New shooting chair

Shot my highly modified Perazzi TM1 with a 4'' high Olympic rib by Roger Eubanks, a 12.5'' LOP pistol grip stock made by yours truly, an adjustable comb made from parts from an old Graycoil (sp) recoiling device.
The gun only weighs 7.8 lbs. It shoots 60/40.
Plus I had to go back to a pull trigger due to my spinal cord injury. My trigger finger won't release as fast but can pull just fine. After shooting a release since the mid seventies, I really found it easy. to swap.
My left hand is a different story. Needed a specially built device that keeps all fingers and thumb opened up all the time since I can not open them. I can however close them since they are held open with rubber band things. In the pic you can see the left hand device.

The chair is something else. This is the first time I ever used it since I bought it. Built like a tank. This chair will raise up, tilt forward, tilt back and even extend my legs out for better blood flow. Has Bluetooth and even a display screen and coil over shocks.

 

rookieshooter, you are an inspiration to all.

I admire that "never give up" attitude.

HB

 

Bravo Zulu.
btw....where was that pic shot?

 

God bless you, Sir. An inspiration to us all. Both the gun and shooting platform, along with the rubber band left hand thingey took some study.. just amazing.

 

Wright Patt Air Force Base OHIO.

 

thought it looked familiar.
thanks.

 

That's what I call dedication.

 

A living Angel teaching the rest of us.

 

My aches and pains now mean nothing. My best to you!

 

I love following your journey back to shooting. It's inspirational. Keep on shooting and keep on posting!

Thanks for the update, happy to see you on the trap field!!!

 

I’m blown away ! I just need to shut up and quit whining about the little things that I bitch about.
I absolutely admire your getting it done attitude. Keep crushing targets and keep us posted on how it’s going.

 

In the above pic I'm shooting my Perazzi.
Did some work on my Rem 1100 to remove barrel weight. What I did was to remove some of the Simmons rib up to to the point where it meets the Keen rib which is on top of the Simmons rib.
Before the modification the barrel weight was exactly 3 lbs. Now it is 2.6 lbs.
The part that was removed was completely useless, being my eyes are so high above barrel that I couldn't see it anyway.
Before and after pics.

 

Cleaning out an old gun cabinet and came across an old slug barrel for a Rem 1100. Hmm, now that's a light weight barrel and I just happen to have some left over Simmons rib material that I removed from my 1100.
I always wanted try my hand at installing a steel rib.
So after two cups of coffee, I started to work. First thing was to remove front rifle style sight via propane torch. This left a bare metal area about 2'' long x 1/4'' wide.
Next was to cut down rib to a much shorter length. Then slide in the vertical posts in the slot so they align up with the bare metal on barrel.
My biggest problem is that I do not have a jig like most rib installers use to square up the rib to the barrel.
So after another cup of coffee, it came to me. Use some of my super powerful rare earth magnets to hold every thing in place as I sighted down barrel.
Then solder up parts.
Actually it's going to take longer to clean up the mess from prepping the barrel and filling down some of the solder then it took to install rib.
Then send barrel to Keen sights to add 2 more inches of rib on top of the Simmons rib. Neither Simmons or Keen could make a 4'' plus rib that I need.
As if all this is not enough...Briley choke tubes just might be added...wink

 

Change of plans. Forget sending to Keen sights. I had about 6'' of Simmons rib left and not one to throw away good hardware. I slept on the idea on how to utilize this left over piece to give me the 4 + total inches in vertical height. BINGO!
I always shoot off the end of the barrel any way. Don't need any kind of long sighting ramp no matter what anyone says.
So I got busy building an AR 15 style front sight with the 6'' left over...more then enough.

And how did it perform? Remember this is an open choke 22'' slug barrel.
Set up pattern board, moved back to 35 yds. Slipped in a 1oz 7.5 with Clay dot. Rested barrel on tripod while raising my seat on electric scooter (this is like shooting from a Lazy boy recliner) and pulled trigger.
To say I was a little apprehensive while driving to the board is an understatement. The pattern was spot on. The center of the pattern directly over the X about 60/40.
This is good enough to send to Briley and then some more pattern time.
The gun is so light and sooo much fun to shoot.

 

Your dedication is and should be commended and appreciated by all. The will to keep doing what you love to do is and should be greater than any obstacle. Keep going!!

 

Just off phone with Jess Briley about installing choke tubes. I was concerned about the height of the rib having a conflict with the equipment used in installing choke.
Glad I did! The rib can not be no more then 3'' from top of rib to bottom of barrel. Mine is 5.5''.
Well since I installed the rib using soft solder, I can easily remove it and reinstall after choke is installed...lesson learned.
Plus I might add one more vertical post,

 

Lesson learned....

Rookie, you are teaching us all a lesson.

 

This is a pic of the Rem 1100 with the 32'' barrel. It did have a Simmons full length rib which I completely removed. Way to heavy for me! Plus I'll have Briley cut barrel down to around 28 or 26'' with choke tubes added. They now have my 22'' slug barrel which will also have choke tubes. This barrel will be for home defense and occasional trap.
I need to drastically come down in weight on all my Trap guns. Primarily at barrels that extend past my left hand. This is because of a shoulder operation that required cutting the bicep muscle from the bone on left arm...enough of that crap.

Just for fun, I bolted on my red dot scope that that I used to shoot from hip.
Back then it was 15'' above barrel. But after therapy I'm able to lift gun to shoulder for a short time. So what I did was to shorten the height to 4'' above barrel. This will be the height of the new short rib that I'll make from parts of other steel ribs that I have.

I do believe the days of shooting those heavy 34'' barrels are over. Including my TM1 perazzi which will have the barrel cut down and end rethreaded for the .740 bore tubes which the gun has now. The Eubank's Olympic rib will be moved back and also shortened in length. I'll have enough rib left over to make another bump style rib for another gun...grin.

First pic is shouldering Rem 1100 with red dot scope.
Second is when shooting from hip
Third is Eubanks rib on Perazzi.

 

I’m going to copy and print some of these great pictures and the next time someone says

I can’t shoot today my back gets stiff after a few shots or, my shoulder hurts a little

I’m going to pull them out and just stare at the guy

Rook, you are amazing

 

Way cool, keep up the great work!

 

Before cutting Perazzi barrel down to around 28'', going to try something bazar. Since weight that my left hand and arm has trouble supporting. Going to try a ''Mid rib'' idea I've been thinking about. That Eubanks steel rib is heavy. Those 4 vertical posts are 1/4''x3/8''x 4'' high. A total of 12''.
My idea would be to remove the first three, starting at muzzle. Next would be cutoff adjoining rib.
This would leave the rear ramp one vertical post and only a very short rib. Plus the total weight of this rib would be much closer to my left hand. As it is now, mounted at end of a long barrel which multiplies the force by leverage.
In the pic just imagine the ramp and one post on the barrel. Easy to see how much the total weight of rib would move the fulcrum point inwards.
When shooting and staring at target only, it would be hard to tell if the end of rib was closer or at end of a 34'' barrel.
Time will tell.

 

Thought about it long enough! Off comes the majority of the rib. But before I did I talked to Roger Eubanks to find out if he soft soldered or silver soldered rib to barrel.
Just like I thought, silver solder. So put propane away and grab Map gas.
Removed rib just past the first vertical post from breech.
What a total difference in handling. So much easier to lift and swing. Whether I have barrel cut down and have Briley rethread for chokes only time will tell.
Next was trip to pattern board...patterned fine.

Still waiting on Rem 1100 22'' slug barrel from Briley to have choke tubes installed.

Next I had my wife make a extra shell holder that used velcro to strap around arm rest.

 

Just weighed Perazzi after removing part of rib. It now weighs a mere 7.6 lbs And it still has that long 34'' barrel. I think I mentioned the forearm iron has had a weight reduction makeover also.
It's light enough now to start thinking about competing again in Spring

I think Brad said at one time ''old men and heavy guns''. Now I can say ''old man and not so heavy gun''

 

In my quest to remove weight and build the perfect gun to fit my needs. A 34'' barrel is no longer needed, maybe back in the day, but not now.
One thing I have learned thru all this is that your (my) brain will adapt to new circumstances. What is now different is now the new norm.
In the pic in the above post, I removed a portion of rib leaving only the rear ramp and only a very short rib.
Later on I will send this barrel to be shortened to where the yellow line is in the pic below and choke tubes installed via Briley.
Should be between 28 to 30'' long.
At first the gun may be a little too quick in the swing but the brain will quickly adjust.
Note in the pic how far back my left hand is. This is because I'm trying to support all the weight of the 34'' barrel.
Also I'll be getting rid of part of the barrel that has all those ported holes.

 

Been following you journey from the beginning -great determination -- Hope I will have that much grit to keep shooting down the road.

 

Briley called and informed me that the Rem 1100 22'' long slug barrel has been shipped and fitted with a LT full choke tube. Should be here this Friday.
Like I said in an earlier post, I had to remove the little rib so it could fit into their machinery.
I may try attaching rib in various locations along barrel for ease of lifting. It may end up close to receiver, in middle or at muzzle? Sight picture will also determine location. The closer to receiver the higher the rib needs to be. Not mentioning pattern testing.

 

That is super story. God bless you and your ability to think and go outside of the box to continue shooting. Get em all!

 

Congrats to you and your determination! You’re an inspiration to anyone that thinks they can’t!!

 

Just received Rem 1100 barrel back from Briley with the light full choke installed. This used to be a 22'' slug barrel with rifle style sights.
Had to solder back on the rib I made cause the barrel would not fit in their machinery to install choke tube.
I also removed the rear slug sight for weight reduction...the ounces take care of the pounds. You can see the rear sight if you scroll back. Even the large nut that secures the forend has holes drilled into it.
The angle finder really made installing the rib perfectly aligned with receiver and barrel a snap.

 

World's shortest "rib" !

Is this specifically posed for the photo, or do you actually shoot with the butt against your bicep?

 

Yes I do. It's taken a long time to get the gun this high.
The more lite I can make the guns the higher I can lift and longer I can shoot.
Went to my rehab doctor yesterday and he said I've reached about my maximum improvement for a spinal cord injury that I sustained.
About recoil on my bicep, almost nonexistent. The way I built the pistol grip stock my rt hand absorbs the majority of recoil along with my forearm as it pivots back at elbow, kinda like a natural recoil damper.
In fact I have some recoil absorbing material on palm side of grip.

 

Just finished shooting for POI at 10 yards cause my pattering at 35 yds sucked. Found out that the bolt that keeps the stock tight to receiver worked it's way loose...again. Off comes recoil pad. But this time I installed a paddle bit to my Dewalt impact driver drill and really torqued it down good.
You can see some of the recoil absorbing foam on back side of pistol grip. Most recoil is here, not arm.
To get the 12.5'' LOP I needed. The back of recoil pad had to be cut to clear for nut to extend into pad about an 1/8''.

 

Removed the short rib from Perazzi. Will send the barrrel to Briley and have them cut off 9''. This will give me a much lighter gun.
I made a jig for positioning rib back to exact location before it was removed. This way I can make sure POI should be the same.
Briley told me rib had to be removed so it could fit in their equipment to cut barrel and install choke tube.
The second pic shows where the barrel will be cut and where the short rib will be mounted

 

Absolutely Amazing

 

Nice chair, I got my eyes on the BR Pivot Lite. would work nicely for me considering i have a terrible back.

 

My Perazzi is now at Briley waiting for them to cut 9.5'' off barrel and install choke tube.
Did not like my Rem 1100 rib that I made. Still too heavy and clunky for it's purpose. Plus it did not match the rib on
the Perazzi.
The first pic is rib being relaced.
Second pic is much lighter and better looking IMO.

 

Second one certainly looks much cleaner. Nice job!

 

Here's a gadget that helped me tremendously installing these various ribs. Prior to this I never done a steel rib before.
It's a laser device that one would use putting up shelving and such. I just place it on top of receiver, directing laser beam down top of receiver, along
center of barrel and then up to top of of rib. Then solder up when all is aligned. Look close and you can see laser beam.

 

Old age makes the easiest thing difficult. Shoot until you can't.

 

My TM1 Perazzi barrel that Briley shortened by 9.5'' and re-installed choke tube is in transit back to me.
Next I'll have to re-solder the 4.5 high short rib and send back to Briley to have re-blued.

 

Here's my shortened 34'' barrel to 24.5'' barrel with Briley tubes.
Next I'll solder rib back on. Then some more ideas on more weight removal before Spring.
As it is now, the new balance point is 3'' back from hinge pin, which was the original balance point.
The further back the better for me.
New weight 7 lbs before rib.

 

Here is another weight removing mod that I started. That hunk of steel that is left over from the original rib above the breech is going to be removed.
Used an electric bench grinder then went to hand held files. After an hour and a few band aids later I got the shape and finish done.

Below is a pic of the hump that I removed. It's about 2'' long and resulted in 2 oz of weight reduction from barrel.
Ounces take care of the pounds. I'll take another pic of finished job later. But first need to change band aid...too close to grinder.

 

Here's a pic of the gun barrel sanitized of of useless mass. Filed down the rib towards muzzel end flush with barrel. The remaining rib tapers up gradually to monoblock where I then drew it down along top to about 1/2'' from breech face. If you look closely you can see separation line between monoblock and barrel.
I like the way Perazzi artfully engraved along the line. This is why I had to grind and file along monoblock being it is a one piece design and could not use heat to melt solder...there was none.
Next a little more front rib mods then to get blued.

 

Here's part of my front rib mod. Need to lighten the furthest item from my left hand since this is my most troublesome area.
I'm in the process removing a substantial amount of material from the 4.5'' vertical post via drilling. No structural loss to speak of including less wind resistance on those strong east west winds lol.
Might say this is my GAIN OF FUNCTION as in able to gain shooting function again.

 

I'm amazed at your determination and talent. Have you thought about have a rib made with a 3D printer. Would be quite a bit lighter than steel.

Alan

 

I chamfered the edges of the drilled holes to give it more of a finished appearance. Not mentioning even more weight reduction.
If I had to give this mod a name it would be my ''Crop circle engraving''

Remember; Spartans simplicity is
contusive to good trapshooting.

 

Nicely done

And another important ingredient to good trapshooting?

Donuts

 

Here's a pic of both the Perazzi TM1 and Rem 1100 with the new ribs installed after Briley installed choke tubes.
The Perazzi weighs in just under 7# and the Rem 8#s. Barrel lengths are 25'' and 22'' respectively.
Next both gun barrels will be sent back to Briley for rebluing.

 

Now back to my electric scooter. Time to start Tricking it out ! Since I'm a diabetic, and have a hard time handling heat and high humidity. Thinking about an OBVS as in ON BOARD VENTELATION SYSTEM lol. First I would find a small 12v electric, dash mounted type fan. Attach to side of the head rest. This would direct air to back of head and cooling all the blood vessels in the neck area. Now to really kick it into high gear, place a cold wet cloth around neck...BINGO cooling via evaporation.
A side benefit might also be keeping shooting glasses fog free

 

I was working on gun stock and removed recoil pad and just for fun mounted gun. What a surprise! The gun came up easier and was able to raise gun about a half inch further up my arm. Reason was the less I have to extend my arms out the more I can lift the weight.
So a quick visit to the chop saw...off comes 1'' of stock which was the width of the pad. Then install pad, but 1/2'' higher.
Next was to try this insanely short Perazzi out. What better targets then a flock of about 500 black starlings feeding in and around my Bluebird meal worm stations.
The 1oz 7.5s worked admirably in the fridged air leaving many a bird for coyote food.
The below pic shows just how short the gun is. Originally I shot this gun with 34'' barrel and 14.5'' LOP.
There is a 36'' yard stick laying next to gun for comparison. Gun now is a total of whopping 38'' long.I
Now I can send to Briley for much needed bluing.

 

A little correction regarding raising recoil pad. Yes I raised pad. But gun is no higher, the comb is still 4.5'' above barrel, just the pad is up higher on stock. The shorter length is easier to raise gun.

 

Rotated the above pic.
A little easier on the eyes. Barrel is all boxed up and will take to UPS today for shipping to Briley again and again

Next on the back burner might just be a custom aluminum gun case made just for the Perazzi TM1.
It will be full length since the whole gun is only 38'' long. No need to reassemble gun each time .Only take apart to clean.

 

.Just ordered one of those soft short assault rifle cases.
40'' x 12''. I can leave gun fully assembled or take down. May order one just 30'' long if I decide break down 25'' long barrel Perazzi.
Then put assembled Rem 1100 or another gun in the 40'' case.

 

Briley will be sending you Christmas cards

 

After lifting the Perazzi a few thousand times to build muscles back and shooting a few hundred times in back of house. Time for some TLC.
First need to modify the trigger guard. Since I had to build the stock with a pistol grip turned out 3 to 4 degrees. This puts my trigger finger at an angle going thru the guard which now causes my finger to rub edge of guard. A little grinding solved that problem.
One pic is of the modified guard and other of the outward tilt of pistol grip.

 

I eventually had LOP down to 11'' but changed it to closer to 12'' like the Rem 1100. Plus when I built the spacer I increased the heel measurement by 1/2''.
The recoil pad was not fitting my arm just right enough, too much at toe end.
Pic is piece of black walnut that I'll use. This stock will be a proto type that Wenig gun stocks can use to make a custom thumb hole stock.

 

The fun part was testing the my hinged 4.5'' high rib after I re-soldered it back on. Had to find out how it would handle the recoil as to the rib moving at the hinge.
This was also a concern of John who is head engineer at Briley. Glad to report there was no lateral movement at all. But yet a quick smack on the side would allow for the rib to over come the frictional forces at the hinge. Letting the rib to lay to the side without breaking the solder loose as in the scenario of falling off a gun stand.

 

I use a Drummer's Warehouse similar to the Tama above. Cost $130 at a local music store. Probably could be had online for a bit less. Three years of abuse and looks/functions like new.

 

Here is the new spacer, less staining.

 

Gun is a little different then avatar. Moved comb hardware from left to right side of stock. Also shortened comb. Added a pitch spacer while increasing LOP to 12''.
Made a ''Brake away rib'' that has already proved it's self. Removed metal on trigger guard that was rubbing on trigger finger. Removed what was left of the original Perazzi rib that was sticking up on monoblock. If you look close on avatar you can see the hump.

 

Getting ready to send 25'' Perazzi barrel out door to get re-blued.

 

Just received barrel back from getting blued.
Also trying out a new kind of recoil stuff on back of pistol grip. The other stuff I used turned to a slimy mess after contact with gun oil.
I call this recoil pad in a tube. No kidding. After squeezing out and curing for 24 hours, it has the same consistency as my my Kick-ez pad on end of stock.
There is hardly no recoil at all on arm, about 95% on palm of hand.
I needed something that I hope will stand up to oil. So i thought about automotive RTV gasket maker. BINGO, worked fine, just need to trim up. Seems to adhere
to wood just fine.
After firing of gun...no stinging of palm. Only time will tell if it holds up.

 

Thought I'd post pic of the re-blued barrel. I'm bored
Also made my longest shot a few days ago.
A crow was about to depredate my crops! It was about a 50 yard crossing shot. But a load 1oz 6's thwarted his plans. 25'' barrel worked great!

 

This is an amazing story and i hope it works well for you.
Rennerize

 

Rookie, You Sir are an inspiration to us all. Good luck