Machine Inletting Information

I provide a machine inletting service utilizing Don Allen's very fine pantograph that is capable of cutting a stock to extremely fine tolerances. The degree of precision of the final product is directly dependent on the degree of precision of the pattern. I have therefore formed all my patterns by glass bedding and can produce a machine inletted gunstock on this pantograph which requires far less hand fitting than was formerly true with semi-inlets of standard production.

When cutting a stock from one of my patterns, I generally leave .010 - .015 extra wood in the action inletting to allow for individual variations in actions due to polishing, etc. More or less can be left if requested. The barrel channel is left small to allow for any barrel contour. If I have the individual barrelled action, I can bed it into one of my patterns and machine from this. There is extra charge for this, but the result is a stock which requires very little hand fitting. I leave only .005 extra wood in this case and little more than squaring the corners is required for a perfect fit. Sidelock shotguns and rifles are really a snap to inlet when machined in this manner, as are octagon and half octagon barrels.

I also have the capability of machining a stock for Biesen and Dakota type steel butt plates and Biesen and Dakota skeleton grip caps and the time and effort saved here, particularly when fitting skeleton and trap butt plates, is phenomenal. When machining for steel butt plates I need to know the desired pitch, pull and drop at heel. Please give pitch in degrees of butt plate relative to bore line.

When machining for skeleton grip caps and butt plates, I do it in a 2 step process. I cut a thin piece off the end of where the grip cap or butt plate will go and machine this separately as the skeleton insert. Then I machine the butt plate as though there was no skeleton, making the fitting of the metal a much easier process; it also has the advantage of providing a sealing layer at the end of the grip or butt when the insert is epoxied in place. This process also makes providing a skeleton butt plate on a thrubolt shotgun or rifle possible.

The outside shaping of my patterns is basically in the classic style with the outside dimensions generous enough to allow the individual stockmaker to do his own thing in styling and shaping. Extra wood can be left in any areas as desired, and cheek pieces can be provided for left handed shooters. Each blank is machined one at a time on a custom basis and can be duplicated from my patterns or any other pattern or from the original stock.