Chopping a Barrel & Weight Reduction

[Dirty-D]

Would love to know the paticulars on that gun. Parts, etc.

If this is the same gun I've seen elsewhere, I think the stock is a standard montana stock whittled down, bore reamed out to 358 winchester, lots of action lightening, trigger guard drilled, etc. I've been drooling over it for a long time!!!

An awesome piece of work!!!! I might be coming into a mountain ascent here soon in a trade, I might do soemthing simlar with a chop job with the already lightened reciever/ fluted barrel, but I'm too chicken for that kind of stock work =]

 

[BigWoods]

Dirty-D, thanks for the link to that calculator. Looks like I'd be shaving off about 4oz if I cut it back to 19".

 

[muddydogs]

I have an old Enfield 308 that was somewhat sporterized, once I got it I decided to finish the job. The barrel was way to long in the composite stock so after some internet research I decided to cut it down. I cut the barrel at 20 inches figuring if I messed it up there was still room to get it fixed. I started off with a hacksaw but soon realized I didn't have the patience for the hacksaw so I grabbed the Sawzall and proceeded slowly, got a good strait cut on the barrel. Finish by putting a crown on the end with a brass rounded screw head and valve lapping compound chucked up in the drill. Rifle still shoots 1/2 groups at 100 yards with my hand loads.

I won't mention that I also welded the scope mount to the stripper clip feeder as it wouldn't stop slipping under recoil. Stuck the tip of the wire feed welder into the mag hole and struck a quick arch. Rifle has been a good truck gun for the past few years.

 

[Kilo Sierra]

you are my hero!
ks

 

[worx53]

a titanium bolt handle drops the weight like a barrel chop and Kimber will finally sell you a Montana stock direct. You can install an aluminum trigger guard when doing a Montana stock and drill the mag box full of holes as well. I've seen the wood stocked guns drilled under the barrel in the channel and under the recoil pad into the stock towards the pistol grip for lightening also.

 

[BigWoods]

a titanium bolt handle drops the weight like a barrel chop and Kimber will finally sell you a Montana stock direct. You can install an aluminum trigger guard when doing a Montana stock and drill the mag box full of holes as well. I've seen the wood stocked guns drilled under the barrel in the channel and under the recoil pad into the stock towards the pistol grip for lightening also.

Good suggestions! I didn't realize Kimber was selling the Montana stocks now, so I'll keep that in mind if I wan't to give it a real diet at some point. I've thought of drilling some weight out of the stock before (which is currently a bit heavy compared to others at around 34oz); I just might do that after hunting with it a few years and being sure I want to hold on to it for the long haul.

The gun has been pretty consistent in the accuracy department thus far and the trigger is beautiful. It easily adjusted down to a very crisp 2lbs, but I brought it back up to 3lbs for field work. On Monday I shot 2 1.3" groups out of it with cheap (and I mean really cheap!) FMJ ammo with a HOT barrel. I'm sure that once I start hand loading for it I should be able to get it consistently down under 1".

 

[luke moffat]

You Montana stock should weigh between 22-24 oz not 34 oz.

 

[BigWoods]

You Montana stock should weigh between 22-24 oz not 34 oz.

Luke, this is a Kimber 84m Classic that I'm working with having a nicely grained wood stock. 33.4 oz I believe is the exact weight on it.

 

[worx53]

The factory crown kinda sucks - I like the ones that recess in a bit so even if smacked on a rock it can't effect the actual crown the bullet comes in contact with. If you go the Montana route check the magazine box carefully to make sure it doesn't bind the action from seating into the stock properly. I had to remove about .020" off the bottom of the mag box. This gun with glass bedding action and 1" into the barrel channel and handloads puts 3 shots in a ragged hole which it never did before with the wood stock.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[BigWoods]

The factory crown kinda sucks - I like the ones that recess in a bit so even if smacked on a rock it can't effect the actual crown the bullet comes in contact with. If you go the Montana route check the magazine box carefully to make sure it doesn't bind the action from seating into the stock properly. I had to remove about .020" off the bottom of the mag box. This gun with glass bedding action and 1" into the barrel channel and handloads puts 3 shots in a ragged hole which it never did before with the wood stock.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

If I might ask, what was kimber's going rate for the stock? I'm assuming it requires a new spring and follower, does the mag box from the classic fit?
Thanks!