The absolute only good they do is fill the holes drilled for them. Epoxy bedding obviated their need
I I strongly disagree with that, they serve a totally different purpose than epoxy bedding.
Recoil impulse causes the stock to to spread and split at the weakest point, ie where the crossbolt goes, and epoxy can't really help with this here because it it is relatively weak in tension, especially in thin layers.
A glued in crossbolt is the best thing you can do for a timber stock.
Whoa, sorry, but you are way wrong. Epoxy has very high strength in tension and adjuncts can be added if needed to raise that even higher.
You are correct about thin layers not being as strong, but that is a function of their thickness, nothing to do with their relative tensile strength. Further, that thin layer is backed or backing (depending on the point in the pressure cycle) the stock wood.
Many tests have been done on the forces at play here and stockbolts add nothing. Done properly they do not reduce strength
Notice fiberglass stockmakers do not put stockbolts in big kickers... They do not even make the area in question of solid fiberglass.
