Happy With the New Boyds Stock with a Couple of Caveats

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I did zero bedding as of this time. I’m considering bedding versus dremel clearing. It shoots great groups now, but I haven’t taken it out to past 200 yds yet. If it shoots good out to 500 or so, I’ll call it good. I have several other real serious 1,000 yard rifles, this may end up being just a fun lightweight hunting rifle. Not sure what direction this one will go.

    If you do a simple bedding job I would say do the free-float job first so it sits in the stock true. I used a long socket from a socket wrench set and a 1" dowel with #60 sandpaper. I found that you have to tighten down the barrel to see how much you have removed.

    The lugs just sit there. Before bedding my stock, if I had turned it upside down the lugs just fell out. I think a minimalist bedding can only help. If you start with a free-floated barrel, you can carefully wrap uniform turns of tape on the barrel to insure it lays true in the stock when you bed. I watched several You Tubes. GunBlue490 has a good one.

    The only gotcha is the mag well. You have to really make sure you use blue tape and release agent or it will become a permanent fixture in the stock. I also found it helpful to take the entire trigger assembly off. And if you have to do that, you might as well get a Timney trigger :)
     

    calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Yet another Boyds stock on the way, a Featherweight Thumbhole for my Tikka T3x Lite in 223 Rem.
     

    Attachments

    • boyds-stock-tikka-t3x.jpg
      boyds-stock-tikka-t3x.jpg
      10.1 KB · Views: 102

    calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Here is the new Feather Weight stock on my Tikka T3x in 223 Rem (20" barrel). You might ask why I would get a painted stock that hides the beautiful wood grain. The answer is that the finish is a lot more grippy than the satin finish or glossy finish wood. On I think the 20" barrel really balances nicely. Super happy with the fit and finish. You can see where Boyds painted over the checkering as the finish did not coat there very well (I suspect that's why it was discounted). They did a really good job. The butt pad is over-kill for a 223, but still provides a very nice surface for shouldering the rifle.
     

    Attachments

    • IMG_1488.jpg
      IMG_1488.jpg
      74.4 KB · Views: 89
    • IMG_1489.jpg
      IMG_1489.jpg
      109.1 KB · Views: 84
    • IMG_1490.jpg
      IMG_1490.jpg
      115.3 KB · Views: 87

    calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Summary of my Boyds buying spree. Intersting that the last two stocks are the same model (Thumbhole Featherwight) but notice the Ruger American in the middle has a cut-out for the tang safety.
     

    Attachments

    • rifle-22lr-ruger-10-22.jpg
      rifle-22lr-ruger-10-22.jpg
      84.6 KB · Views: 75
    • rifle-65g-ruger-rar.jpg
      rifle-65g-ruger-rar.jpg
      71.2 KB · Views: 79
    • rifle-223-tika.jpg
      rifle-223-tika.jpg
      74.4 KB · Views: 74

    calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Depending on how much interference there is I would bed the action/barrel with acra-gel and see if that didn't cure the problem.
    If it was still close, even after bedding the tang, I would take a single cut pillar file and very carefully remove the top of the comb only from where the cocking piece interferes with it, horizontally, moving towards the muzzle all the while creating clearance.
    And then break it ever ever so slightly rounding the top of the comb over to blend it in with the rest of the stock.
    No sandpaper, secure the stock in a vise so it doesn't move, keep the file flat work towards the muzzle in long even strokes, gently break it over.
    The wider the file the better, work one side at a time, clean the file of wood and polyurethane pinning, stop and look at it, re assemble and test, build the finish back up with BLO with polymerize-rs in it-multiple coats, buff with soft cloth and your done.
    Dont panic when you see the poly coming off it and it turns white, keep it small-once the oil gets in there it will match the rest of finish.
    You could also probably build the finish back up with satin spray bomb poly and wet sand with oil and turps with very fine wet dry paper and get the same results.
    The trick is to avoid gouging with the file just lay it flat carefully before moving it. once you get through the poly the wood will come a little more quickly.
    Take breaks, drink a lot of coffee.

    I took your advice and got a single cut pillar file and filed down the comb. It worked extremely well and now I can work the bolt without it binding up. I now just need to apply a satin finish (boiled linseed oil) to the area.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    I took your advice and got a single cut pillar file and filed down the comb. It worked extremely well and now I can work the bolt without it binding up. I now just need to apply a satin finish (boiled linseed oil) to the area.

    Good to here it worked out for you. I use the stuff in the blue or white? can sometimes.
    Not sure how historically correct it is for all pertinent applications but you only have to worry about an expert oilologist detecting the difference when they examine the sheen closely with a pocket loupe they always seem to have available to them.:)
    A thumb-swipe here or there every other range trip or outing and they'll never be able to tell unless you let them know.
     

    calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Good to here it worked out for you. I use the stuff in the blue or white? can sometimes.
    Not sure how historically correct it is for all pertinent applications but you only have to worry about an expert oilologist detecting the difference when they examine the sheen closely with a pocket loupe they always seem to have available to them.:)
    A thumb-swipe here or there every other range trip or outing and they'll never be able to tell unless you let them know.

    Here are some pics. I shined a flashlight behind it so you can see it just clears. After one coat of BLO I can't tell any difference, but I don't have an eye for wood craft either.
     

    Attachments

    • IMG_1512.jpg
      IMG_1512.jpg
      110.8 KB · Views: 51
    • IMG_1513.jpg
      IMG_1513.jpg
      85.3 KB · Views: 53
    • IMG_1515.jpg
      IMG_1515.jpg
      79.1 KB · Views: 55

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,918
    Messages
    7,258,691
    Members
    33,348
    Latest member
    Eric_Hehl

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom