What is your Favorite Stock?

[Lon371]

  Ok here is the deal. I started building a thumbhole stock and forend out of black walnut last year. The stock is mostly done, I still need to do all the fine sanding. But the forend is a different story. At this moment it is a 2"x2"x16" block with the channel cut. I am fitting it to a H&R .223.

  My problem is I have no idea what to do with it . I like the Mannlicher shape. I also like the big forends for bench shooting. I would like to leave a space for a bi-pod. I like the small slots cut up just below the sides of the barrel. This will probably not be a carry around gun. Probably only use it for coyotes and paper.

 What is your favorite type of forend? What have you seen, you wish you had custom wise? Oh yeah I like picts also.

Lonny

[Dinny]

  Back a few years ago, I looked through a custom gun shop in Rothenburg, Germany. The owner was a gunsmith himself and a talented artist. He had a single-shot Merkel rifle with a custom wood stock whose forend had a Mouflon (smaller cousin of our Bighorn sheep) carved into the forward end.  The horns were large and curved up and around the barrel on each side.  It was beautiful wood and a great carving.  I wish I had taken a picture.  The man was elderly and had been doing this custom work for a long time, no deals there, he definitely was not a "starving artist"  I think most prices started around 7000 Euros(~$10,000 US).
   So with that, I say carve something in there.  Maybe a coyote bearing it's teeth or something.


Thanks, Dinny

[LaOtto222]

I personally like a long beaver tail design for a bench/setting field gun. The wide fore end gives a good place to rest on bags and you can still mount a bi-pod to it. I might suggest since it is a Handi rifle to insert a pillar and full length bed the barrel. Taper down the back of the fore end to fit your cap and make it loose when the action is open. I think that gives you the best platform for using a bi-pod. Handi rifles are notorious for having fore-end issues; and I think by full length bedding and having the cap not rubbing on the frame makes for the most consistent lock up from shot to shot when using a bi-pod. Many people rest their Handi on the frame for consistent shooting platform, but this is not practical in the field when shooting off a bi-pod or hand held. If you want to fancy it up a little, a wrap around checkering job always looks good IMHO. Carvings are always good - if you have the talent. You can do a stippling job on it a little easier than checkering and looks almost as good. You outline your design with a groove and use a small nail and start punching closely spaced dimples in it. It is not as elegant looking as checkering, but still does not look bad. if you checker or stipple the fore end you might consider doing the same to your stock to match. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[bigvarmnt]

I like the cuts along the barrel also. Maybe a semi beaver tail.
Then it will be easier when you don't carry it around coyote hunting Sorry I couldn't resist.
If you are gonna mostly use it on the bench then I MIGHT make it the wider beaver tail. I would want somewhere (comfortable) in between.  Like to see a pic of the stock now and when finished. Better get busy, Coyote season is in and just holding the barrel will be cold and uncomfortable. Good Luck!

[Lon371]

 Here is where I am on the Butt stock. The forend is a piece of the same wood. I have cut the channel. Fitted to the barrel. Other than that, it is 2"x2"x16" cube.

 Because it is so narrow at 2" I can not do the wide beaver tail. I wish it were wider, that would be a nice forend.

 thanks for your suggestions.

Lonny

[Lon371]

  I was just on Gunstockinc.com(site sponsor) Looking at their stocks. I do like the Target/varmint forend. Looks like a semi beaver They say it is only 2" wide.

Lonny

[LaOtto222]

That is a nice looking piece of wood and your shaping job looks good too. I know you can't make a full beaver tail fore end like are on the old double shotguns, but make it as wide as possible with the 2" piece of wood. Sort of an oval cross section with a narrower top - sort of like the Gun Stock Inc for end or just tapered up to about a 3/16" wide on both sides of the barrel. The length would depend on balance. Personally I do not like a short piece of barrel sticking out beyond the fore end.  I would think that you need some where around 10" of barrel beyond the fore end to make it look right - But that is a personal thing. I still recommend a pillar and full length bedding.

Here is a picture of a group shot at 100 yards where the fore end has a pillar and full length bedded



Here is a picture of the rifle - but with H&R laminated stocks