De-bubba'ing fore ends

[jmoore]

Anybody had any success splicing a new front on their sporterized rifles? I've a beauty of a 1913 vintage '03 that has had the forend removed forward of the barrel band. Saw a dealer at an Allentown, Pa show a while back that was selling new front sections of stocks so I reckon somebody's tried this trick.

Mostly I'm wondering if it is possible to actually have proper upper pressure on the barrel once the surgery has been performed. If so, is there a "scientific" method of achieving the proper geometry whist keeping the splice as invisible as possible! Not much to ask, no?

Yah, I've been known to shoot "low number" Springfields, so don't even start that discussion!!!!:thdown::nono::runaway::mad:

[chuckindenver]

without rebuilding the wheel.
yes, it does take some doing, but can be done, a while back a company was selling the front section of an 03 stock reproduction.

[ralfus]

Dupage Trading has the forends, salvaged from original, but damaged stocks. I have bought some from them. Good folks to deal with.

This repair used to be called a duffle cut repair as many mausers were bought home as souveniers but with shortened stocks to fit in a duffle bag.

I've repaired 1917 Enfields in the same manner.

http://www.dupagetrading.com/03-parts/1903-butt-stock-forends.html

[johnnymg]

used one of dupage front halfs to repair a sporterized 03a3 stock I picked up cheap. Used threaded brass as dowel pins to splice the two together.

[jmoore]

I have done the dowel splice method a couple of times, but had a hard time getting good upward fore end tip pressure. It seems there should be a way of doing it w/o a lot of trial and error or major rebedding of the action.

[ralfus]

I have done the dowel splice method a couple of times, but had a hard time getting good upward fore end tip pressure. It seems there should be a way of doing it w/o a lot of trial and error or major rebedding of the action.

Did you but the joint at 90 degree angles or bevel them slightly. Cutting the forend with 1.5-2 degrees angle at the joint will add some upward thrust at the tip.

[jmoore]

Have been doing them at 90 degrees. (actually put them flat on the milling machine in the inverted position w/ an aluminum plate underneath to protect the machine table) It seems that would duplicate the original stock geometry, but I don't get the 4-7 lbs up pressure that the rifles seem to like. 2 degrees seems like a ton of bevel. I've a largish angle plate that is easily adjusted for tapers measuring in thousandths of an inch per foot, so fine tuning would be relatively easy. I just don't have a pile of stocks with which to experiment, and once assembled and cured pulling apart the "repaired" fore end isn't really an option. Just been hoping someone has already invented this wheel.

If it weren't for the problem of obtaining another 1913 dated Rock Island single crossbolt m1903 stock in good condition, I wouldn't even consider fooling around with this repair.

Edited to add: 1 1/2 degrees over 10" is about 0.262" whilst 2 degrees is about 0.349". Too much, me thinks.

[tbonesmith]

How about gluing it up as a 90 degree butt join, then when dry milling out a say 12*12mm or 15*15mm section from beneith the barrel channel( whatever you can without going through the bottom of the wood) extending through the join each side by 6 inches or so. Then machine a piece of timber that fits the rebate youve just cut. The remaining stock will now be fairly flexible in a vertical plane. So now elevate slightly the front end of the stock and jig it up solidly and laminate in the piece of timber into your rebate. when the glue goes off you've got upward pressure, and reinforcement to support it. You might need to mill out the barrel channel a bit depending on the profile of your filler piece.

[jmoore]

I think you're on to something here!

Just need to get a complete stock and then measure the deflection of the fore end tip when a five pound (2.3 kg more or less) weight is hung from it whilst the mid-band area is locked in place- hmmmm- Or maybe measure the full forend deflection--- Well, more "ciphering" is in order.... hmmmm