Shimming Hawkin stock

[hjjusa]

I have a Hawkin stock channeled for a 15/16" barrel and I have a 7/8" barrel. My question is would it be okay to shim the channel up with layers of 1/16" maple to make the 7/8" barrel fit?

 

[necchi]

It's been done.
The issue is the fit of the breech in the stock or breech hook AND how well the lock hammer fit's the nipple. (presumming it's a capper)
What "make" gun you got?

 

[longcruise]

I once made do with a 1" stock for my 15/16th barrel when the stock cracked part way through the season. I shimmed with cereal box and the results were good except for the ugly part!

 

[ohio ramrod]

Twenty plus years ago I shimmed a 7/8 barrel into a 15/16 stock to convert my boy's rifle from 50 to 45. That gun has won many shoots and dropped several deer. "It ain't purdy but it shoots" :hmm:

 

[David W.]

Never done it, but if I did, I would use a veneer of the same species of the stock.

 

[larry wv]

Duct tape works for me. Guess I'm not fancy. :idunno: Larry

 

[hoochiepapa]

Why not Accraglas? It would be permanent, and you can stain it the color of the wood?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

You actually only need 1/32" on both sides and the bottom flat.

 

[Bill Hall]

I 2nd the acraglass. Once any breech fit, nipple/hammer alignment isses are solved, you could install the key(s), bed it, and be done. It will probably be nearly invisible, so nobody will know, and I won't tell. Bill

 

[ohio ramrod]

I soldered metal shims on the barrel, so he can switch back and forth from the fouty five to fifty. :hmm:

 

[Stubert]

black electrical tape in the channel, i have a 15/16 barrel in a 1" stock on a investarms,put as many layers on as you need. it can't be seen and looks fine.

 

[David W.]

I soldered metal shims on the barrel, so he can switch back and forth from the fouty five to fifty. :hmm:

OK Gotcha! :thumbsup:

 

[Leatherbark]

If I used Acraglas as has been suggested.(Good Idea). I would first put me a temporary shim in front of the wedge slightly with the wedge installed to make sure everything lines up OK to get the barrel height correct. Then use the acraglas from the breech to the end still using the shim to wedge the barrel tight against while the acraglas is drying. You may need a 15/16ths tang also to make the blend from the tang to the barrel smooth if this is a Hawken style?...Anyway if you dont have something for the barrel to rest against besides the too large channel you will squooosh out the acraglas when you seat the barrel. Plus you will need to dam up the front of the stock with play doh or clay to keep it in there while everything is curing.

Bob

 

[bob4st]

...sounds like a lot of stuff to do, watch for, measure, etc... i strongly suggest selling the parts separately for a sum greater than the gun is worth and buying a new one... :thumbsup:

 

[canemminor]

Would some of that very thin venier use in furniture manufacter and repair work? You could cut it to fit the bottom and two sides then glue it in place. This way the final fitting and finish could all be done with conventional wood working tools.

 

[Bill Hall]

I was just thinking that gluing in strips of veneer would work, but it would be next to impossible to get the perfect thickness to begin with. You would need to glue in over-sized pieces, and then work down the dimensions to fit the barrel, and be in line with the key and breech, etc. Transfer medium will be of little help, since the barrel-to-wood fit will already be correct (theoretically), the barrel will just sit too high. For me anyway, it would be a real pain in the you-know-what to scrape out a consistant smidgeon of wood, from a blind starting point.

I think with the glass bedding, you could do it in two sessions, with a little forethought, and just be done with it, especially if the gun is a production model like T/C, CVA, etc. Now, I high dollar custom rifle is another matter. But I don't think that's what we're talking about here.

Just thinking out loud guys :wink: . Bill