Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing HELP!!! Need stock doctor....

I scarfed up a donor parts gun the other day. M-700-C Remington. I bought the gun for about what the action is worth. But after getting it home and examining it there were a couple of strange twists. #1: Caliber is .30-06 with a 24" bbl. #2: Action was pitted below the wood line. Not a big deal since I am going to refinish it anyway. #3: Rifle came with an absolute beautiful Custom grade walnut stock. Unfortunately the stock is cracked. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> It is cracked fwd of the trigger but behind the magazine. Right thru the area where there is a cross bolt. (I'm sure the cross bolt is factory.) And then forward of the magazine it is cracked again to the front action screw and about 1/2" Forward of the action screw.

Only thing I would have changed had I ordered it was that I am not particularly fond of a Monte Carlo stock. Does have nice accenting Rosewood FE tip and pistol grip cap. And of course, a Pachmayr "Old Eng" solid black recoil pad.

I believe the stock to be repairable. But, would probably need refinishing. I'm not crazy about the high gloss RKW finish, either. Would anyone happen to know or be able to recommend a gunsmith who specializes in wood stocks? This is such a beautiful grade of walnut that I really hate not to make use of it.

Any and all suggestions/ideas would be greatly appreciated....the9.3Guy

9.3 GUY,

By time you have somebody try to fix that stock, you might end up with more money in it than just starting with a new, semi-inletted stock in the style you like, or a used stock that fits the rifle.
The Monte Carlo stocks are a matter of taste, but they are built to bring your eye in line with the scope. If you remove the Monte Carlo Rollover, your drop will be too low to give proper scope alignment.
Another thing I find interesting is a cross bolt on a 30-06? I could be wrong, but I'm betting Remington didn't waste money on such frivolous things on such a low recoiling cartridge, as a 30-06. Also, Redwood tip and caps just weren't something that came off the production line in Ilion.
I'm thinking this was a stock somebody had on a big bore, cracked the stock, and then swapped the stock to this rifle and sold the rifle to recoup some of his money.
If the stock is servicable and you really want to reshape it to salvage the wood, let me know. I might be interested in a project like that. As long as the cracks can be repaired, it should hold up to 30-06 recoil with no real problems.- Bob 'da Butcher

9.3 guy
When you say crossbolt are you referring to the cheesey little brass pin? I'm with Butch, the 30-06 range of cartridges did not come with them, though there is a possibility they could be ordered any way the customer wanted...

I would be concerned the rifle may have taken a saltwater swim at some point... The salt caught in little nooks and crannies about the rifle may work its way back out later, under whatever finish you put over the metal???

Would ask the coater to pay a little extra attention to it. The stock problem does not sound like a big deal to repair or to dull up.

Grind out the wood from the inside and refill with epoxy mixed with a bit of glass fiber for strength.

The trick to the finish is to use wool felt cloth dipped in linseed oil and rottenstone. Long strokes to cover the whole thing in small layers is better than concentrating in one area until done. the long strokes blend much better and allow gradual matting.

The shape will be hard to do much with as Butch says, and that would bring up a new problem of spot-finishing the taken down comb... that is a much bigger problem.
art

Art & Butch,

I was hoping you'd check in. Because you both obviously know a lot more about it than I ever will.

When I said "crossbolt" I assumed that because it has two little rosewood plugs on either side of the stock. That "cheesy little brass pin" does not usually require plugs.

My comment on the Monte Carlo was not meant to mean that I want it taken off. Just that I prefer a straight "Classic" styled stock as a matter of personal preference.


Art,

Now that you mention it, I have never seen an action as badly pitted as this one is. Funny thing, tho' the pitting is only on the action. I have no intention of putting the stock back on that action. I'd probably use it on another of my 700's. I have checked the barrel contour and it appears to be standard non-magnum 700 with the exception of the 24" length. The barrel will likely be used later for a .30-06 IMP. or a .308 Norma. But that project is far down my list.

I plan to have this action rebarreled to factory contour in 7x64 Brenneke. Then soft satin matte blued and put into a Brown Prec. stock that I have. I use 'glass stocks on my 'using' rifles. But much prefer pretty wood on my fun rifles. Thannks guys...the9.3Guy

I have a Rem 700 classic and it has the brass cross pin and i bought the rifle NIB. It sounds like the rifle came from the Remington custom shop, hence the C prefix, they make some pretty fancy stocks, i would contact Remington and if it is a factory custom stock see if they can repair it.It is probably worth the repair since really nice wood is very expensive.Oh by the way my 700 classic is chambered in 6.5X55 so im not so sure that they put the one brass pin in for recoil alone, usually the heavy hitters have two pins.