dude used it to break his
fall as he went crunching thru the woods. It's not completely apart yet...looks like
the inner fibers of the wood are still in tact. Doesn't look like the receiver suffered,
but I do not know that. The break is right at the beginning of the rear of the receiver.
Questions:
Will/can a correctly done repair to the existing stock work?
Will the 12ga be too much stress for a repair?
Are there any used stock sets around?
Is this something a total newbie to fixing stocks should attempt?
I'm guessing there is a long bolt from the pad area to the receiver which is why it's
still attached, correct?
Any other ideas?
Thanks in advance for any assistance...

 

[Enigma]

I strongly recommend that you find a specialist in repairing gunstocks and have him assess the gun. You may be better off having the gun restocked; I don't know if Ruger is supporting this model or not. Calling Ruger customer assistance is normally never a bad idea.

 

[contender]

I'd call Ruger customer service first.
Next,,, I'd look into a replacement stock. Trying to repair one in the condition you described,,, much more work than replacing one.

 

[powder smoke]

A repair imo would not do! Find some nice wood and make a new one!
Got the old one for a pattern. Take your time you may surprise yourself.
It's not rocket science. ps

 

[woodperson]

If all the pieces are there the stock can be repaired so that it will stronger than before and the repair will most likely not show. If you really like the gun I would send it to this guy or at least contact him and send him a picture. He does great work. I have had him do 2 jobs for me and was highly satisfied both times.

http://www.ccgunstocks.com
[email protected]

If you have some woodworking skills you can fix it yourself. But getting an invisible repair depends upon being able to clamp it perfectly and can be tedious.

Making a new stock is a drastic option. Getting someone to do it for you would cost more than the gun. Making a stock yourself is a fun project but is long and tedious. And the shaped blank would probably cost more than the repair. And then if you want checkering you have to send it to someone like Doug above and that costs more than having the break professionally repaired.

I have not tried to buy a Red Label stock. That might be an option.n But I bet the best option is to have Doug fix it.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Being a Ruger design , you can bet that the inletting is not as complicated as
most o/u or double barrel shotguns are. We are not talking about an English
sidelock double here. I would call a couple stock markers and ask. They may know
where to find one if they don't make one.

 

[hedrok]

Wow!! With over 51000 posts among you guys...I'd guess I got about
all the information there is on this topic...lol
I am going to call Ruger. Then, I'll find a couple of people locally who
have some idea what possible direction to take...or not. Doug didn't
show any examples of working on anything as low on the totem pole
as a Red Label...but, that's still an option if I talk to him and send him
pictures.
There is no hope of me doing this. I don't have the patience or the talent
to do work I'd be pleased with.
I'll post some before and after pictures as things go forward. Maybe
others have similar issues (I hope not) and can learn from this venture.
Thanks a bunch, guys. You clarified the options very well.

 

[RSIno1]

Go through the past few months of posts on the Yahoo No1 group. A guy had a broken stock and someone repaired it like new.

 

[rugerguy]

Yes, try the factory first, never know , they may have something on hand, I got rid of most all my Red Label collection last year and all the spare wood I had, as well as cases, ,,,,there are a few guys out there, that do gun stocks and they are amazing, saw a drilling double gun the stock shattered in five places, and the guy ( my gunsmith Walt) put it all back together, and you see NOTHING wrong !!! it is an art, and most all of the ones we have seen other than by a pro, looks like crap, will not hold up,,,,,,,,kills any of the guns value, as well as "use".......Good luck

 

[Slenk]

http://www.shop.macongunstocks.com/Ruger-Red-Label-Example-Walnut-Butt-Stock-Ruger-Red-Label-Stock.htm

red label stocks $115

 

[BPGuy]

I have a Red Label 28 ga that suffered a cracked stock. I called Ruger and described the problem. They said to return it, if it looked like it was defective, they'd replace it free. If not, I'd have to pay for a new stock. In this case, it clearly isn't defective, but I believe they'd replace it at your expense.

These stocks are easy on/off, just a through bolt that holds the stock to the receiver, and maybe a screw from the back of the trigger guard. Slip the old one off and the new one on, if you are fortunate enough to find an inexpensive replacement.

Good luck!

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

If all the pieces are there the stock can be repaired so that it will stronger than before and the repair will most likely not show. If you really like the gun I would send it to this guy or at least contact him and send him a picture. He does great work. I have had him do 2 jobs for me and was highly satisfied both times.

http://www.ccgunstocks.com
[email protected]

If you have some woodworking skills you can fix it yourself. But getting an invisible repair depends upon being able to clamp it perfectly and can be tedious.

Making a new stock is a drastic option. Getting someone to do it for you would cost more than the gun. Making a stock yourself is a fun project but is long and tedious. And the shaped blank would probably cost more than the repair. And then if you want checkering you have to send it to someone like Doug above and that costs more than having the break professionally repaired.

I have not tried to buy a Red Label stock. That might be an option.n But I bet the best option is to have Doug fix it.

=======================================================================================================
I agree with the above statement wholeheartedly. If the break is "clean", with no splintering of the edges, then the repair may not be noticeable. If there are missing splinters of wood, then, for sure the repair will be obvious. There are some great two-part epoxies available these days that, as was stated above, are able to make the repair almost invisible.

Pictures, if you can provide those, are always a good assist when it comes to evaluating a potential stock repair.