7mm STW Brotherhood - For those who shoot the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner

[7stw]

Can you believe it guys, 2500 entries in LESS than a year!! WOW.
Let the good times roll!!!!

[7stw]

Guys, I am looking for a barrel channel rasp or file or what ever they are called. I am getting a laminated stock from Stockys, but by the dimensions that are posted, I will need to open it up around .030, to get the barrel to fully float. I have done the old " dowel and sandpaper" routine before, but that's going to be a lot of sanding, and I want it perfect. The barrel will be a # 4 Brux. Any thoughts?
Thanks.

[WildRose]

Originally Posted by 7stw

Guys, I am looking for a barrel channel rasp or file or what ever they are called. I am getting a laminated stock from Stockys, but by the dimensions that are posted, I will need to open it up around .030, to get the barrel to fully float. I have done the old " dowel and sandpaper" routine before, but that's going to be a lot of sanding, and I want it perfect. The barrel will be a # 4 Brux. Any thoughts?
Thanks.

Well, I have a couple of channeling tools I'm not currently using. If you want to borrow them I'd loan them to you if you'll just send them back when you are done.

[7stw]

Originally Posted by WildRose

Well, I have a couple of channeling tools I'm not currently using. If you want to borrow them I'd loan them to you if you'll just send them back when you are done.

Wild Rose, thank you for your generosity, and I just may take you up on that. I haven't got the stock yet, but will be pretty soon. I know HOW to do it, and have done it with a channeling tool, and they work awesome. VERY Sharp too!!!! I had a Remington VLS a few years ago, and I opened the channel to fully float the barrel after I bedded it. Now, that barrel, was almost a straight bull barrel, and the one I have to open has a taper, so I'll have to find one that will open it to clear the whole channel from where it starts to taper down.
Thanks so much, and I'll let you know when I get the stock! Nice gesture!!!!

Bob

[WildRose]

Originally Posted by 7stw

Wild Rose, thank you for your generosity, and I just may take you up on that. I haven't got the stock yet, but will be pretty soon. I know HOW to do it, and have done it with a channeling tool, and they work awesome. VERY Sharp too!!!! I had a Remington VLS a few years ago, and I opened the channel to fully float the barrel after I bedded it. Now, that barrel, was almost a straight bull barrel, and the one I have to open has a taper, so I'll have to find one that will open it to clear the whole channel from where it starts to taper down.
Thanks so much, and I'll let you know when I get the stock! Nice gesture!!!!

Bob

Tapered barrels are the reason I have more than one size of channeling tool.

Just let me know when you need them.

[SFR292]

Keep in mind that the barrel channel file doesn't work very well on a laminated stock. The laminate makes it basically solid glue, when it does cut, it will be uneven and chatter. A mill is the best option but I realize that's not an option for everyone. Sand paper cuts the glue and wood the best and in the most even manner, at the cost of time. A regular half round wood file works well as well and the straight edge of the file can help keep the channel lip true.
More likely than not, what you got was a Boyd's stock. Their linleting is rough at best, make sure to check the action inleting and the bottom metal before you get too carried away with the barrel channel. I would also recommend bedding it, the last two Boyd's laminated stocked that came into the shop had to have the bottom metal bedded as well to make up for the over cut inletting from Boyd's. I don't want to say they're bad stocks, just a lot of work so don't get me wrong. In most cases a two or three step bedding process is required to get it square as well as aesthetically pleasing before the finial barrel channel can be inleted fully for a proper float. Feel free to call the shop number below anytime you like if you need any information and have questions, we'll help you the best we can.

[WildRose]

Originally Posted by SFR292

Keep in mind that the barrel channel file doesn't work very well on a laminated stock. The laminate makes it basically solid glue, when it does cut, it will be uneven and chatter. A mill is the best option but I realize that's not an option for everyone. Sand paper cuts the glue and wood the best and in the most even manner, at the cost of time. A regular half round wood file works well as well and the straight edge of the file can help keep the channel lip true.
More likely than not, what you got was a Boyd's stock. Their linleting is rough at best, make sure to check the action inleting and the bottom metal before you get too carried away with the barrel channel. I would also recommend bedding it, the last two Boyd's laminated stocked that came into the shop had to have the bottom metal bedded as well to make up for the over cut inletting from Boyd's. I don't want to say they're bad stocks, just a lot of work so don't get me wrong. In most cases a two or three step bedding process is required to get it square as well as aesthetically pleasing before the finial barrel channel can be inleted fully for a proper float. Feel free to call the shop number below anytime you like if you need any information and have questions, we'll help you the best we can.

Emphasis mine. I haven't found that to be the case at all and I've done at least six laminated stocks over the years.

These barrel bedding/channel tools are what I use and they cut very cleanly.