Discussion Forums

Nathan Foster

Hi Paul, regarding the rifles you have described, the modern sling studs are machine screws (i.e. bolts), not tapered wood screws. Likely you became used to tight fitting wood screws years ago. The modern screw arrangement is designed to remain loose. They are fitted to an internal streel or brass thread which provides sufficient strength to keep the bolts in place but allows them to rotate to whatever angle the sling is pulled to.

Loctite won't work as sling tension simply pulls the bolt undone. A super strength epoxy could work, but I would not do this, just use them as designed.

Yes, you could fit flush cups into the glass stocks. Drill the stock shell to the same diameter as the stud, remove a little extra foam within the stock but without damaging your shell / drill hole diameter, apply a very generous amount of strong epoxy, fit the stud using a hex key to rotate it into the stock, then clean away the surplus epoxy that seeped through the hex key hole. When fitting the rear stud, make sure it is not drilled / set in the stock too far back toward the butt, otherwise the sling will cut across the throat when shooting. set this rear stud at least 4" forward of the recoil pad and below center. Do not under any circumstances copy commercial rifle stud positioning.

There are two types of cup, one which allows the swivel to rotate, the other with a limited range of rotation / set positioning. You'll be wanting the latter.

Otherwise, I believe I have covered much of this in the latest edition of Rifles.

The Tikka stock is too weak to take flush cups. The forend can be stabilized for a flush cup at the front but the rear requires a bulky fill.

OK, hope that helps a bit.