To our resident stockmakers:

I'm finishing a semi- (now THERE'S a misnomer) inletted black walnut stock for a project '09 and need some advice on getting the following tasks in the right sequence. Help!

A) Fitting the buttpad;
B) Bedding the action;
C) Fitting the foreend cap (ebony);
D) Fitting the grip cap;
E) Tung oil finish.

Also, should the barrel channel and the rest of the "interior" of the stock be sealed with tung oil, a thinned coat of Acraglas, or...........?

Thanks in advance....

Mike K. aka BigDogMK

Mike, I'd change a couple of those around;

1. Fit the fore-end tip.
2. Finish inletting for the barreled action.
3. Attach the grip cap & pad.
4. Sand & finish the stock.

That is all assuming that you're not going to do any major renovation to the outside of the stock. If you did, it would come between step 2 & 3.

That's just my way.

Mr. B. Dog,
The sequence has to start with action bedding, otherwise you won't know where everything else will be exactly. All else depends primarily on the center line of the bore (top edge of the stock), and the location of the trigger. Once these are established, you can do the buttplate, grip cap and forend tip, although the forend can be done earlier just as the barrel is going in. I, personally, like to do the forend after the action and barrel are down in. The buttplate depends on the LOP from the center of the trigger arc to the center of the butt and the action and barrel must be in to establish the pitch and cast off, if any. The front edge of the grip is established as an arc measurement from the center of the trigger and a perpendicular drop from the bore centerline. I like the ratio of 3 3/4" to 4" rear of the center of the trigger arc and 3 3/4" down from the bore centerline. The angle of the grip cap face should intersect approximately at the front edge point, as established, and run along a line that intersects 1/2" below the very heel of the butt. It's easier to draw it than explain it and you should try to do this yourself, before any inletting is done. You might still be able to get a copy of the rifle plans for a Win M70 and a Mauser from Brownell's, they are quite good and it will be easy to see how a decent custom is designed.

Tung oil finish is last, but you have ALOT of sanding before the finish goes on.

Sealing the inletting is required and normally a couple of coats of thin finish is used, but you certainly can use glass too. But be sure to use release agent!

Best to you.

Hi Toby, good to see you here. BTW, BigDog, listen to what he said, he nailed it.

Thanks, fellas. I'm on the final shaping/sanding phase now. I'm amazed how much wood has been removed from this "semi-inletted" stock. How fine should the final sanding be? 400 grit? 600 grit? I'm looking for a soft shine, somewhere between satin and gloss, leaning toward satin, when I'm done.

Mike K. aka BigDogMK

Mr. B.Dog,
It depends on what finish you are going to use. On a standard tung oil type, #320 should be fine. With Truoil, #220 will do. On Purdey Warthog, #600 and maybe #800 will suffice. Besure to whisker between grits and a time or two when you feel the sanding is complete.

Best to you.