I bent a stock on an east German Sauer straight grip using 250 watt amber color heat lamps. I have read that 11 or 12" is the correct distance. I had to bring it down to 5" (after two or three hours of getting closer and closer) and it still did not seem to loosen up. At 4" the Canola oil began smoking and I lightly burned the stock in the wrist area. It was not bad and I was able to lightly sand and oil and only I would know. At that point the stock would not move by hand but I was able to use the screws to crank it over without much trouble. It seems to have stayed pretty much where I put it. I left the heat on for another half hour and that may be why it burned. After a half hour I pulled the lights back an inch and left it for half an hour. My thoughts were it would help let the fibers adjust. If I had only stayed at five inches I probably would not have had any damage. I removed it 12 hours later.
I would love to hear comments on the lamp distances and the fact I had to crank it to bend as I have been told to use my hands on the butt and then tighten the cranks to hold it from going back.
