I've tired of my stock TC "toothpick" forends and am looking for something a little more stable. Is there any advantage to the hanger bar system vs pillar bedding? A pillar bedded forend from VVCG costs $26 extra but precludes the need for hanger bars on each barrel. On the other hand one could have a couple of hanger bars and switch the around. What are you all using?

I'll bet that Sean has some thoughts on the matter.

Here is the one I made for my 6mm TCU. I fabbed my own hanger bar, which I epoxy bedded. The wood is Ziricote, an African tonewood. The pics don't do the grain pattern justice.

[ 04-09-2003, 08:12: Message edited by: BobMachus ]

I use wood from VVCG, Bullberry and Van Horn and use both the hanger bar and pillar-bedding system -- and see no real advantage one would have over the other. As long as the bedding is well done, the results will be as good as you can get from a hanger bar system.

In fact, on both a 7mm Bullberry and a 6.5 JDJ, I have swapped systems/forends and proceeded to shoot the very same type of groups I have come to expect of these barrels.

And just for the record, I despise the TC factory forends, especially the rynite versions.

Bobby - you got my attention with your last comment. Just curious why you "despise" the rynite forend? Looks, taper, barrel clearance?

For one, the rynite forends add very little weight and contribute to an unbalanced feeling. Secondly, and this is especially true on the Encore rifle forends, you'll never realize the barrel's potential and never gain true consistency as long as you stick with the as-is factory version.

I guess I don't understand your thoughts. Why will one "never realize the barrel's potential and never gain true consistency ". I'm asking this to try and distinquish between a personnal preference statement or something that actually has merit. (and, I don't mean any harshness w/ that statement)

Custom walnut 10" target Bullberry for looks. But the stock wood forend that I had VVCG pillar bed and open for a bull barrel is the most functional.

[ 04-10-2003, 00:06: Message edited by: wildcat51 ]

If you go the pillar bedding route, this is the way I did mine.

http://www.serveroptions.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=35;t=001374#000000

Good luck

T/C Nimrod-

This IS personal preference BUT it comes from years of shooting and thousands upon thousands of rounds downrange.

Take the Encore rifles, for instance. Go ahead and set up a factory barrel in a rynite forend. It's as good as guaranteed that you will see POI shifts on sighted-in guns. One day, you may be 1.5" high at 100; the next day, you may be that much low. If you remain absolutely consistent in your bench shooting style, you, too, will notice this problem. It can be remedied with plastic washers, leaving the forend screws slightly loose, etc.

But you CAN solve this problem quite easily with a good forend and an oversize hinge pin. You'll turn an inconsistent, finicky performer into one that can be relied upon day after day, season after season.

I've been using my Benchrest forends I got from Wes. I got all 3 sizes and love them, still trying to determine what finish to put on them but they shoot great as is.

KENTN

Clerkof,

It really isn't difficult to make your own Contender forepieces. I do it with several different types of wood and shape them for different applications. The hanger bar is also no big deal. For it, take a 3+" piece of steel bar stock, do a little careful drilling and tap the hold-down hole at #12X32. Some filing at the ends will fit it to the dovetail anchors and it is easy enough to make one for each barrel.

For the forepiece itself, some work with a router to fit to the barrel and the hanger bar, some exterior shaping, then bed it on the hanger bar with bedding gel. It can be made to switch from one barrel to another.

I shape mine to be 2 1/2" wide and flat on the bottom for testing work, finger groove for hunting, and shaped like the clasic "elephant ear" with a wide, almost flat bottom for style. For examples see www.1cox.com/shearer.

Don Shearer

Thanks Bobby T., for the clarification. I'm semi in the market for grip/forearm combo for a varmit rig - just trying to pick between fact vs. preference.