Shaping the Buttstock Making a Military Rifle Stock Part 5

In my series on making a military rifle stock from scratch, the stock blank is finally beginning to look like a stock, at least the back half of it is. I round the sharp corners off of the buttstock and shape it to closely match the original stock. The metal parts, the buttplate, rear tang, trigger guard and sling swivel are already fit to the stock, but in this video the wood is then fit flush to them. I will be repeating this process for the front end of the stock in the next video.
DISCLAIMER
All subjects featured on this channel are shown for historical and informational purposes only. All gunsmithing work is intended to restore the item to it's original condition, never modifying to serve any other purpose. In no way, shape or form is anything featured on this channel ever intended to be sold at any time. Any messages regarding selling a firearm, ammunition or an accessory will be removed. Everything shown is legal where the creator is located, please check your local laws.
00:00 Intro
01:18 Measurements
04:09 Demonstrating tear out
07:25 Beginning to shape
10:02 Switching grain
13:19 Progress check #1
14:28 Fitting to the buttplate
16:52 Fitting to the rear tang
18:26 Front of the comb
19:55 Bottom Corners
21:10 Progress check #2
21:45 Comparison tools
24:08 Shaping the sides
25:44 Front of the comb #2
26:45 Shaping the right side
26:56 Progress check #3
27:47 Comb to buttplate
29:34 Rounding the comb
31:05 Bottom edge
32:52 Refitting the sling swivel
34:50 Bottom corners #2
36:20 Progress check #4
37:13 Fitting the cut off
39:55 Fitting the bolt handle
43:54 Final spokeshave passes
45:05 Coarse sanding
47:35 Conclusion

[@stephencarran7650]

So glad I've found your channel. Really well edited and presented and so great to watch it take shape. Thank you!

[@jamesvatter5729]

I have wanted to add an 1898 Springfield rifle, but have only found "deals" on sporterized ones...which aren't my thing. I have access to a plenty of woodworking tools and "woodworkers" more skilled than I. Thanks for giving me plenty of ideas how to resolve that problem.

[@LewisSkeeter]

Wonderful skill. And good use of split screen. Subbed.

[@russellcraven251]

Great job.Enjoyed seeing your method of work.Thanks for sharing it.

[@terrysurface2501]

I'v been collecting and conserving Old military rifles everychance I get and shoot a couple of them weekly with cast lead bullets and reduced loads I have worked up. I am truly impressed with your work. Please keep up the great work, I watched the whole stock making last night and a few other M95 it seems we have a lot of the same as expected. Now you need a Arisaka type 38 long rifle and a good Type 99 I love them both but the Type 38 6.5mm will not shoot a cast lead bullet, if you can hit a 24x24 inch square @ 50 yards I would be surprised it has the polygonal rifling and I have 4 bullets molds from around the world none matter FMJ bullets POA @ 50yrds, why? Again love your channel I'll put it up there with C&R & Mark Novak thank you.........terry

[@rakumprojects]

Thanks for the comment! I don't have any Japanese rifles but I do have a few with polygonal rifling like my older Danish Krags. I need to experiment with cast bullets in them more, I mostly shoot FMJ with them.

[@chishenglai4783]

Great work and enjoy watching. But work with a saddle might be good.

[@JamesMarkin-fv2dw]

Nice work

[@vandahm]

This is incredible!

[@kyleweeden6003]

great video

[@100lancey]

Nice work!

[@vandahm]

Do you know how they would have made these stocks industrially? Would they have used something like a copy carver?

[@rakumprojects]

I have a book titled "US Rifles and Machine Gun Manufacturing" published in 1917. It's a detailed look at the step by step process used to make 1903 Springfield rifles. I imagine a lot of the processes were the same in the periods on either side of 1917.
Most of the rough work is done by copy carvers, called Blanchard lathes. The finishing passes are done one area at a time by specialized Blanchard lathes, ie the stock is only turned from the wrist to the buttplate, then moved to a different machine for the wrist to the middle band. All of the inletting is done by specialized machines dedicated to only one task, with some hand fitting at the end. At certain points such as the rear tang and trigger guard, a master form is inserted and a worker manually shapes with a spokeshave, very similarly to how I'm shaping most of the stock.
The book is a very interesting read if you can find it (hint: there's a pdf version out there)

[@Tammy-un3ql]

👍👍👌👌