I just received a pair of Mannlicher nose caps and have a question since I have never installed one before.

They both came with a machine screw and nut, but I anticipated that this would be a screw going into the wood. In other words, I’m presuming the “ears” are intended to come up a little bit past 90 degrees on the barrel in order to hold it in place and prevent the forearm from flexing away from the barrel. I figured that the nosecap would be the last part to go on – sliding on at the end to secure the muzzle with a wood screw holding it in place. Because if these ears wrap around at all you couldn't drop the barrel straight in from the top.

If a through hole was drilled, and a nut installed from the barrel channel side to secure the nosecap in place on the stock, how would one get the barrel in position? Would you slide it forward into place and count on tolerances giving you enough slop to keep the action elevated slightly until the recoil lug, trigger, and other protrusions are in a position to drop into place? Because I hope to keep tolerances tighter than that…

I'm thinking I should just toss the screws it came with?

Hey, that was my 1000th post! Don't I get a gift card or something?

Thanks.

Correct , I have the sides come up and around the barrel .
I epoxy the nut or make a plate that is threaded and epoxied .
The action is installed , then slide the cap on and screw on .
It's the way I do it , don't know of another way except cross pinning .

Yes, like that; with a nut in the wood in the barrel channel. I have also used a wood screw, screwed into epoxy reinforcement. Not just wood.
You are a winner today; just wait by the mail box for your prize.

I was overthinking things and didn't consider simply embedding and epoxying the nut in the stock. That's a good idea, thanks!

I waited by the mailbox all day and my prize never came...

Keep waiting; your reward will come.

Of course to get your prize you'll have to
send in Taxes first. Oh yeah, mail it to Dubai.

Cheers,

George

Ijust did one..I inletted a small indent for a threaded plate, slipped on the fitted nose cap and screwed the blued bolt in to secure the cap.marked it and cut off the extension..I opted not to use glass as I might want to remove it someday. However my nose cap had a partial over the top piece of steel in front of the front ramp to further secure it..It looks great and is functional..Many such early manlichers used this nosecap