Snuffy

Have had this little jewel since 1983, I use to hunt on Fort Hood before they got picky and had some really long shots for Dove, so I was shooting high base high brass shells in those days. They were hard on the old shoulder, so I had a recoil pad put on but the so call gunsmith never cut the stock down to make it factory lenght with the recoil pad. Yesterday I made it right cut the stock down and put the orginal recoil pad back on there was some grinding the pad down to fit but not much, turned out great too. When I was younger I wouldn't have dreamed that I could do such a thing. I have been doing my own for the last 2 years now and have saved enough in the mark up they put on the recoil pad and the labor that I have pad for my equipment.
I really thought this was reall something hard to do, but its not really. I started out with a cheap and I mean cheap belt sander 1 inch belt and bought from harbor freight 25 bucks. Now the hardest part is if you have to cut the stock off, for me that was easy as I have Dewalt mitter power saw already. But even still you can get one from harbor freight pretty cheap. Trust me if you don't have one and get one you will wonder how did I make it without one. But you can use a hand saw just takes a little longer. Need a square to check your handy work. Masking tape the wide tape works better. Wrape the stock three times with masking tape. Mark the stock if you need to cut it down if not then just start sanding with the belt sander following the lines of the stock until you reach the masking tape. Ok need to back up a bit it does work best to take the stock off the gun first. One most shotguns at least the ones I have you only need a large long shank flat tip screw driver. I got mine from Sears it has a square shank just in case I needed a little more help getting the screw out of the gun. Put the screw back in the gun this way you won't loose it. Ok back to the stock and recoil pad hand sand until you got it like you want it. Then just whip it down with some liter fluid cleans up great.
The shop that I use to take them too charged 30 bucks to put a pad on. I pad for the belt sander first time I did the work myself. Getting better all the time.

Bountyhunter

It's nice when we can do our own gun smithing. I'm always trying something. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. I'm like you, Snuffy, I like saving money.

sheepdog

...I wanted to be like our Hacksaw Hero if I grow up and so I got up my nerve and cut my own shotgun barrel on my 1200...I was surprised how well it went...sure was hell gettin' it into that telephone booth, though...

tx gun runner

I use a radial arm saw to cut wood . You can clamp it down to table and you can change any or all the angles if needed , and the cut come out perfect every time . I put a gel pad on my 1100 and there is NO recoil to speak of . Snuffy ... your tape trick is the best way I found also .

Snuffy

Sheepdog if you shot gun doesn't have a vent rib then all you need is a pipe/ tubing cutter works like a charm just put a drop of any kind of oil before you start the cut. Gunrunner the tape is the best way to go for sure pal.

deputy125

a real problem is when too much has been cut off..........that's where those cheap slip-on pads cover a multitude of sins when a lot of length is added.......

sheepdog

...Snuffer...I tried a brand new tubing cutter both...it just spiraled down the barrel...toward the waste end, thankfully...the miter saw did it well...

Snuffy

If you measure like your suppose then that doesn't happen. I also used the recoil pad as a check gauage.
Sheepdog, you must have not not put the oil on the wheel before the cut, also you do need to rock the cutter back and forth a few times to get it started straight. How ever your method worked and that is what counts.