doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Stock bending, can it be removed?

As far as I know, normally stock will be straight (or neutral), but they can also be bent to the right or the left (think they call is casteroff, casterin??)

I always thought that bent or caster, was made directly when carving the stock wood, but yesterday to my surprise, I discover the stock is made straight, and then it is bent after applying hot linseed oil (natural, not boiled), infrared lamps, or other methods....

After watching several videos on youtube, I was surprised how "easy", it was to add that bend/caster to the stock.... wood because very flexible after the process.

My question is the reverse.... can a stock that has a great caster, be removed to make it neutral or straight again???

Strangely, al videos show they bend the stock where the hand grip (thinner part of the stock and therefore easier to bend in that position), but I have a spare stock from a double barrel gun, and the bend is along all the stock, including the large part at the rear.

Maybe in this case, as all the stock has a bend, most of the stock should be dipped directly in oil, and then put in a press or similar.

What is your oppinion?

When I stock a gun from scratch I build cast into the stock. I often bend existing stocks for clients to achieve better fit, including for cast. The stock you pictured appears to be carved with the dished out face section, I do not believe that stock can be bent in a way that would be satisfactory.

In my eye, it looks to me that the stock has cast off where it matters. As a rule of thumb, that you can verify, the eye is over the comb 1/3 the way back leaving the rear two thirds to meet your shoulder pocket. The curve looks to bring it back to your shoulder pocket. If you watch people shoot they often place the butt a bit to the right of the shoulder pocket and this stock would put it in the pocket more easily. This may have been caused by internal pressure inside the wood, maybe over time or by a gunsmith who was trying to solve a fit problem for an unknown shooter. Is this from a gun you own? Or just an old stock you came across? I agree with SKB that it would be almost impossible to straighten it out.

By removing the finish, you may be able to soak the stock in water and put it out in the sun. I did this with many warped doors and it worked well. When I got the correct bend back it was moved inside and the shape would remain permanently. Not sure you would want to try that with a stock.