Looking for a way to reduce weight on a factory standard wood stock for a Win 70.

Looked on the search link and only found a thread for reducing weight on the recoil pad. Did not look productive.

I had thought about drilling some holes in the rear of the stock under the recoil pad?

Would the wood taken out make much of a difference?

I had oil finished the stock, and this past weekend removed the cheek piece. Looks very nice, but with the action out of the stock, I noticed how heavy the butt section was.

Has anybody drilled holes in the rear of a wood stock to reduce weight?

thanks,

Curly

I have. It will reduce weight, depending on the size of the holes and the depth.

To get a rough idea of the weight saving before you drill, cut some wood dowels the diameter and depth of your holes and weigh them. Walnut will weigh a little more that normal dowels, but this will give you an idea.

Then, it is up to you to decide if it is worthwhile.

As long as the holes are not too close to the edge, nor too deep, I don't think it will weaken the stock. You might consider hollowing out the stock with a Dremel tool. As above, just don't get too close to the edge.

Thanks 1234567,

I was thinking using a 1/4" diamter bit to drill 8-10 holes through out the butt stock.

My standard bit may not be long enough. I would look for a 8" and use a peice of tape as a collar to measure my depth.

Good point on the wood dowels for weight measurement.

I had also thought about 3 or 4 small holes under the grip cap, But I concerned about compromising the strength of the wood in the wrist areaa. Also the angle may be tough to get started on.

CURLY

If you take wood out of the buttstock, the rifle won't balance as it does now. You may be able to remove wood from the bottom of the barrel channel to make up the difference and restore the balance.

I've done the drill holes in the butt stock thing and I had to drill out a whole lot of wood to save 4 ounces.
Bob's right about changing the rifle balance, but mine was a target rifle and I needed to lose 4 ounces to make weight.

This was a standard practice on many custom rifles. More to get ideal balance than any great weight reduction. Even with a full Swiss cheese treatment on dense wood I think about six ounces would be max. Look at the Boyds light weight option, keep in mind you can remove more material with a laminated stock due to the inherent strength.

I have also saturated the holes with epoxy to seal them and add a minor amount of strength. The British smiths would plug the holes for cosmetic reasons and to make attaching butt plate and grip cap easier.

Thanks for the replys.

Not a thought in my head about changing the balance!

Going to leave well enough alone.

Especially for only 4-6 ounces.

Probably better for me to lose a few lbs.

thanks again,

Curly

Just a few thoughts.

When a gunstock is butt-heavy, with the barreled action out of it, it doesn't mean the rifle is overweight - it only means that the stock is out of balance w/o the barreled action installed.

If the rifle "feels" heavy in the hands, during normal hunting/shooting handling/postions, sometimes the only thing needed to correct the feeling is some balancing - just like a vehicle tire/wheel.

The assembled rifle SHOULD balance at about the recoil lug, +/- (YMMV) - depending upon if the owner prefers a "slightly weight-forward" balance, or a "slightly weight-rearward" balance.

"Weight forward" delivers steadier shots, and is better suited to a target and/or stand rifle; while a "weight rearward" rifle will handle quicker for snap/jump shots at game or some action competitions - which is why YMMV.

It's only AFTER the rifle is balanced to the user's liking, that it should actually be weighed, and then either considered for an overall, balanced weight-reduction, or the idea disregarded.

.

I routinely remove a lot more than 4-6 ounces... a myrtle stock I got real aggressive on is right at 25 ounces with pad and LA 700 mag box.

I drill a 1 1/4" diameter hole until I get to nervous to continue, then step to a 1" bit and drill until I am too nervous to continue, then go to a 3/4".

A caliper to measure the wall thickness is pretty easy to make and use to keep the cutter away from the side of the stock...

A series of these stepped holes gets a lot of weight out. I usually use three overlapping.

I take a lot of weight out of the fore end and fill it with fluffed epoxy (microballoons) and cut off sections of fishing rods. Lots of air and stiffness together.

As for laminate stocks... It is easy to get a lot of weight out of them because they are so much denser than real wood...
art

A friend, many years ago, went over a Rem. 700 stock to reduce the weight. Got it down to 5 1/2 lbs. I don't recall him drilling any holes, just a lot of work with a wood rasp. Foreend was almost completely gone. Thing kicked like a mule. He liked it, figured he would carry it a lot but shoot it a little.

Ranger44, thanks for the pointer on the balance.

Mark Penrod has the barreled action for a bluing touch up.

I will take a look at where it balances when I get it back, and assembled.

Sitka, are you using a press, or drilling free handed?

I had not thought about using bits that large. I do have wood auger bits, but would have to drill with a standard hand drill.. Also need to allow enough wood for the butt pads to be screwedback on to.

Curly

Warning, many folks have drilled out onto the surface of a gun stock while drilling out from the butt stock.

A hand drill is the easiest way to ruin a good stock.

I have seen nice skeletonizing of wood stocks.

Curly
In general a hand drill is the only way you can drill a stock butt. Start drilling and measure often. It is possible to drill out through the side of a stock, but there really is no excuse for it. I made a caliper with a 16" arm to measure wall thickness. It is not a big trick.

Epoxy plugs in the holes to seal them and also to give your butt pad screws something to sink into... Eliminating drilling there just to give the screws a home is foolish...
art

Balloons can be placed in the hollow-out stock sections, and filled with Helium to REALLY lighten up the rifle - just be sure to attach the sling to your belt !

.

LMAO!!!!

Rangr44,

Can they be used to keep your spirits up if your ever lost or stranded.

Will definately keep that in mind.

Right now, the balance issue will keep me from doing anything until I get the barreled action back from Mark.

If I was thinking, I would have weighed the stock prior to sanding off the cheek piece. That would have given me some idea of what I could save.

Part of the weight problem may be that I had Mark pillar bed the action. What could the 2 aluminum tubes weigh? 2-3 oz. A little extra epoxy?

Curly

No, the pillars wll not come close to an ounce combined. The epoxy and pillars need to have the weight of the wood replaced subtracted... Net gain is nothing...

Savage drilled holes in the butt on their 99F to lower weight, also drilled the forearm.