I reckon I be ok from here on - I made a little vest with a nice sheepskin / suede leather pad sewed on the shoulder it soaks a fair bit of it up and the job on the butt has got the buttplate area up almost double what it was - hopin for a bit of half decent weather tomorrow for a tryout
While I have yr attention .....tapping the barrel for that ""null point" I get a change in tone about 3 to 5 inches from the muzzle - an area about two inches long - the barrle has been cut - only 26 inches long so not ringing really like a long tube would -- does that make sense - I have not shot this off sticks - our target LR match is shot rifle club style - they truss emselves up like the christmas turkey in fancy slings and tight laced coats but no little sticks up front. At home I shoot off a padded Vee rest under the forearm - standing bench -