I'm drawing up a stock for a large caliber Mauser project. I was going use a 1909 TG but noticed that the slope of it makes for a smaller than desired forearm/end. Do any after market TGs have an angle less than the 3.5 degree 1909? Or do I leave a larger gap between the top of the magazine and receiver?

Related to that is my 3.5 degree measurement off? Wesbrook wrote that commercial TGs are 7 degrees with some after markets at 4 degrees.

Thanks

If you want a shallower angle, just leave a gap at the front; won't hurt anything. Glass bed the gap flush. Within reason.

Although the floorplate lies at an angle to the boreline, the recesses for the guard screws have a shoulder that the underside of the screw head bears on, which should be parallel to the bore line. They will only be parallel at the floorplate angle that it was machined for. Of course, with enough screw torque, the TG may flex enough to accommodate an non-standard angle.

I'm really glad I went to gunsmith school in the dark ages before all the technology took over. I actually have to admit I have no idea what angle you are referring to or how to measure it. I have a nice 7x57 on a 1909 action with original bottom metal and the stock seems pretty nice to me. It is of course an American pattern stock. The smith didn't ask me what angle I wanted,but maybe he already knew. He was a classmate of mine at TSJC. I'm really pretty ignorant of current trends. In point of fact I had never heard of Westbrook till I joined this forum. I gather from this forum that he is very high in the stock making field so I will bow to his superior knowledge and grant that the angles are what they are. I believe when I was building rifles the only time I was concerned was when converting the bottom metal of an Enfield 14 or 17. That process can get rather weird. My idea was just to build stocks that fit well and looked good. I don't know that I ever had a device to even measure the angle (whatever or wherever it is) other than a simple grade school protractor.

I've got an idea that the Sunny Hill B/M has less angle that will result in a fuller forearm. Pretty sure I read about it somewhere many years ago. Dave's book?

You say a big bore project.

What caliber, how many shells in the box.

A 5 shot drop box for a 375 H&H has a far different angle than a 4 shot drop box for a 458 Win.

A four shot 458 Win, is yet different than a 4 shot 404 Jeffery.

Then you can play with Rigby pocket floor plates to make the depth shallower as well.

It all depends on you bottom line ( no pun intended ) as to what the final forearm line works out to be.

Contact who is making the guard you will be using to get their dims for the depth of the guard.

J Wisner