Author Topic: Forend Troubles? (Read 1512 times)

Survivor · « **on:** January 08, 2007, 07:09:10 PM »

I was browsing the FAQs and read through PERKLO'S trouble with drifting accuracy. Are the synth forends prone to misfitting? Is a wooden
stock + forend setup prefered? I'm still throwing a Choate stock on mine but maybe a wooden forend is good form? I also read about a kind of foam being tightened into the forend as a sort of bedding. Any other trix? Tell me more about the O ring.
Please + thank you

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2007, 07:17:22 PM »

I prefer the wood or laminated forends, the removable spacer lends itself to tuning of forend pressure on the frame much more. The syn forend is all one piece, so the only way to change it is to change the screw hole. RTV silicone works very well for bedding a wood forend, it may also work well for a syn forend.

Tim

poncaguy · « **Reply #2 on:** January 09, 2007, 03:52:32 AM »

I like the Choate forends, helped my accuracy with 308 and 45-70..........

dw06 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2007, 05:34:16 AM »

I like the Choate forends too,mine shoots better even using bipods.Nice and durable too.Now I admit wood looks better,but for my use the synthetic is better for me.

gimphunter · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2007, 05:51:58 AM »

Do y'all like all the Choate forends, or do you have a favorite?

usherj · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2007, 01:24:40 PM »

I have the factory synth on my huntsman. The way it came, it was very precisely fit to the barrel (due to the molding dimensions) with even contact under the attachment lug, on the sides at the attachment screw and at the front. Mine is bedded now just around the attachment lug (1" x 1" area with devcon), with the rest floating, except of course where it touches the frame. Shoots very well now. Love it.

Survivor · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2007, 02:47:44 PM »

Poncaguy, what flavor?

poncaguy · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2007, 03:02:22 PM »

Flavor?

Survivor · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2007, 05:32:19 PM »

Choate makes a number of forends. Which one ya got is all I meant.

poncaguy · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2007, 12:53:22 AM »

I'm a little slow

.Varmit forend.........

DWPR6284 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2007, 05:45:11 AM »

I personally like and prefer the laminated forends. I open the barrel channel up by sanding it out with a 1" wooden dowel and 60 grit sandpaper. I then install a 5/8" diameter aluminum pillar in the forend that completely surrounds and rests upon the barrel forend stud as well as epoxy bed the forend from the pillar all the way back to the receiver. I also replace the factory screw with a button head allen screw. I leave the barrel free floated from the pillar forward and have found this to allow for the best possible accuracy with these break open single shots. With this type of bedding though, I do mate one forend to a specific barrel and leave it that way. Yes, it's alot of work but the "consistant" accuracy difference it makes is well worth it....

DW

Survivor · « **Reply #11 on:** January 15, 2007, 04:03:48 PM »

UsherJ, I'm hoping for a good fit out of my standard synthetic forend like you've enjoyed. Are there voids in the inner part of the forend from the casting process? Did you have to fill the voids and then bed? Do you have an O ring? Please explain what little, if anything, you did to make the best of that foend. I'll be shooting a 30-06. You?

Bill3006 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2007, 04:21:15 AM »

I've got the synthetic stock and forend on my handi and I like them, mostly because they save a little weight and they don't show scratches readily. But I would think the wood stocks and forends would give better accuracy. The fit of the synthetic forend where it contacts the receiver isn't as good and the coefficient of thermal expansion for plastics is about 10 times that for metals or woods parallel to the grain. Consequently, the forend pressure on the hinge pin is more subject to changes with temperature for the synthetic forend. As an experiment, I took the forend off and put it in the freezer over night. It shrunk enough that I wasn't able to reinstall it until it warmed up some. With respect to accuracy, a wood handi sealed against moisture is probably a better "all weather" handi.

PartsMan · « **Reply #13 on:** January 16, 2007, 09:23:39 AM »

Wood and paminate are more addujstable but,
my synthetic fit so tight on hb 223 that it shoots better than wood did.

usherj · « **Reply #14 on:** January 16, 2007, 02:22:45 PM »

Survivor,
The voids in front of and behind the screw lug are intact. I didn't mess with them. I used modeling clay to form dams before and after the lug so that the bedding pad is about 1" long and 7/8"wide around the screw lug. Be sure to use clay to fill the gap around where the lug meets the barrel so you don't form a mechanical lock, and use release agent on the barrel and screw. The bedding fully contacts and supports the bottom surface of the lug a small even area (about 1/8" all the way around) of the barrel around the lug. This bedding and the rear pivot area of the forend at the reciever are the only places of contact. Before bedding, rough up the areas where the bedding will go with a dremel or other means, but be sure not to remove the existing spots where the lug rests. These act a points of reference to maintain the position of the forend when doing the bedding. They can be found by applying a little lipstick or prussion blue on the bottom of the lug and installing the forend. Don't remove the material where the marking shows up on the forend. When installing the forend after applying the bedding, just push it into position and then lightly snug the screw. Now leave it alone until it fully sets - be patient. Follow the bedding material instructions exactly and you will be fine. This has worked for me. I like the synthetic due to its low weight, good grip surface, toughness, and stability. It is simply impervious to water. Good luck.

Survivor · « **Reply #15 on:** January 16, 2007, 05:21:19 PM »

PIX... PLEASE $:-\$ Just one? Two? Please? Post production is ok. Just kidding but a visual reference gets me far. I'm afflicted with being a visual learner. Then those words will swirl into a reality for me. What ever you've got is worth a million. THNX

pfettig · « **Reply #16 on:** January 17, 2007, 06:56:12 AM »

I agree, pictures would be nice. Especially from DWPR6284. I would like to make some of the fixes to my forend but some of it seems overwhelming. I have read the faq's about it but need a little more help. O-rings, silicone, epoxy, oh my!

usherj · « **Reply #17 on:** January 17, 2007, 01:59:07 PM »

This is my first attempt at posting a photo. This is the forend from my huntsman:

Survivor · « **Reply #18 on:** January 17, 2007, 04:43:46 PM »

Very nice!

THNX What's that ahead of the springy thingy? A threaded coupler from your shower? Whuh?

usherj · « **Reply #19 on:** January 18, 2007, 01:49:50 AM »

You're welcome. That's a piece of 1/8 stainless pipe nipple that I epoxied in so that I could use the smaller dia TC pack ramrod and not have it press up against the barrel like the original one did. I also had to glue in a plastic bushing in the ramrod ferrule.

Survivor · « **Reply #20 on:** January 18, 2007, 06:20:00 PM »

You shoot a muzzleloader?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #21 on:** January 18, 2007, 06:33:45 PM »

The Huntsman is a muzzleloader.

Tim