Tactical/Target Rifle w/WOOD

[AMG04]

ROUND 1 - Target / Bench Rifle

After 10-12 years of shooting aluminum chassis and stocks made with some sort of composite, I felt it was time to get back to wood.

Maintaining the form, fit, function of more modern stocks was important, but I wanted to gain the warmth, feel and beauty of wood.

I looked around and didn't see what I wanted, so I decided to make it myself.

The Process:
- Source curly maple blank
- Carve (rough pass) with router
- Contour and smooth (fine pass) with router
- Cut the inletting (action, bottom metal & barrel channel)

- Sand... there was a lot of sanding!

- Fit recoil pad with belt sander
- Add picatinney rail for bipod (drill and counter sink t-nuts)
- Drop in pillars (checking action/bm fit, alignment & feeding from magazine)
- Epoxy bed action & bottom metal

- Apply tung oil finish (2 sealer coats cut 1:1 with mineral spirits for deeper penetration)
- 100% Tung Oil sanded in at 600, 800, 1000 and 1200 grits

The Results:

 

[Krogen]

Very nice! A great pairing of traditional and modern.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Very nice, I can imagine the pride of doing this yourself and getting to use it.

 

[boltfluter]

Very nice! Looks like a lot of work, and a whole bunch of sanding. The end product looks beautiful though. Congrats.
Paul

 

[ballisticdaddy]

That's a nice looking hunk of maple, thanks for sharing!

 

[jxb]

Looks like the duplicator works quite well and with your elbow grease the outcome is really nice.

What's your estimate of man-hours to complete that?

 

[troupe]

That looks great. That is what I am wanting also. I some great 40X copies, but would like that design as well. Great job.

 

[AMG04]

Looks like the duplicator works quite well and with your elbow grease the outcome is really nice.

What's your estimate of man-hours to complete that?

I plan on logging each step on the next one. I've been curious how much time actually goes into it myself.

 

[muleystalker]

Looks great! I have always wanted to make a Wood copy of the Manners T5A stock, I love the feel of them.

 

[joshb]

Nice work! I have the same machine. You should do some research on analine dies. They can make a maple stock pop. Here’s a couple I did in different colors:

 

[AMG04]

Nice work! I have the same machine. You should do some research on analine dies. They can make a maple stock pop. Here’s a couple I did in different colors:
View attachment 1586204View attachment 1586205

Beautiful!

I actually picked up black and coffee brown Transtint. I used them on some off cuts to test.

What color did you use for the mannlicker in the top picture?

What application process did you go with?

 

[joshb]

I used a CUSTOM mix of red, yellow, light brown and dark brown! I was experimenting. After more experimentation with different colors layered in application, I decided it didn’t matter. If I put a coat of red on, it completely disappeared when I put a coat of brown over it. No red hues could be seen. Maybe Bc’z can help as he’s the expert. I found it frustrating, trying to get a reddish brown hue.
For the black stock, I sanded the stock down to 600 before I stained it, then sanded lightly with 600 to remove the raised grain. Then I wiped it down with a rag soaked with plain alcohol . Tip: Use alcohol instead of water as your medium. It won’t raise the grain much and it dries really fast.

 

[JB10]

I want one

 

[joshb]

I’ll also suggest you get a small bandsaw to cut the excess wood off the blank before the duplication process. You’ll save a lot of time and router bits.
Have you looked at the “Do it yourself stockmaking “ thread? Worth a look.

 

[Old Navy]

After 10-12 years of shooting aluminum chassis and stocks made with some sort of composite, I felt it was time to get back to wood.

Maintaining the form, fit, function of more modern stocks was important, but I wanted to gain the warmth, feel and beauty of wood.

I looked around and didn't see what I wanted, so I decided to make it myself.

The Process:
- Source curly maple blank
- Carve (rough pass) with router
- Contour and smooth (fine pass) with router
- Cut the inletting (action, bottom metal & barrel channel)

- Sand... there was a lot of sanding!

- Fit recoil pad with belt sander
- Add picatinney rail for bipod (drill and counter sink t-nuts)
- Drop in pillars (checking action/bm fit, alignment & feeding from magazine)
- Epoxy bed action & bottom metal

- Apply tung oil finish (2 coats cut 1:1 with mineral spirits for deeper penetration, 4 full coats)

- Protect with final coat of beeswax


The Results:

I have several more blanks on hand, now what to do with them?...

This intimidating piece of maple might become home to a Zermatt Rim X, but need to find an action first.
View attachment 1586048

I love wood stocks. The only one I have left is a first year Rem 1100 with checkering and engraving.

 

[Bc'z]

I used a CUSTOM mix of red, yellow, light brown and dark brown! I was experimenting. After more experimentation with different colors layered in application, I decided it didn’t matter. If I put a coat of red on, it completely disappeared when I put a coat of brown over it. No red hues could be seen. Maybe Bc’z can help as he’s the expert. I found it frustrating, trying to get a reddish brown hue.
For the black stock, I sanded the stock down to 600 before I stained it, then sanded lightly with 600 to remove the raised grain. Then I wiped it down with a rag soaked with plain alcohol . Tip: Use alcohol instead of water as your medium. It won’t raise the grain much and it dries really fast.

Mix medium brown and cherry red drop for drop to create copper.
Remember when your using multiple colors start with darkest and work lighter in applications. When you sand between coats your exposing the hard gran and the dye is feathering into the soft grain, if I start to lose some of my foundation color at times I'll reapply a diluted solution of that color.
Last coat or 2 will be applied in wash/diluted coats and not sanded.
Brown, copper, orange, vintage amber dyes on this 1

 

[AMG04]

Mix medium brown and cherry red drop for drop to create copper.
Remember when your using multiple colors start with darkest and work lighter in applications. When you sand between coats your exposing the hard gran and the dye is feathering into the soft grain, if I start to lose some of my foundation color at times I'll reapply a diluted solution of that color.
Last coat or 2 will be applied in wash/diluted coats and not sanded.
Brown, copper, orange, vintage amber dyes on this 1View attachment 1586347

That's incredible! ...and proof that I have so much to learn from this group.

I've been researching and watching videos, mostly of guitar makers, for dying tips & techniques.

I'll get creative on the next blank.

 

[AMG04]

I’ll also suggest you get a small bandsaw to cut the excess wood off the blank before the duplication process. You’ll save a lot of time and router bits.
Have you looked at the “Do it yourself stockmaking “ thread? Worth a look.

I have access to a bandsaw, but it's a 30 minute drive. I was too excited to start carving, so I skipped that step. NEVER again!

I'll be taking each blank to the bandsaw before carving. I wasted a LOT of time and some good small pieces of wood that could have been used in later projects.

 

[joshb]

Been there!

OR

 

[AMG04]

Made it out to do some quick pressure testing. I wanted to see what lighter bullets and faster powder could do from the 14.5.

Ten rounds per bullet/powder combo loaded in 0.4gr increments, shot at 100 yards, same POA.

Start and finish loads of AR-Comp represented below.

125 Speer TNT (cheap paper puncher)
44.4gr @ 2621fps
48.0gr @ 2858fps

130 Barnes TTSX (deer & hogs)
41.8gr @ 2574fps
45.4gr @ 2746fps

I did not observe pressure signs at the highest charges, but don't see any reason to climb higher.