MAKING A GUNSTOCK

Years ago when I first start making stocks for rifles and shotguns we did have a choice of using blanks
or semi inletted stocks. There were many stock making firms around such as Bishop, Fagen, and
Herters even made stocks for quite a few years. None of the stock makers are now in business, as most
stocks that you get nowadays are either plastic or some other type of plastic material.

If you want to make your own stock you will need a blank of hardwood to length that you'll need for your
stock, and about three inches thick. After acquiring the necessary material the first thing is to make a
profile stock blank. Take a piece of cardboard or thin plywood and make a template of the size that you
want. You can get the pattern by laying a finished stock on a piece of plywood or cardboard and tracing
it out leaving at least 1/32-inch oversize on all sides. When you mark out the pistol grip leave it a little
sharper and deeper than the final proportions, for if you accidentally dent or chip the wood you will have
a little extra to work with.

You will need to plane the blank or plank smooth on one side preferably is the right before you start
profiling. You want to make as smooth as well as square although you do not need to get it totally
smooth. This is why we want to leave at least 1/32-inch leeway around the actual stock profile.

After you have made the stock template carefully check all your dimensions to be sure they are right,
then place it on your blank wood, so that you can take advantage of the grain structure and pattern as
well as strain through the pistol grip, and the figure in the bus of the stock. Check both sides of the blank
or plank for the grain pattern. Wetting down the wood with water will show you the pattern of the wood
and where you want to put the template on it. With a carpenter's pencil draw around your pattern and
then saw the blank out along the lines I would recommend a table saw for the straight up an advance
saw for the curved or pistol grip's. If you don't have a table saw the band saw can be used for the whole
job but it will not be as smooth as what is done with a table saw or straight blade.

If you are making a plain straight stock, without a raised cheek piece or offset then the blank can be
made from a two inch thick which will allow an outline of the cheek piece. Overall, I would suggest not
having a blank less than 2 1/4 inches thick and not over 2 1/2 inches, as thicker blanks will mean more
work shaping then down later.

LAYING OUT THE STOCK

Now you are ready to mark out the stock for the barrel and action. Mark a centerline for the barrel and
action with a pencil on top of the profile blank, from the pistol grip to the end of the stock. Be sure to
make this line parallel to the square side of the blank but not necessarily in the center of the blank. You
can also check where the line will be by making a template out of cardboard to length and width of the
receiver of a rifle that is being use, less the length of the tang by placing it on top of the blank you can
then move it towards the left side and check the amount wood you must leave for the left side wall of the
body of the stock. Then lay out your centerline for the barrel receiver using a small template. Make this
line to the end of the forend. Make this line back over and around about stock, you can use a chalk line if
you have everything lined up right before marking it. The next thing that you want to do is set your offset
from your working centerline by measuring to the right of the line down across the end of the of the rifle