Hollowing out buttstocks

[3leggedturtle]

Has anyone done this to store ammo, matches or other "survival items". Think it would be fairly easy to do' Are there any hints for an easy way to take off buttplate if you need to without screwdrivers?

[Hillbilly]

I'd really be careful about how big and deep a hole i'd bore in a stock for that kind of thing. any hole of meaningful size would really get into the woods cross section and recoil would work against it pretty bad.

I dont recall ever measuring the holes in a 03A3 or Garrand but they dont look much bigger than 3/4 inch to me... and the margins are pretty big to the stocks edge... they must be a close to 7" inches deep (they will take a set of GI cleaning rods with a couple of those little grease pots stacked on top. Plus that GI wood is hell for stout walnut... I dont know what kind of wood your stock is.

Know of a couple of skeet guns with busted stocks that were bored out for lead weights..and we are talking AA low brass recoil for a couple of months shooting to bust those up.

You might be able to adapt some kind of quick -turn fastners (spelling it wrong DZUZ fastners?) we use em to put sheet metal on aircraft and race cars.

Jeff

[KCSO]

The cleaning rod hole in a 73 is roughly 3/4" by 8" deep. I wouldn't think you would have a problem with that size hole in just about any buttstock. I did more than a few single shot shotguns with a hole enlarged in the butt and an aluminum plate under the butt that would swing to the side to access the hole. You just make a matching hole in the plastic buttplate and chamfer it nicely. This was written up in OUTDOOR LIFE when i was just a kid, if I remember right.

[Tycer]

I've toyed around with the idea of routin a hole for the top part of Lyman 66s or fps to store while a gun is scoped.

[Ben_Rumson]

I recently saw a Winchester 73 buttstock on evil bay that some old timer had inletted a patch box into like on muzzle loaders.. Not traditional but practical and didn't look bad either.

[marlinman93]

Winchester, Whitney Kennedy, and a small number of Marlins were fitted with trapdoor buttplates with sliding "door" to put a cleaning rod or ammo inside the stock. I don't think I've ever seen one of these stocks fail when done by the factory. To drill such a hole and install a trapdoor in the buttplate as an afterthought might work, but a lot of care should be taken to ensure the hole doesn't end up getting too close to the surface or worse!

[Gun Smith]

Drilling in a buttstock is OK providing you stay with a small diameter hole. Say 3/4". You actually could drill two holes if you wanted to. A slotted screwhead would work with a coin. Just make the screw holes slightly loose so the leverage you would have with a dime would unscwew the buttplate screws. You only need to remove one screw and loosen the other. And you could use a short screw for that one. No need for a screwdriver.

[Rusty]

IICR a Savage 24C At least I think it's the "C" version had a sliding but plate that will hold 2 or 3 shotgun shells and about 10 .22 LR rounds.

[2ndovc]

Been thinking of doing this to a couple rifles.
I took a plastic cigar tube, filled the bottom w/ about 8 cartridges. packed 3 or 4 cotton
cleaning patches on top of the .22s and filled the top half with waterproof matches. all packed fairly tight to prevent noise or movement. Sealed the cap with electrical tape.
I made a similar kit for one of the boys. He has a Savage MKII with a nice hollow space in the synth. stock.
Also replaced the butplate screws with stainless slotted that are wide enough to open with a quarter or a pocket knife.

Worse case scenario; your out in the woods and need to make a fire or get to those spare rounds and nothing to open it with you can always break a plastic plate on a rock. Worry about replacing it later. The rifle is still functional.

If you wanted to make it more water tight a small smear of silicone around the hole would work and still be able to pry to plate off.

jb

[O.S.O.K.]

I don't like doing this because it does weaken the stock. It's too easy to keep that kind of stuff in your kit.

[2ndovc]

But what if you don't have your kit?
What if you go sliding and crashing down the side of a mountain
and all you can find is your rifle? (been there)
What if you're out trail riding and crash and burn and the only thing you can grab is
your rifle?

So many variables. Why not add a little insurance to your favorite trail or hunting rifle?

There's been many times that I've headed off on a hike with just a .22 without a thought that it my be 7-8 hours before I get back.
Not the best planning but I sure I'm not the first to wander off into the hills and not care when( or if on a few occasions) I get back.

Plus the hole I'm talking about is only 3/4" wide.

Isn't the weakest part of a stock the wrist on most rifles anyway?

Also how many military rifles are out there with 3/4" or 5/8" holes iin the stock for
cleaning kits and / or stock bolts?

I'd venture to say that the stock in a No.1 or No.4 are pretty darned strong.
At least strong enough for a good butt stroke!


jb

[MT Gianni]

If you reread Paco's article on a emergency pack a good kit will fit on your belt. I'd try carring stuff there rather than in the stock.