doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Installing A Buttstock Oval

Does anyone have any experience in installing a buttstock oval to cover up an existing sling swivel hole ? I've searched for a video showing how it's done but have had no luck.

Is this something better left to the professionals ?

Thanks in advance

You might get a better response moving this question over to the DIY Gunsmithing forum listed on the main forum page.

Sounds like a perfect way to rid yourself of a sling swivel hole.
Karl

Time and patience is what is required. I soldered a brass screw to the back of the oval to help anchor it into the stock. I superglued a small nail to the face of the oval to use as a handle during inletting. Put a taper on the edges like anything should have that is being inlet into wood to get a tight fit. It's traditional to use shellac as a glue to anchor the oval. That's so that it can be removed by touching with a heated soldering copper. I just used epoxy. It can also be loosened with heat and is stronger.

Doing it without any spot refinishing would require a perfectly bent to shape oval that is inletted to the perfect depth.
Oherwise, you would inlet, secure and file/sand it flush with the wood and spot finish.

Putting an oval in place of a sling swivel is a good idea, however a lot of times mounts are lower on the stock that an oval notmally would be.

Brian,

The sling swivel hole is 4 3/8" from center of hole to end of butt plate.

Is that about typical of where the oval should be ?

Thanks, Karl

Classicioi,
I have 3 guns with them. The Merkel measures 2 1/2 in. and the two Browning sidelocks measure at 3 1/2. The buttstocks are 14 3/8 in. lenghth of pull from the front trigger.
Hope this helps.
Karl

Thanks Karl I also have three with ovals and they range from 2 1/2" on my English gun to 5" on my Beretta.

I was just curious if there was a standard distance they should be at.


Thanks, Karl

The brass and (german) silver ones have some thickness. They are easy to form and can be filed down a bit to fit the contour of the wood. The gold ones are very, very thin, and require a delicate touch to install.

I did it, Karl. I made mine from scratch from a thick piece of sheet brass I had laying around. Sawed it out with a jeweler's saw, filed a draft on the edges, roughed up the back real good so epoxy would grab it, and inletted it. I finish filed it and polished it down perfect with the surrounding wood, then refinished the wood. Turned out real well, I think. Been there about 8-9 years.

The front swivel hanger was soldered onto the under rib. I ground it off, polished where it was, and you can't tell it was ever there.

Glad I did it all.

SRH