TargetTalk

I am greatly intrigued by the design of this stock.

I am particularly interested in the design because, if its principles are sound, it ought to be possible to apply them, to some extent at least, to a BSA International i.e. to use only two of its fore end attaching bolts and place rubber pads between the barrel and the V shaped channel of the aluminium insert in the fore end. I have a very nice BSA International Mk. 5 that I have been trying to 'improve' with an adjustable butt and a floating fore end. The latter presents considerable difficulties, so an approach based on the Evolution design might well be a more practical proposition.

I should add that I know there was a very good discussion about this stock on this forum last summer, which I don't aim to repeat in a tiresome fashion, but I do wonder whether I could follow the design in my own homespun project.

Roger,

You aren't the first person to think putting soft bedding under the barrel of a BSA International. However I don't think this is the same as the barrel clamps on a GE600; these don't just work onthe barrel vibrations, but also leaves the action floating, something the BSA's two-piece stock won't allow. This isn't to say experienting with barrel bedding isn't worthwhile, (the late John Kelly certainy thought it was), but you won't fully replicate the GE600 easily.

Ah, I see; thank you, Tim. I clearly had not understood exactly what goes on with the GE design.However, I'm also grateful for the encouraging news that others have thought it worthwhile to experiment with the bedding of a BSA International. I have not heard of John Kelly, I regret to say, though I obviously should have done.

Hi Roger

You could achieve the same effect, but you'd need a single piece stock. If you search this forum for the Martini thread, you'll see Walter Griffin's (user name tenpointnine) barrel bedded ISU.

The Martini's I've seen with bedding gaskets were Mk IIs, where the fore-end was attached with only a single screw, and to me at least there was more potential for sing tension to interfere with barrel vibration than your aluminium sparred Mk V. However you don't have anything to lose by trying.

John Kelly was a smallbore shooter from Walthamstow way, and a GPO engineer by trade. Before he passed away in '97 he was known for his replacement Anschutz triggers (patterned after US gusmith Karl Kenyon's), his tube rearsights, and his 50m/100 yard turnover foresights. Barry Nesom's foresights are based on the Kelly, itself "inspired" by the American Womack. John Kelly was a regular attendee at Camp Perry, and shot on the Pershing team at least once. He also made stocks (mostly wood thumbhole types, but at least one alu), and experimented with barrel bedding. The Rifleman published an article on this work in the mid-90s.

P.s. The spring arrived safe and sound. Thank you very much.

Tim, very grateful for all the further information and pointers. Fascinating to learn all this. Thus armed I'll persevere in my intermittent endeavours with the Mk. 5.

Glad to hear news of the spring's arrival. Hope it makes a difference at some point. At least it is in stock, so to speak.

Roger