Thought I would put some photos up of this quick little modification to a rifle I have. Since I put a larger objective lens scope on it, i find it a pain in the arse to shoot from a bipod but bizarrely it is fine from sticks. All my other rifles are fine as they were built from various shooting positions. I like having scopes mounted low generally, as that is how I find my cheek contacts the stock and my eye therefore falls naturally on to the ocular. Not so with this rifle/scope and I was finding myself craning to get a decent sight picture which is annoying, stretches my neck too much and does not encourage good shooting positions.
Anyhow, a new golf club arrived the other day and it was packed in some pipe lagging, so I thought that would be a good start and a quick offer up confirmed it was about the right elevation gain. Then off to the leather boxes to find an old off cut and dig out the knives and stuff to set about mocking up something that could cover the lagging and make it a little less crap.
This is the stock that needs modification. The scope sits too high for my hold.
Don't need much. A piece of firm handled 3.6mm leather, some tools and some elastic. This would be a good starter project for someone looking to do some basic leatherwork. It is about as straight forward as you get and needs no awl work or saddle stitch.
Cut out a piece of leather to fit the approx size that will cover the size of lagging suitable for the length of stock to cheek fit.
Use a coin and knife to cut a radius on each corner to neaten it up and prevent getting poked by right angled corners
Give it a good sanding to help curve the corners and prepare the edges for burnishing
Edge both sides to create a bevel that is more comfortable to touch and will take a burnish better.
Sand that down using higher grit to create smoother edge pre burnish.
Rub in some Tokonole and burnish with a piece of cotton or some wood with a radius
Edges then end up looking like this
I cut a notch in the rear to encourage a bend as this is a very firm handled leather
Then some more encouragement
Pretty basic premise. Offer it up, looks like it will be fine and you will be able to move it back and forth for individual fit
Punched some holes for elastic and then looped some through and bang it over the stock. Eye now falls naturally on the ocular for when I use this rifle for static prone shooting. When shooting off sticks, I just will remove it prior to going shooting. Mostly I don't use a bipod but when I do, this is going to be much better. Need to either make some leather straps or find some better elastic that looks less moody but that is I could lay on my hands this evening.
I think I prefer this to the articifial materials that I see sometimes and this smells much better.
Anyhow, a new golf club arrived the other day and it was packed in some pipe lagging, so I thought that would be a good start and a quick offer up confirmed it was about the right elevation gain. Then off to the leather boxes to find an old off cut and dig out the knives and stuff to set about mocking up something that could cover the lagging and make it a little less crap.
This is the stock that needs modification. The scope sits too high for my hold.
Don't need much. A piece of firm handled 3.6mm leather, some tools and some elastic. This would be a good starter project for someone looking to do some basic leatherwork. It is about as straight forward as you get and needs no awl work or saddle stitch.
Cut out a piece of leather to fit the approx size that will cover the size of lagging suitable for the length of stock to cheek fit.
Use a coin and knife to cut a radius on each corner to neaten it up and prevent getting poked by right angled corners
Give it a good sanding to help curve the corners and prepare the edges for burnishing
Edge both sides to create a bevel that is more comfortable to touch and will take a burnish better.
Sand that down using higher grit to create smoother edge pre burnish.
Rub in some Tokonole and burnish with a piece of cotton or some wood with a radius
Edges then end up looking like this
I cut a notch in the rear to encourage a bend as this is a very firm handled leather
Then some more encouragement
Pretty basic premise. Offer it up, looks like it will be fine and you will be able to move it back and forth for individual fit
Punched some holes for elastic and then looped some through and bang it over the stock. Eye now falls naturally on the ocular for when I use this rifle for static prone shooting. When shooting off sticks, I just will remove it prior to going shooting. Mostly I don't use a bipod but when I do, this is going to be much better. Need to either make some leather straps or find some better elastic that looks less moody but that is I could lay on my hands this evening.
I think I prefer this to the articifial materials that I see sometimes and this smells much better.
