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DIY Adjustable Cheek Rest on the cheap

Trental

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 30, 2011
261
8
Boise, ID
I bought my 6.5 Creedmoor LRP last year with the intentions of turning it into something else (metallic silhouette donor action), but when I found another rifle to fill the role I then had a Savage LRP to play with. What to do... set it up for F-class and Long Range UKD matches. The only decision I really needed to make was what scope I wanted to run. After some research I decided on the Sightron SIII 10-50x60mm and found one for a great price. I knew the stock on the LRP was seriously shitty for large objective scopes... just didn't know how bad it would be. I needed a higher cheek rest!

I looked at all the commercial options and nothing seemed right to me. The Karsten style seems to be the most popular choice in the "tactical" world but it just isn't for me and this rifle will never see true duty, just the range. It seems very functional but I just don't like it. My first choice was to buy one of the aftermarket systems like a LoggerHead and cut the stock and install that, but I am also a tightwad. Haha.

I decided to make my own. I bought a 1/4" thick sheet of Kydex from Ebay and then basically just forgot about it for a month or two while I thought of different ways to go about it. Below is what I came up with. It feels rock solid and puts my eye perfectly in line with the scope. I did a bunch of online research on shaping Kydex. Basically you heat it in the oven until it is soft and then you shape it. I used my stock as a form and just carefully laid some wet paper towels on the stock to protect the finish. Once I had the shape I wanted I set out on how to design the actual attachment method. There are probably hundreds of ways to do this. I decided on using 1/4-20 threaded inserts bedded into the stock and a simple spacer system to adjust the height. I wasn't looking for something that is knob adjustable as I am not planning on moving this once it is exactly where I want it. However, I can detach it in under a minute and remove/add spacers and have it back on in less than 2 minutes total.

Lastly I contoured the cheek rest to make it a minimal profile for just what contacts the human face (plus a little extra). I did that on my disc/belt sander and then polished the edges on my buffing wheel. I'm trying to decide if I am going to add a layer of moleskin for comfort.

I'll take some more photos from the other side so y'all can see the spacers. Looks like I need to countersink that front screw a tiny bit more. The bolt easily removes without hitting the rest. I will however have to remove it for cleaning. Like I said... a sixty second affair.

Cheers! Hope this gives you guys that have been thinking about a solution some ideas.

CheekRest3.jpg


CheekRest2.jpg


CheekRest1.jpg
 
Re: DIY Adjustable Cheek Rest on the cheap

I was using a strap on soft pad made by Blackhawk. Although it was the right height it was too soft and basically a pillow strapped on the stock. It would work perfect for a 40-44 MM scope. I wish this stock had a higher cheekrest from the factory.

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Re: DIY Adjustable Cheek Rest on the cheap



Thats a great setup.. I might have to copy you on that,,


Ch
 
Re: DIY Adjustable Cheek Rest on the cheap

Looks good. I love DIY. Show us the other side.
 
Re: DIY Adjustable Cheek Rest on the cheap

Hmm... im gonna have to copy this. i really like how it turned out.
 
Re: DIY Adjustable Cheek Rest on the cheap

Here is the other side. I need to re-profile the right side a little bit for aesthetics, and I need to touch up the bedding compound around the inserts.

These pictures are shitty, but it's dark outside. I'll replace them with better ones tomorrow after my match. Shooting a 3x1000 with this thing tomorrow. I'm looking forward to a much better cheek weld that doesn't feel contorted.

CheekRest5.jpg


CheekRest4.jpg
 
Re: DIY Adjustable Cheek Rest on the cheap

depending on the thickness 300-375f any hotter it will shrink
 
Re: DIY Adjustable Cheek Rest on the cheap

I did 225* for fifteen minutes and it was perfect.

I just got back from my 1000yd match and the cheek rest was perfect. I definitely need to countersink that forward screw a tiny bit more and I'm going to stick a sheet of moleskin on there. My cheek is a little sore.
 
Re: DIY Adjustable Cheek Rest on the cheap

I like it. I was thinking of doing much the same thing with a wet fiberglass/resin lay-up but a moulded plastic piece might be faster and less messy.

Thanks for sharing.
 
Thanks very much for sharing your idea here.

i plan to make my own cheek rest, but cannot find 1/4" thick kydex around the planet.
From where did you get your kydex on ebay?

Many thanks
 
Look at knifekits.com for kydex and supplies for it.

If you don't want moleskin I'm thinking Brownell's sells an adhesive rubber pad in different thicknesses made to be used for a cheek rest.
 
Cheap heat gun from Harbor Frieght does a fine job heating kydex. An oven may be better for heating an entire sheet, but for simple bends the heat gun works well.
 
This is a great DIY solution. I too needed to add some height to get my eye in line with the scope on two different rifles. And, like you, I'm looking for the cheap way to do things. I opted to cut the stock and use steel rod and stop collars for my mod.

My first go at it with a Bell & Carlson . . .

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...t-mcmillan-a5-my-stab-stock-modification.html

My most recent mod on a Boyd's Tacticool . . .

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...l-stock-modification-another-diy-project.html