Removing the Schnabel

[Dave at kelton]

Hope this is in the right section Mods.

Some of you will have seen my last post on this. Well a trip to Westlands was the last straw. One hundred birds and I had taken the skin off a finger so started on this project as previously posted and using your advice.

Used low tack frog tape to mask the chequering and areas I didn’t need to touch then covered that with heavy duty gorilla tape. Then taped the forend to a scrap piece of wood. This helped protect from crushing and gave me more to hold when working. I then worked slowly with a medium grade oxide paper working largely with, or at 45 degrees to, the grain. The paper was attached to various sizes of sanding block to maintain a flat surface.

So that’s more or less the Scnabel gone and I just need to start finishing. I will post when finished. So far about an hours work.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

How did you damage you finger?

How far forward do you have your leading hand?

[Dave at kelton]

17 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

How did you damage you finger?

How far forward do you have your leading hand?

I have long arms and shoot with my leading hand at the end of the forestock and finger pointing forward. So the Schnabel for ends tend to have a sharp edge that catches my second finger. At my age I am not minded to change my grip which probably comes from shooting side x side most of my life. probably a bad habit but hey ho

Anyway job is done now and fine finished this afternoon. I have applied first coat of oil which will be left overnight and finish  built up, hopefully to match. First signs are it will.

[Old Boggy]

13 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

I have long arms and shoot with my leading hand at the end of the forestock and finger pointing forward. So the Schnabel for ends tend to have a sharp edge that catches my second finger. At my age I am not minded to change my grip which probably comes from shooting side x side most of my life. probably a bad habit but hey ho

Anyway job is done now and fine finished this afternoon. I have applied first coat of oil which will be left overnight and finish  built up, hopefully to match. First signs are it will.

I take it that it had a Deeley catch rather than an Anson push rod. I was hoping to do the same to my 16 bore Lincoln Jubilee but it has a push rod which doesn’t leave sufficient wood to get rid of the schnabel. Whilst I don’t have any problems using it as such but just prefer the look of a forend without the schnabel.

OB

[JohnfromUK]

It looks a good job. 

It is interesting to me because I have 'field model' Berettas which have non Schnabel forends - which are still quite bulky and Merkels which have a very slim tapered forend.  In both cases, my preferred hand position is around the 'front edge' of the forend.  This is easy and comfortable with the slim Merkel design, but rather 'clumsy' feeling (though it does me no harm/injury) with the rather more bulky Beretta.  I have never like a Schnabel and never owned one (though have fired borrowed guns with them) and presumably like you due to starting with a s/s where the hand is on the barrels in front of the forend.

[Dave at kelton]

2 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

I take it that it had a Deeley catch rather than an Anson push rod. I was hoping to do the same to my 16 bore Lincoln Jubilee but it has a push rod which doesn’t leave sufficient wood to get rid of the schnabel. Whilst I don’t have any problems using it as such but just prefer the look of a forend without the schnabel.

OB

Yes deeley catch and enough wood to take out what I needed. I haven’t taken it perfectly flat on the bottom for fear of taking too much off. The blemish will only be visible on very close inspection.

[Dave at kelton]

Finished

[Old Boggy]

1 hour ago, Dave at kelton said:

Finished

Very nice job there.

OB

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Very good, I hope it helps and that your score rises proportionally!  

[Old Boggy]

12 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

Finished

Very nice job there. Looks great.

[Dave at kelton]

11 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Very good, I hope it helps and that your score rises proportionally!  

I am sure my score won’t improve as I only shoot clays for practice and am average at best😂

[Scully]

Looks grand. Are you happy with how it looks back on the gun? 

[Dave at kelton]

4 hours ago, Scully said:

Looks grand. Are you happy with how it looks back on the gun? 

Thanks and Yes very happy. So much so might do the same to a Yildiz 28 bore I have for the grandchildren to use when they visit. I wish I could the same with my Caesar Guerini but they are push rod and there is insufficient wood thickness.