thompson center Patriot

[bpatza]

I am just finishing a project,trying to strengthen the stock on a patriot. I installed a long drywall screw from the trigger area up to the tang.I strengthened the areas that seem to be crack prone with bedding gel. Has anyone tried anything like this or had any success doing anything like this? BTW I got stiffed on an internet purchase, buyer beware.

 

[El Lobo]

You might consider a wood screw or a small hardwood dowel rather than a drywall screw. In my experience, drywall screws are very brittle and tend to break when exposed to loads perpendicular to their long axis.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I agree with El Lobo about the dry wall screw. They are very brittle. A wood screw would be better. You might want to consider a fluted wood dowel also instead of the screw.

 

[brubincam]

-----how about a fiberglass rod epoxied in-----

 

[bpatza]

Thanks guys, I went with the wood screw as I wanted to hold the wood grain tightly together.

 

[JohnSmallTX]

This reply is a little late to help gocriter, but I did something a little different to my Patriot stock to strengthen the grip area up a bit.

I drilled a hole (approximately 1/8" in diameter) starting in the tang area going down into the handle. Drilled as far down into the handle as I could. I found a long skinny bolt that would fit into the hole and cut its head off. I epoxied the bolt in so the its top was just flush with the bottom of the tang grove. All of this is hidden When the tang is in place.