Like PETA doesn't bitch enough already. Displaying the hide of an 'Endangering Animal' !!!

For your penance, wear it with the rough side down.

This thread took a funny turn with the crocodile sling. I guess  bumps side down could keep the sling from sliding off your jacket in the winter.
Local boy, did you make a template to size the stock when you were working it down? I could see making a template from these fake credit cards that the credit card companies send. My thought would be to make one fit an original Krag stock then enlarge the template a little so the stock will be oversize, then gradually work the stock down fit the barrel band. Your photos look good you must have done something right, maybe you can elaborate on the procedure that you used.

Just to be clear, I was not complaining about the crocodile turn,
I got a good chuckle out of that.

Thank you Jim for the kind words!

I believe there should be enough retention from the band compression, SO FAR.  I’m sure the band will loosen over time due to the wood naturally expanding/contracting.  Also repeated installation/removals and sustained firing will probably have some effect.  To deal with some of the problems mentioned I’m leaving enough wood, where the band will be positioned, to allow for tightening of the band screw for more compression if needed.

I’m still toying with the idea of drilling a hole through the stock and using a barrel band retaining pin… However, BR’s suggestion gave me and idea that might work!  This website I found has spring locating pins that may be the ticket.  I’ll have to do more research.

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Sorry Fred for getting off-topic, 

The stock could have been used, as is, when I received it but I thought it was too clunky and needed something.  Since the stock is not an original Krag stock I wasn’t too concerned about dimensions being correct.  I’m just eyeballing and free-hand-shaping to my particular taste.  I tend to rush things and make mistakes so I’m taking my time and removing a little wood here and a little wood there trying not to make any serious errors.

I like the “credit card template” suggestion and will have to file it away for future reference.  At a recent gun show I came across a Model 1899 Krag carbine, with a milled barrel tip for a bayonet, and thought it might be a nice project for a PC or BO rifle.  The credit card template may come in handy!

Since Jim is not able to use the Savage band, if anyone else wants to try it that has more meat in the 12 1/2 inch area, I will make a steel version of the nut and tap the desired threads in it for as a no charge experiment.

I checked on my take off barrel, at 9" from the receiver there is a mark from the original SA band, I think. I tried the 1/2 wide aluminum "nut" and the band can be forced to that point, I am fairly certain the band will pull to fit the barrel there. The depth of the pocket under the barrel is a little than 7/16 and still needs to be about .7inches wide. The barrel is .728 at that point so the recess will need to be made for .778 wide to accommodate the barrel plus band thickness. Other than the recess for the band thickness nothing out of the way will show from the barrel side.
So on the barrel side you need a rectangular pocket .778 wide and 1/2 long and almost 1/2 deep. If I was doing it, I would use a piloted 1/2 drill to rough the pocket and put the corners in with a Dremmel type tool. For the escutcheon recess possibly use the same drill to make a pocket 1/2 diameter and 1/8 to 3/16 deep. If you have at least 1/4 left for the escutcheon to pull against it should not cave in the stock at that point. So is you stock about 1 inch or more thick at 9 inches? That will be the what you would measure with you calipers (top of the barrel to the bottom of the stock) minus the barrel thickness.
LocalBoy's application of the original SA band looked real professional, I am not sure if I could pull that off myself. I think I could buy a couple of hard ware store 1/2 paddle drills and make the 2 pockets easy enough. I need to go buy one but I am thinking of sharpening the shank side into a cutting edge and pulling the drill through the centered pilot hole.

It turned out at the point Jim picked there is plenty of room for a Savage barrel band. PDFs are on the list of attachments, so we will try to post a cross section drawing of Jim's stock with the hardware installed.

Well I did attach the PDF, when I view it the only way I know to get out is to close the program. The ESC key does not bring you back to the post. Maybe someone that knows can tell us how to get back to the post after viewing the PDF.  Right clicking on the attachment will allow you to download or view the attachment without kicking you off the website.

Anyway the drawing shows 1/2 the screw and 1/2 of the escutcheon in the stock for clarity. On the right the complete screw and escutcheon. I could have done the stock work on the milling machine faster than I could have explained how with the tools and fixtures on sporterizing howto. The trick here is to make a kit that will allow someone with limited stock working skills to do a accurate work and pleasing appearance when finished. I did a mock up on a piece of 2 X 4 and think the tools will work. I will reduce the photos to manageable size on the next post.

Thanks, Parashooter!
More photos.
The first is the basic parts of the kit, the escutcheon is pressed into the 2 X 4 mock up, 3/4 bar end with band and first 1/2 mock up nut, finished nut and screw, pull drill and brass handle, and drill guide in back.
Second photo is the drill guide on the 2 X 4 with a rough barrel channel.
Third photo, using the pull drill with a tap driver for a handle (turned by hand). The brass handle will replace the tap driver. Technically this pull drill is a pull counterboring tool, pull drill saves typing.
Forth photo checking the escutcheon pocket depth with digital calipers behind the pull drill.