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Author Topic: Fore Arm Length  (Read 3252 times)

Offline whitebear

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Fore Arm Length
« on: March 12, 2013, 07:57:30 AM »
I am building my first half stock rifle and have a question regarding the needed length for the forearm.  It has a 36" X 13/16 .45 cal barrel the forearm is now 15" long.  This stock was sold to me as a second and from the looks of the end of the forearm it was chopped off with a band saw.  Is there a rule of thumb or proportion that is used to figure this?
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Offline Lucky R A

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Re: Fore Arm Length
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2013, 02:33:11 PM »
 15" is an awfully long forearm.  Of course some of it depends on what school/style gun you are building.  On average a forened will run in the 11-13" range.   A slightly shorter forend will give the illusion of length to a gun w/ a shorter barrel.  It is a matter of proportion.  In your case I would stick to the shorter end of range to give some additional "length" to the shorter barrel you are using.      Ron
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Offline Lucky R A

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Re: Fore Arm Length
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2013, 02:38:30 PM »
 Darn, I just noted that you are building a half stock...Well, in that case the 15" length O/A seems about right. You would set your entry thimble at about 12" forward of the breech then transition to your termination.  Are you using a poured pewter nosecap---if so make very sure that you have the ramrod hole well plugged before pouring...... Ron
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Fore Arm Length
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2013, 03:13:40 PM »
I like to have the gun balance on wood in your hand. Beyond that, it's proportions, how does it look to your eye. And compare that with original proportions if you can access guns of photos of such.

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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Fore Arm Length
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2013, 03:17:40 PM »
This gun has an entry thimble very near the lock. I wanted to get three pipes on a short barreled gun. It balances in hand on the skirt of the entry pipe, which is OK, because it's all smooth.

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Offline Dphariss

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Re: Fore Arm Length
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2013, 04:28:53 PM »
Quote from: whitebear on March 12, 2013, 07:57:30 AM
I am building my first half stock rifle and have a question regarding the needed length for the forearm.  It has a 36" X 13/16 .45 cal barrel the forearm is now 15" long.  This stock was sold to me as a second and from the looks of the end of the forearm it was chopped off with a band saw.  Is there a rule of thumb or proportion that is used to figure this?
This is a variable. Guns with 2 wedges are generaly longer than those with one. English influenced guns in the percussion era my be shorter than some American guns.
15" is not out or proportion.
Dan
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snowdragon

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Re: Fore Arm Length
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2013, 09:09:27 PM »
For a generic plains rifle, my general rule of thumb is to use the length of pull (buttplate to trigger), then reverse that measurement, from trigger to end of nose cap. This is just a ballpark measurement, so I adjust it for style from there.  Some Hawkens I've seen have longer forearms than that measurement, and most English sporting arms are way shorter.

Number of keys is also a factor, but I have seen single keyed plains rifles with really long forearms, and double keyed guns with shorter forearms.

You might also consider where your supporting hand fits along the forearm (left hand for right handed shooters).  Any wood extending past that point is kind of extra weight.

Just my personal thoughts. Bill
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