Best way to open up a stock for larger barrel

[BradMacc82]

Brownells has a tool for this but the dowel/sandpaper will get the job done nicely.

I'd like to know more about that tool.

Inletting a '42 91/30 right now, and the sockets/sandpaper method is definitely time consuming, to put it mildly.

 

[alucard0822]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-making-hand-tools/barrel-channel-cutting-tools/barrel-bedding-tool-prod6796.aspx

For a straight profile, just rasp it out, then wrap sandpaper around a dowel to smooth it, and finish with oil or poly. Tapered or stepped profiles can be tougher, basically rasp from the forend and keep pulling more out as you get twards the chamber. From there you have 3 ways to go, fit, floating, or bedded. To fit, as you would on a military stock, after roughing in the shape, use an oil lamp to put some soot on the barrel, and carefully set the barrel in the partially finished channel, it will rub off on the high spots, knock them down and try again till it fits. To float, I rough it, then use the soot method, but wrap a few layers of paper to set the spacing. To bed, I usually bed the chamber area, float the rest, basically set it like a freefloat, then gouge out the area I want to bed at least 1/8" deeper, add the glass, set the barrel with release agent in place, and wrap rubber tubing to hold the action in place. With some models (usually military pattern with full handguard)I'll bed the chamber area, and then relieve and bed a pad near the forend cap.

 

[smores]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...tting-tools/barrel-bedding-tool-prod6796.aspx

For a straight profile, just rasp it out, then wrap sandpaper around a dowel to smooth it, and finish with oil or poly. Tapered or stepped profiles can be tougher, basically rasp from the forend and keep pulling more out as you get twards the chamber. From there you have 3 ways to go, fit, floating, or bedded. To fit, as you would on a military stock, after roughing in the shape, use an oil lamp to put some soot on the barrel, and carefully set the barrel in the partially finished channel, it will rub off on the high spots, knock them down and try again till it fits. To float, I rough it, then use the soot method, but wrap a few layers of paper to set the spacing. To bed, I usually bed the chamber area, float the rest, basically set it like a freefloat, then gouge out the area I want to bed at least 1/8" deeper, add the glass, set the barrel with release agent in place, and wrap rubber tubing to hold the action in place. With some models (usually military pattern with full handguard)I'll bed the chamber area, and then relieve and bed a pad near the forend cap.

This. Also, the Jerry Fisher scrapers are good for detail work on the barrel channel.



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[BradMacc82]

Thank you alucard!

 

[VWTurbo]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-making-hand-tools/barrel-channel-cutting-tools/barrel-bedding-tool-prod6796.aspx

For a straight profile, just rasp it out, then wrap sandpaper around a dowel to smooth it, and finish with oil or poly. Tapered or stepped profiles can be tougher, basically rasp from the forend and keep pulling more out as you get twards the chamber. From there you have 3 ways to go, fit, floating, or bedded. To fit, as you would on a military stock, after roughing in the shape, use an oil lamp to put some soot on the barrel, and carefully set the barrel in the partially finished channel, it will rub off on the high spots, knock them down and try again till it fits. To float, I rough it, then use the soot method, but wrap a few layers of paper to set the spacing. To bed, I usually bed the chamber area, float the rest, basically set it like a freefloat, then gouge out the area I want to bed at least 1/8" deeper, add the glass, set the barrel with release agent in place, and wrap rubber tubing to hold the action in place. With some models (usually military pattern with full handguard)I'll bed the chamber area, and then relieve and bed a pad near the forend cap.

awesome thanks!! Now to figure out which one would leave the least amount of work given the taper of the barrel. This is super helpful. thanks

 

[BradMacc82]

Looking at the #14 profile, I think you may be buying a few of those tools VW...

 

[alucard0822]

awesome thanks!! Now to figure out which one would leave the least amount of work given the taper of the barrel. This is super helpful. thanks

I only have a couple disk sets, but you really don't need more than one for any particular barrel. If you are lucky enough to fit something simple like a .920 10/22 barrel, you can simply and carefully use a 1" rasp and end up with a near perfect drop in channel, or something like a 7/8" rasp and keep working around, I use crayon to tell where I took wood off, and where I didn't. Tapered barrels work the same, use a rasp no larger than the muzzle or forend contact diameter, gouges where you have a lot of wood to remove like going from a sporter contour chamber to a match contour. Eviltwin layed out the tape method well, start at the breech end, and measure diameter every 2" or so with a caliper, then set it in the corresponding spot on the stock and mark it with pencil, then lay the tape on the line to give your edge. Being .900 to 1.200 straight taper use a 7/8 disk rasp, and start rasping the entire length, as you get close to the tape lines keep working more to the chamber end and less to the muzzle end following the taper with long even strokes, and take your time. There is a difference in taking your time with the right tool, and wasting it with the wrong one. You will always end up a little narrow and shallow, this is good, the barrel should fit, but sit too high for the action to seat, when you get real close smooth it with sandpaper, use your bare fingers to feel high spots and then the soot method to get the final fit perfect, should contact the barrel evenly as the action seats in the stock. As posted earlier for a floating setup use sheets of paper to space the barrel, printer paper is usually .004-.005, I usually go about .050-.070 spacing, perhaps gouging the channel a little deeper in a larger caliber with a thinner barrel. Instead of the float jobs with a big ugly gap, it leaves a nice clean well fit line, in pretty much every case the action at least is bedded, usually the chamber too, glass doesn't swell and shrink as much as wood, also fits better and is more rigid, it keeps that tight gap consistent instead of allowing the stock to hit the barrel and defeat the purpose of floating in the first place.

have a couple pics of a .223 Howa action I floated, glass/pillar bedded and fit with a .060 gap in a previously shaky Boyd laminate stock using the above method. Built it as a walking Varmint rifle, action fits like a glove, worked a safe 20oz single stage trigger with a very short travel, stock doesn't budge when shooting off support or the sling, and is one of the more accurate and consistent rifles I own.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

I would suggest you start by laying out some pencil lines on the stock as to where the final dimensions need to be. Carefully lay down a couple layers of masking tape on the stock along the pencil lines to protect the wood that you don't want removed. Then start by roughing out the opening with a piece of 40 grit sandpaper wrapped around a dowel rod, taking care not to cut into your tape or pencil lines. Once it's roughed out, step back to 80 grit, then 180. When you can see the edges of your tape being scuffed up by the sandpaper, you should be pretty close. Finish with some 320, then refinish the new opening to match the rest of the stock. It will be time consuming, and will most likely wear out your arm, but when it's done, you'll have a custom stock to show off to all of your friends.

Might I also suggest posting a few pictures as you shape it, for anyone else interested in trying the same thing?

This is a great start.

What I use is that industrial self stick tread that you peel off and stick on steps. Ace hardware has them.

Get one that's good and course. Find a dowel or pipe that's a tad smaller than the barrel. Cut off a piece of that tread that's the length of the channel and wrap it around only 75 percent of the circumfrence of the pipe.

It really stays put and you don't have to hold onto the wrapped sand paper with it slipping around everywhere. You can really hog out some material with it and you'll maintain a constant size all along that channel.

Just my .02