I just received (after a very long wait) a full length stock cut by Richards for a SR Mauser 98 from my own English wood, very pleased with the figure and the action inletting. Forend is quite heavy though and squarish. The caps I have are very dainty and would require serious surgery to the forend to blend into the cap. Anyone know of a source of larger forend caps for full length stocks?

My advice would be to re-examine the stock profile with a view toward using the "dainty" end cap. We Americans have a profound tendency toward making our full length stocks way too heavy in profile. So many end up looking like 2x4's, so few end up with the aesthetics of vintage Old World designs. Just a thought!

Here are a few:
https://www.brownells.com/guns...se-cap-prod1395.aspx

https://www.newenglandcustomgu...detail.php?prod=4284

Ruger has a rather large one I have used in the past, but can't find the link to the part.

Years ago I was building my M96 6.5 X 55 and decided to go with a 21" barrel and a full length stock. I did not have a lot of money to spend and needed a cap. I took the forend barrel band from the M96, filed a plug piece to fill in the center end below the barrel, welded it in place and finished with files. After some fitting and contouring it fit the end of the stock and barrel perfectly. After all was finished and blued it has handsome enough that I never changed it.

look a a trapdoor springfield cap. I'll dig up a pic tomorrow

Yea the problem with reshaping the forend that drastically is you have to take it all the way back to the action and it's very hard to do that by hand and maintain symmetry. Richards had it on a CNC mill and should know better. I already took quite a bit off with a rasp as the barrel channel did not land in the middle at the tip, that far out. I will try the Ruger item, MidwayUSA has it.

The caps I have are round and about 1" in dia. There's almost no wood left when you factor in the barrel channel and the inletting for the cap itself.

Rasp.

LOL that is the hard way, try using a spoke shave and a small block plane to keep the three main sides/profiles even and smooth flowing on the fore arm

JW

Take a look at the caracao magazine conversion pics. I can't rememmber who posted it. He did a great job thinning out the stock to the tip.

Trapdoor cap.

Does it have to be metal? Maybe a shaped piece of ebony might look just as nice, and you can do that yourself to fit the stock you have.

I like that idea.
Stephen

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
Take a look at the caracao magazine conversion pics. I can't rememmber who posted it. He did a great job thinning out the stock to the tip.

Trapdoor cap.

Are you referring to the 7.62x39 Carcano frankenrifle put together by Lancaster on nitroexpress?

http://forums.nitroexpress.com...=0&page=0#Post236683

He did a box mag conversion, and is building a stutzen-style stock.

yes, the 7.62x39 Carcano frankenrifle. I know he didn't use a springfield cap but he did really thin out the forend.

Here's a pic of a carbine stock with the modded musket cap.

Well said sir

I am no expert. Just a guy who loves Mannlicher Schoenauer rifles and other rifles.

I built my own take down stock from scratch - not a full length but still an MS - my 4th DIY effort.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...043/m/8611058421/p/1

I also finished a semi inletted FL stock for my 1903. Not high quality work but just my second DIY



I did this with a pre inletted blank & so it was not that hard. I got the front cap from Brownells.

I used a lot of photos from the web to make my decisions on the top project which from a raw blank



the Gentleman's Rifle!

quote:

Originally posted by gnoahhh:
My advice would be to re-examine the stock profile with a view toward using the "dainty" end cap. We Americans have a profound tendency toward making our full length stocks way too heavy in profile. So many end up looking like 2x4's, so few end up with the aesthetics of vintage Old World designs. Just a thought!

A large cap would normally look pretty much out of place.

The subtle concave to a mannlicher style can be a little challenging and if not right...looks like hell.

One CAN consider the "schtuzen" (spelling may be off) in which the forearm wood is straight rom front guard screw to cap..I the barrel is not too lon, doesn't look bad...but convex is always fugly

.....may as well add my two cents, for what its worth...I made a snobble ( fore-end cap ) for my 257 Rob. rimmed about 15 years ago using an old Mauser bayonet lug that I welded and re-shaped





...its not as slim as most MS fore-ends, so might be of interest

Roger

You could also try in the muzzle loader style, pouring a grip cap using the stock to shape your guide.

Or send me dimensions and I can make you one or a dozen