sanding fiberglass/composite stocks question

[uplandhunter870]

so around xmas i bought a bell and carlson medalist stock to replace the wood stock on my 270. due to school and work ive just now got the metal parts of the rifle in the new stock and it needs some minor fitting in the barrel channel, barrel doesnt free float and has some contact on one side.

what is the best way to go about sanding the stock, ie what grit sandpaper, wet sand vs dry sand, i have little to no experience working with composite stocks and really dont want to mess up a $200 stock due to my ignorance

thanks in advance,
Uplander

[iusmc2002]

If you don't wanna mess up the stock, just bend the barrel at little bit in the direction you need 

[Huntbear]

Dry sanding is fine... I always use wet/dry auto type sandpaper... 

[Heredoggydoggy]

Put a coat of non-permanent black marker on the barrel to show where it hits the stock, and use a dowel wrapped with sandpaper, 100 grit or finer, to remove material in the barrel channel until you can slide a piece of paper down the barrel with no binding when the action/barrel is in place.  A nice finish here is unneccesary because it won't be visible anyway.  Are you going to paint the outside of the stock?

[uplandhunter870]

thanks everyone

Heredoggydoggy--- no i wont be painting the stock its already painted and ready to go. they claimed this was supposed to be a drop in and bolt down replacement but i didnt like how it dropped in, cant get a slip of paper further than an inch down the stock under the barrel.

[Heredoggydoggy]

OK, you need to remove enough material from the barrel channel so the paper slides all the way down the barrel.  The barrel can't be touching the stock at all.  The stocks are cut out in a machine, and if fine-tuning isn't needed, you are 1 in a million!  The hard work has already been done for you.

[high country]

Put a few wraps of tape on the barrel and bed the action.....best of all worlds.

[Nape.257]

 

[724wd]

i've had good luck using self adhesive sandpaper wrapped on an appropriately sized socket.  180 grit seems to work well for quick removal and decent finish.  since it's only the barrel channel, you shouldn't really care what it looks like.  i used this technique on a B&C stock and it worked well.