Airforce Texan -The Making of a Custom Wood Stock

[Loren]

See some of my latest stock builds at www.DiamondGunStocks.com

This is where it all started.

I picked up a new Texan .257 for longer range target shooting. So far I am very impressed with the platform and quality, but the thing is just flat NAKED. I looked at what is available on the market for stocks and there was just not quite the design / look I wanted for the rifle. The current offerings have the action and barrel almost perched on top of the stock and not inlet down in the stock. That is just not pleasing to my eye, so to speak.

So I figured I would just build one myself , so the work has begun.

I first did half dozen or more sketches on top of photos of a Texan. ( Ole School Photo Shop)









Then a full size layout on poster board.



Glueing up 4 pieces of 1 x 8 hard maple. At this point I think the Texan may look out of place in a walnut stock and leaning towards a textured paint finish from Rust-Oleum in Autumn Brown...the can lid looks cool at least. There is also lighter FDE sort of color too that I am considering.





This is one heavy slab of wood!!



Barrel/chassis channel cut 



Roughing out the lower side to lose some of the weight and make it easier to do more inletting from the top. Leaving the top still in one plane for inletting from the top.



More inletting completed







The barrel/ chassis will be sitting halfway into the stock. Still needs some hand work on the barrel channel, but the router got it real close.



The action will be sitting down in the stock, and the stock relieved for the bolt action.





Inletting roughed out and shape profile somewhat roughed out.

 

[Glem.Chally]

Love it! Really cool project and like the results so far, keep us updated.

 

[davidsng]

Can't wait until I can see the completed results!

 

[cootertwo]

You are very talented!

 

[Bobr]

Looks like it going to turn out awesome, very nice work will be the only one like it

 

[Bruce54]

Thanks for showing all the stages to this point, makes me appreciate the vision you must have before you even start! Great job so far!

 

[Craniac]

I Have been thinking about a homemade stock for my Texan. Looks like you beat me to it. I plan on learning a LOT from your trailblazing. Thanks for all the pics. 

 

[Michael]

YES!!! Great stuff (+) for you!

 

[Imold]

Looking good, can’t wait to see more photos of the ongoing project plus the finished product. Might have to dust off my wood working tools this winter.

 

[stoti]

That's so awesome! I kept scrolling down hoping to see the finished product! Please post lots of pictures when you're done! Absolutely an incredibly cool project! I'll keep my eye out for it with great anticipation!

Stoti

 

[Loren]

Here are some photos from today and more work on inletting the stock. A lot of slow chisel work today...fit, chisel, fit, chisel....rinse repeat. It is getting closer, but have a little rocking fore and aft, so need to set back up on the router table and make some skim cuts on the chassis / barrel channel and go a little deeper also maybe .125 to .188.

 

[Bowhunter73]

That's a cool design and some awesome work your doing there buddy, keep us informed on your progress.

 

[Loren]

Thanks!!



Here is where it is at after another day in the shop. I have the inletting completed except the mounting holes, but that can wait. I did sink the action/barrel deeper into the stock than I had it yesterday. Maybe another 3/16" I was able to eliminate the rocking fore and aft I was having yesterday. I think there was just a high spot in the barrel channel.















Next will be to tackle the butt and pistol grip, which I think will probably be the hardest part because of the organic shape needing to be carved.

 

[Loren]

I got some more time on the stock today.

Some layout for shaping the butt of the stock.

















Layout for the pistol grip







Shaping fo the pistol grip.









Some what I would call "hot spots" Need some more material removed.



Right side taking shape.



Have removed about a 1/4" of material on the left side of the grip and have marked where my thumb wrappeds around. The area needs relieved.



Just a look down the stock showing some of the detail work involved.



Here is the end of day results.























Next will be be drilling holes for mounting the action to the stock, cutting down the butt end about 1/4" to fit the bottle length better, LOTS of sanding, then staining, glass bedding the actions, then final finish.

Believe it our not this is my first gun stock fabrication. ;-)

 

[jking]

Looking great Loren, you better watch out, other AirForce owners are going to be putting you to work. It'll sure make a AF gun more appealing at least to me it wood, haha. Have you thought about going black with bed liner or something similar?

Jimmy

 

[Imold]

Looking mighty nice for your 1st attempt at it, can’t wait to see the finished product, think I know what I’ll be trying to do this winter.

 

[Loren]

Looking great Loren, you better watch out, other AirForce owners are going to be putting you to work. It'll sure make a AF gun more appealing at least to me it wood, haha. Have you thought about going black with bed liner or something similar?

Jimmy

Thanks Guys!

The black bed liner look is not really want I am after, especially with the "store bought stock" doing that. First attempt with me to see how the hard maple laminate I made up looks when stained with a dark walnut stain. If that doesn't work out I will be going with this from Rust-Oleum. The bed liner, I know is tough, but just a little to industrial for the look I want for the rifle.

 

[Loren]

Oh Scheisse !!!!! Freaking Cracks!!!

The Bad...The top of the pistol grip has two cracks in and along the grain. The good the cracks are only halfway through stopping at the laminate line left to right so it is still together. I get to practice stock repair now. Ugh!!! 

 

[Loren]

The stock crack repair turned into a complete bust and then a major fail with a repair. I'm tossing it into the scrap bin and starting over. I'm pretty bummed about it, but not much to do about it at this point. :'(

This next stock fab I will insert a 1" oak dowel rod into the complete length of the pistol grip to reinforce before shaping it.

 

[Imold]

I was wondering about that being the thumbhole area wasn’t a complete hole, I was looking at it a few days ago wondering if there was a way to design it so the front of the butt/bottle area connected to the back of the breach area and adjusting the grip a bit so you had a true hole where the thumb goes. What would happen if instead of drilling and fitting a Oak Dowel in that area you drilled it out and poured in a type of fiberglass resin and inserting a metal rod into the resin and letting that cure, it might do a better job at reinforcing that area. Just getting the top of the thumbhole connected in your design would also be nice, you would just need to redesign the grip a bit.

Just a Thought I had.