Installation B-Model

Tools needed:

• Handrill
• 1/4 Drill Bit
• Pencil

Karsten “B” Kit:

• 1-Saddle
• 2-1/4 bolts
• 2-Blind nuts
• 1-Rubber pad

Estimated Time:

• Less than 1 hr.

The first step in the installation of the B-model is to decide where on the stock you want the rest to sit. On bolt action rifles make sure you can cycle and remove the bolt once the cheek rest is installed.

Checking placement and bolt clearance

The bolt is pulled all the way to the back of the action as if it is going to be removed for cleaning.

Check the placement and the bolt clearance a few times to make sure it fits and the bolt will clear the saddle.

Mark all 4 top hole locations (left and right side of the stock) with a pencil or other marking device that will be visible once the saddle is removed from the stock.

Holes marked for drilling

Once all 4 holes are clearly marked get our your hand drill. This is the tough part. You’re going to be drilling four, 1/4″ holes in your stock. Don’t worry, if you’ve checked the bolt clearance and you like the position of the saddle on the stock, it will all come together.

The stock we’re adding the Karsten cheek piece to is the stock Savage “tupperware” model which, is hollow, foam filled plastic. The hollow plastic stock is very easy to drill through.

With your hand drill use a 1/4″ bit and place the bit in the center of your first mark and drill. Slower is better here. You may want to center punch the marks and drill a pilot hole if you’re a perfectionist. We didn’t and everything lined up nicely.

Drill all 4 holes (two holes on the left side of the stock and two on the right) until you are through the plastic and into the foam.

Drill each hole through the stock into the foam.

After all four holes are drilled, slowly align the back two holes by passing the drill bit in one hole out the other. Repeat on front holes.

Clean out the holes by drilling through both holes

The B-Model is a little more work than the A-Model because of the blind nuts/inserts.  To accommodate for the width of the inserts it is necessary to expand the 1/4″ hole to a 3/8″ wide x 1/2″ deep in the left side (cheek side) of the stock.

Blind nut/insert 3/8" x 1/2"

To do this use a 3/8″ drill bit and simply ream out the two existing holes on the left (cheek side) of the stock. Our example is again, the OEM Savage “tupperware” so we only needed to drill through the plastic which was pretty thin.

Drilling existing holes for the inserts.

Once your holes are done you’re ready to test fit the saddle and bolts. In many cases the bolts will need to be shortened to get the right fit. Our stock is pretty narrow so the bolts had to be shortened.

Bolts are sticking about 1/4 through the stock

To Shorten the bolts a hand grinder was used to trim off about 1/4″ of the bolts.

Mark the threads where they need to be cut down. We needed to trim about 5 threads off each bolt. We cut the bolts flush with the stock.

The bolts were marked by threading on a nut to where the cuts need to be. The nuts were then taped into place with painters tape. The cuts were made with the bolts out of the stock. After the cuts, the tape was removed and the bolt was backed off to clean up the threads. CAUTION! The bolts do get hot. Wear gloves or let the bolts cool before handling.

Slide the saddle back on the stock, run the bolts through the saddle and stock then thread on the blind nuts/inserts.  If the bolts are still to long do a little more trimming and repeat until you achieve a good fit.  If the bolts can be tightened enough to secure and hold the cheek piece in position you’re done. Adjust the saddle to your liking, tighten the inserts with a 3/16″ allan/hex key and go shooting!

Optional:

Included in the kit is a sheet of 1/8th inch rubber that can be glued to the upper exterior surface for a better contact area with the cheek. If you are in hot conditions and/or wear face paint regularly affixing the rubber sheet will give you a more consistent, no-slip, cheek weld.

Suggested glue is 3M 80 or Hi Strength 90 to glue rubber in place.

Karsten Cheek Rest B-Model Finished