I had been intending to post for a while--hopefully after I was able to settle back into the gun, but I just haven't had time so here is what I have so far.

When I sent Aaron my Sabatti 450 NE, virtually all shots with velocities above 1800 fps were crossing at 50 yds. Also, the POI was very high even after installing the tallest front sight I could find.

So I found a load I liked, loaded up some rounds and set it to Aaron. He regulated the rifle, reshaped the butt stock, recut the checkering, and refinished the stock. He also had the barrels reblued. Aaron was shooting 4 and 6 shot groups into an inch at 50 yds with no crossing when he was done.

When I got the rifle it had been seven months since I had shot it. The local range changed where I could shoot at 50 yds, and then new location was uphill. Even with shooting form my standing bench, the uphill angle made it very uncomfortable. Also, it was windy that day with a direct right to left gusty crosswind..........so my groups aren't that great: 2" and 2.5" (I have shot this rifle much better.) However, the regulation worked with velocities from roughly 2000 - 2300 fps.

This Winter I will get a change to really sort this rifle out. I do need to make some final adjustments on the rear sight. I'll post my results.

Good stuff - glad to see it all worked out!

I like the way the rear stock looks. Could he have reshaped the forend into a splinter as well?

Very nice.
Looks like you have a rifle that shoots as good as it looks.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
I like the way the rear stock looks. Could he have reshaped the forend into a splinter as well?

I'll bet he could have--I didn't think to ask.

Looks excellent. I'm really starting to appreciate FO sights lately. Might have to have one installed on my Merkel one of these days.

Other than regulation issues my other gripe with Sabatti is they don't put enough drop in the stock for iron sight use; that is unless you really cram your face into the comb, something I do t recommend on a big bore. Since the stock was being refinished we decided to take some height off the comb and some off the cheakpiece. Otherwise all other areas of the stock were untouched. One could also have the stock bent, but you run into a few difficulties with the Sabatti

The forend could also be reshaped to splinter.

This gun was one with the ribs brazed on, talk about a great thing to find out. I pulled the ribs off and filed the silver solder away. I haven't been able to reuse the Sabatti bottum rib, they always get bent up upon removal. New bottum rib and original top rib are relayed using soft solder(high force 44).

Sabatti would have served themselves right if they built the rifles to this quality from the get go. Even if they charged more money their reputation would have been saved. Congratulations on a good piece.
Cal

Great work, Aaron. Now, INTJ, send the rifle back to Aaron and he will make you the proper splinter forearm. Please!

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Sabatti would have served themselves right if they built the rifles to this quality from the get go. Even if they charged more money their reputation would have been saved. Congratulations on a good piece.
Cal

I have thought that as well. It would not take a lot of extra effort on the factory's part to properly regulate the rifles and lower the comb a bit. It might add what, $500 to the cost of the rifle?

They should also forgo the engraving all together. I personally like the look of a clean, coin silver receiver. There would be elegance in such understatement. However, even if one is a fan of engraving, that engraving needs to be top notch to enhance the look of a rifle.

An entry level double should focus on the basics: strong action, strong wood, proper stock shape, and proper regulation.

Too late for any of that now; and I told Cabelas marketing all that very early in the game; they basically had no clue what they were selling. And neither did USSG.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Little:
Other than regulation issues my other gripe with Sabatti is they don't put enough drop in the stock for iron sight use; that is unless you really cram your face into the comb, something I do t recommend on a big bore. Since the stock was being refinished we decided to take some height off the comb and some off the cheakpiece. Otherwise all other areas of the stock were untouched.

Hello Aaron,

I'm Buckstix, the fellow that telephoned you inquiring if you did the re-regulating work on my Sabatti 500 NE. (you said you did not)

In your post here, you mentioned that you removed some height off the comb and cheek piece of this rifle.

Do you recall how much you removed? Did this solve the cheek-bone biting issues?

My 500 NE also "bites" my cheek-bone when using the irons sites, and I'm planning to do the same thing - remove some material.

Buck, unfortunately I don't recall exactly how much I took off. If I had to guess around 1/4" at the heel and 3/8" at the comb nose.

You are limited by the height of the stock at the butt. As I recall I removed wood until the recoil pad was 5" tall. The comb after shaping down is pretty close to being parallel with the bore.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Little:
Buck, unfortunately I don't recall exactly how much I took off. If I had to guess around 1/4" at the heel and 3/8" at the comb nose.

You are limited by the height of the stock at the butt. As I recall I removed wood until the recoil pad was 5" tall. The comb after shaping down is pretty close to being parallel with the bore.

Hello Aaron,

I was thinking to take about 3/8" off the comb nose, but leaving the heel as is with the butt being 5-1/4" and just blending it.

It would look something like this. (via photo shop mock-up)

do you think this would help?

It certainly can't hurt. Both Blaine and I felt less pain in our faces after the alteration, mostly due to less pressure on the comb. Your are working within the limits the current stock allows so it may not be possible to get your perfect dimensions. That said you are getting closer so it will help.

Yes, that will help. as will putting on higher sights. I use an Ultradot on my .500, and on my 450 NE Sabattis, and there is no more face pain. Maybe some shoulder pain.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
... as will putting on higher sights. ...

Hello dpcp,

Are you talking front and rear, or only front? Who sells them.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Little:
It certainly can't hurt. Both Blaine and I felt less pain in our faces after the alteration, mostly due to less pressure on the comb. Your are working within the limits the current stock allows so it may not be possible to get your perfect dimensions. That said you are getting closer so it will help.

Hello Aaron Little,

Well, my modification was completd today, and absolutely no more "cheek bite". I removed 7/16" at the top front of the comb, blending to the existing top of the butt.

I then fired an enjoyable 16 shots.

You don't wait around do you? Glad it worked out.

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Little:
It certainly can't hurt. Both Blaine and I felt less pain in our faces after the alteration, mostly due to less pressure on the comb. Your are working within the limits the current stock allows so it may not be possible to get your perfect dimensions. That said you are getting closer so it will help.

Hello Aaron Little,

Well, my modification was completd today, and absolutely no more "cheek bite". I removed 7/16" at the top front of the comb, blending to the existing top of the butt.

I then fired an enjoyable 16 shots.

So you asked the question about stock modification on Oct 18th at 11:29 (date time stamp) and posted the completed work on Oct. 19, at 22:56. 35 hours and 27 minutes from question to end result of reshaping and re-staining the buttstock, drying of stain, photos, uploads to photobucket as well as a trip to the range to shoot "16 enjoyable shots"? What am I missing here?

You can tell by the discoloration of the stock that it wasn't refinished, it's likely he just wiped a coat or two of oil on it. Shaping only takes 30min.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams
So you asked the question about stock modification on Oct 18th at 11:29 (date time stamp) and posted the completed work on Oct. 19, at 22:56. 35 hours and 27 minutes from question to end result of reshaping and re-staining the buttstock, drying of stain, photos, uploads to photobucket as well as a trip to the range to shoot "16 enjoyable shots"? What am I missing here?

Hello Todd Williams,

Why confused? Saw the modification done by Aaron Little on Sunday evening of the 18th. - cut down the comb early Monday morning at 6:30 am (15 minutes) - sanded and blended (30 minutes) - slopped-on some boiled lindseed oil & wet sanded it in with 600 emery (3 minutes) - wiped off the excess oil and rubbed surface dry (5 minutes) - drove to the range (20 minutes) - fired 16 shots over chronograph and recorded the velocity and groups of the 4 loads tested (2 hours) - photographed stock (1 minute) - uploaded photo (1 minute) - posted my comment with referenced photo (2 minutes)

I believe that when you are going to do something - DO IT - don't just talk about it.

Since then I've tested another 5 different loads.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Little:
You can tell by the discoloration of the stock that it wasn't refinished, it's likely he just wiped a coat or two of oil on it. Shaping only takes 30min.

Hello Aaron Little,

You are right on! No stain, nothing fancy, just functional, and pleased that it worked. I'll be making it "look nice" some time in the future.