Fore arm length on straight hand bolt rifle

[Potashminer]

I am working with a small ring mauser. The rifle will be scoped - no iron sights. The stock I am working from is a straight hand stock - no pistol grip. I am trying to work out how long the forearm should be on this rifle - the barrel from front end of the receiver to muzzle is 22".

I have read various opinions in Internet - to invoke the Golden Rule (divide barrel length by 1.618 = 13.6"); half the barrel length less 1" =10"; never longer than 10" or shorter than 8"; and so on. I am curious if others have tried this - what worked out and what did not.. I plan to cut a hemisphere at the end of the stock where-ever it ends up being cut off.

 

[Leeper]

I would make it around ten inches; no more.

 

[Mauser98]

I have no imagination so when carving my stocks, I pretty much stick to using the Golden Ratio to determine fore-end length. For my 21” barrels, I end up with a 8” fore-end.

 

[guntech]

I ignore the actual barrel length and measure from the front of the receiver to the muzzle... then make the forend length a maximum of half of that or less...

 

[bearhunter]

OOOOORRRRR, cut it to the length YOU FIND AESTHETICALLY APPEALING.

Also, if you're worried about weight, as short as possible and still being able to hold onto easily.

I personally don't like the look of very short fore ends. I also like to have a bearing area to rest on my walking stick/monopod.