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Working on a wood case for the 77/22s

6K views 41 replies 23 participants last post by  donie 
#1 · (Edited)
Been thinking about this since the rifle slipped out of a soft case on to my toe.
I came across a 50yr old slab of African Blood Wood, also known as Wenge. The wood is sort of like Hickory, but considerably heavier and harder.
I re-sawed the slab, to make the 3/8" frame, and the 3/16" thick sides, that I ripped in 3 pieces moved around and glued for stability.
The corners are Box jointed, I would have used hand cut dovetails if the rifle was an antique.
My intent is to make the case as small as possible, this required the scope to be removed-3"reduction in height, the bolt removed- 7/8" in thickness. So, the case is 8" tall, 2 7/8" thick. 41"long.
Removing the scope is great, as my wife likes the sights, mounts are good, it always goes on with no error.
The bolt is a bit of a problem having to fumble around getting it back in, so I am incorporating a forearm rest that flips out of the 2 door box at the end of the case. That will allow the rifle to rest upright for scope, bolt installation, and to run a patch through the barrel.
The box will contain the bolt, screw driver, 3 magazines, small bottles with oil, #9, and Aeroshell 7 grease for the bolt. also small items jag, brush etc.
The brass cleaning rod holds in 5 boxes of ammo, and when pulled out releases the spring loaded end door, then The inner door then can be flipped open. The inner door will have the forearm rest attached that hides under the end door when closed.
Everything will be locked or blocked down. The rifle itself will have a lock down so as the case can be opened upside down and the rifle will not dump out accidentally.
Hardware available is pretty bad, so I will fabricate my own hinges and case locks, copying cargo hold hardware I seen on a vintage aircraft. The lid will be removable from the hinges.
For the case handle, Iam going to use sling swivels with a short piece of leather between them, also adding extra swivel studs spaced so the rifles sling can be used if the unit has to carried some distance.
For a finish, I will use True oil, smells right, and easy to touch up.
My progress so far-I will add photos.






 
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#4 · (Edited)
I had some health issues, this is the first wood project in over a year, I have to go at it alittle at a time. I have alot of time in the rifle, doing many of the mods found on the forum, so it should have a good case.
Thanks for the great comments!

I just noticed how messy I am, I will clean it up next year, well, pretty sure about that.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I am just going to make the case hinges and latches. I mentioned above about seeing some on a vintage aircraft that had storage boxes inside with simple latches that are low profile made of aluminum flat bar. The latch itself hinged, snaps over a round steel post with a notch using a spring and plunger on the latch, like on the rifles extractors.
The bottom hinges will look the same, about 1/2" wide flat bars that the case will sit upright on also protecting the wood.
The way the aircraft hinges are, the lid opens just over center and stops instead of flopping over. The lid can then be moved back to upright and slid off the hinge pins.
I will draw them out, and machine them in a day or so, Ha, faster then can be ordered and shipped to Walla Walla Wa:eek:
This entire project including the rifle work is a text book example of excessive compulsive disorder!

Thanks so much for the comments, giving me a boost.
 
#9 ·
Part of the fun of making this case is being able to make it anyway I wanted to, I was concerned with size so it would stow away in a particular "wife" selected spot in a small motor home.
Sure, otherwise the box is just as easily sized up for the scope, and made thicker for the bolt to remain installed.
Going by the seat of my pants on this thing, I am pretty much drawing this out on paper as I go. I would assume that any of the standard 77/ rifles that are about 1.95" thick at the magazine will fit in this case.
The scope could change things a bit if its wider then the thickest sides of the rifle, then the case would have to be thicker, and the bracing adjusted to hold the rifle good and not put any pressure on the scope-easy to do if I have good scope measurements, and like how far the front end of the scope is from the end of the barrel.
I seem to be recovering well from surgery, about 4 out of 8 cylinders firing at this time, I wouldn't mind making these cases, as I can.
The least cost would be for me to make the basic box, with bracing and some open compartments, store bought hardware, padded and lined with felt.
Of course the wood is a factor in cost also.
I am just stumbling along right now, but after I get this one together, I have a large amount of 50yr old rough sawn Western Maple, I think should be nice. Perhaps I could make a case out of that and get a better idea if I could make cases at a reasonable cost.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Using one of the box lids as a fore arm rest is working better then I thought.
I made a notch at the bottom of the fork shaped piece that the sling swivel folds into, that keeps the rifle from rolling over on its side, a little padding -it will work.
The fork attached on the under side of the door, will hold down the the bolt that sits in a cradle.
I will make a support, a piece of wood on a hinge with a spring, that will keep the lid from flopping back closed with the rifle on it.
This will make it easy for my wife to use the rifle, she needs a third hand to get the bolt in.



 
#13 ·
That is awesome.:bthumb:

Your workmanship is "old school" when craftsman really knew what they were doing. In the old days it was common to have a nice wooden box for firearms. The cost today is prohibitive so it is rarely done today.

Well done.
 
#15 ·
My woodworking experience is from making shipping crates for the machine shop. A few years ago the area schools closed their woodworking shops and the equipment sold for next to nothing, so the woodworking blended in to the metal working:confused:
My Grandfather made a rifle box years ago out of birch plywood for a Win 52, my brother still has it.
There were plans for rifle cases in old woodworking magazines, and books for the radio alarm saws. I think that started dying out in the 60s, seems most home made wood rifle boxes are from the 50s.
I think a mahogany case would be awesome, perhaps using this wenge on the edges, its really tough.
Still fiddling with the 2 door box thing.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Probably right!
One of the small problems coming up is the case finish. The rifle is close to 30yrs old and has some dings, so I am going to leave the wood scraped and not sanded. That will give the appearance of an older case.
Part of the fun of this project is my buddies reaction, he has a more worthy rifle.
I did not mention that to fit the rifle better to myself, I removed material on the right side at the grip area on the stock it is a bit thin in that area, a little risky of getting broken in a soft case.
I pillar bedded the action, free floated the barrel, then had to add a pressure point at the end of the fore arm. At the pressure point, because I was pulling the barrel/stock slightly to the left using the sling, I sunk a 1/2" hole between the sling swivel and the fore arm tip, and then turned a plug out of ebony to fit in the blind hole. Like a piston in a bore, shims can be placed in the bored hole causing the ebony cylinder to apply pressure to the underside of the barrel. So the ebony piece is flat on the top allowing the stock to flex some without pulling the barrel to the left.....using the sling-clear as mud?
Anyway, I do not want any pressure on the barrel when its in the case, the padding points are only on the stock, and top of the receiver, the barrel, other then the pressure pad in the stock floats when in the case.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Getting the storage box set up.
When the cleaning rod is pulled back the door at the end pops up from a wooden spring and pin.


First door opened, then the door with the fore arm rest can be opened.


All opened up.


I think I will go with this, there is space under the spring button at the right for patches and a few other things. Because I pillar bedded the rifle, the old snap-on stubby driver is all that is needed.
There is alot going on in a very small space. The basics to use and service the rifle in the field are in the case.
 
#20 ·
Photobucket has had problems, I have been making progress on this case.
My wife has gotten involved complicating things a little, she wanted a little pocket knife stowed away in the end of the compartment where I put the brush and patches.
I will take some more photos.
I am very happy with this wood, been some drastic humidity shifts, the wood is stating stable.

 
#21 · (Edited)
Man thats fantastic craftsmanship! Word of caution on the screwdriver you have included and shown in the pictures. That particular "vintage" of Snap On screwdriver had handles made out of a material that will deteriorate and chalk up first, then start to bleed and stink! Was a Snap On dealer for about ten years and cant tell you how many of those handles I had to replace for folks! I would try and get a replacement handle or go with a different driver perhaps? Not sure what chemical bleeds out of those handles, but its nasty and I wouldnt want it to bleed all over my fancy wooden creation:bthumb:


The one pictured in the bottom pic is the one I'm referring to, the one showing the knife.
The other pic has a driver that will be fine and dandy for years to come
 
#25 · (Edited)
Wow! thanks for that.
The little two door box is finally done, everything fits tight with no rattle.
I put some finish on the wood in that area. I have the scope mounted to an aluminum rail, so no need to pad the box for it.
The felt lining I am using is an Allen rifle cleaning pad I found at Walmart. It has a rubber backing.


The doors open by unscrewing and pulling back the brass cleaning rod-


The rifle nested in, the support to keep the door from flopping closed is folded out.


Another view, the secret door in the end space, the rack of bottles stands up when the cleaning rod is pulled back further, crazy I know.
 
#29 ·
Yes, the magazines wedge in and hold the secret compartment door closed.
The rifle is beginning to fit tightly in the case without bind, but I had to make space right at the fore arm checkering to get a couple of fingers under it to pick it out of the case.
A good side benefit, is my wife is interested in shooting again:bthumb:
 
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