I went through almost a lb of 4350 before I decided I needed to get back to work. I like this puppy, and I will name her Rosey (deceptive, heh?) because she makes me smile.
I tippy-toed down to the hardware store and bought some solder paste. I tapered the barrel band to fit the barrel by turning it on sandpaper wrapped around the barrel (one layer), chamffered the outer edges a bit, tinned it, and soldered it on. I need to clean it up and she is ready for the hunt.
I made the initial cuts on the magazine box (pics below) and will make the front nose piece and the rear plate tomorrow. I moved the rear plate back as far as possible (thickness of rear plate) to lessen the metal that must be removed from the receiver ramp. The nose piece will enable me to load two rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, for a total of three available shots. To have gone for four rounds would have required widening the magazine, and this stock won't allow that. Note the homemade hinged floorplate and latch. I will have to move the pin forward about 1/4". I will use a standard Mauser spring and follower and should have no problems. Once it is all together, I can start the rail alteration to allow feeding the larger diameter rounds, which includes cutting back and reshaping the ramp to the chamber.
I thinned the stock to almost flush with the bolt release, but left it proud for finish sanding. It will be a flush mount. That's about it until tomorrow.
jt