This question is for the pro's (or semi-pro's ). I have seen pictures from a quite well known 'smith of a custom stock job in progress. The stock outline had been cut from the blank, the top surface planed flat, centerline scribed, etc. The receiver had been completely inletted into the wood...without the barrel attached. It appeared that an outline of the barrel had been drawn on the top surface, but no barrel channel inletting had been done.
Is this a better way? Does it make for more accurate or quicker inletting? Although this job was from the blank, I suppose it could be done with a machined blank as well. Just wondering.

If you're bedding a barrel with a front pressure point, you've insured that the action is inletted solidly without the inletting of the barrel impacting that process. The barrel is attached and inletted until the action grounds in the previous inletting.

Another method is a fixture that "pre-stresses" the barrel, and allows the barreled action to be inletted with the desired upward pressure on the barrel. The 1980? Custom Guns book from Gun Digest has pictures of such a fixture in use by Curt Crum of Miller Custom Guns.

GV

Yes, if your making a stock from a blank of wood and not using a stylist, then always do the action first, then the barrel IMO..and always inlet while action and barrel are in the white.....

I do it from the blank with the barrel attached to the action. Spot in and scrape and chisel.

I really dont see the point of inletting an action without the barrel. With or without a pressure point in the forend. I just did a .35 Whelen from the blank with a pressure point in the barrel channel. Did the barreled action together. Am I missing something? Or is the whole idea simply to work to a known surface?

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Soverns:
I really dont see the point of inletting an action without the barrel. With or without a pressure point in the forend. I just did a .35 Whelen from the blank with a pressure point in the barrel channel. Did the barreled action together.

I inlet the barreled action also, Bill. As did Linden.......he put an intentional "sag" or concave surface in the barrel portion of the blank to accomplish the pressure point.

quote:

Am I missing something? Or is the whole idea simply to work to a known surface?

Exactly. It allows you to bed the barrel to a known surface that the previously inletted action yields. I think history shows us that inletting is successfully accomplished either way.

GV

Glen, I do it with the barreled action rather than the action only and then with the barrel attached. I can not see any advantage and only disadvantages from doing otherwise.