Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing New Tang Safety stock split

Hey guys,
I recently installed a new stock on a Ruger Tang Safety chambered in 338 Win Mag. Stock is a new new OEM walnut that was drop in perfect. The old stock was split under the tang plus a chunk of wood was missing on the right side at the tang.
Yesterday, we are out shooting the rifle for the first time since it was re-stocked. 220gr Fed factory loads. 11 shots later and fer crying out loud, there was a chunk of wood missing on the right side of the tang. On the left side under the bolt there was a crack that, if we hadn't noticed the damage already, would likely have resulted in another chunk of wood broken off. I haven't taken the action out of the stock yet so I don't know if there is a split under the tang but I wouldn't be surprised.
Recoil was "authoritative" but not excessive for a 338 WM.
Ideas?? Being an OEM stock for a discontinued rifle, was the wood dried out?
I understand that Ruger d/c the wooden stock on early Alaskan/African 375 Ruger's due to splitting issues. Are we dealing with a similar issue?
Thanks,
Jeff

A tang safety 338 without a cracked stock is pretty rare IME. They were terrible about splitting stocks. They generally need the lug bedded for %100 contact and the tang relieved so it doesn’t pop a chunk out. Hopefully you can locate another stock and bed it first this time.

Thanks very much. In hind site, I do recall reading somewhere about the issue of them splitting. One of the reasons that a lot of those guns that I have seen are stocked in synthetic. The thing that really was shocking is that it only took 11 shots to do the damage. Everything was tight, maybe to tight at the tang. At least, it was after shot 11 that we noticed it. Live and learn.
I think my friend who owns it is going to go with a synthetic now. We discussed it yesterday at least. Its a really nice rifle, I should offer to buy it from him.
Thanks for the insight.
Jeff

Not too many absolutes in the gun world, but too tight of a fit and not being bedded with the tang relieved will guarantee stock splits on these Rugers.

Fixed a couple of these for local guys. After the repairs and pillar bedding, both are still going strong 10+ years later after elk, moose and caribou hunts. One was a 338 and the other a 300.

I'd have it fixed properly or go synthetic. "Properly" being the operative word if you opt to have it repaired.

Good shootin'. -Al

Thanks Al,
I suspect synthetic will be the way to go. We did pillar bed the replacement but the way the wood split on the one side and the chunk cracked off the other, I don't think a repair is feasible.
I still haven't taken it apart to see if there is damage underneath, busy day.
Plus bedding the lug and relieving the tang of course. (The original looks like it wasn't bedded or relieved and took many years to split)
I might give it try while we search out a quality synthetic though.
It was an interesting afternoon for sure, 11 shots to destruction, could be the title of a new movie.
Jeff

Properly bedded, with relief where required, and it won't split. I'll bet the stock is broken behind the recoil lug too. GD

I won't have time till this weekend to look further at the rifle but, I wouldn't take that bet.
Jeff

Maybe after having 2 stocks crack out you might be smart enough to put 2 and 2 together and figure out they need to be properly glass bedded to keep this from happening. Have you never read posts regarding this?

I have repaired quite a few of these, including fitting pieces to fill in for missing chunks. It is not that difficult and virtually disappears.

Actually, the rifle was purchased with the cracked stock by the friend I am working on it with. It appeared to have taken years for the crack to appear. That is why we went ahead and restocked it as though it was coming from Ruger directly.
No, I haven't read any posts ref this issue. I don't go surfing around the site looking for topics that could be years old. That is why I came looking for advice.

Thanks, good to know all isn't potentially lost. I'm going to go ahead and try to repair it if the damage isn't too bad under the tang, then bed the recoil lug as mentioned plus relieve wood around the tang. We located the chunk that broke off so at least there aren't any missing pieces to fabricate. it is a clean break.
It's a live and learn lesson.

With what you have a nearly invisible repair should be quick and easy.

Thanks very much. Will take it slow and careful and make sure the right parts are bedded etc.
I'll have to order some fresh Acraglas to be safe. The stuff I have on hand is a few years old, left from a different project.
Jeff

Epoxy rarely goes bad... warm the parts and allow to cool before combining and mixing and you will be fine.

Thanks, good to know! I appreciate the advice!
Jeff

Well damn, i remember reading this thread last week, went and saw an old buddy that i knew had three Ruger rifle walnut stocks, yep all three are for the tang safety Rugers, but, i failed to notice you were in Canada, if you have interest and think shipping/importing? wold be worth it, PM me and i'll give you his cell number, said he's take a 100 bucks for each stock, or 300 shipped for all three, they're very nice clean stocks, i noticed no cracks anywhere on any of them.

Told me an old cowboy buddy of his pulled em off new Rugers he bought so he could syn stock them all.

BTW, all three stocks have the red Ruger pads on them.

Hi gunner500,
Much appreciated offer! I'll check with my buddy who owns the rifle and see if he is interested.
Importing shouldn't be an issue as the stock that cracked was ordered from a company in the US. There wasn't anything special about
shipping that they indicated.
Thanks,
Jeff

A buddy of mine had the exact thing happen to his 77 338. He contacted Ruger and they told him to ship just the stock back and they would look at it. They wound up sending him a very nice new stock at no charge.
But this was over 20 years ago.

When I was young and needed a 338 to kill elk, or thought so, I bought a stainless steel laminated 77. After about 30 rounds, it split clear through the pistol grip. Killed a couple bulls before then. Sent stock to Ruger and told them I wanted a walnut stock to replace it with. Looked great. Took it to a gun show and sold it unfired in the new stock. Odds of that one holding up were slim in my mind.

Interesting stories guys. Might be worth contacting Ruger. Can't hurt to inquire. Seems to me an OEM stock should be reliable. As far as I have seen, Ruger doesn't glass bed
factory stocks though I could be wrong.
Jeff