Recently I picked up a very good condition 1908 M-S complete with original claw mounted scope, something I'd been looking for quite a while (though a 1905 would have been even better...

). After a bit of experimenting with a mild load or two I began to suspect all was not well with the bedding, so today I took it apart and discovered the web in the stock between the magazine well and trigger opening was cracked right through, with the crack continuing back toward the rear action screw hole.

Dang.

Anyone have a good suggestion as to a secure repair? With lesser rifles I have drilled holes along similar cracks and used glue to good success, but I really don't fancy doing that to a nice Mannlicher. The crack is just wide enough that I suppose a free-running adhesive could be injected without drilling extra holes if such a product exists, or I suppose I could just run a 1/4-20 bolt through from side to side... not!

With the tiny surface at the front action lug and basically no area at the back end of the action to transfer backward force, the design appears to put most of the recoil right on that stock web via the rear surface of the magazine well. At the moment, with the action in the stock and only the front screw threaded in to within the last half turn, there's a small but noticeable fore-and-aft motion of the action in the stock. Obviously when the fully assembled gun is fired the action is slamming the back of the magazine well into the that narrow web of wood with every shot. Not good.

Anyway, I suppose when I'm 92 years old (marks show a 1919 date) I'll be a little loose in the joints too. I'd just like to see it make another 92 years.