Why you shouldn't use the action tang as a recoil lug

Al Nyhus

"It'll never work!"
I know, I know it's done all the time...using the rear tang of the action as the recoil lug on a bolt in. I've never liked that approach for a lot of reasons and thought I'd share one that popped up today.

This was a glue in Panda I bought used and am converting to a bolt in with a front recoil lug. Cleaning up the old bedding in preparation for the pillars exposed this. And it's not the first time I've seen this. After seeing these voids more than once, it's an area that gets checked every time prior to bedding. The wrist areas take a pretty good beating so I'll fill it with some low viscosity epoxy and reinforce it with some carbon fiber matting stuffed in there. A carbon fiber arrow shaft works good, too.

On the few that I've been persuaded to do with the tang as a recoil lug, I've notched this area out and 'glassed a flat piece of aluminum in there to take the recoil load.

And no knock on the stock maker, either. In fact, the stock is one of the main reasons I bought the gun as they're not generally available. It's a high quality stock that I've had several of in the past...none of them had this issue. But stuff like this is why we should double check everything. ;)

Good shootin'. -Al

n6Ottbol.jpg
 
Back
Top