GBL Stock Fit

1277 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by deertroy, Mar 4, 2011

deertroy

Discussion Starter · Mar 4, 2011

Just wondering if anyone could post some pics of how there GBL or SBL butt stock fits against the receiver. I've been very carefully trying to improve the fit of my GBL as you can slide a piece of paper between the stock and receiver in places. It doesn't fit perfectly along its length. I've made sure the rear of both tangs have a little space behind them but I was just wondering how critical the fit is between the stock and receiver? I have a Browining 1886 45/70 and the fit is much better on that rifle. I'd send it to someone like Mic McPherson or Keith Dehart but living here in Nova Scotia that is next to impossible.

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Rowdy

· #2 · Mar 4, 2011

deertroy - welcome to MO

From your pic, that's not a GBL. I'll guess and say it's a guide gun.

I'm not a woodworker, so I'll let someone else help

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Leverdude

· #3 · Mar 4, 2011

Its very common to have the gap you are talking about. How critical it is I guess depends on how critical a person you are. I'm certain an aweful lot of Marlins serve well like that for years. BUT, IMO its a critical area, especially in the harder recoiling guns. Ideally thats where recoil forces are transmitted from the action to the stock. With a gap there the action can set back with recoil & since the tangs are tapered they are effectively a wedge if the action can slip back.
If theres room behind the tangs its not very hard to correct. Put some inleting black (or the wifes lipstick) on the reciever and tangs where they meet the wood & then push the stock on. The inletting black should have marked the wood whever its making contact. Be VERY careful removing wood from the tang inletting as its easy to go to far & you cant go back. Useing a file erase the marks & try again. Keep going until its nice & tight against the reciever.
Alternately you could just use brown died acraglass to fill the void. I generally get it as close as my patience allows & then bed the reciever & stock together. That way you get a purfect fit with no gaps or wobbles. I dont like seeing the glass & thats why I bother with the fitting first. If you get it very close you wont see the bedding. If you do bed it make sure you use release agent. I usually coat everything several times, includeing around the flare & tangs, not just what will abut the metal but on the outside as well. Reason being is if some glass squeezes out, and it most likely will, I can just wipe if off & not have it smeared on the metal. Take a look in the reference library for better descriptions of stock fitting & bedding.

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deertroy

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 4, 2011

Thanks for the reply Leverdude. That's very informative. I know what your talking about with the release agent as I've bedded a few bolt guns. If you fit that area close and then apply bedding it doesn't leave a lot of room for the actual bedding. Does the bedding still adhere and stay put with such a thin amount?
PS - Rowdy, Your correct, that is a pic of a guide gun. It was one I previously owned and just happen to have a picture of so i used it for illustration purposes.

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Leverdude

· #5 · Mar 4, 2011

deertroy said:
Thanks for the reply Leverdude. That's very informative. I know what your talking about with the release agent as I've bedded a few bolt guns. If you fit that area close and then apply bedding it doesn't leave a lot of room for the actual bedding. Does the bedding still adhere and stay put with such a thin amount?
PS - Rowdy, Your correct, that is a pic of a guide gun. It was one I previously owned and just happen to have a picture of so i used it for illustration purposes.

Youre welcome!
It has stayed put for me. I try to undercut a bit if that makes sense, so that the outside is closer than behind it, I found it much easier than trying to maintain a truly flat surface against the steel, though thats certainly possible it takes alot longer & can get frustrating. Doing it like that gives a little more thickness to the bedding and I think it sticks better because your putting it on open end grain instead of on a sealed wood surface.

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rhendrix

· #6 · Mar 4, 2011

Maybe the picture doesn't show it well but it looks like you have a pretty good fit there.

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deertroy

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 4, 2011

Yes, but as I mentioned, that isn't the rifle in question.

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eaglesnest

· #8 · Mar 4, 2011

I was looking at the fit in the OP's question on my 2 Marlins and noticed with my 1895 if I hold it to the light and look down from the top I can see a very faint line of light on one side but not the other. On my 1894, it is solid fit and no light can be seen. I am inclined to not worry about my 1895 because it is so faint, maybe if I shot a lot of max loads through it though I would.

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deertroy

Discussion Starter · #9 · Mar 4, 2011

I've slowly tinkered with mine to the point that it fits here and there. Like eaglesnest I can see a bit of light in places. I use a piece of paper to check fit. I have bearing on both sides but not 100%. I think the only way to achieve 100% would be to glass bed. That is unless your a stock maker and/or have access to those type of tools, scrappers, etc. I'm a carpenter and have a fairly good grasp of using tools and I've done a fair but of finish work but I'll admit I'm not a stock maker.

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