Chunk gun cant bars!!

[Roger Fisher]

Cant bars on chunk rifles so she can't cant!!

Since I used a seperate section of forearm that is abt 2 3/4 in wide I found I must be extra careful not to cant anyway since the 'bar' really should be 3 1/2 or 4 inches wide (I do believe)

Anybody have any good ideas to make a seperate easily attachable solid one such?  I'd love to post photos; but my computer knowledge won't ever advance to that stage seems like!

Photos would be swell

[Daryl]

Seems to me there were some good pictures of "Cant" bars in Robert's book.

[smokinbuck]

Roger,
I have made cant blocks from steel that we milled into a kind of pyramid shape and then cut out an octagon hole near the top. Drilled a hole from the bottom flat into the cut off octagon anad screwed it into a 1/4X24 hole inthe bottom of the barrel. I also have some out of wood. Take a block and create an octagon hole which is cut through at the top edge of the octagon. Then slice through the block, and hole, with a wide cut (1/8" or more). Once you have the 2 pieces, drill a hole through both and with a long bolt and nut create a vice type affair that sandwiches your barrel. I can send a picture if you like. This one does nothing to your barrel.
Mark

[Ken G]

Roger,
Here's one I made.  If i made another it would have a little more width. 

[Daryl]

Not sure where to put this, but here it is.
: One of the most important aspect of shooting (chunk) prone, is not to try to steer the gun with your cheek or the trigger hand in the slightest.  Steering with cheek or trigger hand will throw shots.  The only part of your body that is used to move the gun is the 'gun' or 'butt' hand, which steers the rear of the stock for windage and up and elevation while holding it snugly against your shoulder. The rest of your body must move with the gun as it is adjusted and not be trying push it around. More cheek pressure on the next than on the previous ones and you've a pulled shot.  Of course, flinters must be held absolutely stationary until after the gun has discharged and the ball is on it's way.  Shooting muzzleloaders is very much like shooting small bore, except due to ignition times, the time from primary ignition to discharge is even slower.  Couple that to a long barrel and man, are we way behind the 8 ball.  A cant block helps keep the gun perfectly horizontal, but pressure against it will cause off shots as well. The gun must be neutral on the rest, with no pressure to either side not excessive up and down.

[Roger Fisher]

Roger,
Here's one I made.  If i made another it would have a little more width. 

I like it - another thing to do! Thanks for the photos

[Candle Snuffer]

That's a nice looking cant block.  Having never used a cant block myself I'm wondering if something like what Ken made in the picture (or any cant block for that matter) should have a level bubble incorporated into it?

Though I would imagine it would be just as easy to level one's chunk to set the rifle with cant block on.

This picture Ken posted looks like a good winter workshop project.  Think I'll give one a try.

[Daryl]

Candlesnuffer- the 'cant' bars eliminate the need for spitit levels as they hold the gun perfectly horizonatal with the world, as long as the 'block' or bench is level. Of course, a slanted table will cause them to be out, but then, they'll be the same each shot and have no nothing negative effect when shooting at a spotter target in a chunk shoot. When bullseye shooting, being perfectly horizontal would be benefitical. Wider wings with leveling screws as on a tripod scope rest would work for perfectly leveling a 'cant' block, thus your idea of a spirit level would help.