7mm-08 Project #5

Inletting the Bottom Metal

When inletting the action into the stock I like to start with the bottom metal first. Then I use the screw holes in the bottom metal to center the action while inletting. This insures that the action returns to the same place each time you remove it. The inletting process takes a long time and the action is inserted and removed many times during the process. So it is important that you return it to the same place each time. 

For this project I chose to use a semi-inletted stock. A semi-inletted stock is a stock that has 70-80% of the shaping and inletting completed and you just need to do the final inletting and shaping. I like them because I find that it is easier to get the correct proportions when most of the rough work is already done. 

But there is still a lot of work left to complete the stock work! 

For this stock I chose to inlet the bottom metal in the mill. I trued up the bottom mounting surface of the recess and opened up the sides to fit the bottom metal. 

 Then I inserted the bottom metal and taped it in place in preparation of inletting the action. 

Here you can see the action with inletting screws attached. The inletting screws are rods that fit very tightly into the screw holes on the bottom metal. They are threaded on one end so they can be screwed into the action. These rods will keep the action aligned with the screw holes as the inletting is performed.