Newbie question...

[Hapnin]

Hello all.
I've got somewhat silly question concerning F-class type stocks.
I just ordered a new rifle with the plans of biulding it into my long range coyote rifle. The majority of my shots will be prone hence my decision to go with an F-class type stock. Weight is not much of a concern to me, I'm a glutton for punishment. I'll pack a heavy gun for days if it'll hit where I want. My question pertains to the adjustable combs I see on a lot of these stocks. When you get 'em adjusted right where ya want 'em, what do you do with 'em when it's time to clean the rifle? Don't they get in the road of the cleaning rod? Do you have to remove 'em and then re adjust every time or is there a way to set them to go back in the same spot? Maybe a guy could just take a measurement.
Please pardon my ignorance.

Thanks,
Steve.

 

[kaferhaus]

Yep you just measure it. it does have to be moved to clean. ,mine does anyway)

 

[Hapnin]

I don't know how they are built, I've never had one in my hands, but aren't there 2 "pins" going down into the stock? Or one big threaded rod?

 

[memilanuk]

A couple of the cheekpiece adjusters out on the market have an option where the top,cheekpiece) is held onto the rest of the hardware by extremely strong rare earth magnets, recessed into a pocket. The net effect is that you have to pull straight up firmly, i.e. fairly intentionally, but the cheekpiece will just pop right off w/o all the screwing up and down normally associated w/ thumbwheel cheekpieces. Then when you're done, just pop it back on and go back to shooting I know Steve McGee,www.mcgeestocks.com) offers one like this and I believe Alan Warner,www.warner-tool.com) does also.

If you have a regular cheekpiece adjuster w/o the QD top... one thing you might try is making a discrete mark on the cheekpiece on the rear off,right) side where it touches the buttplate... just scribe the line, even w/ a sharpie from one to the next, and then just line them up when you put the cheekpiece back on after cleaning.

I've got one of the new McGee adjusters on a rifle in the shop right now, and one of the 'conventional' McGee adjusters on a Prone gun that I use,and love!), and have used others,Sitman/Master Class) before. Never seemed like it was that big of a deal to get the cheekpiece back where it needed to be... set up and mount the rifle during prep time in a match,i.e. F-Class) and you'll be able to tell if you are lined up where you need to be or not... and w/ the thumbwheel adjuster it's pretty simple to move it up or down accordingly while in position.

I missed the part of the question about how the adjusters are set up... McMillan had a style that they use that has two rods, secured by set screws w/ thumb nuts on them. Nice, simple set up, but IMHO it's not very convenient to fine-tune from position. Please remember this comes from the point of view of someone who shoots from a sling i.e. one hand is pretty well tied to the rifle so I have a strong preference for adjustments that can be made w/ one hand and minimal movement. I shoot some F-Class also, but to me once you've used a thumbwheel cheekpiece... you'll never see a two-screw system the same again

The other styles, the ones I mentionied earlier, have two big rods going down into the stock for alignment, and one center threaded stem w/ a knurled wheel on it that protrudes from a recessed pocket. These two pictures should give you an idea of what I'm talking about...

Custom Stock Hardware #1
Custom Stock Hardware #2



HTH,

Monte

 

[M700]

Rick Freudenberg, Everett Washington, makes an adjustable cheekpiece assembly he calls the "no fail." Like the rest of Rick's work, it's not inexpensive, at $250... But it is indeed "no fail."

http://www.freudscustomrifles.com