Home-Built Aluminum-Stock Barrel Block Savage Target Rifle
If you can’t buy it, then build it. Forum member Patrick Lundy was so impressed with a fellow shooter’s barrel-block rifle, that he build a similar match gun himself, complete with barrel block and aluminum chassis. We like this kind of ingenuity. Patrick was inspired by a metal stock belonging to Peter Gagne. But he added his own custom touches, including an innovative “A-Arm”-design bipod for shooting in F-TR class. The gun has been very successful in competition with Heavy Varmint contour barrels, but now Patrick is thinking of changing the barrel block to hold a 1.250″-diameter tube. Here is the story of Patrick’s home-built barrel block match rifle.
Building a Barrel Block Aluminum Gunstock by Patrick Lundy
I must credit Peter Gagne, a fellow shooter I met at Forbes Pistol and Rifle Club ( Albany, NY) seven years ago. Peter built an all-aluminum, barrel-block gun that I thought was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I have fond admiration for Peter, who used to accompany Bob Bock to compete in the long range matches at Forbes Range. I believe Peter was a retired electrical engineer with a brilliance for innovation and design. I have not seen Peter Gagne for a couple years now. Bob Bock told me this summer that Peter has been very ill I’m sorry to say.
I fell in love with the look and function of Peter’s stock. I think he and I are cut from the same cloth when it comes to using our own ingenuity rather than buying it already built. From that point on Peter and I had become friends, only seeing each other at the matches we shot at Forbes.
At that point I was shooting F-Class with a 6mmBR Savage LRPV in 6br with a bipod. In the spring of 2009, I drew up a detailed dimensional sketch (based on a photo of Peter’s stock) and proceeded to build a stock of similar design (albeit with a completely different rear section). I spent every waking hour of the next two weeks building my stock. I have made a living for 48 years as welder and metal fabricator. I’m 67 years young now and still making a lot of what I need for my shooting habit. Though this stock was my first prototype it performed better than expected.
Crafting the Stock Was Just the Beginning…
This new stock was a milestone in my shooting career — it was my very first attempt to build a stock. I wasn’t much of a wood worker but I did have a talent for building with metal. The stock was fabricated from 6061 T6 aluminum. With this gun I was able to shoot from a rest or a bipod.
The bipod was a very rigid A-frame design with welded aluminum tubing. I added slippery feet under the pod skis to facilitate smoother recoil. I realized that a wide-stance bipod had to recoil the same on both sides or the group would string horizontally.
Stock Project Was Just the Beginning…
After building that stock I felt more confident in modifying every stock I’ve owned after that. I started chambering my own barrels and building anything I needed to experiment… and to help in shooting accuracy. I even built my own milling machine to make things easier to do.
The stock I built was a stepping stone to try new things not normally attempted by the average guy. For the first several years I used the AccurateShooter Forum for untold access to knowledge. I have now realized that if you really need to know the answer to a question, sometimes it’s better to figure it out yourself. I want to thank my two sons for getting me into long range shooting, and also thank shooting friends like Peter for inspiring me to try out-of-the-box experiments like this stock. This hard work and determined attitude all started with that stock and has paid off with dividends of many matches won and 10 NRA records for my wall.
Look`en good Pat!
Finally, I see a person I know on the Bulletin! With your scores your chambering has to be top-notch. Now, you’re a chassis builder, outstanding! your next project should a Lundy action.
Way to go Pat!!!
outstanding workmanship,keep it up
Pat:
Congrats, will you still talk to us now that you’re a big web star?
Tony
Pat….Your workmanship and marksmanship go hand in hand! Enjoy shooting with you!
I have been admiring your beautiful stock on Accurate Shooter. I have many questions about it. First, what does it weigh? Second, how were the sharp bends in the butt area achieved? Welding? Bending? Casting? Milling from solid stock? I would appreciate it if you could email me or publish an answer in the forum. Sincerely, James Storm
Pats a very technical shooter and its paid off with his 10 records, way to go Pat.
James, Answers to your question are: 8Lbs,Stock could be lightened for F/tr, (I only shot Open class). solid stock drilled and counter sunk SS cap screw 3/8-16, milled angles, first 45 deg. joint welded. If I was to do it again….
I would have the butt stock water jetted from 1″ alum. plate.I would cost more but save on labor hours. I had to draw up a full scale print to get all the reguired dimensions.
Hello, I too have a small bore Savage action and looking for an aluminum stock. Are you interested in building the stock or have any suggestions?
Bruce, I only do my own gun work, I’m trying to keep my retirement status. Did you check out the existing metal stock makers? Maybe a fabrication shop could do one , per your designs. Pat
Bruce, I know this is an old post but did you ever copy your aluminum stock?