I decided to give my pre 64 model 70 a make over. It started out as a bubba'd FW 30/06. I had it rebarreled with a Shilen #2 .270 and picked up some Blackburn bottom metal. I bought a semi inlet blank and have been working on it as a template for a piece of English walnut I have set aside. So far I have cut the butt down to about 5" in length, pulled the grip back 1/8" and moved the nose back accordingly. I cut about 1/2" off the forearm because I like the look of a shorter forearm and plan to use a barrel mounted sling swivel. Im looking for advice on where I stand. Let me say, I have very little idea of what I am doing. I have a 3 pack of files from Lowes and a bunch of sandpaper as my stock making tools ! I feel like I am about 90% there. I still need to bed it in the stock before I start the final shaping but wanted to post it on the forum to get some feedback, critique, etc. To me it still looks a little fat around the action area and Im not so sure about the cheekpiece - I think some of the "ledge" at the curve of the cheek piece needs to come off. Maybe the nose needs to be pulled back a little more as well? Advice welcome-

It might just be the angle of the photo, but the cheekpiece looks like its just a little too close to the bottom line of the buttstock, and also a little bit oblong (too long at the bottom).

But maybe you like it that way.

quote:

Originally posted by lindy2:
It might just be the angle of the photo, but the cheekpiece looks like its just a little too close to the bottom line of the buttstock, and also a little bit oblong (too long at the bottom).

But maybe you like it that way.

My exact thoughts.

The cheek piece looks funky to me too, something more like this?

Add a horn or ebony forend tip. Make the forened profile oval or round - it’s quite square at moment. And thin the stock behind the bolt handle.

quote:

Originally posted by Heym SR20:
Add a horn or ebony forend tip. Make the forened profile oval or round - it’s quite square at moment. And thin the stock behind the bolt handle.

Or just go and have a look at the work of M. Dorleac on this forum and also at www.dorleac-dorleac.com

I like the lines, but if it were mine I would eliminate the cheek piece completely.

And the forend tip looks a just bit full to me too, and more so on the bolt handle side than on the cheek piece side. But maybe that is just the photo angle or the lighting.

I like slim for ends also

You will need more than a three pack of files and some sandpaper.

Damn nice start !
Go slow .
Study the wort of modern smiths such as the post before mine and oth similar smiths
SDH
Kobe
Echols
And other legends .
Then finish !