Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Boat Paddle to Boyd, Ruger 77 Mk II

I recently picked up a Ruger Boat Paddle '06, nice SS rifle in perfect condition.

The Boat Paddle stock can reportedly be pretty hard on one's shoulder with serious loads.. I wanted this gun for heavy '06 loads, already have a light weight '06 HVA that's so accurate with 130's, I never tried heavies.

Anyway, I got a Limbsaver AirTech pad, got the adapter from Limbsaver to make it work. The LOP ended up 14" and those Limbsaver pads can be kinda sticky. So, with winter hunting clothes, I decided that was not going to be ideal. And, I had to stock crawl with that LOP to get a full view in the scope.

I got a Boyd Classic, will sell the Boat Paddle on eBay. Boyd stocks are pretty heavy, like 2 1/2 pounds (a butt heavy 40 oz). I drilled out the butt with an inch bit, using an extension. This took away a good bit of weight, helped with balance. Don't expect to use your battery powered 3/8 drill. You need a serious drill. When the bit starts digging, pull back, as the drill may grab, start turning and whack you. I drilled two holes, one over the other, then hogged out the wood between the holes by moving the drill up and down. Worked pretty well. When done, I sprayed a sealer in the hole.

Then I cut off the cheek piece, thinned the butt stock with a belt sander, slimmed the grip to my liking.

I've tweaked the bottom metal inletting such that the floor plate closes without any play. The OEM floor plate release latch spring was way too hard, the replacement one is perfect. I've made sure the box mag has some play front and back, no binding.

I fitted a Rifle Basix trigger. In the Ruger 77 Mk II, I like it better than a Timney, although I am a Timney fan. The Timney requires a cut to fit the safety, whereas the Rifle Basix has an eccentric screw that does the same thing, just easier to fit. Trigger is now slightly less than 3#'s and very crisp. I had done a trigger job with the factory trigger and it was pretty good, just not this good.

Here are the tools used to hollow out the butt stock. The 40 oz Boyd stock is now 31 oz. The Boat Paddle is around 29 oz, With the Limsaver and adapter, together weighing 2.8 oz, it's even heavier, like almost 33 oz minus the OEM pad, which I didn't weigh. My McM Hunter's Edge stocks generally run around 26-27 oz, some now reporting the newer ones can be a bit heavier.

I'll post pictures as the project progresses. Here are pictures of the hollowed out butt stock, drill and bit.

DF

Sounds good DF. I appreciate the fact that some (very few here) guys work on their own guns. I would have done exactly like you did. Reshaping and removing stuff I don't need. Especially the cheek piece, since I shoot left handed. I know you are also going to glass bed your rifle right, so I don't even have to ask. I'm also assuming you are going to be using your favorite Brownells steel bed. I actually did the same thing as you are describing with a 300wm I've had forever. The laminated wood stock helps to reduce recoil, not just because it is heaver, but also because it has better ergos and recoil pad. I look forward to seeing your work and good luck with your project.

I too am looking forward to future pictures of this project. RJ

Cool stuff DF. Looks like a good project.

Of course glass bed. Goes without saying. Ha!

I’ll probably use Acraglas Gel with brown tint. The ‘06 isn’t as violent as big guns needing Steel Bed. And that stuff is harder to color.

I going to finish it with Brownells Custom Pro Oil, a urethane tung oil mix. It’s harder than Tru Oil, just takes longer to dry. These birch lam stocks don’t have pores as big as most walnut, so Pro Oil should work without in between Tru Oil to fill pores. With those stocks, I start and finish with Pro Oil. This one probably Pro Oil only.

I may color the finish with Fiebings dark brown leather dye. The finish, not the wood. Put on a few coats then the leather dye. I learned that trick from a master stock maker. It darkens it enough to lose some of that plywood look.

DF

Look forward to the project pics. I did similar with a milsurp Mauser but you are doing more. Might give me some inspiration.

Boyd does cut a channel in the forearm to reduce weight. Too bad they don't take an extra step and hollow out the butt stock. Some folks may like butt heavy 40 oz stocks. To me a balanced 31 oz stock is mo betta.

Boyd inletting is generally pretty good. Of course, their stocks need tweaking, but compared to Richards Microfit and some others, no comparison. Richards offers more options regarding wood and stock shapes, but those I've worked with don't hold a candle to Boyd inletting. Them using the word "microfit" is a joke. I don't mind inletting, but when the cut (bottom metal in one case) is bigger than the part, not much you can do.

I buy Boyds, no longer use Richards.

DF

Sounds like a good plan.

It's in the glass, curing as we speak.

DF

Out of the glass. Looking good.

On a place where the factory finish was still intact, I tested the Fiebings leather dye. I don’t know how much I like that look. Leaning toward natural without dye.

DF

Pictures, man, pictures! You are going to inspire me to take a rasp to mine!

Patience, patience...

In good time...

Will keep y'all posted.

DF

I noticed the time frame between two posts, indicating barreled action was in the glass for 4 hrs. Not so.

Went it around 3 PM, took it out around 9 PM. Time lines are wrong, which I've noticed here before.

In that much time it's set up enough to hold it's shape, green enough to not be as big a problem as when it's completely cured, especially if I did something wrong. Not often, but it pays to be careful with this stuff. Fully cured, it's not too forgiving.

DF

After sanding, I applied the first coat of Custom Pro Oil. You slop it on, let it soak, take a small piece of fine sandpaper and lightly wet sand in swirly motions. This cuts any whiskers the finish causes, creates a slurry that is wiped across the grain to fill pores. Birch lam doesn't have pores like some walnut, but that's the way I apply this finish. After 4-5 applications, it'll be done with a soft sheen. Each coat takes a full 24 hrs. to cure, so it's slower to apply than Tru-Oil, but harder and tougher.

This finish is gonna be darker than the sprayed on Boyd finish. It's in the wood, not on the wood. Makes a difference. Notice the forearm cut out Boyd does to lighten the stock. Note how the stock is now thinner, cheek piece is gone, sides of the drilled out stock are thinner, but thick enough.

I shimmed the front of the trigger guard to tweak how the floor plate latches. I cut the shim down a bit so the floor plate now closes easily but with no play or movement.

The stock as shown now weighs 29 oz. The Boyd pad and screws, a little over 2 oz. Not quite in Hunter's Edge territory, but not 40 oz. And it's not butt heavy.

DF

Before and after butt view, up close. Notice the color difference.

Now you see where the weight went. Sorta reminds me of one of those radical weight loss TV shows.

This stock definitely went on a crash diet....

Over a half pound of wood chips and sawdust on the floor...



DF

Send that to Boyds, show them how it's done, have them copy it and I'll take a few!

I doubt Boyd is too concerned about us.

They're into mass production, crankin'em out big time.

This stock lost another 2 oz on the belt sander, and that's after I removed the cheek piece with a Stanley Surform rasp. You see how much thinner the butt stock is after the belt sander.

I do like Pro Oil.

I finished this 6.5-284 Pre-64 with Pro Oil, did the the Fiebings dark brown leather die trick, had Errol Case in MO checker it. This stock is a Jon Sundra Boyd Classic.

But with the Ruger stock, I think I'm going with the natural plywood look. Pro Oil darkened it a good bit, which I like better than Boyd's spray on finish. This one will have that kinda sheen when I'm done.

DF

Great project there D F
Looks & sounds good.
I don’t like butt heavy anything, especially gals. grin

Good Luck & keep us posted.

Jerry

It looks fantastic. I have no use for fat stocks on hunting rifles. The factory Ruger Hawkeye Walnut stocks are one of my favorite as are the original Remington 700 Mountain rifle Walnut stocks.

Looks like you did an excellent job!

g

Thanks for those comments.

I have a Mtn rifle McWoody SA 700 that I like a lot. It’s std, not edge fill, may be slightly heavier than this one. Haven’t weighed it. But I do really like the slim shape of those.

DF