I bought a Marlin XS7 stainless 7mm-08 from Whittaker's last year before season. I mounted a scope that was laying around and off to the range. The rifle shot great and I used it all season. The stock is hollow and is noisy. What is the best material to fill the stock without adding extra weight? I thought about Great Stuff Foam.


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I stuffed my Tikka with one of those plastic bags the dry cleaners use.

You got it right. Great stuff "Big gap" foam. Use painters tape and mask all around the end of the stock. Probably should tape a plastic bag or something around the stock as well. That stuff is messy and is tough to get off whatever it dries on.

It actually helps the curing process to spray a fine mist of water in the stock first, because it is a polyurethane base (similar to Gorilla glue).

Fill halfway or so, let it fully cure, and then cut off the excess that expanded out.

Whatever you use will add weight, but this shouldn't be much over an ounce at most.

Expanding foam filler like "Great Stuff". You are correct.



Edit: Guess I was a little slow...Ken Mi has the process down as well!

Thanks guys, I will pick up can of foam and give it a try. Good project for next weekend.

A hand full of packing peanuts does exactly the same thing as the expanding foam and is a lot easier and less messy. Bubble wrap folded up and placed inside works well too.

I've tried the expanding foam. It works, but is messy and takes a few days to dry. It will keep expanding for 2-3 days, and you can't take it out if you change your mind later.

Why would you change your mind about filling a hollow stock?

In case you want to fill it with illegal narcotics to cross the border.

My Rem 700 Syn is hollow too. I don't notice the noise but


in COLD wx that stock gets COLD like holding a tire iron. I'd like to fix that!!

Jerry

Or, do like Ruger and just jam a chunk of styro beadboard in the stock. That's what they do with the American. But certainly not effective.

The expanding foam fills the entire cavity 100%. For voids or recesses in the forend area, black silicone rubber caulk works well. Not nearly as heavy as bedding material, and simple to shape and smooth while wet to the shape it will be when dry.

I have a Remington 783 with a hollow stock. It sounds like the cowbell in "Don't Fear The Reaper".
There are a few youtube videos on how to but but seems like a simple chore.

How are you introducing bead board/ packing peanuts/ dry cleaner bags/ expanding foam, etc. into the stock?

The Great Stuff foam works well. I clamp it forend down and mask around the outside near the butt end. If it expands too much you can cut it off level with the edge with a serrated bread knife. This seems to get the cavity completely full and made a significant difference while adding very little weight.

Yep Great Stuff foam works well. Best to do it in two passes to give it time to cure properly.

Stuff chemical handwarmers in the stock?

If you choose expanding foam, be aware that there are different kinds with different expanding rates. One with the high volume needs to be introduced a little at a time or it can crack your stock. No my observation but something that I read somewhere. miles

Use Low Expansion foam - it is the type that is used around doors and windows. Works great.

drover

Plastic grocery bags.

Takes about 3 minutes. Free.




P

I too have used plastic grocery bags in my synthetic stocked guns. They are essentially free, add little weight and do a good job of deadening the sound. I have used a ramrod or arrow to help pack them down as I add them.

I'm actually thinking of ordering some marine grade, structural foam, and experimenting with that over carbon rods for forends (instead of heavy epoxy) in the current rash of flexy stocks. The window foam will work in butt stocks, and Browning has used it. Also, they used to make a black, waterproof version for fish pond use, that is really good for this kind of stuff.

Take off the recoil pad.

Packing peanuts, bags, or pieces of foam (like you'd find in a gun case) That foam is a freaking mess.

Had some of the marine grade 2 part foam left over from a project at work. Tried it in a savage stock and I thought it worked great. Doesn't weigh much and is solid as a rock. Used epoxy in the for end though.

Double ziplock bag with dry socks, matches etc. Make it a survival kit storage area.

Best idea of the thread!

I put some paper towels, a metal match and a 42 gallon, 3mil, contractors garbage bag in my Ruger American. Filled up the space and it is much quieter than it was before. I thought I might as well haul around something useful...

AS someone said, get the low expansion stuff so it doesn't bow out your stock. they have regular foam and stuff for windows and doors.
I would go light and stop half way and see how it does.
let us know how it turns out.

A can of the non-expanding foam might be easier to use since it won't expand out the gaps. I don't know how cured weight compares.

Wal-Mart bags mashed in very tight

Takes no time at all and cost zero....nadda