barrel " block "
Crappie _
Howdy !
Bruce Baer was nice enough to answer my questions about barrel blocks, a few years ago.
After our talk, I re-did my conventionally bedded 28" barreled Wichita action varmint/target rifle.
I removed the barreled actin from the Lee Six " Hunter bench " stock.
For the " stock ", I went w/ a 36"lg aluminum " I" beam, oriented and used as an " H " beam.
This beam, was originally supplied as the central structural member for an outdoor deck " railing " system... where an outer plastic rail is slipped on over the aluminum beam.
The ( new ) 29" barrel sits in the upper central "valley" of the beam. Some materiel is relieved at the inner side walls, to ensure action clearance.
A slot has been cut in the aft lower floor on the central "valley" of the beam, which allows the trigger assy to be installed and removed w/o having to disassemble the gun.
There is also a slot cut to accommodate the recoil, although I speculate that my low-recoiling 6mm wildcat could have been shot successfully w/o use of the recoil lug.
* For the barrel " block "? ( " clamp " ).... I used plumbing repair clamp " plates ", doubled-up.
The plates clamp the flat aft section of the barrel to the upper central beam valley, by means of 4ea " carriage bolts ", two double-up " base plates "; and 4ea nylon insert lock nuts.
The lower clamp plates are borrowed from correctly-spaced "U"-bolts, and allow the lock nuts to be torqued; securing the barrel to the beam.
I used pieces of composite deck board, to fashion the flat fore end and butt stock of the rifle. I drilled holes in the fwd and aft portions of the one-piece beam, and used common drywall screws
to secure the fore end and butt stock to the rifle. A small strip of rounded deck board edge is used as a removable cheek " rest ". Its removal allows for un-impeded access to the breech, for barrel cleaning.
The trigger guard is fashioned from a galvanized conduit hanger, which was hand re-formed into an "L" shape. A large button-head screw is used to attach the lower end of the trigger guard to the front of the butt stock, while the guard is allowed to "float " within the aft lower beam valley.
My barrel has a long straight section over the chamber area, which has allowed me to " tune-out " vertical... that I used to get shooting the 29" barrel in the traditionally-bedded hunter bench stock.
I started w/ the barrel "clamp" all the way aft and up-against the recoil lug. Through range testing and subsequent barrel clamp adjustment FWD, the rifle was made to stabilize at a good-grouping configuration. In the end, I had moved the clamp 1/2" fwd of its starting position.
I run the lock nuts @ 24in lb torque.
Other than use of an electric drill w/ a mill bit attached ( to make the action relief
cuts and run the drywall screws in)..... the entire stock was formed and assembled using hand tools.
The rifle w/ Ken Farrell one-piece 20moa base + Ken Farrell rings, Rifle Basix 2 oz trigger; and Weaver T-36 w/ Gene Davis optical booster weight 16.75lb.
It could be lighted here and there using various methods; to meet any 16lb gun limits placed on a rifle " class".
For my shooting and my needs, this stock has done so well, thatr I doubt I'll ever return to use of a traditional/conventional stock & bedding; for any of my " custom "target or varmint rifle needs.
With regards,
.357Mag
