This is the Mannlicher stock from my 358Norma.


I'm sure it was in style when it was built. The comb has always been too high for the peep sight. Anyway it got wet during my move and since it simply had what looks like a single coat of varnish the water lifted the finish on the forearm. Since at least it needs finishing I thought I would try and bring it a little up to date. Here is a closer picture of the butt.


Simple changes the white lines will be gone and the pad replaced with a smooth one. Like wise the gloss finsh too a satin. Since the top of the butt is only 1" below the center line of the bore I thought of cutting it down.


While I'm not crazy about the checkering pattern I thought I would leave it just recut as needed. I thought I would remove the tit on the lower front of the cheek piece and raise the angle removing some of the wood to form a smooth line and recut the checkering in the same pattern. Rear top of the cheekpiece moved forward. Or simply remove the cheekpiece all together?

Other suggestions would be appreciated??

Your ideas sound great! The cheekpiece front line can be reshaped in several very attractive ways and you can even add a shadow line for more eye appeal.

Possibilities for the front line of the cheekpiece include the G&H/Mauser double-hook pancake style as well as the Harvey Rodgers/Dale Goens flowing-into-the-grip-checkering style. For views of some excellent treatments please see Monte Kennedy's book Checkering and Carving of Gunstocks as well as Steve Hughes' book Custom Rifles in Black and White.

These books and others can also give you ideas on how to restore/modify your checkering if you wish.

Leather-covered pad?
Regards, Joe

quote:

Monte Kennedy's book Checkering and Carving of Gunstocks

Thanks for some reason I always forget I have Monte's book up on my book rack.

Hi,

What Joe said and: Check eye alignment while dropping the comb. May have to stop early. Measure grip for possible steel cap. Do you want to leave it Mannlicher? Strictly iron sights? All your ideas are on target and you created a fun project. Make it last all winter and do a leather pad as Joe suggested.

Luck,

Stephen

I would shorten the pistol grip by a fair margin, and change the angle of the grip cap to be more parallel to the bore at the same time. This will necessitate reshaping the whole grip but it will really help the stock.

I was planning on installing a 3-7 burris that I have laying around. I mount my scopes as low as possible and have several stocks that work for me with the butt being right at 1" below center line. I agree that the cap needs to be shortened a little. However a full reshape would require new not recut checkering. While I can recut I suck at a new pattern. As you can see there is almost no grain to the stock. So while I don't mind spending my time I can't see paying someone to recut. If I'm doing that then I would start over.

I agree a metal cap would look a lot better. I thought I had measured before and couldn't find one that would work. However if I'm doing some reshaping I might be able to. The tip is 1.242 x 1.715. One of the fishers might work the Brownels I think is simply too big. I have an old one in my parts box I'll give a look.

Yep leave it a Mannicher. The forearm is thin and moving the checkering would make it worse. If I decided to go with a normal stock. I have this short myrtle that would probably work better. The barrel is only 20.5"(I think)


Well 45 minutes and my pocket knife removed ALL of that old varnish finish.

Attached find pics of an almost identical stock that I recently reshaped. All of the white lines date the stock even more and should be eliminated. I made a grip cap out of a scrap piece of ebony to fit and fitted an ebony tip to replace all the plastic. Cheek piece was reshaped with shadowline. I was careful not to affect the checkering.

Could someone please explain to me about posting pics.

quote:

Could someone please explain to me about posting pics.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...22101325/m/951100671

or send them to ramrod340@hotmail.com and I'll post them for you.

Ramrod, your project reminds me very much of a slimming/facelift I gave to a old Bishop stock worn by a '94 Swede. I did most of the things you are suggesting, although there was never any checkering so I am in the process of doing that from scratch. You might consider at this point, (if not already done...) slimming the tang on the reciever to allow you to slim the wrist area even more and get rid of the groove in the wood for the cocking piece sear. Also, I can't tell from your photo, but it might be nice to add the angled loading gate mortise if it does not have one already. I think this feature sets a nice custom, (or even relatively plain sporter...) apart from the factory offerings.

Here are a few photos of my project. (I have since cut the nose back a but more to lessen the "hooked" appearance in the wrist area, and have done a little more checkering)

Before:


During: (almost "after"...)

quote:

Could someone please explain to me about posting pics.

Looks nice wish my stock had better grain than it does.