pre6422hornet
Handloader
- Jan 24, 2012
- 974
- 12
To set the backstory, back in 2002 I purchased a Classic Super grade .270 at Jays Sporting goods in Gaylord MI. Love that rifle. In the fall that rifle dropped a 32 inch wide mulie in his bed 6 or 7 miles above Edwards Colorado. Came back to Ohio and took the super grade apart and cleaned her up and set her up leaning on the bench. Grabbed the classic stainless and took her apart as well. Bumped the bench a bit I guess and the super grade fell in slow motion and bounced against the concrete floor and the forearm snapped in two.... damn.
Well I restocked it in a Winchester tupperware stock and she sat in the rack and has only been shot sparingly since. I had ideas of getting her dressed back up in a nice hunk of walnut, but time passed. A few years ago I started to checker and figured it was time.
Purchased these two blanks from a guy in Alaska who claimed they were cut in the late 50's from California for his dad. Only paid 60 dollars total for both and that included the shipping. Nice straight grain.
Cleaned her up a bit with my gramps old plane. I hope he is looking down and approves at the full curl shaves coming off the blank.
I have elected to go with hand tools only and let me tell you if you haven't cut almost 60 year old walnut by hand... holy crap I swear sparks were coming off the blade. Basically made relief cuts, then chiseled out the comb, tang, and wrist, then single cut the top and bottom of the forearm.
Took the old stock and made a template and transferred it over and started chipping away.
I purchased a Buck Bros Crane Neck gouge and started on the barrel channel.
After many, many hours of inletting I was ready for bottom metal. I drilled out the screw holes and transferred the bottom metal via a sharp scribe.
She is inletted completely now.
Right now I am waiting for the first batch of marine tex to cure in the barrel channel. Once that is done, the pillars will go in, the entire action marine tex'd, and then shaping time comes. Alot to go but man this is fun.
Well I restocked it in a Winchester tupperware stock and she sat in the rack and has only been shot sparingly since. I had ideas of getting her dressed back up in a nice hunk of walnut, but time passed. A few years ago I started to checker and figured it was time.
Purchased these two blanks from a guy in Alaska who claimed they were cut in the late 50's from California for his dad. Only paid 60 dollars total for both and that included the shipping. Nice straight grain.
Cleaned her up a bit with my gramps old plane. I hope he is looking down and approves at the full curl shaves coming off the blank.
I have elected to go with hand tools only and let me tell you if you haven't cut almost 60 year old walnut by hand... holy crap I swear sparks were coming off the blade. Basically made relief cuts, then chiseled out the comb, tang, and wrist, then single cut the top and bottom of the forearm.
Took the old stock and made a template and transferred it over and started chipping away.
I purchased a Buck Bros Crane Neck gouge and started on the barrel channel.
After many, many hours of inletting I was ready for bottom metal. I drilled out the screw holes and transferred the bottom metal via a sharp scribe.
She is inletted completely now.
Right now I am waiting for the first batch of marine tex to cure in the barrel channel. Once that is done, the pillars will go in, the entire action marine tex'd, and then shaping time comes. Alot to go but man this is fun.
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