metal to wood fit question

[horsetrader]

Cut out the rough shape of the stock on a band saw and cut a undersize barrel channel with a router. So far so good.... What is the perfect fit metal to wood? ( Not that I will get it right but...) I asume if it is to tight and the wood swells then there is a problem and also the other way around...
I am building in Utah but plan to bring the gun also in humid areas.....

 

[bioprof]

You don't want any gaps between the wood and the barrel, but you want to be able to slide the barrel out of the stock easily. You don't want to have to use a lot of force to get the barrel out of the stock or you will risk breaking off the end of the forestock. I would plan on a tight fit and then relieve the wood until you can get the barrel out relatively easily.

 

[Birddog6]

Get the best & snuggest fit you can get. You can always make the inlet bigger, but it's a little more work making it tighter....... :hmm:

 

[ehoff]

As everyone has said try to get the closest fit you can get. Much easier to scrape away a little wood then to have to put it back.

 

[rich pierce]

I drawfile a slight amount of draft on the bottom half of the side flats of a barrel before inletting. This lets you get a good fit and also take the barrel out easily.

 

[Birddog6]

I drawfile the barrel after it is inlet, thus I can then easily get the barrel in & out, but still have a good fit.
:thumbsup:

 

[Stophel]

As everyone says, you want a good fit, but not super-tight. If you have some small gaps along the sides of the barrel, don't worry about it. NO ONE will see them (OK, I can see them, but smaller gaps don't bother me anymore). For big gaps, glue in slips of wood, clamp them on, let them dry, and re-inlet the barrel there to get a good fit.

I know how to tighten up a loose barrel inlet. Set it outside my house in the 65% humidity, and in an hour and a half, you won't be able to beat the barrel out with a mallet. And, an added bonus: all your iron will be thoroughly browned.

 

[Zonie]

When fitting the barrel in the unfinished stock you will want it to drop into place fairly easily.
A total clearance of .010-.020 (.005-.010 per side) isn't too much. Anything over .020 is pushing it.

Although you will be able to see a very slight gap if the clearance is .020, that gap will mostly disappear when you apply the finishing oils because the wood will swill when it absorbs them.

That should leave the finished channel tight enough that no one will notice the clearance but changes in the humidity won't produce any real stress in the barrel.