do i measure half the lenght of the barrel or my point of balance for the lenght of the forearm or a bit of both
-
This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.
Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades -
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
question about halfstock
- Thread starter watopeka
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
I've built a few halfstocks, and in my opinion, there's no set formula. Mostly it's what looks and feels the best. I just measured a few of mine, and the end of the forearm is always a few inches shorter than half the length of the barrel. The length also depends on whether you are using one or two barrel keys. I've seen some halfstocks with long forearms and just one key, and they look kinda "funny". You definitely don't want to end the stock at the balance point, as you would be wrapping your hand around the nose cap when carrying the gun.
Years ago, I found a photo of a halfstock I liked, I think it was on TOTW, that stated the barrel length. I printed out the picture and scaled off the barrel into inches, then scaled off the whole rifle. This gave me the measurement from the breech to the end of the forearm. Just a ballpark measurement, and I think in the end, I tweaked that measurement to what looked best for my likes. Probably no more than a half inch difference either way. Any more, I just stand back, with the rifle roughly put together, and decide how much to cut off the forearm, based on looks. Hope this helps, Bill.
Years ago, I found a photo of a halfstock I liked, I think it was on TOTW, that stated the barrel length. I printed out the picture and scaled off the barrel into inches, then scaled off the whole rifle. This gave me the measurement from the breech to the end of the forearm. Just a ballpark measurement, and I think in the end, I tweaked that measurement to what looked best for my likes. Probably no more than a half inch difference either way. Any more, I just stand back, with the rifle roughly put together, and decide how much to cut off the forearm, based on looks. Hope this helps, Bill.
I just thought of some more things to consider. If you are trying to recreate a certain style, then do some research on that style to determine certain measurements, like forearm length. If need be, print out photos of good examples and scale off the measurements like I described. Some plains rifles have somewhat long forearms, whereas English guns usually have really short forearms.
If you're just trying to find a "form follows function" measurement for your own style, here's one way to get you close. Put the gun together and shoulder it. Mark where your leading hand is placed on the forearm (left hand for right handed shooters). Mark the middle of the length of the barrel. Now you know the nose cap is going to be somewhere in front of your left hand, and somewhere behind the middle of the barrel. Where your left hand ends up is somewhat determined by the balance of the gun, which is influenced by barrel length. So, forearm length is partially determined by barrel length (does that make sense? :idunno: ) With this ballpark "function" measurement, the exact end of the stock can be cut according to your own sense of asthetics.
Now someone will come along and give an exact formula. :rotf: Hope this helps, Bill.
If you're just trying to find a "form follows function" measurement for your own style, here's one way to get you close. Put the gun together and shoulder it. Mark where your leading hand is placed on the forearm (left hand for right handed shooters). Mark the middle of the length of the barrel. Now you know the nose cap is going to be somewhere in front of your left hand, and somewhere behind the middle of the barrel. Where your left hand ends up is somewhat determined by the balance of the gun, which is influenced by barrel length. So, forearm length is partially determined by barrel length (does that make sense? :idunno: ) With this ballpark "function" measurement, the exact end of the stock can be cut according to your own sense of asthetics.
Now someone will come along and give an exact formula. :rotf: Hope this helps, Bill.
thanks Bill i am going for form follows functionI tried copying always something goes array, for now its better this way for me, to many things to learn at one time and i tend to make to many mistake then i lose the style . These guns are for me so i dont mind it is a learning process. Later if i decide to go for a exact copy or style i just re-stock and voila
Thanks for you input its appreciated
Thanks for you input its appreciated
