Someday down the road, I'd like to build a Mannlicher. I've never done one, heck not sure I can even spell it. Looking for comments.

I need to know more about barrel lenghts for Mannlichers, would think 22" barrel would be about max, I remember some Sako's with 20" barrels, but I tend to like longer barrels.

Appears Brownells sells forend nose, looks like midway sells about 3 differnt ones also. None of my books have anything on Mannlichers that I recall, not sure how the nose fits in relation to the barrel etc.

Another concern I have is barrel tension, do you float or have barrel tension. Not sure if the forend nose touches wood and metal or just wood. Looks like some have a screw on the bottom to attach to forend.

One of these days when I get time will call Mike Kokolus, I'd bet he has a Mannlicher pattern for Mauser.

comments from those who have built one.

Thanks, Billy

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Billy, My first Mannlicher was in a 7X57 back in 1962 and all said it wouldn;t shot a group. I fired test shots before finishing the metal or wood and it grouped under 1 in. @ 100 yds. So much for it not shooting. I have made several over the years on different actions. Keep the barrel short for fast handling and appearance. A long barrel just don't look well on this style. I say the barrel shouldn't be over 21 inches. If you want a long barrel try building a flintlock full stock. Ha Ha !! They are fun to cut out by hand from a blank.

I normally would bed the barrel like a standard stock with two points for the barrel to rest on about 9 inches up the stock channel. The rest was fitted as close as I could without any extra bearing pressure on the barrel to the end of the barrel. I have used the metal tips, but I like to use ebony for the tips. I have used a small dovetail cutter to make a slot about 1/2 in. back from the end of the barrel. Make a small insert crossways and then make a small metal screw long enough to go from the front of the cap into the metal insert. This is to keep the wood from warping away. It has worked for me, but you must remember to remove the screw before taking the action out of the stock. Try to keep your inletting close on the sides without creating pressure. My 2 ct worth

I vote for more like 20" I have a 19" 358 Norma that gives me 2700 with 250gr factory. What more do I need?

Les,

Thanks for the comments.

Ramrod, I take it your Norma mag is on a mauser.

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Ramrod, I take it your Norma mag is on a mauser

Yep a FN to be exact.

Billy, I have a pretty nice Mannlicher length blank you can have cheap if you get serious about this project.

Forrest,

I can get real serious when the word cheap comes to play PM me with what it is and what it looks like

BIlly,
I already bought it.. you can have it for double cheap... no, wait....
jeffe

Jeffe,

please post a pic of your new purchase

Billy, check your email.

I agree that 22" is long enough for a Mannlicher style stock on a bolt action. I believe you could do a 24" on a Ruger No. 1 or similar short falling-block actioned rifle, and still not be too long.

I've had several 20" tubed Mannlicher Schoenauer carbines, and the barrels weren't too short. They did as well in the hunting field for me as longer barrels......

The "problem" with such a stock is because it is so long, it can warp and place varying pressure on the barrel at various points, changing the zero of the piece often. However, if bedded as mentioned above by Les Brooks, and if the wood has been properly seasoned, this may not present too much of a problem.

However, when I lived in Germany, there were gunsmiths who refused to make Mannlicher stocks due to the warping potential, and others who would make one, but insisted on making the forend piece a separate piece of wood, hung onto the barrel with a cross key or two, just like a muzzleloader. Then the front section of the stock was free to move with the barrel, and never warped, placing strain on the front end of the barrel.

The one M/S carbine I actually fiddled with to get maximum accuracy I floated the barrel from 2" in front of the receiver ring to the steel nosecap, and let the 1" or so of the muzzle touch the wood in the bottom of the barrel channel. I enlarged the front sling swivel hole in the barrel band fore & aft in an oval shape so the swivel crossbolt did not interfere with barrel vibration/heat expansion. After I was done "tweaking" this carbine (a .270) I was able to get 1.25" groups with it. I mounted a Lyman 4X All-American scope on this gun in 1964 using a Williams sidemount with HCO rings. I then zeroed it in at 200 yards, and it NEVER CHANGED ZERO for the 25 years I owned it!