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Stock Crack

duhshooter
I'm considering buying a Marlin 336, 1978 vintage with walnut stock. It is in very good condition (95% maybe) but it has a hairline crack in the stock that runs forward from the butt plate about one inch. It is in the middle of of the butt, and not near the butt plate screws, and only visible on one side. It has not opened up at all and is barely noticeable. Does this devalue the gun much and is there any chance of it opening more at this age?
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Comments

4 comments

Date Votes
  • TWalker
    These are not collector guns so a small crack as you described will detract little if any from the value. It can be easily repaired with a little wood glue and a padded clamp. If you don't repair it, it will probably spread eventually.
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  • Emmett Dunham
    If you can see the crack with the butt plate off of the rifle you can put a piece of tape over the crack and poor bedding compound into the crack at the butt plate. The compound will seep all the way through the crack if the stock is leveled. You can take the tape off of the crack before the compound hardens and clean the excess of any that has seeped into the finished area of the stock. I have had great luck with using bedding compound and I use it were ever I can for stock repair.
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  • RCrosby
    Does this devalue the gun much?

    As already stated, likely not a deal breaker or huge downer, but I would certainly consider it as a "negotiating point"

    and is there any chance of it opening more at this age?

    Any chance? Definitely. How much of a chance? Depends on how deep, etc. If properly sealed; from outside surface and under the butt plate, I would suspect that you wouldn't see it growing noticably in your lifetime.

    If you end up buying it, send along some clear, close pictures and I'm sure we can offer more specific advice about how best to proceed.
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  • 62fuelie
    If you decide to use the bedding compound as Emmett suggests, take some fine sandpaper and sand on the INSIDE of the forearm to get some finely powdered dust. Blend this into the bedding compound and it will help blend the repair. A crack as small as you describe should not have any effect on the serviceability of the stock. The Marlin stock is fairly beefy at the butt and the 30-30 or .35 Remington don't generate that much recoil.
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