Converting a 4.25 staggered feed stock to a 4.4 Centerfeed stock

[stomp442]

Ok I have a nephew with his very first deer tag. I recently purchased a 4.4 centerfeed action from a board member here in hopes of building him his own hunting rifle. Problem is he takes after his uncle and has short arms and really needs a youth model stock to fit him properly. The only youth model stocks I can find are 4.25" staggered feed. Can anyone give me some insight in how to convert one of those into a 4.4 centerfeed and is it even worth the time? Moving the front action screw is no big deal but what modifications do I need to do to the stock for the magazine? Any and all help will be appreciated. Thanks. I tried searching but didnt turn up much info.

[stangfish]

Drill or slot the hole being careful to not destroy the outside of the stock. Mount front piller on action fill the hole with JB weld or other suitable epoxy filler etc.... Use something to secure the action snugly to the stock. Don't forget the release agent on the screw and the action.

[jbjh]

Or cut the butt of the stock to length on the stock with correct spacing. Gotta be an order of magnitude easier to shorten length of pull.

[stomp442]

Length of pull is one thing and easy to fix. The youth stocks are a scaled down version of the larger ones with shorter fore ends and smaller wrists. I want to do things right and have a nice product that can be passed down to my kids in the future as well once my nephew out grows it.

[dcloco]

Stangfish has it right. I did this conversion a little over 4 years ago. You are only talking 0.130" of an inch (a touch over an eighth of an inch).

I did have to use some bedding compound in the bottom of the magwell for the centerfeed mag box to sit in the correct spot. Did not use the metal V tab that locks centerfeed box in the stock. No need to after using the bedding compound to place the mag box in the correct position.

[stomp442]

OK sounds straight forward enough. Thanks for the info guys.

[dcloco]

I forgot to mention, I did add something for "cool" factor...but...in reality, more of the engineering factor. I did not install a new pillar in the front - no need to if you are bedding the action to the stock (which I would do first, then bed the bottom of the mag box).

I counter sunk a hole in the stock the size of a dime, drilled a dime through the center, bedded dime in stock...so that the front action screw has something hard and secure to seat against.

[stomp442]

OK thanks for the tip

[6speed]

I forgot to mention, I did add something for "cool" factor...but...in reality, more of the engineering factor. I did not install a new pillar in the front - no need to if you are bedding the action to the stock (which I would do first, then bed the bottom of the mag box).

I counter sunk a hole in the stock the size of a dime, drilled a dime through the center, bedded dime in stock...so that the front action screw has something hard and secure to seat against.

I just found this forum while looking for info to do this same conversion. Any chance you could post pictures? Are you able to remove the mag to go back to the factory stock or is the mag now permanently attached to the stock? Thanks.

[jpdown]

When you convert an older staggerfeed stock so that it will work with a centerfeed action, the CF mag. box is not permantly bedded in the stock's mag. well. The older SF mag. boxes were attached to the action. So the stock's mag. well was oversized compared to the stocks the newer CF mag. well. So when you try to put the newer CF mag. box and follower in a SF stock, it has too much room to move around. You need somehow to hold the CF mag. box in place at the right height for it to feed reliable.

Some use the CF mag. L-clip. But I like putting 4 small balls of plummer's epoxy putty in each corner of the magazine well, tape the CF mag. to the action with a business card between the mag. lips and the bolt body. Attach the stock to the action pressing the bottom of the CF mag box covered with release agent into the 4 balls of putty. Wait 5 to 10 minutes and then remove the magazine box and clean up any excess putty with a blade before it cures completely. This makes a base for the CF mag. to sit on in the SF stock and keeps the follower spring from pushing the mag box all around the well and out of position for reliable feeding. If needed, I put 2 small wood screws in the grove on each side of the CF mag box so that the follower spring won't push mag box upward and touch the bottom of the action or bolt body.

[Cycler]

Length of pull is one thing and easy to fix. The youth stocks are a scaled down version of the larger ones with shorter fore ends and smaller wrists. I want to do things right and have a nice product that can be passed down to my kids in the future as well once my nephew out grows it.
If it's a wood stock, I expect shortening the fore end and slimming the grip would also be relatively straightforward. You would have to refinish the stock afterward but that can be fun too.

[cerich]

or get one of the new Boyds youth stocks...