Wood stock help please.

[collectormzornes]

I just recently purchased a factory Ruger compact magnum stock from a 308 rifle. I intend to use it on my stainless 350 Remington mag. I knew the 350 used the 308 length action, but the magwell area is a little to small and needs to be opened up. The box insert will go in if forced pretty hard but I don't want to do that and take a chance in ruining a perferctly good stock. So my question is what is the best way to open up the mag box area with out hurting the stock. Thanks in advance.

 

[cellar701]

Use inletting black and razor sharp chisels. Coat the outside of the magwell box with inletting black and slide it into place until it snugs up (do not force it or you will crack/split the stock). Use the chisels to remove the black spots or smudges in the stock opening. Do it again and again, just removing the black marked wood (and nothing else), moving the magwell box a little farther in each time. Make sure you keep the magwell box aligned so you take material out somewhat uniformly on each side of the opening. You may be able to remove wood material somewhat more aggressively since the clearance around the magwell box isn't critical - but, if you want to be sure not to take too much out, do it like above.

I have a homebrew recipe for inletting black somewhere - I'll see if I can find it, or perhaps someone else will chime in with a suggestion. It doesn't take a lot of time to do it right - and it prevents unsightly and unprofessional looking gaps.

 

[mike7mm08]

If the box will fit with force I would just use sand paper as there is not that much material to remove. Wrap the paper around a flat file. Start with 80 grit and go down to 120. If the box won't actually start into the stock the above advice is right on the money.

 

[collectormzornes]

Ok here is the thing the magwell box does not even go into the opening but just enough to catch the sides. I thought using a flat file would be the trick but I have not done any maticulas wood work before. When I took the magwell out of the plastic stock it had some room around it and would actually move from side to side. My main issue is I do not want to mess up the finish and have to redo it or pull out a splinter with the file this is why I was asking. I have a pretty good gunsmith that I am buddies with and would ask him but the last time I took something of wood to him he got a little carried away and took to much off as if he was not watching it as close as he would someone elses. He did not charge me the last time but I did not ask him to do the job for free either and would have prefered to have payed if I thought he was going to pay closer attention to detail.

 

[mike7mm08]

Sand paper is the way to go if your experience is limited. Just use the file as backing for the sandpaper. Try doing it freehand and it will be hard to keep things flat and square.

 

[rugerjunkie]

I have done this to a couple of stocks and my 350 now wears a black laminated stock. It is not that difficult but stick to the flat file. Sandpaper will not give you the accuracy the file will and you will keep the work flatter by using the file. There is not much wood to remove but will take forever with sandpaper.

Use a pencil to trace the outline of the floorplate and dont go outside the line or you will have a visible gap if you remove too much wood. I use a caliper to measure the opening and then figure out how much you need to fit the new mag well. Remove a little from one side and measure again , then file on the other side and remove the same amount. Keep checking measurments to keep each side even and you'll be fine. A round file to touch up the corners of the mag well will come in handy too. The trick is to go slow and keep checking for fit and don't go too far so you don't end up going outside where the floorplate rests.

A walnut stock should be a lot easier than the laminates. The glues/epoxies in the laminates are hard!