I love the look of extended tangs on a big bore rifle. Duane is giving away one of his trade secrets in this photo. It seems the secret to making extended tangs this nice is the home gunsmith’s best friend – the Dremel tool.





This rifle is a 500 Jeffery being built for one of our AR forum friends who has no idea how to post a photo.

If that belongs to who I think it does, I hope the stock is not too long, for me .

Keith

Nope, this one is for someone else and it just might fit you.

SWEET!

Wondering what the tangs add in weight?

Many Thanks

HBH

Forrest, I have always liked the looks of extended tangs. However, they always looked difficult to do. Duane telling me they were easy to do was no comfort. The difficult is easy for him, the impossible barely ruffles his feathers and he does those tasks also with ease.

quote:

Wondering what the tangs add in weight?

About nada... The SD (specific density) of walnut v. steel ain't that much, and the volume is very small.

I'll have to remind Duane how easy they are for him. He sure charges an arm and a leg for them.

I'll have to remind Duane how easy they are for him. He sure charges an arm and a leg for them.

If i had to do this an arm and a leg wouldnt be enough...

And to get the inletting perfect too...Lots of talent there, and I'll bet it's not dremel talent!

My guess is that Duane only used the Dremel for polishing on the triggerguard. I don't know about the extended tangs. I know if I tried to polish on the tang with a cartridge roll all I'd do is dimple them from one end to the other.

quote:

quote:
Wondering what the tangs add in weight?


About nada... The SD (specific density) of walnut v. steel ain't that much, and the volume is very small.

I agree the the amount of metal added is small and would mot add much weight, maybe 2-4 oz total. But, I don't know about the SD of walnut and steel being close. Can you imagine what a stock blank sized billet of steel would weigh?


Jason

I did a quick search and according to this site steel is 10 heavier(by volume) than walnut.

quote:

steel - rolled 7,850kg/Cu.M
Walnut, black, dry 609kg/Cu.M

Even ebony is not in the same ballpark as steel.

quote:

Ebony 960-1,120kg/Cu.M

Jason

I knew someone would get that... I "blurted" it out, but really meant to just say that the volume is small enough it wouldn't make a lick of difference.

Well...this happens to be a 500 Jeffery...guess another 2-3 oz won't be noticed either way...or...might be appreciated?

quote:

really meant to just say that the volume is small enough it wouldn't make a lick of difference.

I agree 100%

Jason

I am making my first right now, but it is a short one just to make room for the tang safety.
I will recess the safetylever in an extended part of the gash for the cocking piece marked with black:



Next I am going to (try to )make one that looks like the one on the .500 Jeffery.

Thanks to Duane for his inspiering makings and pics!

Both very nice. Bent please keep up the pics w/the tang safety.

thanks
Rich

Yes, Bent...especially show the hook-up to what I assume is a side safety conversion at the trigger?

Thanks,
Sorry about quality of the pic.
Yes, it is going to be hooked up to a converted sidesafety triggerhouse. I also really would like something to lock the cocking piece, will see what I will come up with.
I am now only doing gunsmithing part-time, but I will come up with progress pics along the way.

Cheers,

Duane,

I love the look and I think I understand the concept (strengthen grip area).

Where does this start making sense to do 416 - 458?

I was wondering if the screw at the nose of the comb and underside of the grip, are they simpliy wood screws?

I am wondering about taking the action out of the wood for maintenance and such. Does it all go back together easily?

Sorry I am dumber than box of rocks but you already knew that.

Many Thanks

HBH

Duane,
A beautiful job! I don't think that will be my next project.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by HBH:
Duane,

I love the look and I think I understand the concept (strengthen grip area).

Where does this start making sense to do 416 - 458?

I was wondering if the screw at the nose of the comb and underside of the grip, are they simpliy wood screws?

I am wondering about taking the action out of the wood for maintenance and such. Does it all go back together easily?

Sorry I am dumber than box of rocks but you already knew that.

Many Thanks

HBH

Good questions........I would also like to know the answers.

quote:

Originally posted by MHC_TX:

quote:

Originally posted by HBH:
Duane,

I love the look and I think I understand the concept (strengthen grip area).

Where does this start making sense to do 416 - 458?

I was wondering if the screw at the nose of the comb and underside of the grip, are they simpliy wood screws?

I am wondering about taking the action out of the wood for maintenance and such. Does it all go back together easily?

Sorry I am dumber than box of rocks but you already knew that.

Many Thanks

HBH

Good questions........I would also like to know the answers.

I think Duane is waiting for Shootaway to reply before hazarding a guess.

Wink,

I must have missed something.......I'm not sure who "Shootaway" is or what he has to do with this thread?

I think Duane is currently out of pocket.....hunting antelope.

Duane is building a 450 Rigby for me on a Satterlee mauser action (waiting on the barrel) and I have thought about having him put extended tangs on it, thus my interest in the questions posed by HBH.

MHC_TX,

I kind of thought that is where Duane may be, I hope that he took the 9.3, and finds a long n heavy horned goat!

HBH

Just looking as a layman, I can't see much reinforcing provided by the top strap; its way too thin at the thinnest to add much. But it sure adds a lot of elegance.

The bottom strap would, under load, seem to want to shear the wood screw or pry the grip cap off before it did much to reinforce the wood. In either case, the wood is highly loaded before either metal part receives much of a load from recoil.

But I sure like them and plan on the same treatment underneath on the bottom tang with a project gun.

Immense elegance but little practical uility.

practical, smacktical! Extented tangs are beautiful! A double rifle with an extended tang is a thing of beauty and a joy to behold, forever!

If done right,extended tangs add alot of value to the rifle.They make the type of rifle that one will be very happy to inherit.However,it has to be done on a rifle with a safe,quality action and not old junk.A rifle with a good action as the foundation.If you have a son who likes rifles and shooting,and understands the importance of a well maintained bore,then get extended tangs.

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:

I think Duane is waiting for Shootaway to reply before hazarding a guess.

Guess I have to play "catch up" Yeah, Forrest B, James R and I had a great time in WY. Lots of nice bucks, good food, beer (and wine and bourbon and rum and scotch...etc)

I've not done any chin ups for a test, but I agree with Shooaway that the most strength added is probably on the botom tang.

In the past, I offered an upper extension that exended only to the start of the comb nose and not over the top. No takers!

When a bolt gun stock breaks, it's almost always just behind the rear guard screw. At that point, the tang extension is quite thick and wide, so the strength imparted should not be understated.

I'm sure it's happened, but I've never seen a stock so re-inforced that failed. On a "heavy" I think it's worthwhile. If a slim grip is needed on a heavy, it's almost required.

quote:

Originally posted by vigillinus:
Immense elegance but little practical uility.

Its entirely practical. The more metal surfaces there are on a rifle, the more metal surfaces that can be engraved!