Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Cutting a Carbon Fiber Stock

Got a guy that wants me to shorten the stock on a Browning X-Bolt with Carbon Fiber stock, for his wife (This is/was a 2012 SHOT Show Special gun). He's looking to take 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" off. Looking at it, 1 1/4" is doable and still leave room for screws to bite and miss the rear sling stud.

Question is, what's the best method to cut the carbon fiber stock. Typically I wrap any stock with a layer of masking tape and cut with fine tooth blade in my power miter or on a table saw and have no issues with chipping. Not sure how the carbon fiber will react.

Carbon fiber is no different than Kevlar or fiberglass when you cut it. Carbide teeth as high count for the size of the blade, will help eliminate chips. Wrapping with masking tape is a must.

If you do get a chip it more than likely be the paint over the carbon fiber.

I would cut it a 1/8" longer than your finish length and sand to finish just encase it does chip.

Wear good breathing protection apparatus of some sort. I've heard that Carbon fiber dust/fibers isn't a good thing to get into your lungs.
I've gotten splinters from working on my Carbon Fiber cobra replica and they are extremely difficult to remove because they are so small, and they are pretty painful.

Bob

Never cut a stock but a Dremel with a cutoff wheel at high speed makes a very fine cut on carbon arrow shafts. It's sort of the classic tool for cutting glass laminates. And yes, a dust mask is a must and rubber gloves suggested.

I'm a boat builder that has worked with CF for decades, also made a few CF stocks. A diamond blade in a cutoff saw will cut it like butter w/o chips.

Its just a dipped finish on the stock. its not a true carbon fiber stock


http://www.browning.com/products/ca...id=023B&cid=035&tid=240&bg=x