In the past few months we’ve had several customers, usually
police departments or varmint hunters, call with a request for
advice about the front sling swivel stud pulling out through the
stock on their rifles. In every case, they have had a fairly heavy
bipod attached to a heavy rifle. Whenever I’ve spoken with the
customer, the stud was only held in place by a standard stock nut,
and the stock was a laid-up fiberglass type. We’ve not had any
reports of this problem with aluminum insert stocks with the insert
reaching to the stud or injection molded stocks.
The repair process that I’ve come up with involves a bit of
machining, inletting and bedding work, but it should save the
shooter the price of an expensive replacement stock:
The first step, always, is to make certain the rifle is unloaded and
there is no ammo present in the magazine.
Remove the barreled action from the stock and set aside in a safe
place. Using
Brownells TCE Cleaner/Degreaser on a swab,
clean out the barrel channel above where the stud pulled out, as
well as the pulled-through hole in the stock. Obtain a 4” long
piece of aluminum or brass bar stock, 3/8” to _” square, and clean
it well with TCE. Mark the inside of the barrel channel 2 1/8”
inches ahead and behind the stud’s hole so that the metal bar can
be inletted into the stock.
Using a
Dremel Tool or similar hand grinder, with proper
eye protection and a good dust mask, cut through the stock’s shell
inside the barrel channel so that the metal bar can be fitted into
the stock. Clean out any filler foam using chisels or gouges until
you can see the inside surface of the bottom of the stock’s shell.
Using masking tape, plug the torn-through hole in the bottom of
the stock (from the outside) and mask off the outside of the
stock’s forend…you don’t want to get any bedding compound on
the exterior!
Mix up about a tablespoon full of
Brownells Acraglas® Gel, and color
it to match the stock, if desired.
Put about a teaspoon of the 'Gel into the cut area of the stock
from the top, making sure that the stud hole is filled. Place the
metal bar into the inletted area, and push it down to contact the
inside of the stock, with a thin layer of 'Gel between it and the
stock’s shell. Fill the cavity with the rest of the Acraglas 'Gel,
covering the bar, but leaving the level of the 'Gel below the level of
the barrel channel at this time.
After the 'Gel has cured to “handling strength” (about ten to
twelve hours), remove the tape from the outside bottom of the
stock and clean up any 'Gel that has oozed around the tape to the
surface of the stock. Set the stock aside to allow the Acraglas 'Gel
to finish curing for several days.
Find and mark the location on the stock for a new
Sling Swivel Stud and drill and tap the Acraglas
'Gel plug and the bar for thread size 10-32 to accept the new stud.
Temporarily insert the stud into the stock and use a straight edge
to make sure the stud’s threaded end doesn’t protrude into the
barrel channel. Remove and shorten the stud if it does. Re-fit the
stud to the stock, making sure that the swivel hole is properly
aligned.
Apply two or three layers of
Brownells Bedding Tape to the barrel in the area
above the bar, and apply release agent to the tape and barrel.
(Now would be a great time to bed and, if desired, pillar bed, the
action to the stock!) Mix another tablespoon or so of 'Gel, place it
in the partially filled recess, and replace the barreled action in the
stock. Tighten the guard screws to their normal torque and clean
up any excess 'Gel that oozes out of the stock’s barrel channel.
Allow the 'Gel to cure for ten to twelve hours, then remove the
barreled action from the stock and clean up any excess 'Gel from
areas where you don’t want it. Remove the tape from the barrel
and clean any remaining 'Gel or release agent from it.
The rifle can now be reassembled, with the sling swivel/bipod stud
stronger than when originally fitted.