Well...I could go this route I suppose. No harm in a couple extra holes tapped on a new replacement barrel. Would be pretty kickass - remove the rear sight and handgaurd, screw on blocks, maybe make a special handgaurd just for the scope block(s)...
Seems like kind of a waste when the barrel would return it to military spec?
I 3/4 agree with you. Then again the new barrels are slightly larger OD every where except the shank. My thought is it will always be what it is, so the other 1/4 of me thinks if adding a nice vintage (repro or other) target scope would make it more fun in the future, then why not - especially if the handgaurd would hide the other holes.
meh. lots of time to chew on it - lots of work left. First step is to get it shooting. something like the above can be an after thought whenever if I ever convince myself to do it.
the new barrels are slightly larger OD every where except the shank
Didn't know that, I thought they were knock off. Anyway, it'll look fine after the new bluing. If you scope it, probably shoot little cloverleaf groups.
Finished my metal prep last night. All the exterior surfaces of the action/parts are polished to 320 grit. In my original pics, you can see some light pitting and frosting on the receiver close to the side plate. Most of it is all gone, but there is still some evidence of the "frosting" around the lettering above, as well as at the top where the extractor rides against the receiver. I was hesitant to polish it all out, lest I reduce the definition of the lettering, or open up a gap against the extractor. I figured it doesn't need to look too. That means this weekend is rust blue time for the receiver and parts!
Question about direction of the final sanding pass. Right now, the barrel was finished perpendicular (orthogonal or normal for fellow nerds) to the bore, and the sanding on the receiver matches this direction on all exterior surfaces. Should I do a last pass lengthwise on everything, barrel and action?
I would have spun the barrel to polish and used a file with paper for the receiver, but if you use wheels they dictate to polish lengthwise. Either case the "Lines" have to disappear mostly or they'll show up rough. If the lines are gone then you won't be able to see direction anyway.
but if you use wheels they dictate to polish lengthwise.
no wheels, all hand done, just a nice even satin all running in the same direction. If stare perpendicular to the direction I sanded, I can see the grain - not "lines" I suppose. If I shine a light and look parallel, I cannot see the grain.
Originally Posted by ssgross
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