AusVarmint

Bit of a follow on from an old thread, this is what Ive been working on for a while. Still a work in progress.

Basically I started with the block of maxbeam laminate (imported hardwood). Cut it out into a rough shape then got it onto a mill to do the barrel channel and inlet for the bedding block. Been doing little bits and pices on the mill to get bits like the safety sorted out and bored the two holes for the pillars.

Once the inletting was sorted I started shaping the stock a bit to get to a rough final shape- ready for coarse grit hand sanding and final hand shaping with a rasp. Ive cut alot of wood away so the stock is very low profile. I want it sitting nice and low in the bags.

Next step will be to cut the pillars to just over length and glass bed the block in. I have a little more shaping on the inside to do with a dremel but that can happen after the block goes in.

From there its finishing, shaping the fore end to slope down from top to bottom on the sides, doing little things like cutting wood to allow the bolt to close and then getting it really really smooth.

At this stage im planning to finish it off with a layer of primer, then automotive gloss black and a few coats of automotive clear over it. Some polished aluminium along the bottom of the butt so it slides in the bag nicely and a couple of strips of polished aluminium under the fore end for the same reason. I may even try to get something laser engraved into the polished ally. "Nightrider", or "Black Betty" or something.

Heres some pics





This is compared to a 308 f class loaded round.

looks great

Yeah, the stock looks great.
Can't say the same about your pants.

Just a pair of quiksilver boardies- had been down the beach yesterday- note the sleeping pooch

That's coming along nicely.

Looks good Brad, what mill have you got mate? I'm tossing up between an X3 and a Hafco HM46, I've seen more on CNC for the X3 but I think the Hafco looks like a better machine overall.

Inletting on a router table is doing it the hard way, trust me..... Time for a new toy.

Hi mate

Dont know for sure- I use the one at the LGS, but I think its a Hafco.

Milling is great but a dremel is handy for doing little bits a well. I would have destroyed the bit of wood if I was using a router... I plain suck on those things!

I angled off the fore end last night from 3" wide at the bottom to about 7-8mm either side of the barrel channel. It looks alot more like a stock now the shape is totally done. Just got to thin out the butt a bit more as its a bit too meaty. Unsure if Im going to get some devcon and bed it myself or get it done at the LGS either.

Couple of updated pics

Nice work Brad, well worth the effort.

Well last night, I started to get ready for a 500m f class club shoot. Got the f class bipod out, and the mcmillan out, put the trigger back together, cleaned everything up after bedding the whidden v block into the new stock, went to screw the krieger into the action etc etc.

Got to the point where I dropped it into the mcmillan then though about action screws....ROOT! I had already cut down/got new screws to suit the new stock. The old stock wont work until I get dedicated screws for it.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I quickly switched over to the new stock which I had bedded the block into during the week, and also installed an adjustable recoil pad. I mixed some more devcon and bedded around the recoil lug. Left it overnight, cracked it off this morning and all good.

Without cleaning up the bedding I bolted it all back together, put the scope on, manufactured a quick trigger guard out of a retic hose saddle (agricultural I know but its against the rules to shoot without one), grabbed the last 12 shots I had done up and headed out to the range.

Of course everyone laughed when they saw it, commenting on the wood borer holes and trigger guard etc etc. Borrowing a mates rest and bag, I laid down to a switching head and cross wind from 9-10 o'clock. Not too strong, but it was blowing people around.

First round in dropped straight into the bottom of the stock. Whoops! forgot I hadnt put the single shot follower in yet... Quick turn upside down to get it out and poke it up the spout manually and we were away. First sighter from clean barrel 4 at 12 oclock. Second sighter into the same hole. Things were looking good.

A quick calculation and scope adjustment I put the first scoring shot into the 5 ring. Second shot after another adjustment right on the edge of the 6 ring line. Hold off for the last 8 shots and I didnt drop a point Those laughing were quickly scratching thier heads. 58.4 only beaten by a nice 60.6 from one of the best f classers in WA.

I didnt have any more ammo so once everyone was finished holding and looking at the stock, I packed up and headed home- very happy with it so far.

Getting home I did a few household duties then got back into sanding the stock and finishing things off more. I've done the 60 and 80 grit paper work, now just got to work to finer grade sandpaper. This afternoon I've filled any gaps/borer holes with resin and will sand those back tomorrow. I have a little more devcon to dremel out to neaten things up inside the v block, then have to put in a single shot follower of some description in. But once thats done, I will keep on sanding more before starting to look at priming the timber and hitting it with a few layers of automotive gloss black and a few layers of automotive clear.

Some pics...

Nice Brad!!

Mine has been used by the kids a couple of times, still at the 120 grit sanding stage so you're not the only one to turn up with a half finished stock!

Keep the pics coming, I'd love to see one with the "trigger guard" in place.

latest pics

First two coats of paint. Have a couple of spots to rub back and touch up that ran, but looks very good so far.

So Ive had it going for a while, and have had countless troubles with the paint. All turned out to be with the sealer/wood primer that I used.

In the end Ive taken it down to a local spraypainters shop and he has given it some good ole fashion lovin. Its being picked up tomorrow as it is still ever so slightly soft today so another day of baking and it should be good he reckons.

Everything else is ready to go for it. Might have to polish the barrel a little tonight to get it ready.

Nicely done Brad a credit to you