Forend question

[Steeltrap]

So, here's my question......I'm likely overthinking......in the pic below, the forend on the right is from my Leman. The one on the left is my "youth build". Leman has 15\16" barrel, Youth has 7/8" barrel. The muzzles are pointed down in this pic.

The forend thickness of the Leman is 1.175". Right now the youth is 1.225". The Leman "slims down" right to the bottom curve by about .175. The Youth by about .100. (Measured across the forend width)

I like the profile of the youth but it's "fatter" than a Leman. I know...so what. The half-stock youth is "Northwestern-ish" build.

My question is....should I slim it more?

[smylee grouch]

Some years ago I built two Leman style rifles with about the same thickness as yours. In hind sight I wished I would have made them about a sixteenth inch thinner.

[Pete G.]

Slim more and round the corners more. You’ll be glad you did.

[Steeltrap]

Thanks Gents.

I have the width 1/8" wider than the barrel (each side) and have yet to shape the top. I'll bring it down to 1/16" at the barrel....but I kept looking at the lower and thinking it was fat....then not....then so.....

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Your stock just forward of the lock panels can be slimmed down from 1/8" to about 3/32", and then rounded to eliminate slab-sidedness.  If you reduce it to 1/16", you might have problems getting the convex shape of the forestock right at the lock panels, because of the depth of the stock there.

[J Shingler]

Frank House told me is a class one time. Take off wood till your scared then take off some more!
Great advice.

Jeff

[Tenmile]

Easy to take off, not so easy to put back on. It is interesting how a small amount of material can change the looks of things. The man who helped me build my first rifle many years ago would say “Do you dare take a little more off this area or that?” I did and it always made it better.
Lynn

[Dave B]

This is what your going for just past the lock panel. This is on an early J&S Hawken rifle. note it is not a 90degre edge more like 40 degrees its got a raidius blending in to the forestock. Some have more radius than others. you want to avoid the glued on after the fact look.