Wrist grain question

[alex e.]

Does the grain in this wrist bother anyone?
I dont care for it myself.

[davec2]

I have had a couple of stocks that I liked except for the grain through the wrist. Later this evening, when I get back to my computer, I will show you how I fixed the problem.

[smylee grouch]

A 1/4 inch rod drilled down through the wrist from the breech might re-enforce it. Glued in with two part epoxy.

[Jim Kibler]

Not perfect, but could be a whole lot worse.  Probably a small chance of breaking it.  If that should happen I would deal with it then.

[davec2]

This is a repeat from an old post of mine.  If you feel the need to beef up the wrist, I think this is easier and just as effective as steel rods or wood dowels:
***************************
A rifle I was building had a grain direction through the wrist that looked like a potential problem.  Every time I looked at the unfinished rifle as I passed by the bench, the grain run out started to bother me.  So rather than wait until the wrist broke one day and then try to fix it, I thought I would be pro-active and fix it before it broke.

I routed out a deep groove 3/8 inch wide and 1.25 inches tall through the entire wrist area excavating the existing inletting for the trigger, trigger plate, and rear of the trigger guard.



I then cut a straight grain splint out of a scrap of the same stock blank and cut some narrow grooves in it to allow me to squeeze the epoxy out around the splint and get it fully seated in its groove. (I have also used a hickory splint with great success).



One last full check fit before the epoxy was mixed.



Splint epoxied in place....



After a day of curing, the trigger, trigger plate and rear of the trigger guard were re-inletted back where they came from.



If the stock breaks at the wrist after this, I'll make a new stock.

[Bsharp]

Instead of wood, you can us G10 fiberglass like the bow makers do to strengthen the grip and shelf areas.
G10 comes in many widths and lengths.

[rich pierce]

I’d look at the grain under the buttplate as well.

[alex e.]

Dave, I have done a couple similar  preventive repļairs like that.  That is where I think I'm going with it.
Thank you all.

[oldtravler61]

  Davec2 thanks for the tip. I have a similar issue. The groves for the glue is a great idea. Thank you for this...!

[Mike Brooks]

I don't think it will give you any trouble.

[Goo]

If you don`t like it send it back if possible.

[Eric Kettenburg]

There are a whole lot of antiques with wrist grain like that, or worse.  Apparently it historically was not a consideration.  Of course you will find some broken through the wrist, although you'll find a lot that are not.  This looks to be a fairly substantial wrist in cross section so honestly I wouldn;t really worry about it, although stain/finish is going to be interesting if you go for complete consistency (that's going to suck up stain or finish like a sponge).  Ive used the dowel rod approach forever with no issues but the alternative method illustrated here is really neat also.

[redheart]

This was certainly an issue for military arms, but perhaps not so much for sporting arms.
If it's a large high recoil piece, Like Daryl would have, LOL  You might want to do what smylee grouch & Davec2 said and re-enforce it in advance. If not do what J. Kibler said and don't worry about it. If you don't get a good distribution of your glue, you're probably just wasting your time.

[Marcruger]

"There are a whole lot of antiques with wrist grain like that, or worse.  Apparently it historically was not a consideration.  Of course you will find some broken through the wrist, although you'll find a lot that are not.  "

I read this and smiled.  I am thinking a lot of the ones that broke at the wrist did not make it today.   :-)

[Dwshotwell]

“Survivorship bias,” as historians and statisticians would say.

[dadybear1]

I had a beautiful curly maple stock cracked along grain run in the wrist--I took out the barrel drilled at an angle through the crack-filled hole with strong epoxy and wood screw!!!  has lasted over 30 years--also set screw head under inlet level

[MuskratMike]

Another option is to do a pre-emptive strike. Drill and insert a dowel or rod. Finish and stain the rifle to completion, then add a copper, brass or rawhide leather "repair" like what was done in olden times . Fixes the problem and gives some character to the gun.
Just a thought.

[SDH]

I build my guns one at a time and choose the stock blank for each one. I always choose for grain flow first as I expect my guns to last far beyond my lifetime. Color or figure is always secondary to straight grain flow. I would much rather have a plainer stock with structural integrity. I've seen stocks with better wrist grain broken in two. I've also seen undamaged hundred year old stocks with abysmal wrist grain. And I've seen numerous guns with busted wrists covered by checkering.

I would never choose wood with wrist cross grain flow as a blank. I also do not believe in reinforcing wood with metal as it might reinforce the stock but it weakens the actual wood. It is quite possible to break a stock right down to the bolt in the middle. The one time I reinforced the wrist on a repair I used straight grain wood as davec2 did above.

Those that justify cross grain in the wrist are often those that need to sell lots of blanks or stock, or those unwilling to pay for a 1st class stock or gun. There is so much quality stock wood out there, why not choose it at the beginning?

[Daryl]

DaveC's repair is what I would consider, if that was my stock, Alex.
If the gun never falls over, it will be fine, as Mikey notes. Of course, guns with good grain have a habit of cracking if they fall over.