Heavy Gun Stock Question
- Thread starter Chisolm
- Start date
O
oneflyer
Guest
Wider the better
The quick simple answer is stability.
The quick simple answer is stability.
Karl Hunstiger
Club Coordinator
There are no stock rules in lite or hvy in NBRSA
Karl
Karl
Just so we're clear, I am talking abut the buttstock not the forearm.
The reason I ask is my forearm is going to be 6" wide. The wider the buttstock is the more critical it is that everything is perfectly in alignment much in the way that a 3 legged stool is easier to level than a 4 legged stool.
In other words I would think that 3 points would be more stable than 4.
James
The reason I ask is my forearm is going to be 6" wide. The wider the buttstock is the more critical it is that everything is perfectly in alignment much in the way that a 3 legged stool is easier to level than a 4 legged stool.
In other words I would think that 3 points would be more stable than 4.
James
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I'm wit'chew...... can't see the reasoning behind the two flats. I'm a firm believer in the three-legger concept.
But whadda' I know?
al
I'm wit'chew...... can't see the reasoning behind the two flats. I'm a firm believer in the three-legger concept.
But whadda' I know?
al
I agree.
In plane geometry, 3 points always exist on the same plane, and only 3 points are needed to define a plane, so if you have a fourth point, probability says it will not exist on the same plane (in the real world), therefore it will be unstable.
My take...
Maxi Tracker 3 or 4 point?
Attached is a picture of the bottom of a Shehane Maxi Tracker.
The front stainless rails are 8 inches wide and run on square runners 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch high up the sides. The rear rail is 3 inches wide and also with runners 1 inch by 1/2 inch up the sides. This actually gives two rail contact on both the front and rear bag.
To my way of thinking this is in fact four point contact but being 8 inch wide at the front and 3 inch wide at the rear it feels like three point when you put it on the bags.
It is extremely stable and tracks beautifully.
Attached is a picture of the bottom of a Shehane Maxi Tracker.
The front stainless rails are 8 inches wide and run on square runners 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch high up the sides. The rear rail is 3 inches wide and also with runners 1 inch by 1/2 inch up the sides. This actually gives two rail contact on both the front and rear bag.
To my way of thinking this is in fact four point contact but being 8 inch wide at the front and 3 inch wide at the rear it feels like three point when you put it on the bags.
It is extremely stable and tracks beautifully.
Attachments
Chisolm
James
Two of my heavygun stocks have the seperation in the back rail like in the picture.I filled one in with automotive filler(Bondo) and left the other one alone.Today I am filling in the other one as it appears to work just fine without giving the bag a hump in the middle.
If your starting out with a new leather bag I fill mine tight then saturate it with spray starch.I take a paper towel folded up to fit the bag and soak it dripping wet with the same spray starch.Place the paper towel in the rear bag and set the gun in it for a full day.I then take the gun off the rest and remove the towel and let it dry.It will become hard like a rock to the touch.
I have a tonneau cover on my truck that locks so I put my rest system in my truck on a sheet of plywood.Nothing move around that way.I put my heavygun back on the rest and strap it down loosely but so it can't fall off.
In a months worth of normal driving time that leather bag now fits like a glove and there is no settling at all when you shoot.
I finaly went out and bought a updated computor set-up with all of the cameras and associated junk to post pictures.Hopefully I can get it working soon and figure out how to post pictures so my explanations are easier to understand.I still type with one finger.
Lynn
P.S. If your making your own stock I like them very wide.If your also making your own rest make the center post HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
James
Two of my heavygun stocks have the seperation in the back rail like in the picture.I filled one in with automotive filler(Bondo) and left the other one alone.Today I am filling in the other one as it appears to work just fine without giving the bag a hump in the middle.
If your starting out with a new leather bag I fill mine tight then saturate it with spray starch.I take a paper towel folded up to fit the bag and soak it dripping wet with the same spray starch.Place the paper towel in the rear bag and set the gun in it for a full day.I then take the gun off the rest and remove the towel and let it dry.It will become hard like a rock to the touch.
I have a tonneau cover on my truck that locks so I put my rest system in my truck on a sheet of plywood.Nothing move around that way.I put my heavygun back on the rest and strap it down loosely but so it can't fall off.
In a months worth of normal driving time that leather bag now fits like a glove and there is no settling at all when you shoot.
I finaly went out and bought a updated computor set-up with all of the cameras and associated junk to post pictures.Hopefully I can get it working soon and figure out how to post pictures so my explanations are easier to understand.I still type with one finger.
Lynn
P.S. If your making your own stock I like them very wide.If your also making your own rest make the center post HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the tips Lynn,
Yes I am building the stock myself. I thought most of the front bags were 5 or 6" wide that is why I went with the 6" forearm. I guess it is not too late to change though, maybe I should start with a front bag and fit the forearm to it. I am considering putting delrin strips on the edges for runners to reduce friction but haven't commited to that yet.
I hope to find some aluminum in the scrap yard for the front rest, need to start looking.
James
Yes I am building the stock myself. I thought most of the front bags were 5 or 6" wide that is why I went with the 6" forearm. I guess it is not too late to change though, maybe I should start with a front bag and fit the forearm to it. I am considering putting delrin strips on the edges for runners to reduce friction but haven't commited to that yet.
I hope to find some aluminum in the scrap yard for the front rest, need to start looking.
James
Chisolm
James
If your building an all aluminum stock you can always add wider rails at a later time if needed.If you go crazy wide you can use two small bags rather than one large bag.
With one large bag you need a rail that is moderately wide to keep the sand from displacing in my opinion.I tried very narrow rails like you would find on an ice skate and the gun never stopped sinking in the rear bag.The front was not as much of a problem.
Post a picture when you get it made.Also is your barrel block round on the bottom or flat?
Lynn
James
If your building an all aluminum stock you can always add wider rails at a later time if needed.If you go crazy wide you can use two small bags rather than one large bag.
With one large bag you need a rail that is moderately wide to keep the sand from displacing in my opinion.I tried very narrow rails like you would find on an ice skate and the gun never stopped sinking in the rear bag.The front was not as much of a problem.
Post a picture when you get it made.Also is your barrel block round on the bottom or flat?
Lynn
Lynn,
The stock will have a 6"x1/2"x18" aluminum plate on the bottom of the forearm and a 3"x1/2"x12" aluminum plate on the bottom of the butt stock. The barrel block has a 1" or 1 1/4" flat on the bottom(don't recall where I ended up now and it isn't here to measure).
I gave up on finding birch laminates so the rest of the stock will be 1/16"x6"x36" laminated balsa, reinforced with either aluminum flat stock or fiberglass, I guess carbon fiber is still a possibility too. The balsa is leftover stuff I have on hand from by R/C airplane building days.
James
The stock will have a 6"x1/2"x18" aluminum plate on the bottom of the forearm and a 3"x1/2"x12" aluminum plate on the bottom of the butt stock. The barrel block has a 1" or 1 1/4" flat on the bottom(don't recall where I ended up now and it isn't here to measure).
I gave up on finding birch laminates so the rest of the stock will be 1/16"x6"x36" laminated balsa, reinforced with either aluminum flat stock or fiberglass, I guess carbon fiber is still a possibility too. The balsa is leftover stuff I have on hand from by R/C airplane building days.
James
J
J. Pendergraft
Guest
James,
I would strongly suggest that you not have the total 6" in front and 3" in the rear contacting the bags. Mill out some in the middle, leaving about 1/2" to 3/4" "rails" to contact the bag. It will track much better. Even with 3" wide forearms some stock makers have gone to this concept.
Good luck with the new gun.
Joel
I would strongly suggest that you not have the total 6" in front and 3" in the rear contacting the bags. Mill out some in the middle, leaving about 1/2" to 3/4" "rails" to contact the bag. It will track much better. Even with 3" wide forearms some stock makers have gone to this concept.
Good luck with the new gun.
Joel