Minelli stock review and fitting

[ssgross]

Getting the right gap at this point is mechanically easy...everything is even right? While mechanically simple, it is conceptually a challenge. We have 3 bearing surfaces to consider, and our end goal is proper upward pressure of the stock on the muzzle end of the barrel. Also, the gap is easily overshot by just going after it and shaving the tang and flat...remember our wood has not yet sat in the stock, lightly compressed between receiver and bottom metal, for months on end. It WILL contract somewhat.
So, before we start going at it, take a careful look at the existing gap, check how much you can press down on the follower before it snags the rear of the magazine, and get an idea of the current upward pressure on the muzzle from the stock.
I stuck my cheap teslong camera in the bore, to get a good picture of the gap
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First, check that the gap is even all the way around. If not, either the tang bedding is too high/low, or the bottom inletting is uneven. Ours is even all around - notice that the gap is the same as the distance between the top rear of the magazine, and the bolt raceway. I am therefore 3 for 3 on Minelli stocks having even/level inletting, and all 3 had too big a gap out of the box...but that is good. it means we have material to work with.

There is virtually no play below the back of the (stamped) follower when it is stuck. This means we don't have much to go. A key point to remember is that you are fitting the gap to the follower...not to any set distance. We close the gap until the follower doesn't stick - this will be our max value. The depth of the receiver bedding determines upward pressure at the muzzle. So once we have our max allowable gap, we focus on the the muzzle, and keep closing just until proper upward pressure is relieved.

So the next thing to do, while we have our hand screws in, is gauge the upward pressure at the muzzle to see if where it is at. This gives us the complete picture all around before we start removing material anyway. I think ideally we will und up closing the gap no more than half of what it is now. It won't take much of anything - Minelli did an OK, even job.