Hi,
I just picked up a new Rem 700 ADL in .223 from my local Walmart for a song and I want to put a youth stock on it for my son. The problem is that all I can find for youth stocks is "BDL-" or "SPS-" style which require bottom metal. I don't want to buy the additional bottom metal because that is more cost than I want to invest in a youth stock my son may only use for a couple of years. My question is, have any of you cut down one of these synthetic ADL stocks? What did you use (band saw, hack saw)? Even though he may only use it for a couple of years with the short stock, I still want it to look respectable when the work is done. Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
kstockfo
The problem with cutting down the factory plastic ADL stock is that they are mostly hollow, so you may lose stiffness and the pad will not fit correctly afterwards. Also, you may lose the pillars that the screws screw into.
There is a pretty cheap Boyds youth ADL stock on E-bay right now. Also, you can order a nice one from them for less than $200.
Cut it the best you can - use a sander to correct large cutting errors and a sanding block to do the final squaring of the cut.
Fill the butt stock with rigid, OPEN-cell foam and let cure. Hollow out the foam so that you have a 1/4-3/8 inch recess in the butt stock. Run a fence of masking tape completely around the buttstock base. Use an epoxy that has decent flow characteristics or fiberglass resin and fill the the recess to slight overflowing above the cut and let cure overnight.
Use the sanding block with 80-110 grit to level the buttstock base back to the original cut level, finishing with finer grit such as 220-320.
Now you have a solid base to connect the recoil pad with screws or with screw-pillars. I can go into more details such as alternatives to foam but best if you pm me.
I think that I still have several short action 700 ADL youth stocks that came off of rifles that I bought for donor actions back in 2007. It might take me a week or two to put my hands on them, assuming that I didn't throw them away, but if you want one, you can have one for the price of shipping.
I’ve done hundreds of them, not necessarily to youth length but cut down and a new pad fit. Run a wrap of painters tape around the butt and mark the cut. Take the pad off so you don’t saw the screws. Set the angle against the fence on a table saw and cut it off. Clean the burr off the edge of the stock with an ExactO knife. Sand the cut lightly with a sanding block, making sure to keep it square, you’re really just scuffing it for glue anyway.
Sand the base of your pad flat. Put a liberal amount of Loctite 416 on the shell of the stock and put the pad on where you want it. Put a screwdriver through the rear action screw hole and use it as an anchor to stretch a length of surgical tubing around several times to hold the pad in place as the glue dries.
Once dry grind on a high speed disc sander until you scuff the painters tape, taking care to maintain the stock angles. Finish with scotchbrite pad and a little oil.
I should have added that my method requires a new pad most of the time. And that although I have tried Acraglass as well as several different two part epoxies, the only thing I never had one come loose with was the Loctite 416.
Thanks for all the tips! I appreciate the help!
kstockfo