Best way to repair a butt plate stripped screw hole in a Garand stock?

[Trepang]

After a long search and a lot of money, I found a cherry SA/GAW stock & hand guards for my 1943 SA 2.23 Mil Garand.

The problem I have is the upper screw will not tighten up - the hole is stripped out.

Before I attempt any of my redneck engineering I thought I would ask you guys.

It is a really nice SA/GAW stock with a clear cartouches and what I think is just the right amount of patina for it's age and I really don't want to screw it up.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[foodpoison]

The hole repair wouldn't be visible would it ?

 

[wilcam47]

Stick a couple tooth picks in there, break off flush.

 

[Mini14tac]

Here ya go! I have done it this way and it works.

https://www.midwayusa.com/video?VideoID=352736749

 

[MDMOUNTAINEER]

Drill it out with a slightly oversized drill bit. Find a similar piece of wood and make a dowel or buy a dowel (NOT a cheap pine dowel) and use wood glue and patch the resulting hole with the appropriate dowel. Trim, sand, redrill.

Mark Novak has a video of him doing this repair on his YouTube channel.

 

[Trepang]

Thank you guys! I appreciate the help.

I should have known to look for a Larry Potterfield video - he's the man!

 

[MDMOUNTAINEER]

Toothpicks can work but not well and are not considered a repair. Although this is a common approach it is not the best way. No offense to anyone that goes this route. The wooden dowel patch doesn’t take too long and will give you a much more durable solution and will actually help preserve the rifle.

 

[MDMOUNTAINEER]

Here’s one from Larry Potterfield. The mark novak video is part of a lArger project/conservation and I don’t have time to scrub through his catalog and find it but I recommend anyone that loves these old guns should watch his videos.

Here’s the one from Larry

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww0Ph8NZ780

 

[Trepang]

Here ya go! I have done it this way and it works.

https://www.midwayusa.com/video?VideoID=352736749

Here’s one from Larry Potterfield. The mark novak video is part of a lArger project/conservation and I don’t have time to scrub through his catalog and find it but I recommend anyone that loves these old guns should watch his videos.

Here’s the one from Larry

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww0Ph8NZ780

This is the route I am going - will pick up a 1/4" walnut dowel rod next week.

The repair will be hidden under the butt plate but I do want to do it correctly.

 

[Bob A]

Stick a couple tooth picks in there, break off flush.

Yep. ^^^^ This.

I learned it from a professional cabinetmaker. It's the way it would have been done in the field and in the armory, from time immemorial.

Of course, if you go with walnut dowel, better be sure the color and grain match perfectly. Don't screw up drilling a pilot hole for the screw, or you'll have to drill out the dowel and replace with a bigger one.

 

[Mini14tac]

If you have a hard time finding 1/4 walnut dowel, shoot me a PM with your address and I’ll send you a piece.

 

[Trepang]

If you have a hard time finding 1/4 walnut dowel, shoot me a PM with your address and I’ll send you a piece.

Thank you ... I sincerely appreciate it.

We have pretty good hardware stores in Dunkirk and Deale - I believe I have seen them there but I do appreciate the offer and will give you a shout if I strike out.

 

[Mini14tac]

No problem. Alway willing to help a 2A guy in need!

 

[Doco Overboard]

Quick and dirty way is to just pound a soft lead ball flat. Trim it off with some scissors just so and run the screw in behind it.
I learned and seen that that before, on Garands.

 

[Samlab]

Wilcam47.....is correct. Place three toothpicks juxtaposed in the hole. Place some Elmers wood glue on them....slide in the hole, then beforehand, before you do this, clip the toothpicks so the are level at the top of the hole....dry overnight, then screw in place. Will hold like a tank.....dowel rod is over the top for this application.

 

[ken792]

One of my USGI stocks as received from the CMP has a piece of plastic shoved in the upper screw hole that resembles a screw anchor.

 

[Trepang]

Wilcam47.....is correct. Place three toothpicks juxtaposed in the hole. Place some Elmers wood glue on them....slide in the hole, then beforehand, before you do this, clip the toothpicks so the are level at the top of the hole....dry overnight, then screw in place. Will hold like a tank.....dowel rod is over the top for this application.

Believe I will go this route - thanks.

 

[JamesDong]

No need to buy anything, not a stress area, Toothpicks, stick or sliver of wood broke off flush and it will last forever. EZ fix no need to re engineer anything.

 

[TangoSierra27]

Try drilling out the hole to 1/64 smaller than a hardwood dowel. Fill the hill with the dowel by gently tapping it into place. Let glue Hardin, then cut dowel even with the stock. Place butt cap on stock and mark center of dowel. Then predrill the hole 1/16 smaller than the butt plate screw. Drive in new screw, should work as if new wood.

 

[Jim12]

If you're going to resort to toothpicks, use the round hardwood version, not the flat softwood type that crushes and breaks between your teeth.