Making a 366 Rigby

[cdb1]

Congratulations on the rifle. It sure looks like you know how to work wood. The only comment I can make is as a lifetime equine owner you’ve never really been kicked by a mule. The difference in a decent size mule kick and a Shetland kick is huge. Though I of course would rather be kicked by neither I’d rather be kicked by a Shetland, and I’ve been kicked by both.

 

[Ryden]

@ExAgoradzo spoke of expressions previously.

Here's two classical Swedish ones.

"How hard can it be" which, I believe, is the famous last words of several people and "No one remembers a coward"

So, here we go.

Turns out it was much harder than I thought, for some reason it seems to be end grain in every direction. I must have used every file I own.



Final flats marked.


Here were go...

 

[Ryden]

Ready for sanding


I'll put some emphasis on the grip by adding a slight waist behind it, I'll just need to decide on a pleasing line

 

[Ryden]

It looks a bit hunch backed in the photo but I can't see it on the stock. It'll be fine on the morning

 

[Ryden]

I can live with that

 

[Ryden]

Before

 

[Ryden]

Congratulations on the rifle. It sure looks like you know how to work wood. The only comment I can make is as a lifetime equine owner you’ve never really been kicked by a mule. The difference in a decent size mule kick and a Shetland kick is huge. Though I of course would rather be kicked by neither I’d rather be kicked by a Shetland, and I’ve been kicked by both.

You're probably right, what made the Shettie's kick worse was placement. They sort of kick from beneath up.
It was horrible!

Or current hoss is an Irish hunting pony called Foxglove for some bizarre reason.
I've shown him the sausage maker and told him what'll happen if he kicks me. I think we have an understanding.

I provide tangerines and he keeps his feet on the ground.

 

[Ryden]

And thank you for the compliment!

My dad had a furniture factory and I worked there every summer. It was mostly veneered chip board, but I got to help out in the prototype shop.
My first task was sharpening the tools, I was given a box of old rusty chisels and knives and things I didn't even have a name for so heavy I could barely lift it.

Everything got a soak in citric acid and then sharpened until the master was satisfied, it took many many tries, but we got there in the end and I was promoted to the real tools

 

[cdb1]

You're probably right, what made the Shettie's kick worse was placement. They sort of kick from beneath up.
It was horrible!

Or current hoss is an Irish hunting pony called Foxglove for some bizarre reason.
I've shown him the sausage maker and told him what'll happen if he kicks me. I think we have an understanding.

I provide tangerines and he keeps his feet on the ground.

My grandfather was a rancher and in the 1950’s he started raising a few Shetland ponies because they were getting really popular in the US. By the mid 60’s he had stopped but for years after that we had 10–15 ponies on the ranch. I do not like Shetlands. If not handled regularly they get mean and stubborn. They also founder(laminitis) incredibly easy. Never owned a mule but have always been around them. I’ve been kicked twice. The bad thing about mules is they can kick in any direction whereas horses and ponies can only kick to the rear and also cow kick.

If you were kicked in the crotch I can understand it. Anything in the crotch is bad. I’ve related this to a couple of members but this past summer I was answering the call of nature outside and was stung on bare skin in the crotch around eight or nine times.

 

[Ryden]

Yeah, the problem it's that they're bought for small kids who really can't take care of them and the grown ups have their hands full with the "real" horses.

I've probably one of the select few who's had blue ball's for real

 

[Speedo66]

Your stock looks like it's coming along nicely.

Nice old bike! Which län are you in?

 

[Ryden]

I live in Växjö in Kronobergs län, although län is mostly for administrative purposes.
For living in we use much older geographic divisions called landskap, which is akin to duchies.
I live in Småland, the Small Countries.

A thousand years ago it was a federation of about a dozen small kingdoms. In the 16th century they abolished their own law systems and incorporated under the common swedish law.

Thr bike is a CB 900 F from -79., then the absolutely most badass bike you could buy, today, eh... not so much.

But we can still do 200 kmh on a good day, on the meter, downhill and with a following wind I guess

 

[Ryden]

No work on the stock today, apparently we're having some sort of party tonight.

I said, good then they can keep me company while I sand.
That didn't go down to well...

So I've just filled the barrel with Ed's Red and let it soak over night.


Then I thought, this is volatile stuff, I need some sort of plug to seal the upper end or it all evaporate.

What can I possibly use that'll fit the chamber and come out easily. And where can I get it today.

You've probably seen it coming already, but it took me long enough.

Turns out I've got 370 plugs made for the purpose in a grocery bag waiting to be de-capped

Doh!

 

[Ryden]

2020 is here!

Happy new year everyone!

 

[DocRock]

There’s some decent figure in the new stock. I’ve built three stocks now and love doing it. I think yours is coming along beautifully, but I have to say that the original stock is so slim and elegant; love it. Having said that, I’ve been kicked by a few horses, and rifles, and it’s no fun. Yours seems to have the rakish lines of a classic Weatherby at the moment. Wish I could help with how to achieve a more Prince of Wales grip but have no experience.

366 Nitro Express is a fantastic name.

Great project. Thanks for the photos.

 

[Ryden]

Thank you!

The old stock is quite elegant and very much like the old Oberndorf sporting Mausers you can find in Africa, but it is well known to bruise your face and crack at the wrist.
This is the first time I've tried to reshape a whole stock, I've done some inletting and other minor mods but nothing of this scale.

 

[Ryden]

I inletted this stock, the m/38 I mentioned earlier, as a warm up exercise while waiting to take possession of the rifle.
It is now my Karabiner 310, ready to take on anything pint sized out to 20 yards.

 

[Ryden]

I think cleaning was long overdue
The rod is black so I didn't see it. I better find some gloves

 

[Ryden]

After five minutes of scrubbing with the brush and a 5" stack of patches I finally began to get gray instead of black, 2" more and it's a very light gray tinted with green.
I need som copper solvent.
What is effective in these days?

I've found an old bottle of proper No 9 with preciously few drops left and after a patch of that we're back to greenish black.
It gives me a headache though.

A bit frosty

 

[Ryden]

I was reading some other threads and got reminded about something.

Some guy told me about a thing his PH in Africa did, a combined bore guide and bronze brush protector.

While I was standing in front of the drill press I made one for my self to try.

And I didn't even have to mark it for caliber

 

[Ryden]

Bit of sanding today bit not much.

Here's an aspect I've forgot, most Express rifles have a bevel in the stock to help the brass thrown clear.


I've seen small bevels and bevels thay go halfway down, bevels with straight corners and bevels that expand sideways, front, back or both.


I've been feeling a bit under the weather so I haven't even got the energy to research the net.

Does any of you have an opinion?
If so, please post an image of a nice bevel and tell me why.

 

[Ryden]

The modern Highland Stalker has small bevel with straight sides.

An older Rigby has no bevel at all


This Big Game rifle seems trapezoid


The Heym Martine has rather square corners


This Wheeler has a lavish bevel

 

[Ryden]

Btw, this is an old Oberndorf Mauser, not much difference from the 146. Husqvarna had the ability to make best guns that rivaled London in quality, but the market was extremely small.
There are some outstanding shotguns but no best rifles thay I know of.

 

[LoonWulf]

I like the bevels, but never put them on any stocks I've finished. I don't think they are that important, but it lends a more finished feel to the gun imo....kinda like timed screws.

 

[Ryden]

That's my thoughts too, the sidewall is pretty thin so there shouldn't be any trouble clearing the cases.
But it does a lot for the looks.

I'm thinking a 45° angle straight down with a 5mm radius in the corners, that's the size of my big rat tail file and It's also the lowest common denominator of all the alternatives.
I can always reshape it later if something takes my fancy