Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Pre 64 Bedding Question

I have a 243 early 50’s original stock. It has a small crack opening at wrist. Doesn’t make since 243 does not recoil that much. Took it out of stock and it has about an 1/8” of movement forward and backward. I am going to get crack repaired. My question should I just put some epoxy under the recoil lug since I have to get crack repaired anyway or should I put some kind of removeable plastic or metal shim so it can be removed??

You might want to ask guys like pocono. He's never seen a pre 64 stock crack. What ever he's doing must be working.

I didn’t even know it was cracked until I waxed the stock and it kept snagging the cloth.

In these instances, I use Super Glue on the crack since it is thin and will wick throughout the crack, clamp it until dry. I would figure out why it cracked and refit the metal so there is no reoccurrence. I would then bed the top and front of the recoil lug. That will do it!
Phil

My opinion is it was dropped on its butt on concrete which caused the thin crack. The underlying cause is the excessive movement of the metal in the stock. My first inclination was to just bed the recoil lug but didn’t know if that was not a good idea due to the originality which maybe the crack makes it a mute point anyway??

Value as an original stock went out the window with the crack. Might as well make it a shooter now. Fix the crack and bed the lug and tang.