bigunit
Lil-Rokslider
I wanted to share how I add a small arca plate to the forestock of my tikka t3 and t3x stocks for tripod use. I don't really like the way the srs and similar plates sit proud of the stock right where you want to carry it. I did this with a t3 .308 a few years ago and its holding up great so I decided to do it on a better t3x stock that will be on a switch barrel 22-250/6.5×55.
You first need to find an arca plate that will work with your tripod. Make sure you can mount it from above and that you dont have to slide it in either end. I then lay it where it needs to be. I like the spot between the recoil lug and the center forestock screw. I then mock up where it will sit and mark the front and back lines of the plate with mechanical pencil. You can then get out the hacksaw and do nice even cuts perpendicular to the stock about down to the checkering.
I then connect these hacksaw hashes with a small cut off wheel on a dremel. Mine doesn't go quit deep enough to get through the side of the stock but that's fine. I cut the length wise piece right along the raised checkering the whole distance of the plate. I then heat up a thin hacksaw blade to melt through the stock all the way so you can finish the cut from the front to back. You also have to go through a x brace in the stock which is fine because that will add rigidity to the new arca plate. Try to go slow here and get the block to come out in one nice chunk.
After that its all just fine tuning with rasp an file to get your arca plate to sit nice and flush and straight with the lines of the stock. I like to leave the finish here quite rough to help the epoxy. I scrape all the melted and jagged bits of the cut lines to help with sanding later.
Once you have your relief cut done its just a matter of picking an epoxy to mount it permanently. I have good luck with jb weld for this. I coat the relief cut area with a good amount of jb weld and then line the plate up and clamp it down. DON'T PUT THE ARCA PLATE UPSIDE DOWN! It's an easy mistake to make lol.
Thats all the difficult work then I gob on more jb where ever I can cram it on the inside and any gaps on the outside. After that has all cured its off to the body shop for bondo, sanding and painting. Ill probably fill the middle screw hole in the stock while I'm at it. The great thing about this mod is that it doesn't need to be perfect, flat or level because your tripod will take up the slack.
Give it a try!
You first need to find an arca plate that will work with your tripod. Make sure you can mount it from above and that you dont have to slide it in either end. I then lay it where it needs to be. I like the spot between the recoil lug and the center forestock screw. I then mock up where it will sit and mark the front and back lines of the plate with mechanical pencil. You can then get out the hacksaw and do nice even cuts perpendicular to the stock about down to the checkering.
I then connect these hacksaw hashes with a small cut off wheel on a dremel. Mine doesn't go quit deep enough to get through the side of the stock but that's fine. I cut the length wise piece right along the raised checkering the whole distance of the plate. I then heat up a thin hacksaw blade to melt through the stock all the way so you can finish the cut from the front to back. You also have to go through a x brace in the stock which is fine because that will add rigidity to the new arca plate. Try to go slow here and get the block to come out in one nice chunk.
After that its all just fine tuning with rasp an file to get your arca plate to sit nice and flush and straight with the lines of the stock. I like to leave the finish here quite rough to help the epoxy. I scrape all the melted and jagged bits of the cut lines to help with sanding later.
Once you have your relief cut done its just a matter of picking an epoxy to mount it permanently. I have good luck with jb weld for this. I coat the relief cut area with a good amount of jb weld and then line the plate up and clamp it down. DON'T PUT THE ARCA PLATE UPSIDE DOWN! It's an easy mistake to make lol.
Thats all the difficult work then I gob on more jb where ever I can cram it on the inside and any gaps on the outside. After that has all cured its off to the body shop for bondo, sanding and painting. Ill probably fill the middle screw hole in the stock while I'm at it. The great thing about this mod is that it doesn't need to be perfect, flat or level because your tripod will take up the slack.
Give it a try!
