Boyd's pro varmint question.

Okay guys I may have ran into a issue. I recently bought a Boyd's pro varmint stock for one of my axis .243 projects. I have already ordered a McGowen varmint contoured barrel. But after looking at my order for the stock (I work out of town so I'm unable to look hands on) I ordered it with the factory barrel contour. So my question is, will the new barrel fit in the factory barrel channel? Or will I need to sand out more than I had planned on to float the barrel. Any one ever been in this same boat?

Reid

Take some sandpaper wrapped around a dowel and open the channel to fit your barrel. Just remember to take it easy.

Yes sir that's what i had planned on, I just didn't know if there was going to be to much meat in there or not. Thank you sir

Yes their is plenty.

I would use a flapper wheel. Much faster. Tape up the edges and have at it.

I was trying to think of what that was called. +1 for the flapper wheel.

Thanks guys, I didn't even think about using a dremel. But I appreciate the help, sets my mind at ease being as I'm away from home and not able to put hands on. Thanks

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Originally Posted by Rosco

I was trying to think of what that was called. +1 for the flapper wheel.

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I say minus 100 for the flapper wheel. Here's why.

In spite of having to remove a significant amount of wood, a hand held tool like a flapper wheel on a drill motor is NOT a good idea. I'm a very experienced wood worker and I own several variations on the flapper wheel concept. And, I know how, and more importantly, when to use these tools.

When I built my last three rifles and needed more clearance on these Boyd's stocks, I used a dowel and coarse sandpaper. The fact that the OP asked the question in the first place, hints at him possibly NOT being an experienced wood worker; otherwise, he would have reached for an appropriate sized dowel rather than the keyboard.

If you start with 36 grit, high quality sand paper and work down to 100 grit you'll get the job done quickly enough and it will be accurate. You want a small but very even amount of clearance between the barrel and the stock. Remember, your eyeball can't tell the difference between, for example, a 6.000" gap and a 6.010" gap but it can very easily see the difference between a .005 and .015" gap even though both examples have a difference of ten thou.

In other words, slight variations in small gaps stick out like a sort thumb. Flapper wheels don't offer enough control for this job.

Don't forget, you need clearance on the underside of the barrel but also on the sides too and it's the side clearance that will be obvious to your eye and the eye of your fellow shooters. You don't want them thinking: "**** Daniel..... what wood butcher fitted that stock?"

If you want speed, a chainsaw is much faster than a flapper wheel. If you want a nice finished product, use a dowel and some good sandpaper. The job is neither difficult nor time consuming, so why not do it correctly?

I would agree w/Mozella, the dowell/sandpaper doesn't take that long. I did the exact thing you are wanting to do, varmint barrel in a Pro Varmint stock. Used 100 grit and it did not take as long as I expected and was able to check fit before I took off to much.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mozella

I say minus 100 for the flapper wheel. Here's why.

In spite of having to remove a significant amount of wood, a hand held tool like a flapper wheel on a drill motor is NOT a good idea. I'm a very experienced wood worker and I own several variations on the flapper wheel concept. And, I know how, and more importantly, when to use these tools.

When I built my last three rifles and needed more clearance on these Boyd's stocks, I used a dowel and coarse sandpaper. The fact that the OP asked the question in the first place, hints at him possibly NOT being an experienced wood worker; otherwise, he would have reached for an appropriate sized dowel rather than the keyboard.

If you start with 36 grit, high quality sand paper and work down to 100 grit you'll get the job done quickly enough and it will be accurate. You want a small but very even amount of clearance between the barrel and the stock. Remember, your eyeball can't tell the difference between, for example, a 6.000" gap and a 6.010" gap but it can very easily see the difference between a .005 and .015" gap even though both examples have a difference of ten thou.

In other words, slight variations in small gaps stick out like a sort thumb. Flapper wheels don't offer enough control for this job.

Don't forget, you need clearance on the underside of the barrel but also on the sides too and it's the side clearance that will be obvious to your eye and the eye of your fellow shooters. You don't want them thinking: "**** Daniel..... what wood butcher fitted that stock?"

If you want speed, a chainsaw is much faster than a flapper wheel. If you want a nice finished product, use a dowel and some good sandpaper. The job is neither difficult nor time consuming, so why not do it correctly?

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couldn't agree more. I'm a journeyman carpenter and I use an angle grinder with a wheel for coping crown moulding. It removes a significant amount of material very fast and because it's on the backside that very rough looking finish is hidden.
36 grip paper will remove lots of material quickly and still have enough control that it doesn't look like a lumberjack took a chainsaw to it and still keep nice consistent margins around the barrel.
Good idea.

I appreciate the help and advice, but like I said in my original post i work out of town. And being as I'm not home and I can't physically put hands on is why I asked the question. I had already planned on using the dowel/sandpaper method anyways to give me a little bit more room in the channel anyways. Basically what I was trying to get at was, if there anyone else that had done the same thing and had their new barrel fit with out having to take much out, or if it wouldn't even fit down into the channel. And yes sir I have done wood working on stocks. Just never owned a Boyd's stock.

The boyds stocks come well fit with pretty minimal clearances. I believe the varmint barrels don't have a taper AND are a couple hundredths wider at the crown, I would definetly expect to have to remove some material from the stock.