For the repair of inlet problems in shotgun stocks, repairing cracks, repeating splits, metal-wood looseness, and similar can be resolved with glass bedding.

by Sergey Lyalko

The writing of this article was triggered by recent discussion posted in American Gunsmith by one of the gunsmiths. The question was how to fix repeating breakages of a shotgun inlet. In other words, when a wooden piece breaks off of the inlet, is glued back together, then breaks off again at the shot, how should you fix it?

If the piece of inlet is breaking repeatedly should the stock be discarded or there is some potential? Stock replacements are expensive, especially for the high grade shotguns, so my tendency is to do everything possible to save the broken one. Is repeating gluing of the broken piece a sufficient way of fixing the problem? Gluing is needed but probably not sufficient.

Before talking about solutions, let’s look into physics of these breakages. Why does one piece but not another break off? Obviously, it is a result of…

Read more in the April 2021 issue.

Don’t miss a single issue. Subscribe now or renew your subscription.

For non-subscribers wanting free access, submit one free article to use on our site and we’ll send you a complete digital copy of any issue of your choice (April 2006 to current).