Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Purpose of a full-length "Mannlicher" forend? Disadvantages?

I have looked at a Ruger International before. I think they look "cool" but wondered about the original purpose of full-length forends. Also, what disadvantages arise?

They are good looking.

BMT

I would guess that the full length wood was simply to protect or at least attempt provide, some degree of protection to a military rifle barrel going way back.

It is a common theme lasting several hundred years right up to the M1 Garand version.

A carryove to civilian rifles with anything is "usual" so the Mannlicher short rifle with full stock was the next step and current today in the Luxus model rifles.

I see not fuction that serves as a practical gain in a hunting rifle that is cuddled most its life and rarely if ever dropped in the field.

This year marks my 45th year as a hunter and I can actually remember every fall I ever had with a rifle, so they are not really that common and my days/years in the field are excessive compared to most.

AGW

Just did a column about this for RIFLE, which will appear in a couple of months.

At one time, of course, just about all rifles had long forends. Military rifles kept them longer, because the extrs weight and "grabability" made more effective as clubs if you ran out of ammo.

Most sporter Mannlicher-style are short-barreled. The extra wood actually helps them balance a little better, especailly for offhand shooting. In Europe they are also popular for mountain hunting, where many hunters use them as hiking staffs.

John Barsness

Other than "really cool" ... I do like the additional front end weight on a carbine. A well thought out mannlicher stock allows a bolt brush gun to balance well (while looking really cool).

Note ... was typing while the "real" gun gooroo was talking 'bout the balance issue.

Proper +1 Mr. Barsness duly inserted here ...

I have read the origin came from what Mule deer mentioned: a hiking staff in the mountains (Austria). I own several full length stock carbines, and love them for woods/treestand hunting. I always thought that Mannlicher Schoenauer was the first to come up with that configuration. A "Mannlicher" stock seems to be the common name for a full length stock, like Kleenex is to tissues. An "International" stock was a term that Ruger coined. The main disadvantage that I can think of is the pressure on the barrel making the rifle a bit less acurate than a half stock gun. Sako mannlicher carbines are actually 2 pieces. The front part of the stock, is a seperate piece from the barrel band forward. My late sixties .308 Sako will hold a 1.5" group at 100 yards with factory ammo. My Mannlicher Schoenauers will do a bit better.

I think, and have always thought, the Mannlicher fore ends are ugly. Also, it just leaves that much more stock to flex into the barrel.

I think you will find full length stocks that predate Austrian influence going way back to percussion, flintlock, rope burning ignition rifles, perhaps 3-500 years ago.

Adaptation is not origination. I think JB hit it more accurately than I did as rifles in war time were indeed clubs in warfare.

I once read documents on Daniel Boone whereby it was common practice in the 1700's to consider a rifle as a single shot, litterally, where the standard practice was to aim, fire, attack and use the rifle as a club and draw either pistol/knife/ axe and begin the hand to hand fight that was inevitable as reloading was not even considered an option.

AGW

Yep. I forgot about them old smoke poles!

They look cool... Very continental..

Don

Blaine ... Ugly???

Although I don't call it "Shillelagh" for nothing ...

Has anyone who has actually used one, had a problem with the wood warping/pressure points, more so than shows up on a half-stock?

I have always heard that they will be finicky due to the extra wood, but yet everyone who I talk to who has one seems to say they shoot just fine and don't move around much.

Dakota ... Mine (7x57) shoots between .45 (good day) and .75 (bad day) for 3 @ 100 with 139 gr Interlocks seated 5 thou off the lands and 50 gr H4350.

That's be a fine looking rifle if you cut the forened back a bit..... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Nah, I'd leave the fore end where it is but install some iron sights to add visual balance.

- TJM

tjm ...

We did discuss the visual balance concept at one point ... but decided to pass on a "boar tit blade" just for the sake of sake.

I have also heard or read that some indian prince requested a full lenght stocked rifle to be used as a walking stick and that had something to do with the origin.

Good looking rifle..I like it.
My caliber too.
Don't pay any attention to the unitiated... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
My Dad's hunting rifles were all full stocked.

Don

Gav:

I just took another look at that photo you posted. That's a stepped, military barrel, isn't it? If so, that's nice accuracy for a short bullet in a long throat.

- TJM