M66 stock repair

[ww321q]

I have a very dry stock that has a badly splintered forend for my Springfield M66 that I'm trying to salvage. What type of glues are you using for repairs and what kind of treatment or oil should I use on the stock to try to revive it? Very dry black walnut. Thanks for any help from guys that have had good luck with saving badly damaged guns . JW

[Rick B]

Without seeing I can only guess.

I use Gorilla Glue but if it is a hard shooter and heavily damaged a more extensive repair is needed. I have been trying Agraglas and had a stock snapped in half the other day. It is no better than and less of a good repair for wood unless you remove wood for it it get a better bond. As a thin glue is is worthless and the color even when dyed is horrible.

Gorilla Glue works well and colors well when stained. I used a stripper and or Acetone to leach into the cracks and remove oil if needed 1st. Rick B
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[ww321q]

That whole piece next to the tang is split off also.

I might leave the burnt part in front of the lock? not sure?

[Rick B]

I call this one Layering. You will need to make jigs or use deep well sockets for the channel plus shims to clamp it in place. Gorilla Glue will work fine but make sure it's clamped as it expands. You will then need to put pieces in for the missing if you would like it to be complete but you can let that go if you are wanting it to look more original and worn. Rick

[musketshooter]

Do not waste you time with Gorilla glue. It is not appropriate for stocks that have oil in and on them. It appears that the best restoration method would be to buy a new forearm from S&S and splice it on at the lower band.

[Dick Hosmer]

Sorry, but, without getting into the science/politics of Gorilla glue (there may be better glues, but Rick's results are magnificent). Where possible, I use walnut-colored epoxy bedding compound.

As to the new forend, I couldn't disagree more. IMHO, the ONLY time one should ever consider a chunk of completely new wood is when the original has been sawn completely off.

[Rick B]

I am guessing he missed where I said Acetone is needed to clean out the crack. Rick B

[ww321q]

I am guessing he missed where I said Acetone is needed to clean out the crack. Rick B

And the part where I said it's very dry, meaning has very little oil in it, if any!

[ww321q]

Did the forend first with epoxy. Gluing all the splinters together and then adding the new filler. The black walnut I used has allot more color than the old wood so I'll have to play with that. Both sides of the stock were split off on ether side of the tang. I used Gorilla glue there. It wont be a very good looking stock but it is original ! And thats a good thing. Now some color and finish.

[StockDoc]

You will devalue that rifle by trying to repair it. Just stop the deterioration of the stock. Oil it carefully. If you want to shoot it, if it is shootable, that is. Put a new stock on it. The Burned area should stay on the stock, that is part of its history.

[JimF]

. . . . It wont be a very good looking stock but it is original ! . . . .

How 'n 'ell can it be "original" AFTER the work you did to it!!

[Dick Hosmer]

-1.

No matter what, it has WAY more originality than ANY replacement.

New wood is the absolute last resort in my book, and, to go a step further, a new cartouche on new wood, besides engaging in serious self-delusion, should probably be prosecutable as a criminal act.

[Rick B]

Stocks have been repaired since they were 1st made. Saving a piece of history if not for a museum is best. It is no different than oiling the stock just like they did all those years. Maintaining the stock is key to making it last.

I do it daily and have saved many masterpieces and rare stuff that few have ever been lucky enough to touch. Museums continue to this day to clean art work that is in bad shape in order to keep its value up and keep it for many to see for years to come. Rick B

[StockDoc]

The correct glue to use, if one wanted to maintain a period correct repair would have been a "hyde glue. The only thing Gorilla Glue is good for is patio furniture. Besides no museum would even attempt to repair a stock such as that. They would just try and stop the decay.

New wood would only be used for shooting the firearm, which would be foolish with the mentioned stock.

You are right, even repairing and trying to sell as an original, or close to original should be a criminal act. Original stocks should be left alone with their dents and cracks

[Rick B]

Dick and original Poster, this guy follows me around trying to bash what ever I say just so you understand. He even took my Moniker of Stock Doc when he is new here. Should be enough for suspicion. Was named Stock Doc 20 years ago for all the super repairs I did to save thousands of stocks. I had a contract way back to repair many stocks found in that Barn I cleaned out and have all happy customers from saving their wood. Shame someone will come in and try to stop good honest help in order to knock a good guy down.

Happy to see you are saving the stock as you want to with your own property. . Rick B