Opening Boyds Channel for Heavy Barrel

[Special Ed]

Hi y'all,

I searched but didn't find the answer so please forgive me if this has already been asked and answered.

I bought a heavy barrel to replace the stock sporter in my Axis 308. I read through the thread on Boyd's stocks and saw the recommendations for enlarging the channel using sandpaper wrapped around dowels or sockets. What I need to know is how deep to sand it out. Should the channel be widened to the point the barrel sits flat inside it from receiver to the fore end of the stock or should it rest against the sides?

I'm taking my Axis to a gunsmith to have him swap the barrels and bed the action so I want/need to have the channel done correctly before I drop it off.

Thanks in advance for your help.

John

[darkker]

The point of "Free floating" a barrel, is to not have it touch anything. So if you want this new barrel free floated, you know how much to open up the channel. If you don't want it free floated, then you also know how much to open it up.

[DrThunder88]

You can't rely on how it looks. As long as whatever you're using to gauge your progress (I use an index card) passes all the way down to the barrel nut while the receiver is fully seated, you're good to go.

[nso123]

You won't be able to properly open the channel without having the barreled action that will be sitting in the stock. For me, it has always been sand a little, try to fit the barrel, sand some more, try to fit the barrel, and on and on and on until I get it floated and cosmetically pleasing. If you are having a smith do the barrel swap and bedding, you might consider having him open the channel as well. It should not add much in terms of cost.

[Special Ed]

Edit: Sorry, nso, I didn't see your post as I was responding. After reading your post, I think my best bet will be to ask the smith to finish it out so it's done right. I guess I wasn't wrong to be concerned that I didn't have the barrel attached to the action.

I learned something new today so we'll put this in the win column.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

If your smith is going to swap barrels and bed the action, he "should" know how to set up the action with clearence in the forend. just a matter of raising the action up as he goes along.

[Special Ed]

If your smith is going to swap barrels and bed the action, he "should" know how to set up the action with clearence in the forend. just a matter of raising the action up as he goes along.

The smith I hope to employ (waiting for his response) specializes in western and antique firearms. I take this to mean that he's got skills aside from swapping BCGs and free floating AR barrels :D

[yew plucker]

I just did this by using a one inch dwell and (course then fine) sand paper. It worked just fine. I have a clearance of about a 16th of an inch all the way down to the barrel nut. Just takes a little elbow grease.

[scope eye]

I must have done over 50 stocks by now for me and others, and nothing beats this tool it literally makes it a 2 min job. I also put 2 strips of duck tape along they edges to protect them in case you go over so you don't blemish the stock. they are less than $5 bucks and can do several stocks with the same one. they are called flapper wheels.

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/flap244D_zpsx06ozrhe.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/flap244D_zpsx06ozrhe.jpg.html)

Dean

[Jay24bal]

Darn, I never knew a "flapper wheel" existed but it sure looks like it would work.

I usually use a cutter ball on a dremel and it works fine, but you also need to be extremely careful not to gouge too much out and it requires sanding after anyway to smooth it out. I am off to amazon now to try and find these for future builds.

[DrThunder88]

I've been looking for a quicker way to open barrel channels. How do you use the flap wheel, Dean? In a hand drill, I assume. I imagine you hold the axis of the wheel perpendicular to the axis of the bore channel and move the wheel back and forth along the channel.

[scope eye]

That is exactly how it is done, and even if you get a rough grit under 100 the finish is still smooth, no need to get a higher number to finish it off. And you don't have to worry it does not take off to much at a time, you are in complete control over how much you take off. Higher speed with the drill will give you more control on how much you take off than higher pressure. A sharpie is also handy to mark where more material has to be taken off and then you just sand off the sharpie marks.

Dean

[GaCop]

I definitely have to give one of those a try. I've been using a sanding drum attached to a drill bit extension for a number of years now but the flapper sounds like it's easier to control and won't jump out of the barrel channel like the sanding drum can.

[futurerider103]

I'm very surprised more people don't know about the flapper wheel.
I tried to do the traditional method of sandpaper on a socket on my 20/22 build I did but that was short lived because I seen how long it was going to take

[scope eye]

I can't stress how important it is to protect the sides of the stock when doing this, because if you slip up you will always have a reminder where it happened. :o

Dean

[futurerider103]

For sure. 2 way tape seems to work real nice because even if you hit it is still foamyish and takes the impact better than masking tape

[scope eye]

I use duct tape over a row of masking tape.

Dean

[WinnieTheBoom]

I always end up sanding the top edges of the stock and then re-finishing them anyway. It's super easy to blend stain, and as long as you know the type of finish you used previously (I use Tung oil), it's nice to give it that brand new sheen anyway.

[pbmax84]

And then there are barrel channel rasps available from Brownells. Made specifically for the purpose and very, very fast and easy to use. I've had a set for 25 years and wouldn't think of using another method.

[davidenorth]

I must have done over 50 stocks by now for me and others, and nothing beats this tool it literally makes it a 2 min job. I also put 2 strips of duck tape along they edges to protect them in case you go over so you don't blemish the stock. they are less than $5 bucks and can do several stocks with the same one. they are called flapper wheels.

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b536/jazzygirl44/flap244D_zpsx06ozrhe.jpg (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jazzygirl44/media/flap244D_zpsx06ozrhe.jpg.html)

Dean

We now make those in the 3m plant where I work. They moved all the equipment to Alexandria, Mn.