What is the best way to attach a forward sling swivel on a tube fed marlin / glenfield 60?
I've two marlin and one savage tube fed that I've been getting up and running as loaners. There does not appear to be enough wood under the tube to put a normal stud on (either screw in or nut and bolt style), and I don't think the tube is strong enough to use the kind that clamps on the feed tube.
Would the best bet be to use a threaded plate with a nut attached under the tube (like one of the furniture threaded inserts with a backing plate - just cut into a bar to lay in the tube channel and thread a hole in it)?
Looking to come up with a solution that will put up with the beating that a loaner will get.
You can buy a 'clamp on' sling swivel set at most gun stores that sell slings/swivels. You might have to special order it though, my local stores only stock the ones for .30-30's.
If it were me I'd buy one, attach it as closely as possible to the point where the tube clamp holds the tube to the barrel (the tube will deflect/bend less close to this point than farther away from it - of course the if the tube is well supported by the forend of the rifle then it might work there, too). If the sling swivel attachment device bends the tube enough to cause feed issues or to damage the tube then there is no reason to use that type of sling swivel or rifle (let alone the cost of replacing the tube.)
The 10/22's (some of them) have a barrel band. Some sling swivels are attached at this barrel band. I don't know if that idea would work on a tube fed .22 or not if the barrle band was moved rear wards onto the forend and the forend sanded/filed/refinished to make it fit the contours of the 10/22 style barrel band.
Interesting issue. You know, most slings/sling swivels sold these days are meant for carrying the rifle, not for use in shooting it more accurately.
Have been thinking, on and off, about adapting a clamp-on/tube-feed(e.g. Winchester 30-30-type), or shotgun-type stud attachment to the tapering barrel of the Henry AR7 "Survival" rifle to make it sling capable as loaner for small or young 'Seeders. Rifle has, normally, an eight round magazine, so unloaded transitions would have to be carefully monitored during a RFAQT (have seen that 15 round magazine are also available - have to try one).
Best part is Henry will sell instructors AR7s under their Instructor Purchase Program for under $200; just have to ask.
Excelsior,
madMark
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=25011.msg192124
In this thread, look at the 1st set of pics. The bottom two pics were on a .22 tube fed, bolt action rifle, the top 3 pics, a Ruger 10/22.
I think this might work for you. I plan on making some of these after I get back to work in the new year. I'm not sure how much they'll cost yet. Those were the 1st prototypes. Once I get em done I'll post all the info.
Steve
A long time ago, my dad had a tube fed 22 ( i forget what make/model, like I said it was a long time ago) and it had a normal stud/swivel screwed into the front of the fore stock. It was like how some shotguns have the swivel on the end of the tube. It wouldn't give your hand a place to keep from moving forward, but it solved the problem.
I have two very old Glenfield 60s. One is a rifle with a stud in the forestock. The other is a carbine with the stud in a barrel band, similar to a Ruger 10/22.
I've got a Marlin 60 where I've attached the front swivel stud using a stud with a machine screw instead of a wood screw type. You've got to shorten the machine screw some so that it doesn't touch the tube of the rifle, and indent the nut (from the tube side) so that it lays flush to the top of the wood channel in the stock. You can secure it with some epoxy if you're worried about the nut moving.
If the nut that comes with the stud is too thick, go to the hardware store (or your nut and bolt stash) and get a thinner one that doesn't need to be indented too far into the wood in order to be flush. It's a standard US thread.
The rifle is a tack driver, so apparently any stress from the sling on the forearm isn't transmitted to the barrel.
Pretty easy way to attach the front swivel stud.
Dick
Thanks - it looks due to the thickness (or lack thereof) of the wood, I'll probably countersink a nut into the wood with a bit of metal brazed to it and lying at the bottom of the tube channel. Should spread the load out and give a firm mount point. About the same concept as the nut that the front trigger guard bolt goes into.