doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - Bending a through-bolt stock

I'm contemplating how to get more drop on an SKB 100, 20 gauge that I have restocked. It has a through bolt, of course. However, I have heard that even through bolt stocks can be bent. I'd like to add a little bit more drop and some cast off as well (1/4" in each direction would be ideal). The question becomes, how?

I have bent other guns including a W. Evans and a couple of Cashmores for more drop and more, or less, cast. They are all "conventionally" stocked, in the sense that they lacked through bolts.

In this case, the through bolt is about 6 or 7" long. I'm considering shortening it to about 4.5" long to just behind the point of the comb. That would leave a little more wood behind the bolt to be bent. But still not much.

Is this the normal way to do this?

Thanks

I feel that keeping the through bolt tight is critical in preventing damage to the head of the stock once pressure is applied. My experience is that the wood moves around the bolt and washer. I do not find through bolt guns any more difficult to bend than other guns, nor do I find increased spring back after the bend. It really is more a matter of the piece of wood in my opinion.