so basically go a half inch in from the end, and sand just enough of the inside rubber
Exactly. Start off about 1/4" and keep test fitting, though. Go slow and use your common sense. Measure twice and cut once as they say.
That "adapter" wasn't originally an adapter for the shorter tube. It was made specifically for the 7 5/8" tube. The shorter tube, the later tube, wasn't even on the market when they made that nut. The overmolded forearm wouldn't fit the 7 5/8" tube with the standard nut so they came out with that. They soon found that, if you could get about 1/8-1/4" more clearance, it would also fit the 6 3/4" so they started calling it an adapter. It was never made/intended for the purpose they sell it for today. It fits the 7 5/8" tube/Hogue overmold forearm perfectly, but all 6 3/4" tubes have to have the forearm trimmed. To be fair, though, it's not the only one that has probs. Once fit, though, it feels great.
That birdshead grip, it's not really a project by itself, it's just a quickie on how to do them. Takes all of like two mins to learn. I'm going to assume you don't have access to a set of circle gauges/templates (who would? lol) but that's no biggy. On a Mossy wood stock, just print off a circle or draw one with a compass that's approx 2 3/4" in diam. It should be large enough to....let me scribble up a couple of drawings. brb
Ok, print this pic onto a sheet of paper. It's your circle template.
http://randkl.com/graphics/circles.jpg Cut out a circle that's approx 2 3/4" in diam to start with. Next, just lay it out like this
http://randkl.com/graphics/birdshea.jpg
That's a rough drawing, needless to say, but you get the idea. It works every time and it works on all stocks, too. All you need to do is adjust your circle to fit the stock you're working with. If the 2 3/4" is too big, scissors off one ring and test fit it again.
On the third line, just use the edge of the stock there as your line. Make your circle fit all the way to the edge of the wood, in other words and not just to the line. When you start rasping it all perfect, it gives you a bit more to work with.
Once you saw it off and rasp it round, start working on the edges and get those round, too.
You'll need to fit a bolt for it depending on what stock you start with. The easiest way is to find one that's just a bit long when you put the grip on the receiver WITH THE TRIGGER GROUP OUT, scribe it on the inside of the receiver and Dremel or hacksaw it off so there's approx 1/8" of the bolt extending into the receiver. Make SURE it doesn't extend into the path of the safety connector on the trigger.
Last, make a plug for your bolt and sand/stain it.
Did any of that make any sense?
Seriously, once you've done one, you can just use your circle gauge (the paper circles) to eyeball a stock and lay it out. It's fast and it works.
rich
