Gunsmithing Opening the barrel channel on a wooden stock?

5RWill · Jan 11, 2020

Long story short we picked up a VX6HD 4-24x52 on black friday threw it on my sako 85 260 and designated it as the rifle for mom. Problem is it doesn't fit her at all and i'll be honest i loaded 123gr SSTs with a max load of 4451 thinking that would be pleasant to shoot and it's pretty jarring. So i want to rebarrel to a proof or christensen 6mm CM, cut the stock, and replace the recoil pad with a pachmayr decelerator. That way she has a rifle that is low recoiling, she can use a suppressor with, and most of all fits her. She missed a 130+ 9pt this year and it just bugs the shit out of me that we don't have a rifle that fits her. So what i'm wondering is how difficult it would be to open the channel up to fit a larger barrel?

powdahound76 · Jan 11, 2020

Easy stuff. Use a socket or other harder than the wood cylinder. Wrap in sand paper and go to work. Go slow and easy so you dont end up with a big gap. I used one just a hair over the size of the barrel so there wasn't a huge gap

I smoothed it out with a fine grit.

worked and wasn't even ugly....

gemihur · Jan 11, 2020

I do it whenever needed, changing forearms for tapered barrels to suit bull barrels.

Old_Longhair · Jan 11, 2020

Better yet, get a set of Gunline Barrel channel tools. They aren't that expensive, and they'll do a professional job.

Rerun7 · Jan 11, 2020

I’ve done it with a dowel rod and sandpaper. Looked like it came from the factory that way.

Waorani · Jan 11, 2020

I've done several with dowel/sandpaper but if I ever have to do again I think I'll try the scrapers.

jakelly · Jan 11, 2020

Do yourself a favor and run some blue painters tape as a guide to keep the reveal uniform. Also helps avoid little scratches in the finish if the sand paper slips

chevy_man · Jan 11, 2020

I just sand them out with a finger sander. Make sure I have some clearance to account for a bit of flex and it's good to go.

spife7980 · Jan 12, 2020

Get some gritty sand paper and wrap it around a dowel.

I have some 2 grit, yes single digit, from my grandfather still and it makes quicker work than a dremel.

I lay the barreled action centered in the stock and using calipers with a layer of tape on the jaws to not scratch the stainless or bluing I will close them around the barrel and pressing down lightly into the wood I will run it the length of the stock. It scribes the exact diameter of the barrel so you know the minimum that you need to sand out.

5RWill · Jun 6, 2024

Resurrecting this thread. Changed plans. Had LRI open up the bolt face to take a 6.5PRC. Have a ragged hole Wilson #4 carbon wrapped finished at .685 at the muzzle. Am looking to rebarrel to 6.5PRC/SI. Obviously the chamber will much more forward than i have it sitting. My question is do yall think i have to take away too much of the stock to fit it? Once the shank has been threaded and attaches to the action it should be alright i would think.

Wannashootit · Jun 15, 2024

5RWill said:
My question is do yall think i have to take away too much of the stock to fit it?

Sure looks that way to me- but the angle of your photo makes it impossible to tell definitively as the barrel isn't placed in it's actual location.
The cylinder looks much longer and will extend into what looks like a light sporter taper on the stock which could kill the deal right there.

Everyone has their own level of tolerance with this- I don't like any less than 1/8" at the top line of the stock, which is typically the biggest issue at the muzzle end of the stock which you're not showing.

Not rocket science- take calipers and measure across several areas of the barrel (shank for full length, transition, taper) then compare against the same areas on the stock. I put painters tape across the top edge of the stock, and mark the areas which correspond to the same areas where the barrel will actually sit.

I have cheated on occasion, by lowering the stock line slightly along the barrel which obviously thickens the wood exposed at the top

5RWill · Jun 15, 2024

Wannashootit said:
Sure looks that way to me- but the angle of your photo makes it impossible to tell definitively as the barrel isn't placed in it's actual location.
The cylinder looks much longer and will extend into what looks like a light sporter taper on the stock which could kill the deal right there.

Everyone has their own level of tolerance with this- I don't like any less than 1/8" at the top line of the stock, which is typically the biggest issue at the muzzle end of the stock which you're not showing.

Not rocket science- take calipers and measure across several areas of the barrel (shank for full length, transition, taper) then compare against the same areas on the stock. I put painters tape across the top edge of the stock, and mark the areas which correspond to the same areas where the barrel will actually sit.

I have cheated on occasion, by lowering the stock line slightly along the barrel which obviously thickens the wood exposed at the top

Yeah it's moved back into the action recess. If i set it where the shank would actually be it tips forward off of the stock. I've seen sever 700s rebarreled with proofs which are much much thicker. Granted it was thin and some did have to lower the forend.

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Gunsmithing Opening the barrel channel on a wooden stock?

5RWill

Optics Fiend

powdahound76

Old tired dad

gemihur

Private

Old_Longhair

Crazy Ol' Foole

Rerun7

Furious George

Waorani

Crusty Caballero

jakelly

Sergeant

chevy_man

Old Salt

spife7980

Luchador

5RWill

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Wannashootit

Gunny Sergeant

5RWill

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