Shortening length of pull

[reddogge]

I need to shorten the length of pull on an Ithaca Hawken I built from a kit in 1978. It is now 14 1/2" and I shoot 13 1/2" -13 3/4" at the most. I've tried to live with this rifle but it's just impossible. Any advice on cutting the stock and refitting the buttplate. I have to move the toeplate forward too but not too worried about that. I'm also reshaping the lock moldings to a more Hawken profile.

[P.W.Berkuta]

First I would practice on a piece 0f 2X6 or 2X8 scrap lumber to see if you can do the inletting of this butt plate. If you can't then I would not proceed on the actual rifle. My two cents worth on this.

[smylee grouch]

Some food for thought. As you move that butt plate forward it will be making the toe hang below the toe line and you will want to cut that off making the butt shorter from top to bottom. It might not be enough to bother you though.

[Daniel Coats]

Consider drawing it out on paper first you may not like the change in profile and then be both stuck with it and unable to sell it. You need a different gun.

[smylee grouch]

IF YOU DO MOVE IT, the screw holes in the wood might need to be plugged .

[Top Jaw]

Shortening the LOP an inch will also likely necessitate reshaping the rear of the cheekpiece also to make things proportional.  Another option might be selling your gun as is. And putting a WTB ad on ALR for a specific length of pull Hawken. 

[Daryl]

I shortened this one for my wife many years ago and it was not a big deal at all.

Taylor shortened a couple Hawken rifles he made years ago.
They had 17" LOP's for a giant of a man, who said they were merely "adult length".

[reddogge]

To reply to the replies;

There is plenty of space left before running into the cheek piece so that isn't a problem.

I can do buttplates. I've built 10 rifles from scratch over the years.

I can plug screw holes.

From top to bottom I'll only lose 1/4" and even less if I shorten it 3/4" vs 1".

I don't want to sell it. It's a great shooter. Besides when I bought it it only cost $213 for the kit. Hard to replace today.

[Daniel Coats]

To reply to the replies;

There is plenty of space left before running into the cheek piece so that isn't a problem.

I can do buttplates. I've built 10 rifles from scratch over the years.

I can plug screw holes.

From top to bottom I'll only lose 1/4" and even less if I shorten it 3/4" vs 1".

I don't want to sell it. It's a great shooter. Besides when I bought it it only cost $213 for the kit. Hard to replace today.

What was it you needed advice on? 

[reddogge]

Probably how to cut the buttstock, by hand or bandsaw. The last one I did was several years ago and it was in an unfinished state so I didn't worry too much about the finish.

[Daryl]

I used a coping saw on Tracy's stock.

[reddogge]

Did you tape it first?

[bluenoser]

Taping is a good idea as it can prevent chip-out on a finished surface.  I use masking tape - not the green painter's tape.  It would also be best to use a fine toothed saw.

[rich pierce]

Normally a comb tapers from the buttplate forward. Not a lot, but some. So you’d need to file or squeeze the buttplate top extension, usually. There’s probably plenty of metal thickness to work with.

[snapper]

I have cut two stocks down to change the LOP.  I used my DeWalt 12" chop saw with a fine-toothed carbide toothed blade that I bought just for this purpose.   I taped up the stock to deal with chip out and I should have wrapped it with more than one layer of tape as I did get a little chip out and I did go slow.   But walnut can be difficult.

My first one cut was a high-end shotgun, and it did give me a little pause, but it turned out perfect.

For yours I would be at least thinking about cutting it out on my band saw and follow the current radius.

Good luck

Fleener

[smylee grouch]

I did one about 30+ years ago . I taped it and used a sharp knife and cut the lines deep. Then used a fine tooth coping saw on the outside of my cut line. Then in letting black and scrapers up to the cut line.

[reddogge]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I'll give it a try. I need to buy some fine tooth coping saw blades and tape but the coping saw sounds like the safest method. 

[reddogge]

Rich, I just looked at the stock and it tapers like a real Hawken with a swell in the middle that tapers back to a narrower buttplate. The comb follows the stock so I don't think that will be a problem. I'll have to take wood away on the stock and comb to match the buttplate.

[Daryl]

Yes, brown/tan masking tape.

[Rich]

Remember to consider castoff before you cut.

[Scota4570]

I'd use a band saw.  I'd make a couple of contoured blocks and tape them to the stock, the blocks would there to make the cut follow the old angle and keep the cut straight.  Use double stick tape.    A coping saw would take forever and the result will likely need a lot of truing up.  The stock will be a bit wider than before where the but plate attaches.  Any minor chips in the finish will disappear then the stock trimmed down to match the but plate.  It may be possible to add a toe plate that is on the surface against the but plate then faded into the wood as it goes forward. 

My scratch built Hawken is to long for my liking today.  I have a similar project on the back burner. 

[reddogge]

Where exactly would the blocks attach?