The lead in the stock if this 10 year old Beretta S05 that i have in the shop now was already splitting from the lead in the butt of it. So it evidently does not take 100 years for it to happen.

ok - what if it happens the other way

metal is added to the drilled hole and

the wood shrinks??

If the wood shrinks wouldn't the hole get larger.
I had a 16g VH that had a knot in the stock. The center of the knot actually fell out. I had to glue it back in.
dave

i have seen that happen in other wooden object

this crack is unrelated to the knot on the other side - which is stable

"I think Dean is correct in corrosion could result in expansion and cause splitting. I also think the wood expanding with humidity or wood constricting due drying out may result in the splitting. If my think is correct, which it might not be, then any heavy metal would resut in the same possibility of cracking the stock. "

Tungsten (which has the highest melting point of all metals at over 6000 Deg F) does not begin to corrode until you reach 700F. Since walnut ignites at around 300F, there is a comfortable safety margin in effect here.

Corrosion is only one factor. Wood expands or contracts a great deal depending on the moisture content of the wood. Since butt stock wood grain is not linear, Reducing or increasing moisture into the butt stock might result in the wood expanding or contracting in multiple directions.
Since we have knots and lots of other neat patterns we like to see in our gun stocks. The wood can grow or shrink in multiple directions resulting in torquing of the wood. If you have a lead or other metal rod running down he center of the butt stock it will want to hold its shape and since it is stronger than the wood, a torquing effect could take place resulting in stress crack to the butt stock.

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Phil, what are those photos showing?

I need to pull the leather strap off my WC Scott. If you expand the picture at the top you see about 5 or 6 small birds eye knots. Lots more under the leather. Tried to remove pictures since they are so terrible since they are horrible but I can not.