No. 4 — Stock & woodwork
Stock and woodwork.
Fit, feel, and the bond between wood or composite and steel.
- Starting at
- $45
- Bench time
- 2–3 weeks
When you need this.
- The zero wanders between one trip and the next, or after a wet week.
- The rifle doesn’t fit the shooter: too long, too short, a cheek that floats above the comb.
- The stock is cracked at the wrist or behind the tang.
- The checkering has gone smooth and the finish has gone gray.
Plenty of rifles shoot well without bedding. We look before we recommend it.
The work and what it costs.
| Service | Starting at | Bench time | Drop-off or send |
|---|---|---|---|
Glass bed the actionA layer of epoxy cast between action and stock, so the action sits in exactly the same place every shot.What this involves: Glass bed the actionWood is relieved, release agent goes on the metal, and the action is set into bedding compound and left to cure. The result is an exact cast of your action that holds it without stress. | $175 | 2–3 wks | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. Ask before sending a whole firearm. |
Pillar and glass bedMetal pillars set around the action screws, then glass bedding over them.What this involves: Pillar and glass bedThe pillars give the screws something solid to tighten against, so the stock can’t crush or swell and change the fit. Two cures instead of one, which is where the extra time goes. | $250 | 3–4 wks | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. Ask before sending a whole firearm. |
Free-float the barrelThe barrel channel opened up so the stock doesn’t touch the barrel.What this involves: Free-float the barrelOn a rifle meant to be floated, wood is taken from the channel until a strip of paper slides from the forend tip back to within an inch or two of the receiver, then the bare wood is sealed. A rifle made with a pressure point at the forend tip is left as its maker built it, unless that contact has become the problem. | $60 | 1–2 wks | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. Parts can be mailed. |
Refinish a wood stock, hand-rubbed oilThe old finish stripped, dents steamed out, and an oil finish built up by hand in thin coats.What this involves: Refinish a wood stock, hand-rubbed oilEach coat is rubbed in, left to dry and cut back before the next. It takes weeks because the oil does, and the result is a finish you can repair yourself with a rag. | $275 | 5–8 wks | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. Parts can be mailed. |
Recut checkeringWorn checkering sharpened back to crisp points, panel by panel.What this involves: Recut checkeringEach line is recut by hand with a single-line tool, following what the original maker laid out. It is priced by the panel because it is done by the line. | $100per panel | 4–6 wks | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. Parts can be mailed. |
Fit a recoil padA new pad fitted and ground to match the lines of your stock.What this involves: Fit a recoil padThe pad is fitted to the butt and ground down on a jig until it follows the stock’s lines with no step. The pad itself is a part, and is extra. | $95+ pad | 1–2 wks | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. Parts can be mailed. |
Adjust length of pullThe stock shortened or lengthened so the rifle fits the shooter.What this involves: Adjust length of pullWe measure the shooter with the rifle mounted, then cut or space the butt to suit. Bring the person who’ll shoot it, and the coat they’ll be wearing. | $85 | 1–2 wks | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. |
Repair a cracked or chipped stockA crack pinned and glued, or a chip spliced in, so the stock is sound again.What this involves: Repair a cracked or chipped stockCracks are opened, cleaned of oil, glued and cross-pinned where they need it. The repair is blended as closely as the wood allows; some will always show a little. | $100 | 2–4 wks | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. Parts can be mailed. |
Install sling swivel studsStuds drilled and fitted so a sling can be attached.What this involves: Install sling swivel studsHoles are drilled square and to depth, so the stud doesn’t come through into the barrel channel. Simple work, done on a drill press rather than by eye. | $45 | 1 wk | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. Parts can be mailed. |
Fit a replacement stockYour barreled action fitted into a new stock and bedded.What this involves: Fit a replacement stock“Drop-in” stocks rarely do. We fit the inletting, check the magazine and trigger for clearance, and bed the action so the new stock earns its keep. | $275 | 3–5 wks | Drop off at the shop in Boerne. Ask before sending a whole firearm. |
Labor only. Parts and ammunition are extra. Confirmed once it’s on the bench.
What changes the price.
- Cure time. Bedding compound and oil finishes set on their own schedule.
- The condition of the wood. Oil-soaked or cracked walnut takes more to bring back.
- Checkering is priced by the panel, because it is done by hand, line by line.
- A recoil pad or new stock is a part, and parts are extra.
How long it will take.
The shop takes one job at a time, and only work it can do well. When yours could start is settled at the consultation, and your dates come in writing when the job is accepted.
- Reply
- within3business days
- Bench
- 2–3weeks
The bench time is the work itself, for the usual job of this kind. Each job’s own figure is in the ledger above.
Stock & woodwork
Replies by email within 3 business days.
Questions about this kind of work.
What is glass bedding, and does my rifle need it?
It’s a layer of epoxy cast between the action and the stock, so the action sits in the same spot, without stress, for every shot. If a rifle strings its shots or changes zero between trips, bedding is one of the first things to check. Plenty of rifles shoot well without it. We look before we recommend it.
My rifle won’t group. Where do you start?
With the cheap things. Loose action screws and scope mounts cause more misses than bad barrels. We check torque, mounts, crown and bore, then try a couple of loads. Machine work comes last, and only if it’s needed. The Journal has the whole list, in order, so you can check most of it yourself first.
Can I send my firearm instead of driving to Boerne?
Sometimes. Parts with no serial number on them, such as a bare stock or a scope and rings, can be mailed like any parcel. A complete firearm is different, because the carriers have their own rules about who may ship one. Email first and we’ll tell you the right way to send it. Please don’t ship anything until you’ve heard back.
How long will it take?
It depends on the job. The time each one usually takes is printed beside it on the price list. The shop takes one job at a time, so when yours could start is settled at the consultation. You get your dates in writing when the job is accepted, and an email if they change.