I recently put a custom bolt-action Mauser together and would like to reduce the weight by deepening the (free-floated) barrel channel and also boring some lightening holes in the butt. Can anyone give an idea of how much weight can be shed by doing this? The stock is straight grained, medium weight Claro walnut. Any help is appreciated as always. Ray

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
I recently put a custom bolt-action Mauser together and would like to reduce the weight by deepening the (free-floated) barrel channel and also boring some lightening holes in the butt. Can anyone give an idea of how much weight can be shed by doing this? The stock is straight grained, medium weight Claro walnut. Any help is appreciated as always. Ray

See pics here. http://forums.accuratereloadin...921044281#9921044281

Cant answer how much weight you would shed, but I can say its more efficient to reduce weight in your metal work. G33/40 lightening cuts in the receiver, light contour barrel, even titanium rings and mounts(which is something we will be doing soon).

When doing a light gun this is what I would start with. All the weight manipulaton I do in the wood work is for overall balance of the gun.

you may look into chunking the recoil pad and having a thin wood butt plate made for it after hollowing out the butt stock some. 6.5 doesnt have much recol to begn with.

If your gun balances fine now or is already front heavy doing all this could magnify balance/handling issues. You would need to fnd a way to remove the same amount of weight from the front of the rifle. either by thinning barrel contour, shortening the barrel, shortening forend, etc...I just weight a 2" piece of 6.5 barrel OD .600" at 2.24oz.

Dry Claro Walnut averages .0174 lbs per cubic inch
Steel is approx. .284 lbs (4.5 oz.) per cubic inch

Aaron and Glen are right. You need to start with the lightest receiver that you can use and go from there. I've got one started with a Pierce titanium receiver.

Excellent density information Glen71. Thanks everyone else as well. In order not to mess with the bluing I'm considering reducing the stock weight equally front and rear to retain the current balance which is great, and the scope center swings right up to my eye. I used a small ring Erfurt action and didn't have it lightened to G.33/40 because my 'smith didn't have the spec's. I did go with a #1 barrel at 22 inch and now will be swapping out scope mounts and rings and lightening the stock if feasible. Appreciate the input. Ray

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Aaron and Glen are right. You need to start with the lightest receiver that you can use and go from there. I've got one started with a Pierce titanium receiver.

After my last 2 builds I swore I was done. But, titanium would be the ultimate.

Generally, removing stock weight in the barrel channel and drilling two 3/4" holes in the butt stock will lower the weight by 4 ounces. This is based on about 50 stocks I have altered.
RF

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Florer:
Generally, removing stock weight in the barrel channel and drilling two 3/4" holes in the butt stock will lower the weight by 4 ounces. This is based on about 50 stocks I have altered.
RF

Sounds good.

You won't save much removing wood.