I'm slimming down an old custom stock I finished several years ago. I think I'm going to trim down and re-contour the top of the cheek piece to the point that the top is even with the top behind it. Now that everything else has been slimmed, it seems to be out of character. But, I'm open to opinions as always. Much appreciated.

Question:
Would you reduce the height of the cheek piece or let it just like it is.

Choices:
No. I like it just as it is.
Yes. Definitely too fat.

 

When you look down the sights (optics or irons) with your cheek planted, do they line up?
Fit is the name of the game, not how it looks.
My opinion,
Doug

I would cut it down some more on the comb and make the comb sharper, the underbody more of a dull knife edge, then make the cheekpiece a pancake English style with a shadow line, use a 8 or 9 inch forend with a barrel band front sight and barrel swivel..cut the butt for a steel butt plate such as a checkered Neidner and add a matching steel Neidner type grip cap. But that's just me, you are the master of your stock, no one else. I don't care what someones style is, styles vary a lot, a stock is judged by the workmanship alone.

Love the wood character and open grip.

As has been stated, fit is first. If you have little flexibility.

I would trim the top of the stock from point at comb to point at heel in a straight line, eliminating the cheek piece hump totally.

Secondly, I would thin the cheek piece especially at the rear, it is little over powering.

Would love to see photos when done.

quote:

When you look down the sights (optics or irons) with your cheek planted, do they line up?
Fit is the name of the game, not how it looks.
My opinion,

Good realistic opinion.

If the stock fits you now, once you start taking wood off, you can't grow it back on. Good looking piece of wood. Is the proposed re-do for functionality or aesthetics ?

I agree with mifguns. I would give it a trim job in both directions, top to bottom and side to side, but that assumes it will fit the shooter when done.

Thanks to all for the responses. We're mostly all from the same school with respect to appearance. Top is already reduced and tapered as of this morning. About the line of sight, I had a bit lower to go anyway since a little cheek compression was necessary to line up dead center. I just finished the rough-in this AM and will re-check my line of sight before I true all surfaces flat as needed.

mlfguns Nice catch on the grip. I took a good half inch off the underside of the grip and about a 1/4 inch from the sides.

Ray Atkinson, thanks but I'm still soft on the pancake style and this is just a cosmetic improvement of the wood. So, there is no new rear plate in the cards. I'm even keeping the butt ugly bottom metal with the sheep on it. I'll probably end up selling it later anyway. Probably won't even have it re-checkered.

Crazyhorseconsulting Definitely about aesthetics. I got tired of it being as fat looking as it was. The extra bulk/weight was great for long shots on paper. But, the opportunity at a long big game shot never presented itself. It didn't sell when offered on here cheap. So, since I don't need the money, a project was born. A man needs a project.

Here's the stock after a lot of slimming was done. Not only was the butt trimmed down at the top and a little hogs back curve put in, the magazine area was slimmed down about 1/4 inch and the ebony tip reduced. It's not obvious here but the flat area at the top of the fore arm was reduced to a radius at the barrel. I probably removed 3 or 4 ounces of wood total. Sorry about the wax smudges.

First the old fat look with the 16 LPI checkering.


Less the scope. Thanks for the responses to my poll.

That looks sharp!
Quick turnaround too, very nice.

Not bad for a fat barreled Gew98 with a cheap cast aluminum bottom metal I guess. It does have some minor imperfections. But, it was a fun project until about the 10th coat (of 13) of stock oil. That claro kept drinking it up. Balance is centered at the front action screw.

Seth's rules for gunstocks

1. Does it fit the owner

2. Does it fit the owner

3. Does it fit the owner

Anything that doesn't answer those 3 rules, isn't worth worrying about.

Fit is one thing, looks is another. Fat look had to go. No worries. As soon as I finish making it feed it will be offered for sale again. If it doesn't feed an entire magazine, it is defective.

Custombolt

When I was a kid my dad was a insufferable gun trader. He'd go to a gunshow and do 3 and 4 way trades to get what he wanted.

I handled and shot every kind of stocked rifle immaginably growing up.

I like the looks of a American classic stock as much as the next guy, but ergonomics is a thing.

These are some of my ideal gunstocks.

I am more of a form over function guy.

I had an engraved Sauer 90 rifle that had a really amazing piece of walnut crack.

Broken 2 other wood stocks when I fell on them.

Had one a horse killed.

I also shoot a lot of diciplines in the shooting sports and ergonomics means winning. I can't imagine hunting with a traditional wood stocked rifle again.

And everyone loves tube guns and the Tubb 2000, well I do anyway. Nothing more ergonomic.

I was given a new Eliseo RTS a couple weeks ago. I was told to supply the barreled receiver, put a scope on it and give it to one of my Grandsons. It will be done in time, but what will he do with it?

I appreciate your passion. I find that the rifles I keep the longest are the ones with nice wood and nice metalwork except for my 'beater' a late Mauser M12. Of course all my keepers need to shoot reasonably well and fit me to where I can get a quick view through the scope. I used to be on a accuracy kick and reloaded for all my rifles. But, now I'm thinking if it shoots an inch -inch and a half using factory ammo, it's good enough for whitey's at up to 200 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
Custombolt

When I was a kid my dad was a insufferable gun trader. He'd go to a gunshow and do 3 and 4 way trades to get what he wanted.

I handled and shot every kind of stocked rifle immaginably growing up.

I like the looks of a American classic stock as much as the next guy, but ergonomics is a thing.

These are some of my ideal gunstocks.

For BWW: A few of my favorites.

Custom bolt, those are nice rifles!

Even though I'd bitch about the Dakota's rings, that wood is beautiful.

I am like you, I like both the falling block and break action single shots.

Thanks for the compliments. I like the Dakota rings OK. But I wish I had them rust blue the ring bases like I specified for the barrel.

If anyone is interested, I put the slimmed Oberndorf up for sale on GunBroker. Feeds OK just not 100%. Fourth round down still a little sticky. I could have tweaked the left rail a bit, but decided to stop short. It's close.
Search title: CUSTOM Oberndorf 98 Mauser Wenigs wood
CB

What caliber is your model 10?

quote:

CUSTOM Oberndorf 98 Mauser Wenigs wood
CB

Really a bargain at that price. I'm surprised someone hasn't bought it already.

Thanks Gato. It has the potential to be accurate to 400 yards or better with the right hand loads using H-4831 and old stock Nosler solid base boat tail 130 grainers. That combination started at a 1.5 group (50 grains)and progressively improved to where it gave me a 1/4 inch group of 3 at 100 yards using 54 grains. Haven't run more of those hand loads since the slim down, ran out of those bullets. But, I ran some 56 and 57 grain loads and it did not like those.

Jmbrown The Dakota Model 10 is 7X57 Mauser marked 275 Rigby on the barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:

quote:

CUSTOM Oberndorf 98 Mauser Wenigs wood
CB

Really a bargain at that price. I'm surprised someone hasn't bought it already.

BWW..I suppose you have saddle scabbards for those guns?

That is a very nice piece of Claro, the stripes are narrow enough that it almost looks like fiddleback English...

Sure is and it is consistent on both sides. Lots of one-siders out there. Hope someone likes the fat barrel profile. My reserve is $795. Cheap enough.

Does it fit the owner is being overplayed in my opinion, as that is impossible to do on a gun that's probably going to be sold as stated..

Howsomever, in the real world, the human body can adjust to about any rifle within reason, thus all factory rifles seem to be just fine for most folks..

I know that I can adjust to about any decent rifle given a little time and shooting..

Don't misconscrew what Im saying, a rifle made to fit the individual is a good thing, just a bit over stated in many cases..