Free floating the forearm on a 1885

Worker

New member
Octagon bbl with a octagon channel in the forearm . How do I sand it out ? It was suggested to wrap sand paper around the barrel .What grade of sand paper fine or course ?
 
Octagon bbl with a octagon channel in the forearm . How do I sand it out ? It was suggested to wrap sand paper around the barrel .What grade of sand paper fine or course ?

Worker,

The only place you really need to keep truly octagonal is at the tip of the forearm, as that will be visible. The rest of it can be opened up without worrying about keeping the octagonal profile if present.

Obviously, you'll want to keep the top of the barrel channel opening sharp and straight, which should be pretty easy to do if the forearm is inletted in a octagonal profile.

You should be able to open the forearm with some small sanding blocks of different sizes and sandpaper. I also have used sockets from a socket wrench wrapped in sandpaper to open barrel channels.

If you use the barrel with sandpaper wrapped around it, I would first wrap the barrel in masking tape to protect the bluing.

FWIW,
Justin
 
Too Late

I used 60 grit and it got the job done. Seal it with some polyurethane stain and looks great. Now waiting on the trigger.
 
Sanded it open

Well the tip of forearm looks great,but its round now. I did wrap the barrel with paper and tape and then sand paper. That kept it protected. But then I did wrap sockets with sand paper it worked nicely. So I with two .080 shims and sanding ,its now free floated. Waiting for the return shipment of Trigger from Lee Shaver in Missouri . Thanks guys for responding.
 
My forearm on my 1885 is also free-floated and i believe my exceptional accuracy is in large part due to this. The forearm only touches the barrel where the screw and escutcheon is, which attaches it to the barrel.
 
Winchester 1885 220 swift

What caliber is yours ? I just received trigger back from Lee Shaver ,its definitely lighter . Maybe I'll shoot it today ?
 
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