Cutting the barrel

[long carabine]

 I have a 44 inch 54 cal barrel that is a tad to heavy for me. My question is can the barrel be cut down 2 inches and the stock be cut the same without ruining the rifle? I mean i would like it to be the same as it is now just 2 inches shorter. And the rifle is a full stock with a nose cap. Tim

[Dphariss]

You might want to just dry fire it 20-40 shots a night for a month. It might get lighter with time.
If its a swamped barrel you will not loose that much weight anyway.
Dan

[Roger Fisher]

Yes, practice with her may help.  How about lifting a dumnbell every nite (no not your momma in law) with your left arm if you shoot righty!!  Over a period of time with 20 or so lifts a night the weight seems lighter - your arm stronger and your rifle lighter in the offhand position.........Now if that does not do it (this has been written up here several times before) pull the buttplate and slug her with lead.  This moves the balance point back depending of course on how much lead you shove in there!Like they say 'works for me'!

I would not like to see you cutting back a $500 full stock and much less a$5,000 full stock!

[Lucky R A]

Can it be done?   Considering the number of originals that we see that were cut back from the muzzle and some times from the breech (which also required shortening the forestock) or even sometimes evidence of both.  The result is seldom pleasing, and we go to great lengths to restore most originals to the original length.   When a gun is cut back at the muzzle only you immediately run into problems with the placement of the front barrel lug and the front ram rod pipe.  After cutting when you replace the muzzle cap you will have to do some refinishing work.  You will also have to relocate the ram rod pipes (unless you don't mind the uneven spacing.  This will leave ugly scars  at the old locations, unless you do some very artful wood replacement and refinishing.   Assuming that you pulled all this off, you have shaved approximately 6 oz. of weight from the front of the gun.   You have to ask yourself, Is it Worth it???

[bob in the woods]

I haven't replied, because I was thinking hard about your question. First..is your barrel swamped or straight sided?
Did you purchase the gun, or is it one you made yourself? Reason is, if a swamped barrel, leave it alone.
If you made the gun, I'd take a long look at the fore end and think about whether you can take some more wood off. Many guns I see are too heavy in the front because there is just too much wood out there. A friend brought his to me and was amazed at just how much we took off the rifle, and how much bettter the balance was when done.
Overall, it's not an easy question to answer without seeing the gun. Good excuse to build another one?

[long carabine]

 The only reason I am thinking about this venture is because of a auto accident a few years back. because of this accident it is hard for me to lift anything heavy. I bought this rifle before the unfortunate accident. I had it for sale but no real serious buyers, everyone wants something for nothing these days.

[Dphariss]

The only reason I am thinking about this venture is because of a auto accident a few years back. because of this accident it is hard for me to lift anything heavy. I bought this rifle before the unfortunate accident. I had it for sale but no real serious buyers, everyone wants something for nothing these days.

File the barrel 16 sided, knocking off the "points", from in front of the rear sight to the muzzle. Leave a short octagonal section for the front sight if you want.
This will let you take off some weight and not have to mess with the wood.
Dan

[long carabine]

 If I could send someone some pictures of my rifle maybe they could give me direction as to taking off some wood here and there on it. Or maybe someone could do it for me, who knows. Thanks for the input! Tim