Hurley's Gold

It Almost Brought Tears To My Eyes...

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Texas

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Glenn B

    Retired & Loving It
    TGT Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Sep 5, 2019
    7,450
    96
    Texarkana - Across The Border
    ...when I was cleaning my Remington 870 Express Combo 12 gauge shotgun yesterday and I saw that there was a small crack in the wood of the buttstock on the bottom side where it meets the back of the trigger guard. It was never there before or at least, I do not remember it. While it sure looks like it soaked up more of the stain when I refinished it years ago, I would swear it was not there until now but then the little gray cells do not have the RAM capability they once had I suppose.

    The more I look at it, the more I think maybe it's been there awhile & I did not notice or forgot about it.
    It Still bothers the heck out of me, in as much as I am concerned it may expand and have a bad result.

    I am guessing that maybe the wood treatment I used darkened it like that or maybe it was sweat from shooting it on a hot summer's day at the range last year (and man it was hot) or just whatever air and humidity to which it was exposed did so even though cased with desiccant in the case. I treat the wood regularly and never expected to it crack. Of course, that could be the result of firing it too. Many thousands of rounds have gone down its bores (has two changeable barrels), mostly 12 gauge slugs and 00 Buckshot but some bird and small game shot too.

    I guess after 33 years 3 months & 15 days, anything was possible but I did not expect that. It's almost like a friend got hurt and is in need of care. It truly is virtually a friend and a long term one at that. I purchased my tried & true friend back on 11/11/1987 at Herman's Sporting Goods in Queens, NY and it definitely has been and remained among my favorites, in the top 5 if not the top 3 (maybe even number 1) over all those years. I carried it on the job on many an operation, in the field on many a hunting trip (took my first deer - an 8 point whitetail with it), my son hunted with it as well and we both used it on many a range trip including blogger-shoots in NH and West By God Virginia! Admittedly, in recent years, it has seen more of the inside of a case than it has of targets or deer downrange since the old shoulder cannot take the beatings it once was able to withstand with gleeful merriment but it still comes out a couple to few times a year to be shot with as much enthusiasm as ever.

    Now, I am considering drilling a very small hole with a very small drill bit at the end of the crack to stop any further expansion. If anyone has had success or failure with that method of preventing a hairline crack from getting bigger, please chime in in the comments section. I may just leave it as is but really am concerned that it might continue to expand if left unchecked; so, if based on your experience, you think it best to leave it as is, please let me know likewise. The crack getting worse and possibly cause a piece of the wood to fall off would be catastrophic as far as I am concerned. So fixing it, to stop the crack in its tracks, is my thought for the moment but I do not want to make it worse while trying to do that. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
    ARJ Defense ad
     

    Glenn B

    Retired & Loving It
    TGT Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Sep 5, 2019
    7,450
    96
    Texarkana - Across The Border
    If I had to make a last stand, it would be the gun of choice for close quarters slaying. Took it with us when Brendan (my son) and I visited Alaska in case of bears (never even saw one at a distance). It has always been my favorite for deer hunting. Using it always made the hunt a challenge as I always tried to get the deer to within 50 yards at most; although, I preferred them to be no further off than 35 yards or so. That, of course, was without baiting the deer. In NY baiting is illegal. I am sure some people do it, especially on private property, but not me. I used deer scents, which were legal. I will admit to bringing along a couple of apples for lunch or a snack when I had them, but that was my lunch.

    So, I had to actually go and scout the areas I wanted to hunt and know where the deer would likely be during the rut which was easy on my uncle's 150 acre farm; well, easy until he sold it and I had to hunt on state land. I got my first deer, an 8 point whitetail buck on his farm. I saw a couple of 12 or 14 point bucks there, it was not subjected to heavy hunting pressure until after he sold it. Anyway, when hunting up there, the best thing was to look for signs of does and for scrapes but knowing where the does were or would go was primary. If they were there a buck or three likely would be too. The thing was spotting them, then calling and or rattling them to within range for a sure shot with the 870 loaded with slugs (00 buckshot was also illegal in NY for hunting deer). I got several over the years and if had had a doe permit each year, they sometimes were very difficult to get depending on the area I planned to hunt, I would have put meat on the table each year. I will miss hunting in upstate NY, especially on or near the farm my uncle used to own - Happy Times Farm (there was no better name for it). It sure is beautiful country up there but the political climate makes it toxic.
     

    Coop45

    TGT Addict
    Emeritus - "Texas Proud"
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Feb 9, 2012
    3,280
    96
    texas
    It has been there for some time? Doesn't appear to be a worry for you. Take a deep breath it will be okie dokie.
     

    14427h

    New Member
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Apr 4, 2012
    16
    11
    DFW TX
    If you’re willing to drill that very small hole at the end I would suggest drilling a 1/4” hole 1/4” under the crack and filling it with brown tinted Acraglass. You could get away without the small hole if you are carefully filling it but that lets you be sure it fills.
     

    deemus

    my mama says I'm special
    Lifetime Member
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Feb 1, 2010
    15,589
    96
    DFW
    I have a couple stocks like that. Granted, not as many rounds through it, but a crack is a crack. One was unstoppable, one seems to be content with the territory claimed.

    I didn't do anything with either of them to stop the crack. The Mossy 500 ended up with a tactical style stock because it got sloppy.
     

    cygunner

    Devil's Den - Gettysburg
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 20, 2021
    841
    76
    Cypress, TX
    Shot a lot of trap at Beaumont's 1 in 100 gun club with a Remington 3200 aka Ilion Perazzi. Stock cracks were a problem with that gun. Had to ship it back twice and they replaced the stock both times. Now after bankruptcy, who knows. I sold it and a matching live bird (pigeon) gun 25 years ago. Kicking my own butt ever since.
     

    mountainbull

    Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 23, 2020
    159
    46
    montana
    I got a j c higgens 12ga bolt action a week or so ago,the stock was wrapped in camo duct tape.
    When I got it off and cleaned off the "goo" from the tape I saw a small crack, gorilla glue to the rescue! Shot it Sunday and the stock split in 2.
    No harm to me but the stock is kindling
    New stock en route from numeric
    I paid 5$ for the gun, action works perfectly, now I know why the duct tape
     

    kp321

    New Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 15, 2020
    13
    11
    Tuscola, Texas
    Degrease the area well and work some epoxy into the crack. That should stabilize it. Check to make sure the washer is present between the stock and the back of the receiver. The absence of this washer is the cause of many 870 stock cracks.
     
    Top Bottom