OK Guys,

Am making bases ala Mark Stratton using the info in his book. Have made the blocks for 6 sets of Mauser bases.

Have set up an Narex boring bar to the right radius and am starting to cut the rear blocks.

Question: How deep do you have to cut the radius into the block? This seems to be the slowest of the machining processes involved and over doing it is a waste of time. The 34 degree apron cuts could clean up some the flats left on the bottom if the cut is not made deep enough to get the entire bottom removed.

Guidance please. First one is to 0.175" deep and the amount remaining uncut on each side of the bottom is about 0.080" (Radius matches a commercial base nicely.) Not having to cut any deeper than necessary would save a lot of time.

Thanks!

I cut the apron on the first base and it turns out the 0.175" depth does not seem to be deep enough. 0.220" seems to be better.

So I made the next five that way.

Will do the bottom of the front bases tomorrow.

The holding fixture for the rear bases is done. Need to do the fixture for the front bases. Probably get to that on Sunday. Will need to wait for longer screws to hold the bases on the fixtures before I can go further.

Neat project though ... was inspired by Mark's work on the last Ottmar rifle and his book. Quality stuff!

Photos of the process?

D.

Started this because I wanted a set of steel mounts for Leupold QRW rings that have a recoil shoulder like Talley mounts. So the top end work will be different that what is shown in Mark's book.

I'll delay adding to this thread any more and take pics along the way ... then post the more interesting ones.