# Make your own stock?



## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Planning on getting eldest proficient in firearms; he's already a great shot with pellets and has gun safety down to a "T".
Am going to start him out with and older JC Higgins 103, single shot .22 and had him grip and hold it...appears his arms are a bit short yet. Now, I have no intentions of cutting down the stock, can't justify it...it's too nice.
So my question; how difficult is it to carve your own stock? Have any of you done it with sucess?
Granted, I could probably just hunt down an aftermarket stock, but it is my nature to try it myself first.
Thanks in advance.
Matt


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I've made lots of stocks. The 103 looks like a simple enough design to make. If you could find full dimension 2" lumber that would be nice, but 1.5" lumberyard stuff can make a thin stock like you are making. Or, you could get thin lumber like 1/4" or 1/2" and make a laminated stock. The nice thing about laminating it is you could fit the thin laminates around the barrel and action before gluing to make inletting a snap after the glue dries. 

The main secret to making stocks is to remove wood. Most homemade stocks are like baseball bats with way too much wood everywhere. Hack it off and make yourself a nice trim lively stock that fits the kid.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Thanks Ed. Going to dip into it tommorow. I have a friend that has a small lumbermill that I'm going to visit an see if he has some decentpieces to experiment with.
I'm more of a framer than a cabinet maker, but this does seem like something I could get into. I have a full woodshop, but it goes unused for long stretches as I have lots of sidelines and hobbies. Wanting to do it mostly with my boys so they (we) can say we made it.
Maple, Ash, walnut...? Best suggestion if you please...
Matt


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

You can use any wood you want. I love tight grained curly maple, but you have to know how to stain it to make it have that 3D effect. Plain walnut is boring, great walnut is great. I made a stock out of sycamore once and it turned out bright yellow. I sold it to someone who liked it. I'd think for a small rifle for your kid, a lighter weight wood will be good, like walnut or maple. Avoid osage orange, although I have made target rifle stocks from it. 

First saw out the profile very carefully. then inlet the action and barrel, then round and shape the sides towards the top and bottom profile lines. Once you reach the sawed lines in the middle of the edges, you are done. Don't take more off where you sawed.


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## Alphawolf45 (Mar 31, 2011)

This is a subject that I like...I build a few guns as hobby..Did you finish the stock yet?
.
I have carved 15 stocks. I inlet barrel and action into the rough wood blank and then work down the wood with a big horse shoers rasp , then finish with a sanding block.....Pretty easy work for lot of folks and impossible for other people. Likely pretty satisfying to work it as a family project..
Here see a Winchester 1873 I am building..


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