Perhaps this would be better as two posts but I figure someone with the expertise to answer one of these questions may be able to answer the other. Both are in regard to a Mauser sporter I'm building.
First, it's got a stepped military-style barrel (Kongsberg I believe, .30-06) and I want to look into tapering one of the steps down so that it essentially turns two steps into one. There are 3 total and all are tapered a little already but the transition between the second and third step is small and I think it would look much nicer if the step itself was eliminated. Pics show the last step that I'm talking about. Would it be a costly process to have that second step tapered down to make a smooth transition?
Second question is in regard to the barrel channel. It appears this stock was originally made for a barrel with one more step, like the original Mauser military barrels, so with this barrel there is too big a gap (pictured) in part of the channel. I will be bedding the action so one option is to fill the extra gap with bedding compound but I think it would look nicer if I could fill that gap with walnut to basically make it disappear. I've fixed cracks before using the common method of mixing wood glue and sawdust so I'm considering this method. Issue is I'll be staining the stock then using a tung oil finish, so I worry that the glue/sawdust mixture won't take stain or finish well and will stick out like a sore thumb. It still might be better than bedding compound which I know will stick out like a sore thumb though. Thoughts?
Thanks!
First, it's got a stepped military-style barrel (Kongsberg I believe, .30-06) and I want to look into tapering one of the steps down so that it essentially turns two steps into one. There are 3 total and all are tapered a little already but the transition between the second and third step is small and I think it would look much nicer if the step itself was eliminated. Pics show the last step that I'm talking about. Would it be a costly process to have that second step tapered down to make a smooth transition?
Second question is in regard to the barrel channel. It appears this stock was originally made for a barrel with one more step, like the original Mauser military barrels, so with this barrel there is too big a gap (pictured) in part of the channel. I will be bedding the action so one option is to fill the extra gap with bedding compound but I think it would look nicer if I could fill that gap with walnut to basically make it disappear. I've fixed cracks before using the common method of mixing wood glue and sawdust so I'm considering this method. Issue is I'll be staining the stock then using a tung oil finish, so I worry that the glue/sawdust mixture won't take stain or finish well and will stick out like a sore thumb. It still might be better than bedding compound which I know will stick out like a sore thumb though. Thoughts?
Thanks!