Counterbalancing Rifle Stocks

The counterpoised rifle stock has particular application in the benchrest rifle. Here, the rifle rests on special supports, usually consisting of sand-filled bags as an interface. The front support is positioned along the forend of the rifle and the rear sandbag support immediately forward of the buttplate. As a heavier barrel is installed on the rifle there is an increased uplifting of the buttstock with some loss of rifle stability and control. Adding some form of weight here does the trick.

Some use clay as a filler in those composite stocks which are This amount of weight just forward of the buttplate adds counterweight to the heavy barrel target or varmint rifle. Below center: A 9/16" wood bit powered by an electric drill is used to make the stock holes for the stock counterweight. hollow. Wood stocks allow a different choice in counterpoised weight control. In this case, more dense weight like lead or tungsten area good choice. Here is how I did it with excellent outcome.

The rifle I worked on was a Savage Model 112 single shot with a walnut stock. I had gone over the bedding and converted it to a switch barrel chambered for .25-06, .257 Improved, and .243 Winchester with a 1:8 twist. Midway, as I was testing the .243 1:8 Douglas barrel that was still in the break-in stage, I was experiencing quarter-inch five-shot groups at 50 yards. This is exemplary accuracy in any circles but it would get even better.

As the rifle was still in the break-in period I had it in a padded vise with the buttplate looking right at me. I decided to remove the buttplate and drill a pair of deep, 9/16" holes for installation of lead shot as counterbalance weight. Lead shot makes for excellent stock weight material and I installed half pound of lead shot into two holes under the buttplate. I calculate the required half-inch hole depth to be five inches, which is a quarter pound per hole.

A full 35mm film container holds a half pound of lead shot, which was divided out between the

two holes. The simple formula for calculating volume (pi x radius squared x depth) showed a volume comparison between the film canister and the two 9/16" holes. I used a sharp wood bit with a lead hole to make the holes. A small funnel was used to pour the lead shot into the holes and thin tape used to hold the shot in place. The screw-on buttplate was put on Using lead shot is much less complicated and does the same job. and the rifle was ready to shoot.

While shooting, a noticeably improved balance was felt with the heavier buttstock in the rear sandbag. It doesn’t take much to help. I always lift and tap the stock gently into the rear bag each shot, which helps prevent vertical grouping errors. Added weight in the buttstock helps here too.

The new balance point on the Savage Model 112 rifle with its medium-length action, 26.5" number 7 Douglas barrel was now two inches forward of the receiver ring with a 6-24X B&L Model 4000 Elite scope and Talley Manufacturing scope mounting system. (Continued on page 19)

should always be considered with any changes made in the stock, barrel, or scope mounting system. Cost is low to get the job done and it can work wonders in your shooting. AG For extreme accuracy, sometimes the least obvious things can make the difference. Proper gun balance The balance point of this Model 112 Savage target rifle with 26.5" heavy barrel has been moved back to two inches forward of the receiver with the added half pound of lead shot. 243 Winchester rifle is little short of perfection. 3.

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