# Buttstock Spacer Material



## GrouseHiker

Are there any good alternatives to the hard rubber buttstock spacer material?

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=9650/Product/HARD_RUBBER_BUTTSTOCK_SPACER

I need thicker material.


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## Twenty five ought six

Some people make spacers from a nice contrasting wood, think forearm tip in reverse.  I've seen a couple in light maple that look really good on a dark walnut stock.

The neatest one I have ever seen is one owned by a gentleman who had some of the longest arms I've ever seen.

He had one that was about an inch thick make out of lexan/plexiglass -- made the recoil pad look like it was floating.  He had a source for the material, it would be pretty pricey if you had to buy a sheet for that.


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## GrouseHiker

Twenty five ought six said:


> Some people make spacers from a nice contrasting wood, think forearm tip in reverse.  I've seen a couple in light maple that look really good on a dark walnut stock.
> ...He had one that was about an inch thick make out of lexan/plexiglass -- made the recoil pad look like it was floating....



I was thinking about wood, but it would need to be a species that doesn't split - something with interlocking grain. Maybe some of those exotic woods, like ebony or bubinga would work.

The Lexan option is interesting. I'll look into that.


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## Twenty five ought six

GrouseHiker said:


> I was thinking about wood, but it would need to be a species that doesn't split - something with interlocking grain. Maybe some of those exotic woods, like ebony or bubinga would work.
> 
> The Lexan option is interesting. I'll look into that.




Maple fits the bill.  It's what they make bowling pins, bowling alleys, basketball floor, and real butcher blocks out of.


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## GrouseHiker

Good point - should have some maple around. This spacer will be for a Remington 597, which has a curved buttplate. I don't really want to cut it off square, so I've got curved, rather than flat surfaces to work to.

When you mentioned the Lexan, I though about setting up somehow (maybe wrapping the stock with plastic) with the buttplate where I want it, form a mold, and pour in a resin. That would be an interesting project!


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## bighonkinjeep

How much of a spacer are you needing? Are you trying to lengthen the pull or is it purely asthetic? I made some white line spacers for this one from a sheetrock mud bucket


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## Cknerr

To hide something you make it dark, to show it off lighten it. Now the plexiglass trick - hmmm, no idea where that fits in, but what a cool idea!

Ebony costs $40 a pound just to let you know. Ebony is also a member of the iron wood family  = crazy heavy stuff! Thatprice  is for large clear planks I use, maybe small drops/odds & ends will be less.  

It is not difficult these days to ebonize something. 

The shock at the butt plate is not going to be a major problem. It is distributed over the largest crossection of wood. Hope that makes things easier for you. I rarely come across splits, cracks, or breaks at that end of the stock.  

Pouring a clear spacer? That I would like to see! It is a neat idea. But then someone will want to put small colored lights in it......

It is a difficult problem to figure out. A knuckle dragger client that doesn't want to stand out with all the extra spacers.....that is difficuly.  The worse case I used one of the slip on butt pads to cover 1-1/2" of spacer. Cheap and he was happy with the extra padding.

On the extreme side - Made a pro basketball player a stock. Thankfully there was enough wood to cover the distance. Even at 6'2" I was having troubles - his arms and neck where so long, I was having troubles getting close enough to the scope to test fire the thing! 

Best of luck! Please post pics of what you did. Some of us might want to "borrow" what you figured out. Especially if it a clear spacer.

Chris


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## GrouseHiker

bighonkinjeep said:


> How much of a spacer are you needing? Are you trying to lengthen the pull ....



I've always liked the white line. This spacer would be for lengthening pull. I lengthen pull on my shotguns to get them on target for quick shooting - usually takes two of the Brownells spacers plus a black recoil pad to get to length. I'm thinking I need the same fit on a rifle - it needs to be naturally on target when I shoulder it.


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## GrouseHiker

Cknerr said:


> To hide something you make it dark, to show it off lighten it. Now the plexiglass trick - hmmm, no idea where that fits in, but what a cool idea!...
> Pouring a clear spacer? That I would like to see! It is a neat idea. But then someone will want to put small colored lights in it......



Clear would be interesting - I was thinking a black resin, but there seem to be many options - including aluminum powder, etc. I searched up some silicone rubber mold making on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRpdOkwitFE
I though this through, and it might work, but it would be a lot of effort for one spacer - might be worthwhile if someone wanted to produce a bunch to sell - or a bunch to find the "perfect" fit. The idea would be to create a rubber mold of the butt end of the stock (stock sitting vertically and suspended) and make the mold pretty deep. If the cured mold is then slid back an inch or more, the space created should be the perfect form of a spacer - including the curved butt end the 597 has. There would be some details to work out, but I think it's doable.



Cknerr said:


> ...Ebony costs $40 .... It is not difficult these days to ebonize something....



Ouch - "ebonizing" sounds better



Cknerr said:


> ...The shock at the butt plate is not going to be a major problem....



I was thinking more of splitting with age, change in temperature/moisture, etc.



Cknerr said:


> ...Best of luck! Please post pics of what you did. Some of us might want to "borrow" what you figured out. Especially if it a clear spacer.



If I  take the plunge with the mold making, I'll photo the process and post. However, I'm thinking it would be easier (and a lot cheaper) in the long run to simply use wood or thick, hard rubber cut, grind, sand, etc. - tedious but effective.


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## Cknerr

Don't worry so much about the wood breaking or cracking. Give a little clearance around the screws holding the butt plate on. Other wise finish the wood as would any stock. It won't behave any differently.

To "shove" the gun in the right direction...
cast off moves the gun toward the middle of your body. Just a little bit is needed to align your slightly turned shoulder to your eye. The you use toe out/in to twist the stock back to vertical when placed against your shoulder pocket that is at an angle. Pull length varies because of ageing (stiff joints), weight gain/loss, and clothing (thick winter jacket vs. summer T-shirt. ...never ending battle!! lol

Since I am on your end of Atlanta (still a drive for you), stop by the shop. I'll do a quick version of gun fitting to explain all this too you. Also set up what length of spacer you need. Won't cost you anything as long as I don't make the spacer or do any actually work on your shotgun. Doesn't take but a minute or so. Also, did you know most combs on shotguns are too long? They cause a very small twist to your wrist. You have to muscle the gun back to vertical. Since it won't be consistant, it is a substancial source of error a lot of people don't know about.

I will have a table at the Eastman Gwinnett gun show in a couple of weeks. Stop by and I will show you what I am talking about if that is closer for you. (be glad to show anyone actually - just stop by) Won't be able to do much fitting there, but should be able to help explain a few things using my guns there.

Take care,
Chris

EDITED: PS: keep forgetting to ask - how much do you plan on adding? (1 to 1-1/2" is usually the max)


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## GrouseHiker

I've never had anyone figure out stock fit for me - I'll try to get over to your place. I figured out years ago the short, factory stocks were causing me to shoot high - been installing diy spacers ever since. I'll measure when I get back in town.


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## GrouseHiker

The combined spacers + recoil pad on my Beretta 20 ga is 1-1/2 inches. I used the recoil pad for the extra length - would rather have kept the Beretta butt plate. I rounded the top of the recoil pad and coated with epoxy so it wouldn't hang on my clothes.






It's obviously not perfect, but the grouse don't seem to care.


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## Cknerr

it works! ...and you are right, the intended target doesn't care anymore when you connect.

Glad to help out. It can be quit a surprise what you find out. We are all shaped  differentially. The production stocks don't take that into account. Good thing we are accommodating to a point. Still, it helps to have a few less reason to miss!

Chris


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## GrouseHiker

I found a piece of bubinga I bought about 35 years ago. It's about 2x4x16. To use it without gluing, the grain would have to run vertically. This may not be a problem, since the end grain is extremely tight and dense. The wood is so hard it rings. Do you think the vertical running grain would create any problems?


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## Cknerr

lol, no!

The worry now is how to shape it and get the thing to fit. Tools made by mortal humans might have survival problems.  That stuff is as hard as a teenager's head!

Chris


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## GrouseHiker

Yeah!! It would be a real job to work this stuff. I did pull out a chisel and was able to shave off a corner without destroying the chisel. I'd probably spend as much time sharpening as working the wood. If I put it on a power sander, I'll probably set up outside. I hear the dust from some of those exotic woods can really mess up your breathing.

This wood probably has a higher purpose in life than a stock spacer, but I haven't found it in 35 years.

Also, do you think it's advisable to build in some drop and cast in a spacer that's about 1 1/2 inches thick?


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## Cknerr

if at all possible -yes! It really makes a difference. Suggest you make it out of pine or something first. The shape of that spacer is really going to be screwy ....maybe a little too much for that short distance. Be great if you can pull it off though!

Best of luck,
Chris


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## GrouseHiker

Cknerr said:


> ... Suggest you make it out of pine or something first....



Maybe I'll start with Styrofoam first and sneak up on it!


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## GrouseHiker

Here's the bubinga:






Here's a spacer I did for my son to convert his junior stock to a standard about 4 years ago. I decided to experiment with drop and cast back then:











The curved butt plate on the 597 complicates things:


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