Reducing the weight of a laminated stock

[Loper]

Laminated stocks are solid and more weather resistant than traditional wood stocks. However, they are typically heavier. Anyone ever tried to make their laminate lighter? I'm assuming one way to do this would be take the recoil pad off and use a router or drill to hollow out some of the buttstock. Another may be to take some material out of the barrel channel or the grip.

Anyone had success doing this? Anyone regret trying to do this?

 

[Newtosavage]

I was able to pull about 3/4 lb. off a Boyd's hardwood laminate stock for a Howa Mini.

I removed the recoil pad, and took a spade bit and drilled three large holes as deep as I dared into the butt stock. Then I cut off about 1 1/2" from the forend and reshaped it. I also thinned out the forend and removed the raised cheek piece. It wasn't hard to do but it did take a lot of elbow grease. After I bedded the action to that stock, it ended up being one of my favorite stocks ever.

 

[Loper]

Very nice! Did it need to be painted or sealed somehow afterwards? Do you have any pictures? I'd love to see how it turned out.

 

[wilderness_56587@hotmail.]

I have the same boyds stock and am going to try the hole drilling behind the recoil pad

 

[Newtosavage]

Very nice! Did it need to be painted or sealed somehow afterwards? Do you have any pictures? I'd love to see how it turned out.

I just sealed the wood with oil afterwards. It didn't match the finish exactly, but it was close enough that you couldn't tell without feeling it. I didn't get hung up about sealing the wood any more than just an oil finish as laminated wood is already pretty weather resistant.

I'll look for pictures of that rifle as I recently sold it.

 

[Felix40]

I drilled a couple big holes in the butt of a Boyd’s stock too. I didn’t weigh before or after because the numbers didn’t really matter to me. You can get a surprising amount of material out of it. You will definitely want to seal it when you are done. Even before drilling mine out I had seen it swell around the recoil pad from being out in the rain.

 

[Loper]

I drilled a couple big holes in the butt of a Boyd’s stock too. I didn’t weigh before or after because the numbers didn’t really matter to me. You can get a surprising amount of material out of it. You will definitely want to seal it when you are done. Even before drilling mine out I had seen it swell around the recoil pad from being out in the rain.

Any pictures of how much material you removed? Did you eventually seal it? If so, what did you use?

 

[Felix40]

Any pictures of how much material you removed? Did you eventually seal it? If so, what did you use?

Spar urethane because that’s what I had. Anything would work.

Just imagine two 1” holes side by side. One is maybe 6” deep and the other 4”.

 

[Loper]

Sounds good. Thanks!

 

[eLightfoot]

I've done an extensive job on one. I posted it here a few months ago with pics and everything. might have posted it in the rifle forum.

 

[Blockcaver]

Not me....but Patrick Smith that owned Mt Smith and Kifaru in years past skelontized the butt stock of a wood Remington M7. Rifle was super light afterward. Too long ago for me to remember the details, but it was a predecessor to his Rambling Rifle that was a VERY light switch barrel with M-7 roots. He cut a decent sized triangle out of the butt....easily done with a jig saw or saber saw...drilll holes on the corners of the cuts and saw away. Smooth the cuts and urethane them for weather protection. Turn the forend into a "popsicle stick" and you have cut even more weight out. Good luck, and post photos!

 

[Loper]

I've done an extensive job on one. I posted it here a few months ago with pics and everything. might have posted it in the rifle forum.

I found your thread.

DIY tikka stock build

Here is a project I finally finished. Turned a Boyd’s laminate stock into a lightweight wood/composite hybrid on the cheap. Improved ergonomics to my exact liking and weights exactly the same as the plastic factory stock. Hogged out a bunch of the stock with a router. Reinforced the...

www.rokslide.com

Very impressive work!

 

[Loper]

Not me....but Patrick Smith that owned Mt Smith and Kifaru in years past skelontized the butt stock of a wood Remington M7. Rifle was super light afterward. Too long ago for me to remember the details, but it was a predecessor to his Rambling Rifle that was a VERY light switch barrel with M-7 roots. He cut a decent sized triangle out of the butt....easily done with a jig saw or saber saw...drilll holes on the corners of the cuts and saw away. Smooth the cuts and urethane them for weather protection. Turn the forend into a "popsicle stick" and you have cut even more weight out. Good luck, and post photos!

I think I found a past thread about Patrick Smith's original super light rifle. This thing is taken to the extreme. I like the utilitarianism of it.

Ever come across a Lightweight Rifle like this?

This pic is in a Duncan Gilchrist book I just got. Anybody seen a gun like that in person?

www.rokslide.com

 

[Blockcaver]

That Remington M600 shown above is different than the one Patrick showed me at his Mt Smith or Kifaru Shop, forget which place 20 or more years ago. I’m sure he built several thru the yrs though before marketing them.

 

[Wacko]

I was able to pull about 3/4 lb. off a Boyd's hardwood laminate stock for a Howa Mini.

I removed the recoil pad, and took a spade bit and drilled three large holes as deep as I dared into the butt stock. Then I cut off about 1 1/2" from the forend and reshaped it. I also thinned out the forend and removed the raised cheek piece. It wasn't hard to do but it did take a lot of elbow grease. After I bedded the action to that stock, it ended up being one of my favorite stocks ever.

I did basically the same. I shortened the forend a little more. I also hogged out some of the wood in the forend under the barrel. Sealed it with spar-thane. Worked pretty dang good. I liked being able to keep the Original exterior for the most part. Handy, lighter, inexpensive, what's not to like?