Did my first real gunsmith chore tonight

[handirifle]

After getting good advice from the folks here, and buying a 4 jaw chuck, and learning how to center my workpiece.  I cut 2" off the barrel of my 308 Savage, and trued the face, and put a recessed crown on it.  Boy does having a "little" (very little) knowledge and the right tools make a difference.

I also cut the stock one inch and added a recoil pad, where there was formally the plastic butplate.

Next I need to refinish the stock.  Am seriously toying with the idea of painting it with the spray on bed liner.  The guy I bought my Marlin 1895GS had done that to the stock and I really like it.  Looks like synthetic (the only negative to me) and is hard as nails, so it doesn't scratch in the brush.

If not that finish, then I'll figure out something that shows the wood grain but is durable and non glare.

Any suggestions for that?  I thought of painting it but if I'm  going to do that, I'll just do the bedliner.

[cap187]

Good going!  Starting to use your lathe. 

How does it shoot since the cut and crown?

Not to sure I'd go for the bedliner... prefer wood with tung oil.

Still trying to decide which lathe to buy.

[Hairtrigger]

I have a Rem XP-100 stock that I had coated by the local Rhino Lining shop. I then painted it as the shop told me they only do black or green.
I wish I had customized the stock with bondo first but I am very happy with the rubber coating

[handirifle]

cap187

Yea, I have more uses coming too.

I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, either before or after the cut/crown job so I can't do a comparison unfortunately.  Like I said, I'm still on the fence finish wise.  I may just do rub on oil finish too.

I have a Marlin stainless 45-70 that looks really nice with it, and it IS durable.

I have the Harbor freight 7X12 mini lathe and so far am really liking it.  At $500+ they aren't cheap, especially with all the other stuff you need.  I had to buy a 4 jaw chuck because the stock 3 jaw didn't have a larger enough opening to allow the barrel through from the back.

Not being a machinist, I think it will fill my needs for a long time.  I'ts more a matter of ME learning how to use it.


Hairtrigger,
My Marlin is black, and it makes it LOOK synthetic, but it sure doesn't feel like it.  My was done with the Duraliner spray-on cans.  Took about 5 coats.

[encore4me]

 Please post a picture of your Marlin. I am thinking about the bed liner thing and also bead blasting the stainless metal.



Matt

[trotterlg]

I did a Handi rifle with the spray on bed liner from Walmart, it works great and dries in about 5 minutes.  It makes a very nice finish.  Larry

[handirifle]

Please post a picture of your Marlin. I am thinking about the bed liner thing and also bead blasting the stainless metal.



Matt

Matt
OK give me a little bit.

[handirifle]

Here's the marlin stock.  This is an 1895, WOOD stock.  I really like the way the wood absorbs the sound.  it doesn't sound hollow like a synthetic, but is just as durable.

[Glanceblamm]

I really do like that as your Marlin is looking pretty wicked

On the surface, painting seems to be unorthodox but some that I have seen came out very good to include a wood stocked RugerM77 with a satin blued barrel and action which were also painted black.

[coyotejoe]

Handirifle, where did you get the four jaw chuck?  I have one of the Harbor Freight 3 in 1 machines, which I don't recommend, but I haven't been able to find a four jaw chuck to fit it and really need one since I work with a lot of octagon barrels and no way can they be centered or even securely held in a three jaw.

[handirifle]

Handirifle, where did you get the four jaw chuck?  I have one of the Harbor Freight 3 in 1 machines, which I don't recommend, but I haven't been able to find a four jaw chuck to fit it and really need one since I work with a lot of octagon barrels and no way can they be centered or even securely held in a three jaw.

Here is where I got it from.

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_category.php?category=566826475

[coyotejoe]

Many Thanks for the link!!

[handirifle]

Joe
You're welcome.  I was talked into a non centering 4 jaw, but I wish I had both.  The centering 4 jaw has to have an adapter plate, but worth it I think.

Good luck on it.

[STUMPJMPR]

4 Jaws don't take too much longer...Just get a good indicator and in 10 mins you can have your workpiece centered exactly.....

[handirifle]

Yea, I need one of those.  I have one, but no way to mount it, so maybe I need to make some sort of mount.  Seems like for the barrel I could have used the "spider" for the back of the barrel, but seems all those are custom jobs.