How to Make a Wooden Gun Stock

You can replace a broken stock or make a sportier replacement stock for an older military rifle, such as a bolt-action German Mauser or a Russian Mosin rifle, with just a few basic tools and some basic carpentry skills. The type of stock you decide to make can vary from the most basic to a highly intricate piece of artwork, depending on your personal woodworking skills. Make sure you have a well-lit area and a solid workbench while making your wooden stock.

Piece of solid wood
Original stock or dimensions of stock interior
Wood chisels and hammer
Jigsaw
Adjustable wood vises
Wood planes side
Pencil
Sand paper of varying grit
Wood stain and varnish

Instructions

- 1
  Draw an outline of the stock that you wish to build on the side of your solid piece of wood. Your outline should be larger than the final dimensions of your stock; add at least ¼ inch per side to the outline.
- 2
  Use your jigsaw to cut your wood into the basic shape of your stock.
- 3
  Place the wood in your vise longways and draw the outline of the interior on top. Use you wood chisels with your hammer to carve out the basic dimensions of the interior so that the rifle’s breach and barrel can fit into the stock. Fine-tune the opening with sandpaper. On the bottom side of the wood, you’ll need to prepare an opening for the trigger and possibly the magazine, depending on the type of stock you’re making; use your chisel to prepare these as well.
- 4
  Use your wood planes to carve down and shape the sides of your gun stock. Make small corrections as you carve out your stock. Continue to work on your stock until the gun mechanisms fit into the stock to your satisfaction and the stock is shaped to your specifications.
- 5
  Remove the gun mechanisms from the stock, then stain and varnish the wood. Once the stock is dry (see the finish manufacturer's instructions for proper curing time), attach your rifle to your new stock.

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