Barrel channel help if you would.

[youp]

I am going to put a Muzzle loader into a Boyds stock. The ML has a 7/8 inch barrel. The stock is fit for a standard barrel taper. I have never opened a barrel channel with anything other than a jack knife at a range.(a long story with disgust and patience as key lessons)

Can I do it with just the 7/8 barrel channel tool or do I need to start smaller and work my way up. Purchasing the one tool would be an advantage. I am still working on the patience thing.

 

[Unclenick]

I used both the scraping type tool and a rotating sanding drum on a Foredom tool, the latter being faster and giving good control. You just need the right drum size. I bought a set at a Sear's hardware.

The right size scraping tool will also work fine, and, working a bit slower, gives the highest degree of control.

 

[Doyle]

You can do it just fine with a length off pipe that is a little smaller than the barrel wrapped with sandpaper. Start with 40 or 60 grit to hog out the bulk, then go to 100, 180, and finish with some 200 or 220. When you think you are getting close with the rough grit, use a parafin candle (one that smokes a lot) to blacken the barrel. Press the barrel into the channel and the blackened barrel will mark the places that are still touching. As soon as you can attach the stock without getting any barrel marks, switch to the finer paper to smoothe it out for finishing. The tiny bit of extra material you remove during the final smoothing process will be your "float" space.