Metal plate with hole on pre-milled wood doesn't line up.

[Don Morris]

I have a rifle metal butt plate that is made to fit on a pre-milled walnut stock. The metal butt plate overall fits very nicely, but one of two two securing screw holes is off by somewhere between 1/32" and 1/16". Is there a remedy for this kind of situation? The butt plate came with an appropriate sized screw. I've always just tried to enlarge the screw hole somehow. That was always a hap hazard effort. I thought maybe there was a more elegant technique you guys/gals had, that I ought to ask first, before I just charged ahead. Thanks for any ideas that would help me nicely preserve a vintage weapon without botching it.

[Andrew Nemeth]

When I encounter misaligned or stripped out holes for hinges, I drill the hole out and plug it with a dowel and glue. Then I use a self-centering drill bit to drill a new and properly aligned hole. I’ve always called the self-centering drill bits ‘Vix bits’ as Vix is one (maybe the first?) manufacture of the drill bits. If you google search for ‘Vix bit’ or self-centering drill bits, you will find many manufactures, you just need to pick your flavor.

[Bill Dufour]

Think about grain direction for the plug if the screw will pull on any part of the plug. End grain is easier to buy or make and much weaker for screw pullout.
Bill D

[Jim Becker]

Plug and redrill would be the most accurate way to fix this kind of issue.

[Don Morris]

Plug and redrilll it is. Thanks for pointing me in the best direction!