Installation of 2nd recoil lug? Advice

[TennesseeHunter]

Howdy,
I am looking to put together a rifle chambered in something like 460 weatherby or 550 magnum. Regardless, nothing terribly small.

I’m unsure of what to do about a recoil lug beyond the one already on the action. I am against the 700 style where a lug is between the barrel and action, mostly because it leaves barely any wood between it and the action recoil lug. Wood stock also.

I have my doubts that glass bedding, pillar bedding, and cross bolts all combined would be bulletproof.

My main thought is a block attached to the barrel. I know weatherby and I think sako, Mauser, and cz at least have done this at one point or another.

It would be easy enough to weld some block onto a barrel. I imagine tig is the way but I seem to be In a desert when it comes to good tig welders. Would mig or stick be viable for this?

Chrome moly steel is easy enough to weld but how would one affix a recoil lug onto a stainless barrel?
Would solder or dovetailing the lug on hold up to the abuse?

If anyone has any advice or experience with this that would be appreciated.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I made a barrel recoil lug for my 458 that is a full band that is soldered on with the rear open sight soldered next to it, obviously a chrome moly barrel, don’t let anyone with a mig or stick welder near the barrel unless you want it to heat shrink crooked or have a tight spot, too much intense heat. A dovetail slot or rebate has its own potential issues but can work, CZ had a slot mounted lug that was loose and needed to be bedded in to work properly. A lot will depend on which action and which stock you choose as to how you go about it, the stock choice being the important thing
Gumpy

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

You can see it in this pic infront of the rear sight. I was going to make it integral with the front sight but time ran away.
Gumpy

 

[TennesseeHunter]

I can see how mig and especially stick would put too much heat into the system. Having never done tig, I wasn’t sure if you’d even get enough penetration. But I’ve seen them tigged on so that answers that.

I wasn’t trusting of slot mounted lugs for that reason. I’d be concerned the slot wouldn’t be cut deep enough and start to deform.

I like the band idea. Is it just the band or is there more meat inlet into the stock?
Also, where would this be acquired? The only barrel bands I’m aware of are for slings and go up to 0.95” id and aren’t very thick.
I imagine something intended for industrial applications could be utilized.

I couldn’t find anything like this discussed online so I appreciate it. Figured id ask here before bothering guys who build custom rifles.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I made the band, it has a lug on the rear of it about 3/8” below the bottom of the band, I’ll try and find a picture, I’d go and pull the rifle apart to get one now but it’s 42*C here and I’d have to walk over to the shed…..and I’m lazy…..
Also I was mustering sheep all morning and I’m tired
Gumpy

 

[roklok]

I would not weld anything to the barrel by any method (TIG, MIG, Acetylene, stick). I have heard A-Square did with their rifles, but that the weld distorted the bore slightly. My method is to cut a crossways slot in underside of barrel for a tight fitting lug that gets glass bedded permanently into stock 4 or 5 inches ahead of receiver. Think of a Tikka T3 recoil lug, except it is interfacing with barrel, not receiver. I fit the lug so it is snug in barrel slot, then when glass bedding barreled action, the lug becomes part of the stock.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Can’t find a pic on my new phone, must be on the old one wherever the wife put it
I’ll keep looking
Gumpy

 

[TennesseeHunter]

I made the band, it has a lug on the rear of it about 3/8” below the bottom of the band, I’ll try and find a picture, I’d go and pull the rifle apart to get one now but it’s 42*C here and I’d have to walk over to the shed…..and I’m lazy…..
Also I was mustering sheep all morning and I’m tired
Gumpy

I can imagine what that looks like but if for some reason the gun is out of the stock in front of you a picture would be nice to see.

I was about to say you must be in Australia but it says that on your profile. Which state?

Roklok, I appreciate the input. I can see that being a good method. Probably can cut this slot with a mill easy enough. Seems I have at least two options.
Furthermore, I have at least two weatherby rifles with the lug welded on and they shoot very well and don’t seem have been affected by the welding. But that’s done at the factory and not by bubba out in the shop after 5 beers.

 

[roklok]

Here is a picture of what I am talking about, this is a .375 I restocked.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I’m in South Australia, about two hours from Adelaide. I can’t find a picture, I’ll try to get one tonight.
Gumpy

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Apologies for the poor pictures
First is the lug
Second is the lug hole in the barrel
Third is the re-enforce of the rear cross bolt and the mag well
Both front and barrel lugs/crossbolts have steel plate re-enforce bedded in, I will neaten it up at some point. It’s a working rifle, not a show pony
Gumpy

 

[TennesseeHunter]

Looks good. And thank you for the pictures.

 

[Nhoro]

Weakest point of your stock in recoil is between the magazine and recoil lug and second is magazine to trigger. The wood is two strips either side of the magazine box and recoil flexes them out and splits the wood- either in the centre or at each corner. A front barrel recoil lug doesn't really change that. Proper bedding of the recoil lug and the cross bolts do the work. I have only seen one bedded rifle crack the epoxy and it looked to me like the action screw was loose and it cracked into the screw hole.

CZ 550 use the barrel lug as the main recoil lug IMHO. The main lug has a stupid little plastic backing plate about 15 mm deep behind it taking recoil. If you do go the barrel recoil lug route, you need to bed both lugs exactly or one will take all the recoil. But as I said above, the recoil tries to split the stock at the magazine box so that is where you need the strength. And you need side to side strength to hold the wood fibre together and stop the splitting action. Think about how hard it is to chop across wood grain and how much easier to split lengthwise. I reckon a bedding compound with kevlar fibres or maybe some thin plate set in it will be most bullet proof. I have bedded with epoxy and no problems in 6 years +