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Old June 10, 2006, 10:53 AM   #1
rezmedic54
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Adding weight

Ok I have a customer that has a 7mm Mag from Stevens. It's the 200 bolt action the rifle without scope weights 6.5 pounds. Pretty light for a 7. He would like to add some weight to it. He has installed a ATN Scope and a Harris Bi-pod we are up to 10 pounds he fells that this still to light. He doesn't want a heavy barrel so I have tried adding weight with lead shot to the gun but here the thing I can only get about 6 oz. in the front of the stock. I keep telling him the rifle needs to be balanced so we can't just add 4 or 5 more pounds in the stock. Anybody have any ideas on what we can do for him besides the new gun thing. Thanks, Kurt
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Old June 10, 2006, 05:08 PM   #2
cntryboy1289
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couple of ideas

You can hollow out the forend and then lay steel rods into glass that is pored into the cavity. I only fill it half way and then lay the rods in the cavity. Once you have a few rods in place, fill the cavity to where it needs to be for the barrel to free float.

I would then use the shot bag like what you have already planned on doing. It shouldn't take a lot of weight since you added weight to the front end as well and the forend will be super stiff now and not warp as much either.

Next, replace the butt pad with one from Simms Vibration Laboratories, this can help tremendously. I have done these things for a couple of rifles and it heled tame them tremedously.

The next thing that I might try is to have the shooter use a lighter bullet weight as well. With deer sized animals, there is no need what so ever to use more than 140gr bullets. Try these things and see if he isn't happy with them. If he still needs help, I might suggest that he get a muzzle break. If that doesn't work for him then let him try to use a 280 because the 7mmMag is just too much gun for him to be shooting. Nothing wrong with that as my shoulder can't shoot what it used either. A 10lb gun should quiten down recoil enough for a normal kid to shoot anything though. Best of luck with it.
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Old June 12, 2006, 09:38 PM   #3
Unclenick
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A rifle much over 10 lb. becomes a challenge to field portability, in my view, but if he insists, you can put weight into both the forestock and butt stock until it balances where he wants it. In most modern guns that point usually falls between half to one and a half hand widths in front of the trigger guard with a full magazine and a closed action. Some people prefer a muzzle-heavy gun, but that isn’t as common as it once was.

To make a butt stock counterweight, start by drilling a hole in the buttstock large enough for a length of pipe. Mix a little hydraulic cement to plug the last 1/2" of the pipe, then rest it in a tin on a brick filled with wet sand deep enough to keep the pipe upright and pour in enough molten lead to make the balance weight. After it cools, glue the pipe into the hole in the buttstock. If you don't want it permanent, pack sponge foam in the bottom of the hole and at the back of the weight so it will be retained by the butt pad plate and won't shift or rattle.

I second Countryboy's susggestion for stiffening rods in the front. They are a really good idea with a bi-pod. The thermoplastic factory stock on my Savage 10FP, when resting the rifle on a bi-pod, flexed the forestock enough to rub the bottom of the barrel and spoil accuracy. It is a common problem. Most people epoxy bed in a synthetic stiffener (fiberglass or carbon composite shaft from damaged arrows, for example) to correct this because they are avoiding extra weight, but in your case the steel weight is desirable. When you glass the steel in, you can mix #9 shot in with the glass bedding compound to increase its weight, too, or you can use one that already has a lot of steel in it, like Brownells’ Steel Bed.

Personally, I like the recoil pad and muzzle brake suggestions as first go-to over increasing weight beyond 10 lbs. Your customer could also try wearing a PAST Sorbathane recoil pad on his shoulder for added buffering. I am surprised that at 10 lbs. the rifle’s recoil still bothers him, but some people are more sensitive to it than others. The muzzle brake-type recoil reducers work best with large powder capacity cartridges, so that approach should do well in this instance.

One thought would be to double-check the stock's fit. Some stock shapes jab some people in the cheekbone rather than recoiling away. Make sure that isn't what's getting to him rather than straight shoulder recoil? If so, the stock is the wrong shape for this fellow. Straight shoulder recoil should be addressed by the pads successfully.

Nick
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Old June 13, 2006, 10:44 AM   #4
rezmedic54
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Adding weight

Well going to go with 2,1/4 rods to stiffen up the front of the stock check last night a it doesn't touch the barrel with the bipod being used but figure sooner or later it will. Then I will accu glass them in using #7 shot add to the mix that should add a couple of ounces up front the rear of the stock is hollow with a piece of Styrofoam in it so it will be easy to add weight there. Almost have him talked into a match barrel for it but who knows what he will do. Thanks for all the suggestions on this will let you know how it all turns out. Thanks Again, Kurt Be Safe Out There
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Old June 13, 2006, 11:52 AM   #5
dfaugh
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recoil sensitive

I popped my shoulder out of joint a couple years ago, and can't take nearly the recoil I used to, for any extnede period any way.

So, what I did with my high powered rifles:

Added a heavy target stock

Added a good recoil pad

Ported the barrels (not as loud as a muzzle brake, but works just as well).

The one I shoot the most is a sporterized Mauser (still in 8x57) and I can shoot it all day long. It weighs right around 10 lbs. with the taget stock and scope. Felt recoil is about same as my 9mm Hi-Point Carbine!

I would be real hesitant to keep adding weight to the forward part of the gun (weights, heavy barrel)...Not a problem for a gun that'll be only shot off a bench, but can really unbalance a rifle, especially for hunting, where you may shoot from a variety of positions. Personally, I'd try to add weight at the rear. YMMV.
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Old June 13, 2006, 08:30 PM   #6
Harry Bonar
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adding weight

Gentlemen:
I understand if an injury prevents a chap from enjoying shooting - I really do.
Yet, amoung some of my good friends on the Forum I must say, "get a lighter caliber." My 416 Taylor on the Savage plastic stock that is factory issue - all I did was put an Adams & Bennet bbl in 416 Taylor on it (it was 300 Win Mag) and, yes, I thought it would knock my head off! No, It disn't and I've got a set of Rem. 788 sights I'm going to put on it. For a DGR rifle it's controloable!
I like the 6.5X55, the 7X57, the 6MM's, the 22-250's, even the 223!
In this country we do not need a big caliber; as a matter of fact we don't need "magnum" calibers at all - with the exception of dangerous game - then, and then only do we need as big a caliber as we can shoot well!
I would say that the 6.5X55 would be ideal in an 8lb. rifle with the 140 gr Barnes X-Bullet! It would kill anything with good shot placement - probably even the great bears at a reasonable range (100 yds. minimum!).
As I grow old I like the concept of such rifles - now, with a 416 Taylor or the 9.3's for really big stuff (although I just build the big guns mostly to LOOK at) I really like the 6.5X55, or if you like it the 260 Rem.
I think we could kill all of the carniverous dinosaurs with that little 6.5X55!
I think I hear one out back right now! Harry B.
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Old June 13, 2006, 10:56 PM   #7
cntryboy1289
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LOL ain't that the truth

Harry, I couldn't agree with you more on this. I really like the 6mm's myself, I have a .243 that my son shoots all the time now and I am building myself a 6mmRem here very soon. I also have an interest in the .260 myself. I have watched a guy shoot one and kill deer at 300yds with ease and then later in the week take a monster buck at 50 yds with it as well. It is a "lights out" deer rifle for sure.

I have had two shoulder surgeries in the past five years and I can really tell when I have shot a sharply recoiling rifle. I used to love to shoot my 7mmRem Mag myself, but I opt to shoot the lighter recoiling rifles these days. I am getting to the point where I hate to shoot the rifles that come into my shop these days unless I have put on a recoil pad.
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Old June 14, 2006, 09:59 AM   #8
rezmedic54
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Adding Weight

Well folks got it do couldn't add the rods as there was no way to do so without really cutting up the braces built into the stock. What I did was to ruff up the interior of the stock with 80 grit sand paper and drilled some holes in the cross braces. Then mixed up some glassbed from Brownells and mixed in about 4 pounds of #7 shot adding some to the front of the stock (about 1 pound to 1 1/2 pounds). The rest went into the stock rifle balanced out really well about 1 1/2 hands in front of the trigger guard. Rifle now weighs in at just over 14 1/2 pounds ( if you had to carry this sucker up and down mountains you'd have a heart attack) but for the shooting the customer wants to do this should work out fine will test fire it on Sunday as I have CCW classes both Friday and Saturday. I'll let you know if it works out the way he wanted if not I guess I'm back to square one. Thanks for all your advice. Kurt Be Safe Out There.
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Old June 14, 2006, 11:15 AM   #9
Harley Quinn
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Good job Rezmedic54

Having a satisfied customer and doing a good job is in its self rewarding.

I have a 19 pound 458 win mag. It is heavy but in this day and age it is not like we walk that much when hunting. Stands and all.

If I was on a hunt I just might have someone else carrying it, good to have strong arms and legs any way. The day I could not carry and use it would be the day I would use something else, or quit altogether.

HQ
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Old June 24, 2006, 08:28 PM   #10
5whiskey
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I did the same to my savage 111

except I didn't drill the crossbraces in the forearms. I just added glass bedding compound. I also bedded the action and sanded the crap out of the forearm to exagerrate the floating of the barrel. The stock still flexes a little bit with bipods, but not enough to touch. My 7 still kicks pretty bad, though. It shoots alot better now than before (with bipods, that is). It weighs right at 10 lbs empty now (I wasn't after adding alot of weight, more for stiffening the forearm). I love mine, and it was done kinda jack-leg (my first project on any kind of stock).
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