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Update On Project (mannlicher) (pic Intense)


littlecanoe

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Here are some pics of some recent progress on a Mannlicker that I've been working on. The action is a Carl Gustav that was shortened to 20".

This left the barrel a little stubbier and heavier than a standard Mannlicker sporter taper but should help to keep the rifle with a nice shootable feel.

 

I will point out a few problems and how I plan on tackling them. I really am looking for insight and critique. I keep making the lines more petite and am nervous each time I do so. But so far, I'm happy with how the lines are shaping up. However, I'm not sure if it's where it needs to end up just yet.

 

Anyhow, here goes:

 

Side view of off side. Due to shadows you can't see the cheek rest well.

302443014.jpg

 

Bolt Handle Side. Can see the lines of the stock and wrist. I like a more upright wrist so there won't be such a traditional line there. How about the wood beneath the blind Magazine and the lines from there to the tip of the stock?

302442872.jpg

 

Next is a view from the Butt. Notice Cast off that is built in. I have some toe out also and it really helps in shouldering this rifle. Comes to the eye nicely. There is a weird shadow on the comb so it looks a bit off.

302442871.jpg

 

Here is a view from the muzzle end. How does the thickness of the wood along the channel look to you? Too thick still? I've taken a good bit off by now and I'm just not sure about it.

302442875.jpg

 

Here is a point that I messed up on. Somehow I have the rear tang too high. I don't remember now how I did it as I've been on and off at this project for a year or more. I'm thinking of inletting more if you guys don't have a good idea to correct this.

302442877.jpg

 

Thanks for looking and I really do want some constructive feedback on form.

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looks go so far the whole tang is high so i dont think recontouring it alone will help it looks like you may have to inlet it a little deeper and you may also have to reduce the magazine box depth to get it inleted deep enough you may do a little of both contour the tang a little and inlet a little deeper atleast thats what it looks like from the pics nice job though i dont think any of my builds ever come out perfect theres always some thing a little off or some thing you had to fix most of the time nobody notices untill you point it out as far a the rest of the stock goes it looks good to me i have never done a manlicher and couldnt even start to give advice on one

 

weaver77

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i agree with weaver. you'll probably have to deepen the action inlet and trim the mag box. it also looks like you still need to go thinner at the tip. it'll be scary, but the results will be worth it. nice and trim!

 

heath

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Inlet the action a bit deeper to hide the tang. If that doesn't work, you can always draw file a little off the tang to flush it up with the stock.

 

Otherwise, lookin' good!

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Wish I could offer some constructive criticism but I see is as a job well done. Work on the tang area and I believe you will have a nice rifle when you're done. I learned years ago in my high school upholstery class after a couple of mistakes. Everytime you look at the project your eyes will go straight to the mistake but others wont see it as they look at it as a whole. If you get that tang down a bit more, bet you will be the only one to notice it.

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Looks like you know what you're doing!

Now for critique-

The forearm mabey could use some thinning and I don't like the rear sight-

That said, it looks better than anything I've put out so far.

 

Kenny

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i didnt realize there was no floor plate now i see it if you are going to thin the stock any more wait untill you get the action inleted and the tang looking right other wise you may take to much off the forend as you will probably have to inlet the barrel channel deeper also and then take wood of the top of the barrel channel so take it slow and do your final stock shaping and sanding last i agree with kenak about the using the military rear sight on a mannlicher too bulky just my added 2 cents

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Well, it'll be back to inletting!

 

It looks to only need a 1/16" or maybe 3/32".

 

I've thought about replacing the rear sight with a more stream lined model.

Also, thought about using a sight mounted on the cocking piece.

I've seen this on the 98's but is there something out there for a reasonable

price that will work on a 96?

 

The blind mag was an attempt to keep weight down. Right now I can get four

almost 5 in it but don't care if I can only keep 3 down since the goal

is to be streamline.

 

What about the front of the Comb?

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I am NOT a stockmaker, nor do I play one on TV. I did, however, stay at ..... Oh, never mind!

 

I am impressed that you are working on a Mannlicher stock. I love the look, but I have not yet tried one. I agree that the inletting needs to go down a bit, and you need to slim the forend slightly. It looks like the balance is going to be quite good. I really don't mind the military sight on that rifle.

 

Good work so far!

 

Clemson :)

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Nice job so far.

 

Ditch the rear sight and make a new banded rear sight to take it's place and fill the void left in the stock. Then inlet the action deeper till you get the tang where you want it. Then work on triming the forend. You 'll be surprised how thin they should be.

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Don't know how it would look, but a very nice scout scope mount can be made by modifying the rear sight base on the 96 Mauser. Nothing is added, but the top of the rear sight base in flattened into one straight plane. Then the outside top is beveled down on both sides to creat the weaver style rail. Reduce the over width a tiny bit across the top. Cut the notches through the top of the mount for the ring bolts and you're done except for finishing the white steel that was exposed. I did it all with files and a grinder. I removed my rear sight base from my rifle and then shaped it, but I wish I had just left it on the barrel and done the work. If you have access to a mill it should be easy.

 

If it doesn't look right just remove it and install something different and you still have a neat scout mount to fit a future project utilizing a small ring barrel..........Mike

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there's only a couple of things i can see that could make it look a little better. sweep the pistol grip back a little further & add a slight radius to the bottom of the stock right infront of the magwell tapering it about midway down the barrel. that way the stock will have more flowing lines from the action area to the end of the stock instead of the straight taper it has now.

 

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LC,

 

No real help from me as you've already exceeded my capability.

 

One possibly helpful thing: have you seen how thin the wood is around the barrel of a longrifle? Some of them go to 1/16" of an inch, and its considered a classic rookie error to leave it much thicker.

 

The way I did sparky so thin was to use a fine tipped pencil and draw a line on the top of the stock about 1/8" from the barrel inlet. Then I drew another line about 3/4" on each side down from the top of the forearm. Then I took Mr. Rasp and created a flat joining the two lines, and finally just removing the lines. This leaves a defined flat in the wood. Then you can draw another pencil line below the ridge created by the flat and rasp another flat just joining the line and ridge. You continue this process of flat creation around the forearm and finish by sanding down the ridges with 150 grit or so until everythings rounded.

 

This is how I've done a couple of thin forearms. Drawing lines takes away the pucker factor for me.

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Some constructive criticism: The grip is too thick. I seem to remember you saying you like a closed grip while I prefer an open grip. Regardless, it can be thinned either way. That one still looks a little chubby and IMHO could use a little thinning. Make sur enot to let it get thicker as you get closer to the grip cap. In one pic is seems to taper back toward the grip cap getting thicker. In another it doesn't so it could just be an illussion.

 

Lots of mannlichers have the fore arm parrallel to the bottom metal for as much as 6 inches starting at the tip. This is joined to the area where the bottom metal would be by a radius. Are you gonna use a fore end cap? What type of sling swivel stud will you use? You need to know this before finishing up.

 

Here's my type S Oberndorf Mauser.

 

DSC00309.jpg

 

Here are better closeups of another stocked in the mannlicher style. You can see what I mean about the fore end. There is a good shot of the grip and tang area, another of the nose of the comb. Also note how close the handle is to the stock. Mannlichers were often carried on horseback in scabards. The close in design worked better than a traditional round knob sticking out.

 

612249_7typm_03l.jpg

 

483641_maustpm_06l_bud.jpg

 

483641_maustpm_01l_bud.jpg

 

483641_maustpm_00l_bud.jpg

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Z,

 

THanks for posting those pics. Very nice example. Great example of the wrist in that one shot.

 

I've taken you guys advice and started deepening the inletting. It's coming around now!

 

I'm thinking of going without a metal band on the front of the stock. Mainly due to the fact that the

Barrel is so fat after being a cut down military profile. I'd probably have to fab something to get the

right diameter.

 

Can you tell me a bit more about fabbing a new banded sight that is lower profile? I really like the

look of the one on your mannlicher.

 

Dirty Jim, I get what you're saying about the line from the box forward. I think that I have enough meat

left to accomplish that.

 

If I can get the inletting finished over the next few days I'll post a few more pictures.

 

 

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I won;t bother to take pics and type up a how to especially when there's a very good tutorial HERE with lots of pics on how to make a banded front sight. Same idea for the rear, in fact, it's easier, then you cut a dovetail.

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Z, thanks for that link. I especially like Duane Wiebe's method.

 

I tried making a banded front sight once on a mini mill with a rotary table.

 

This was for my -06 in 2006. Now its 2008.

 

Tanglewood, I've heard that women do the best checkering, but I'm not sure what else you might be getting at?

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Thanks for the link. I remember seeing that posted but hadn't read through it.

 

I'm at the point of needing to make a decision on forend cap also.

I found one listed at .610 inches in Midway but I need something along

the lines of .687.

 

What would you suggest for sling swivels?

 

Great info guys!

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