Gentlemen, how do you decide to add a fore end tip. In my opinion, some stocks just don't need them. It could be a stock that appears to be made of compressed sawdust that someone tried to dress up with a chunk of rosewood. Or sometimes incredibly perfect and beautiful flowing grain comes to an abrupt halt at a wall of ebony. Is there a rule of thumb you folks follow to decide this? It seems to me that sometimes the wood is good enough on it's on without the additional chrome and white side-walls.

It's definitely an acquired taste. I've never wanted one.

Basically, I am in agreement with Duane.

The grain structure in the fore end tells me whether or not to add a fore end tip.

That said, they can add a sort-of balance to a black recoil pad.

Thanks for the input. I always assumed it was a British vs American styling thing. Then I started researching Rigby and G&H photos and found quite a mixture.

As the last poster suggested, it is a mixture. I have rifles from several talented makers, some with natural forends, some with tips. A wonderful rifle can be wonderful either way. I prefer well done "tips". However, my finest custom rifles do not have tips, but finely sculptured natural forends.

I generally like them on bolt gun but despise them on single shots. But I despise them on bolt guns if they are not rounded; the 45 degree angle thing doesn't do it for me.

I don't normally care for anything that's just there for looks and is non functional, that includes cheekpieces and forend tips, but I use both on my custom guns because they sell best with those additions...

Will I be using those things on my 7x57 that I am finally building for myself on a G-33-40 Mauser..I don't know, its a tough decision, Id rather not but then I want others to like what they see??? We will see, if I go severe English then it will be low comb short forend, no black tip or cheek piece..Probably a good idea then no one will want it and I'll finally get to keep it..

I have ebony on most, but not all. Maybe you can say I like fender skirts. They are built for me and nobody else. Nuff said!

I like them on my bolt rifles. I think it looks better than the forearm wood just tapering off to nothing.

i have to agree with biebs - however i do realize that he has blasers, which do not qualify as bolt action or even rifles for that matter

I prefer Ebony, perpendicular or Widows Peak from side view, not at an angle. My view is that it is a classy touch.
Doug

Yes, reverse taper and bias cut forarm styles are reminiscent of Roy Weatherby and Harry Lawson...very 1960s.

Theses are the first two custom large bore rifles I ever owned, metal work by Harry Creighton, stocks by Hal Hartley. Both were done prior to 1963. The top one is a .375-.338 Winchester Magnum (.375 Chatfield-Taylor) and the bottom one is a .458 Winchester Magnum. They were intended for Africa, but neither one ever made it.





Looking at them now, the fore ends look far too long. Now I prefer either a short fore end with a Schnabel or a slightly longer one with a contrasting fore end tip, preferably of buffalo horn, like these two.

quote:

Originally posted by xausa:





Looking at them now, the fore ends look far too long. Now I prefer either a short fore end with a Schnabel or a slightly longer one with a contrasting fore end tip, preferably of buffalo horn, like these two.

Like this shorter forend with Bufflo horn

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:
Like this shorter forend with Bufflo horn

Or like this one, my 9.3X64 Mauser:

Never cared for that 60's style much either. As for the (hard and dense) ebony tips, I always thought their purpose was to protect the relatively softer premium wood from field damage.

XAUSA, those Springfield fore ends look like what was common back then. I like them, but then I like cars with tail fins too.

Some of my rifles have them, others don't. It just depends on frame of mind when I commission or start the job.

I prefer buffalo horn, its a nostalgic thing with me however..Buffalo horn will shrink in time and that's problematic..Mostly today I use good quality pure black Gabon Ebony.

I also like the schnable and Alex Hendry forends on some rifles, they go well with a rifle that has no cheek piece.

I like buffalo horn for the same reason, but I have to keep in mind that it also attracts insects. I have seen more than one vintage rifle with the horn buttplate and fore end tip eaten up.

I particularly like a Schnabel fore end on a magazine rifle with a short barrel, such as my 7X57 on a G33/40 action with a Winchester featherweight profile 22" barrel. It is reminiscent of the Commercial Mauser Type B.

I have an I W Meffert double rifle-shotgun that has horn on the butt plate and trigger guard, and other places on it.

I like them on a classically styled rifle. Of course forend tips are subjective, but what part of rifle styling isnt?

My gut tells me I don't prefer them but when I see a nice rifle that has one (including some posted here) I can live with them. If I found a rifle that had everything I wanted on it and it had a forend tip I sure wouldn't turn it down.

A perfect example of this would be when Ray gets tired of that 7x57 he can sell it to me and I will appreciate it all the more!

Mauser, doug barrel, brooklyn guy (Trinidad) fixed/built it.

.......any pics of Alexander Henry fore-ends?....other than on a No. one that is.

Roger

quote:

I don't normally care for anything that's just there for looks and is non functional, that includes cheekpieces and forend tips

I have always felt that a cheek piece made it more comfortable to weld my cheek to the stock.

Well, I've always heard cheek weld? It is foreign to me. My synthetic stocks have no cheek piece and my wood stocks, other than my Hyper Single, have cheek pieces for looks.
Not saying my way is right by any means, just what I prefer.

I have rifles with and without forend tips. I do not usually like ebony, though. Since my rifles are for me, I get to do what I want. I have rosewood, cocobolo and even mesquite forend tips. I am currently looking for a piece of buffalo horn for my latest project. I have the pieces for the grip cap and butt plate, so I just keep looking.

Cheek pieces I can take or leave.

I wish there was a science to it, but it typically falls on what style of stock I am after and if I am trying to mimic a certain rifle or maker (Selby's Rigby equals no forend tip, for example).

Since we are all posting photos, a 9.3x62 without.

I use music instrument grade African blackwood...IMHO better than ebony on checking and no shrinking like horn.

ALL IT IS, IS BLACK COLORED ROSEWOOD.

It's fore end tips for my wood-stocked guns.

To me, it's kind of an ADL vs BDL kind of thing.....they look too plain without it.

Has anyone seen an Alex Henry style done in with an ebony tip?

This is what Jack Haugh did to the schnabel on my No. 1 .243 deer rifle. I think it's a nice touch.

I personally like schnabels. This is the partly completed one on my recently finished CZ 17 HMR.

Dick, it is a nice touch.

Ozhunter,
The rifle in the picture with the buffalo is about a perfect rifle IMO..I wouldn't change a thing on that one other than I "might" add a QD mount and a 3X Leupold for an option, but primarily use it as is with the irons. I don't mind a low comb iron sighted rifle for use with a scope, never has bothered me, nor effected my shooting.

Here's my 7x64 Mauser 98 by Laubscher with a horn tip: