It's Either a Great Idea or a Stupid Idea.......Undercutting a Traditions Kentuckyish Stock.......Thanks For Looking.

[64Springer]

Undercutting and removing wood from the bottom of the forearm/ramrod channel.

It would certainly thin that sub roll of a stock down considerably.

No risk of breakage in the thin areas cuzz the stock and barrel will be pinned fo ever.

As always, thank you.


PS: Google, in its infinite picture wisdom, turned up nothing. Is that a clue?

 

[ronaldrothb49]

I would be afraid to do what your showing under the ramrod. I will get a picture of the way John Schippers showed how to do a fore stock it takes a lot more wood off. Instead of rounding it over you do it more of an angle towards the ramrod channel Not good at describing things I'll get a picture.

 

[appalichian hunter]

No, why not just make it a half stock with a under rib and be done with it.

 

[SDSmlf]

Undercutting and removing wood from the bottom of the forearm/ramrod channel.

It would certainly thin that sub roll of a stock down considerably.

No risk of breakage in the thin areas cuzz the stock and barrel will be pinned fo ever.

As always, thank you.


PS: Google, in its infinite picture wisdom, turned up nothing. Is that a clue?

Without doubt that kind of stock haircut will make for a couple of very weak areas in the stock. Creates unnecessary stress risers and I would expect stock cracking/splitting at some point in the future even if the barrel were to never be removed from the stock.

May I ask why you want to do this?

 

[64Springer]

Without doubt that kind of stock haircut will make for a couple of very weak areas in the stock. Creates unnecessary stress risers and I would expect stock cracking/splitting at some point in the future even if the barrel were to never be removed from the stock.

May I ask why you want to do this?

Because it looks like an awful lot of hand work that I think I could pull off.

No doubt that area will get really thin.

And future cracking would stink.

Post #3 with the rib idea is an idea.

 

[SDSmlf]

Because it looks like an awful lot of hand work that I think I could pull off.

No doubt that area will get really thin.

And future cracking would stink.

Post #3 with the rib idea is an idea.

If your reason is that it looks like a lot of hand work you could pull off, go for it if you want. Your gun. If or when the weakened stock comes apart you will have a new challenge.

 

[Gtrubicon]

I’d try it, but I’d leave enough wood to convert to a half stock if needed.

 

[64Springer]

I’d try it, but I’d leave enough wood to convert to a half stock if needed.

That is being figured into the equation too.

I've seen several wooden under ribs on this site.

But that's venturing into something I've never attempted.

 

[SDSmlf]

That is being figured into the equation too.

I've seen several wooden under ribs on this site.

But that's venturing into something I've never attempted.

Don’t see a wooden under rib in your sketch, just all the wood under the barrel removed in a couple of notches.

 

[64Springer]

Don’t see a wooden under rib in your sketch, just all the wood under the barrel removed in a couple of notches.

That's because I didn't draw an under rib.

Was talking about what post #3 was talking about.

Half stocking it and making a wooden rib or metal rib.

 

[SDSmlf]

That's because I didn't draw an under rib.

Was talking about what post #3 was talking about.

Half stocking it and making a wooden rib or metal rib.

Ok, I mistakenly went with what you sketched and stated instead of what you were thinking about. Good luck with your project.

 

[64Springer]

Thank you, Sir.

 

[Tumbledown]

I've looked at tons of guns online in either museum listings or online auctions. I can't say I've ever seen such an example.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I don’t remember seeing any originals modified as in the sketch, but I’ve handled and examined photos of a bunch of original fullstocks that had been half-stocked. I’ve seen them with no under-rib at all, with the ramrod pipes attached (soldered?) directly to the underside of the barrel, or with short iron pipes fitted into the dovetails. I believe some original half-stocked New England rifles were built with wooden under-ribs, and the Lacome rifle (believed to be an unmarked Hawken) in the New Mexico State Museum was cut down from an original full stock to half-stock and fitted with a wooden rib. When a wooden rib was used, I believe it was simply pinned to the barrel using conventional tenons dovetailed into the bottom flat, and the ramrod pipes were the same as would be used for a full stock, i.e. with flanges, pinned to the wood under rib.

The proposed modification in the sketch in post #1 will look funny, be a lot of work, and it would be structurally weak. Not traditional, either. I don’t think it would be a good idea at all. A half-stock modification would be better all around, and a half-stock with a wooden under rib would be an interesting project.

You asked for opinions… That’s mine.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

To each his own. Do what makes you happy with your rifle. I've built way over 200 guns, and customer have asks for some really strange stuff. However, this is what makes you gun personal and unique to you. If that's what you want, go for it. Semper Fi.

 

[waksupi]

I think it would be unusually ugly.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

This is the way John Schippers would show how to shape a fore stock. At the widest point it is only about an 1/8" of wood. Shaping the fore stock is one of the last things I do when making a rifle because this creates a very slender fore stock. Definitely not for someone who takes their barrel out to clean it. Just another option for what you are trying to do.

 

[64Springer]

I think it would be unusually ugly.

This is a major concern as well.

 

[64Springer]

This is the way John Schippers would show how to shape a fore stock. At the widest point it is only about an 1/8" of wood. Shaping the fore stock is one of the last things I do when making a rifle because this creates a very slender fore stock. Definitely not for someone who takes their barrel out to clean it. Just another option for what you are trying to do.

That is a great shape.

Thins things down but remains structurally sound.

Thanks for taking the time to post the pics.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Personally I wouldn't do that but, if you want to, go for it. Here's a crazy idea, should you go half stocked with a wooden under rib, why not turn the original forearm you remove into the under rib? You know it will be the right length and it will match the stock wood. Good luck with this one. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.