M48A Cracked Stock

[mr.tickle]

As some of you may remember I posted a few months back about accuracy issues with my m48a. I ended up selling that rifle. I then purchased a "hand select model" from SOG in late March. Today i finally got around to cleaning the gun and much to my horror I noticed The stock had a crack. As far as cracks go it isnt too bad. It does not go to the end of the stock. I was wondering what everyone thought would be a good way to fix it? A few brass pins, glue, ACRAGLAS from Brownells, a combination of the above, get my money back, or just leave it be?Attachment 72682Attachment 72683

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[vintage hunter]

good way to fix it

Clean the cracks with alcohol to remove as much oil as possible and let dry. I give mine a squirt with the air hose to speed drying time and blow out any crud that may have found it's way into the crack. Next, fill the crack with crazy glue until it won't absorb anymore and let cure for several hours. Then carefully scrape off any excess with a utility knife blade, blend with steel wool and rub with BLO. Here's a few stocks I've repaired using this method. Pretty hard to see where the crack was afterward unless the light hits it just so. The carbine stock repair was done probably 4-5 years ago, the garand and mauser are recent. Others may suggest different methods but the crazy glue trick has worked well for me.

[WarPig1976]

I know what I'd do, but I can't give my secrets away, I'm charging for this kind of work now.
I will say it would involve wood glue, syringes, wood dowels and if necessary vacuum.

Jebus VH,,,,Super Glue????

[vintage hunter]

Jebus VH,,,,Super Glue

Not super glue. Crazy Glue. There's a difference. If it's strong enough to glue the two ends of a cable together and tow a pick-up surely it'll hold a little 'ole gunstock together. Ain't you never seen them commercials on TV?

[Aragorn243]

I use gorilla glue. Kind of neat because you wash out the crack with water and then glue it. Must have water for it to work properly. It expands into the crack on its own and bonds extremely hard and is sandable and blends in nice.

[CINDERS]

You know the strength of these crazy glues, supa-glues and gorilla glues its a damn wonder we even bother welding anything together anymore just glue it!!!!

[mr.tickle]

You know the strength of these crazy glues, supa-glues and gorilla glues its a damn wonder we even bother welding anything together anymore just glue it!!!!

I know it! What a glorious age we live in! lol

[cipherk98]

Unfortunately I no longer have the data, or it's not where it's easily accessible, but we did some tests of various adhesives using two paint stirrers as the substrate then put them in a tensile testing machine in a class. In almost every case the paint stick tore apart before the adhesive failed, though one notable odd failure was E6000 stretching apart at very low pressures and generally being a nightmare to test. Wish I could recall when the wood typically failed, but the test indicated that the wood failed in tension while the adhesive, which I recall would have been in shear where things typically fail and is a lower number, held. The main issue I'd worry about is how much the glue expands/contracts relative to the substrate which isn't reflected in that test and what is critical for a good repair... that would have been a fun one.

[oldfoneguy]

If I spent the extra money on hand select and a rifle with a cracked stock showed up it would have been returned so fast it would have been a blur. Now if this rifle is everything you've ever dreamed about in an M48 and you really want to keep it there are many methods to repairing a crack. To me it would be a matter of principal having spent the extra money. I know it's not much dollar wise but did you spend it just to have the next one on the pile thrown into a box or did you spend it to have the rifle inspected before it was shipped? If your still inclined to repair the stock yourself check thru the index in the following link. There are hundreds of stock problems that have been repaired showing methods, materials, time and experience required to make the repairs. Don't just stop at the first page, odds are there will be your exact problem and it's solution in there. - Bill - Surplusrifle Forum View forum - Stock Care and Replacement Stocks

[mr.tickle]

I am not sure I could send it back. I went ahead and cleaned the cosmoline off of it.