Swamped barrels and forestock?

[Jakob]

I've been reading and googling, but haven't been able to find a clear answer:
If you have a swamped barrel do you match the thickness of the forestock to the barrel or keep it straight?

[davebozell]

I prefer to match the forestock thickness to the barrel.  The forestock should be the same thickness all the way along.

[Jakob]

The forestock should be the same thickness all the way along.

You mean in relation to the barrel?

[Daryl]

Would look weird from the top if now matched as well as changing the wonderful handling they tend to have.

[Mike Brooks]

I have a building tutorial somewhere on this forum that covers this topic well.

[rich pierce]

The stock will taper and swell. Because the thickness of the wood beside the barrel stays consistent. It would look very weird if the thickness of the wood beside the barrel increased at the waist and negated the architecture of the barrel.

After inletting the barrel make a flat piece of wood a half inch tall, a couple inches long and the thickness you choose for the wood beside the barrel. Lay it tight along the vertical barrel flat atop the stock. Scribe a pencil line atop the stock. Slide it along, making the pencil line all along each side f the barrel.  Bandsaw to just outside the line.

[Jakob]

The stock will taper and swell. Because the thickness of the wood beside the barrel stays consistent. It would look very weird if the thickness of the wood beside the barrel increased at the waist and negated the architecture of the barrel.

After inletting the barrel make a flat piece of wood a half inch tall, a couple inches long and the thickness you choose for the wood beside the barrel. Lay it tight along the vertical barrel flat atop the stock. Scribe a pencil line atop the stock. Slide it along, making the pencil line all along each side f the barrel.  Bandsaw to just outside the line.

That's what I thought, but just wanted to double check.

I have a building tutorial somewhere on this forum that covers this topic well.

Your tutorial is read often!. And I was about to say that it wasn't clear that it didn't state if it was a swamped or straight barrel....but it clearly does so in the beginning!. Apologies!

[Mike Lyons]

Mike's tutorial has helped me build five guns from start to finish.  I follow it word for word exactly how it was written.  Page 73-80 will help answer your question. 

https://americanlongrifles.org/PDF/tutorial.pdf

[Steeltrap]

So….and I’m just tossing out made up numbers….if the muzzle & breech measure 1” in diameter, and the center of the barrel measures .600 in diameter, then we would expect the diameter across the smallest section of the forend to be .400 less than the muzzle or breech? 

[rich pierce]

So….and I’m just tossing out made up numbers….if the muzzle & breech measure 1” in diameter, and the center of the barrel measures .600 in diameter, then we would expect the diameter across the smallest section of the forend to be .400 less than the muzzle or breech?

True.

[flinchrocket]

You got the right idea, but, .200 on each side would be a little fat.

[Steeltrap]

Ok….not to split hairs….

If the wood diameter at the muzzle is 1.002, and at the middle it measures .602, the diameter across the “skinniest”  part vs the muzzle is still .400 less than the muzzle.

The measurement has nothing to do with the “fatness” or the amount of wood the builder chooses to make it. In other words, as long as the same amount of wood follows the barrel contour, that.400 difference will always remain the same.  .  (And yes, leaving one-thousandth of wood is impractical if not impossible.)

[Mike Brooks]

Good golly .OVER COMPLICATION! Get a 1/16" drill bit, put it alongside the barrel,  put a pencil next to the drill bit and slide them down the barrel on both sides. Do the same with an 1/8" drill bit for the lower forestock. You are then done
 No measuring to the thousands needed.

[Steeltrap]

Is that a 3” long, 4” long, or 8” long drill bit?   

[PAFlinter]

Standard size bit is all that's required.   Or, just measure 1/16 ahead of the lock a few inches and Take a pencil cock it and lay next to the barrel and follow the barrel contour with it while making your mark on the stock all the way to the muzzle.  I would generally flare the muzzle a touch wider and remove more wood if needed upon shaping.

[Eric Krewson]

It doesn't matter how long the drill bit is because you slide the drill bit and pencil point down the stock at the same time, a 2" long drill bit will work just fine.

[Steeltrap]

It doesn't matter how long the drill bit is because you slide the drill bit and pencil point down the stock at the same time, a 2" long drill bit will work just fine.

I know....I was just messing

[Wingshot]

I’m on my first ever build from a blank and although I haven’t started shaping the fore stock, I took my good dividers, set at about a 1/16” and traced the barrel profile on both sides and then ran the pencil down the scribed line for an easy view.