Tactical / Precision Rifles w/WOOD

AMG04

FNG
Joined
Jul 10, 2025
Messages
16
ROUND 1 - Target / Bench Rifle

After 10-12 years of shooting aluminum chassis and stocks made with some sort of composite, I felt it was time to get back to wood.

Maintaining the form, fit, function of more modern stocks was important, but I wanted to gain the warmth, feel and beauty of wood.

I looked around and didn't see what I wanted, so I decided to make it myself.

The Process:
- Source curly maple blank
- Carve (rough pass) with router
- Contour and smooth (fine pass) with router
- Cut the inletting (action, bottom metal & barrel channel)
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- Sand... there was a lot of sanding!
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- Fit recoil pad with belt sander
- Add picatinney rail for bipod (drill and counter sink t-nuts)
- Drop in pillars (checking action/bm fit, alignment & feeding from magazine)
- Epoxy bed action & bottom metal
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- Apply tung oil finish (2 coats cut 1:1 with mineral spirits for deeper penetration, 4 full coats)
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The Results:
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Made it out to do some quick pressure testing. I wanted to see what lighter bullets and faster powder could do from the 14.5.

Ten rounds per bullet/powder combo loaded in 0.4gr increments, shot at 100 yards, same POA.

Start and finish loads of AR-Comp represented below.

125 Speer TNT (cheap paper puncher)
44.4gr @ 2621fps
48.0gr @ 2858fps
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130 Barnes TTSX (deer & hogs)
41.8gr @ 2574fps
45.4gr @ 2746fps
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I did not observe pressure signs at the highest charges, but don't see any reason to climb higher.
 
ROUND 2 - Compact, Lightweight Hunting Rifle

Origin SA, Competition Bolt with TT Diamond.
PVA, 16" Proof CF 308 Win
Hawkins DBM
Pillar & Epoxy bedded
6lb 6oz as pictured
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First five shots through this one... two sighters at top left corner, followed by a three shot group on the bottom left.
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ROUND 4 - PRS/Competition Rig

Origin SA
Competition Bolt Knob
Proof Comp Contour 223, 26" threaded 5/8x24
M5 Bottom Metal
Triggertech Diamond, Flat

Custom Curly Maple - Adjustable,
Pillar and epoxy bedded

Freebore has the 77gr SMK at 2.390 to touch, and the 80.5gr Bergers at 2.520" while keeping the bearing surface above the neck shoulder junction.

Should be great for PRS tac class with 75 ELDM or 77 SMKs, then you could run the 80.5 or 85.5 Bergers in Open division.

Stock is almost done, I should be able to shoot some groups Friday.

Black with subtle fade to silver to compliment the black action and stainless barrel.

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Range Results: 223 Competition Rig

80.5gr Berger Fullbore over 23.7gr of AR-COMP @ 2930fps

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These stocks look great! Wood feels so much better, especially when your hands are cold!

I have a slab of walnut drying from the 1st crotch of a walnut tree that was on grandfather's property. I've wondered what kind of stock I will make with it and this has me inspired!

Did you make that duplicator or purchase it?
 
Super cool! Thanks for sharing, nice work, good looking rifles, and neat ideas.
 
These stocks look great! Wood feels so much better, especially when your hands are cold!

I have a slab of walnut drying from the 1st crotch of a walnut tree that was on grandfather's property. I've wondered what kind of stock I will make with it and this has me inspired!

Did you make that duplicator or purchase it?
I picked it up from carvermaster, it's the model 1 if I remember correctly.
 
Nice work!! Those really please the eye, and function just as well!! I’m just about to order a couple beauty Turkish walnut blanks, one will be to stock my bench rifle.
 
I have a Manners T2 on the way that I plan to keep natural. The T2 design will work better with a bipod, you can adjust elevation easier with the sloped stock and a rear bag.

The flat wedge on the T4 tracks in a bag really well, but needs an adjustable front rest for elevation.

90+% of my shooting is with a bipod, so T2 it is...
 
Instruction were thorough enough for me to figure out, so they had to be good enough.

Finding router bits has been easy, but finding or making the followers/stylus has been a real challenge.

The unit shipped with 3 or 4 different bits with followers, so I tend to buy bits that match the followers provided.

Example, the 1/4" straight cutter that came with it chattered more than I liked (even on shallow, light cuts), but the follower is just a straight piece of 1/4" round steel. I upgraded to a 1'4" spiral down cut bit and the inletting is much cleaner and more consistent.
 
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