Screw Holes for Rear Swivel Screws in Buttstock are Stripped

[flyer338 0]

At the last match I attended, I carried my JSAR between stages using the sling. When I got home I discovered the holes in the buttstock for the rear swivel screws are stripped. Fortunately, I did not lose either screw.

How best to repair the screw holes? In the past, I have made repairs to stripped screwholes in wood by gluing in a match stick or something similar. In cheap furniture, I haved drilled the hole and glued in a wood plug that I drilled for the screw.

I am looking for thoughts on how to best repair my JSAR buttstock. One very important consideration is that the repair not be visible with the rear swivel installed.

How did the factory repair stripped screw holes; the military?

[Yuccacapt343 0]

Might want to try a small amount of steel wool.

Just a thought….

 

[ArtR 0]

I have seen people drill out the affected area, and glue in a round piece of dowel, that is then pilot drilled and new screw set/.

[eb in oregon 0]

Personally I've drilled the old screw hole out for a hard wood plug, glued the plug in, and re-drilled for the screw being careful to not make the hole too small. I've read that a person can put a little glass/bed epoxy (very small amount) in the stripped hole and then re-insert the screw a quarter turn from seating and let it cure. To do that procedure requires a lot of release agent on the swivel and screw to insure you don't glue it together forever. Either way calls for close attention to the process. Using wooden dowels is more forgiving but you surely can't go too deep without hitting the recoil tube.

Oh, the hard wood dowel is the traditional  military method of repairing stripped out screw holes in wooden stocks.

[ArtR 0]

Yeah, I would not drill or set a dowel any longer than the screw that is to be inserted... that length should be the measure for safety

 

[flyer338 0]

The sling swivel holes on my rifle go through to recoil spring tube. I think I would need to remove recoil spring tube before drilling the stock for plugs. It looks like 1/2" hardwood dowels would work. However, removing the recoil spring tube is not trivial.

I plan to glue tooth pick in the holes and reinsert the screws. If that does not work, then I will drill the stock for dowels.

[eb in oregon 0]

7 hours ago, flyer338 said:

The sling swivel holes on my rifle go through to recoil spring tube. I think I would need to remove recoil spring tube before drilling the stock for plugs. It looks like 1/2" hardwood dowels would work. However, removing the recoil spring tube is not trivial.

I plan to glue tooth pick in the holes and reinsert the screws. If that does not work, then I will drill the stock for dowels.

If you first wax the parts (Johnson floor wax is awesome) and then paint release agent on the sling swivel and screws, you can use a tiny bit of epoxy, JB Weld, or a commercial glass bed and assemble it. Using light pressure. But I'd first plug a small amount of wax in the bottom of the screw hole. You don't want to glue the recoil tube to the stock repair. You might consider using a clean bore brush of the correct size to first get out all the debris.

[flyer338 0]

eb, thank you for the suggestion. I have been thinking about the debris in the screw holes and the nasty possibility of gluing the recoil spring tube to the stock.

I like your suggestion.

[eb in oregon 0]

2 minutes ago, flyer338 said:

eb, thank you for the suggestion. I have been thinking about the debris in the screw holes and the nasty possibility of gluing the recoil spring tube to the stock.

I like your suggestion.

Lookie here, if the screws are so stripped the screws can't make purchase, then you could use a small piece (or two) of tooth pick to get "a bite." But if the screws sort of tighten maybe not. But after thinking about it a couple bits of carefully applied tooth pick may be warranted.

I've read of the "tooth pick" thing but have never tried it. I've plugged numerous stripped out screw holes, and patched a few stocks. In this particular application using dowels would be hard. Not impossible with machinery and tooling. I have it, but you need try something practicable and done with the means on hand. You shouldn't need much compound, so think of something else you should glue. Tiny batches are tough.