Anglo Custom Rifle

[John MH]

Hi All

 

Happy New Year

 

Will be getting my first 6.5x47 in the New Year from Gavin, I'm getting it built for the McQueens at 200 and 300 yards. Currently researching scope options, I have a 5-25x56 PMII and a 3-12x50 PMII as well as a couple of Short-Dots so I'm pretty much sold on S&Bs. Having shot my first McQueens in October last year with my 6XC and 5-25x56 PMII (FFP) I struggled to see where the shots were falling around the V-Bull so the best I managed to do was a 50.3 which got me a 3rd place, the 6XC is easily capable of putting all the shots in the V-Bull so I think it was probably the scope that let me down. For the new build I am considering a 12.5-50x56 PMII with a SFP P4 reticule alternatively, if I could get my 5-25x56 changed from a FFP to SFP, I may stick with the 5-25x56 PMII as I don't think I would often use the x50 mag but would probably need down to x6 more often. Any recommendations and does anyone know if I can get my current 5-25x56 changed from FFP to SFP.

 

John MH

[baldie]

A 50.3 is a good score John.

You will find as you shoot the comp more and more, that those last few "v" s are extremely difficult to come by. I,ve shot mcqueens for a good few years, and have found short siberia to be the most difficult range i,ve ever shot it on. There are ways and means to shoot the comp, which i,m not going to divulge , but i can tell you from experience , and having shot it with a variety of guns and scopes....that its not down to the gear, although it does make a difference.

 

Short siberia has the oddest winds outside Diggle. Unless you drop on an absolutely still morning, the maximum score is all but impossible....i know one spawny git who managed it once however.

I dropped on the last slot of the day, at last years phoenix, or maybe the years before, when the wind had died...i shot a 59 ex 60 [ 50.9 ] and have won the comp several times at the various gallery rifle meetings. There is a lot of luck involved if there is wind, because you cant wait for it to drop when the head appears.

 

For what its worth, i,ve had the most success with a 6.5 x 47 and used to use an NXS on it, until i shot one day in bad weather and coudn,t see the "v". I switched to an S + B 12-50 x 56 and found this to be a much better scope for mcQueens. The field of view is greater for any given magnification, so that means you can use a higher mag and still see the castle edges in your peripheral vision. This means you can see the "v " easier.

 

The build of the gun dictates a good mcqueens rifle. It has to be accurate obviously, but if you put a mid weight barrel on it it, you will always be an also ran. A mcqueens gun needs a heavy barrel, for one simple reason. If you shoot a 50.5 you stay down and shoot again, which means another 10 rounds to count as a tiebreaker. Only a heavy barrel will send the second ten down without a POI change. Been there, and done it. My 6mmbr has a varmint weight barrel on it, and it moves ever so slighty when warm. My 6.5 has a barrel 1.3" thick on it. If i can get to the tiebreak situation, that barrel usually clinches it for me.

 

The mcqueens is won every comp by various rifles, even down to .223,s in sporter configuration. A win is a win, but only the heavy guns seem to win consistently. A mcqueens gun is a different animal altogether to any other, and i must admit, its a holy grail for me. I,m getting closer and closer each year to a perfect one i think [and hope ]

[colin jalland]

Good luck with high mag as much past 18x you can't see all of the castle so you have to scan left to right which is a pain .I shoot at 18x see the target from a central position aim shoot it works for me 50.3 is a good score .

[John MH]

Thanks guys.

 

I am going for a heavy contour barrel as this will be a mostly prone only gun. Reading the wind is not usually a problem for me or the 6XC doing 3300 FPS, even on Short Siberia, the problem was I could not see the bullet impact under the reticule at high magnification, I think I was using about x22. I'll probably try and get the FFP PMII swapped/traded in for a SFP PMII.

 

John MH

[brown dog]

Short siberia has the oddest winds outside Diggle. Unless you drop on an absolutely still morning, the maximum score is all but impossible....i know one spawny git who managed it once however.

 

 

 

'spawny git'?!

 

Did you mean: 'Jedi' ?

 

 

....and this, just when I'd almost managed to stop mentioning it in every conversation too

[baldie]

Thanks guys.

 

I am going for a heavy contour barrel as this will be a mostly prone only gun. Reading the wind is not usually a problem for me or the 6XC doing 3300 FPS, even on Short Siberia, the problem was I could not see the bullet impact under the reticule at high magnification, I think I was using about x22. I'll probably try and get the FFP PMII swapped/traded in for a SFP PMII.

 

John MH

 

As you get into the comp John, you will find you get one chance to read the wind...at the start, and adjust accordingly. Trust me, i,ve shot it with a 6mmbr doing 3150, and it makes no difference. You are in the lap of the Gods when the wind changes, because on a three second exposure you have to make a snap decision.

 

As i intimated in the earlier post, the comp isn,t about the equipment so much, its the methods and tactics that win it .

 

You also have to factor in the fact, that 9 out 10 times you get a bunch of arseholes on the heads. If you think you have shot better than the butts crew intimate...you must always challenge. I,ve lost count of the times i,ve seen scores rechecked, and found to have a couple of "v" s extra.

 

I know several people who have stopped shooting the comp because of the crap butts crews.

[Streeker59]

I fancy a crack at that.. Isn't the McQueen's shot on the old advancing soldier target behind a castellated target frame type thingy ?

[John MH]

As you get into the comp John, you will find you get one chance to read the wind...at the start, and adjust accordingly. Trust me, i,ve shot it with a 6mmbr doing 3150, and it makes no difference. You are in the lap of the Gods when the wind changes, because on a three second exposure you have to make a snap decision.

 

As i intimated in the earlier post, the comp isn,t about the equipment so much, its the methods and tactics that win it .

 

You also have to factor in the fact, that 9 out 10 times you get a bunch of arseholes on the heads. If you think you have shot better than the butts crew intimate...you must always challenge. I,ve lost count of the times i,ve seen scores rechecked, and found to have a couple of "v" s extra.

 

I know several people who have stopped shooting the comp because of the crap butts crews.

 

Crap NRA Butt Markers are no surprise, quite happy with the CoF and Tactics whilst I know its not all down to equipment I would suggest that you need a rifle that consistently shoots 1/4 MOA to have any chance of keeping them all inside a 1/2 MOA V-Bull. I think my problem was that although I was shooting a tight group I could not see it clearly under the FFP Mildot Reticule to make a Kentucky windage or elevation correction, I am therefore leaning towards a trade in of my 5-25x56 PMII FFP P3 reticule for a 5-25x56 PMII SFP P4 Fine Reticule S&B.

 

I don't expect the 6.5x45 Surgeon will shoot any better than my 6XC T2K but the barrel should last a fair bit longer.

[Elwood]

McQueens is a great discipline to shoot, I normally get too shoot it four or maybe five times a year but at 300 yards on magpie alley on Century, you certainly do get some odd winds coming over the trees.

 

As already said a 50.3 is a good score.

 

My preference is to shoot it with my 6BR as it is a heavy rifle with light recoil and I can often spot my shots using a PMII 12-50x56 and the sport fine ret, which incidentally is also superb for 1000 yard F class. I did try my 6.5x47 but as the rifle is a medium weight 12lbs rifle I found it jumped to much. I think Dave (Baldie) is spot on with his comment of you are in the lap of the gods with the wind there's just so little time to change.

 

As for the marking, well that's another story all together, I have had targets marked as only nine scoring shots, only to get the target back and count ten holes! obviously someone scored some good skunk that weekend

[baldie]

The FFP p4 fine works just great John. I wouldn,t have anything else now. I ask them to put up a clean spotter, and leave it there usually. Then spot my own sighters and make corrections. Perfectly easy with the S+B and crap eyesight like mine is now.

Best scope for the job....bar none i think. No trouble at all seeing the "V" bull even in poor conditions either.

[brown dog]

Interesting thread.

 

Interested in hearing more on your McQueen's rifle Holy Grail quest Dave; could it double purpose as a tacticool or would it be discipline specific?

 

Couple of my weird musings:

 

Where do you fellows see the disadvantage of a smaller 6mm hole sitting in all this? Offset entirely by the lower recoil & better wind behaviour?

 

300m vs 200m - I enjoy 200m more as I think 300m is a bit pedestrian, you barely have to move- far less angular movement to get on target.

I'd like to see the 300m castle have a 50% increase in width to retain the angular movement required at 200m. Anyone share that thought?!

[baldie]

Watch this space Matt.

My first Valkyrie actions were delivered yesterday.Pics will follow tomorrow when i remember to take a camera. I,m building a .260 Rem on serial number 1. Its a fat , custom fluted trueflite which will be around 24" finished that is going on it, coupled with a wallis and grommet can. Probarbly in a manners t4 or t5 with his dbm. I think it will be as close to a perfect mcqueens gun as i,m ever gonna get, and obviously it will double up as a tactical rifle in that configuration.

 

I would like to see the castles made twice the size on both distances, and that would make it all a lot more interesting.Also, junk the crap , politically correct target, and go back to the Huns head, like we use at diggle.

[John MH]

Interesting thread.

 

Interested in hearing more on your McQueen's rifle Holy Grail quest Dave; could it double purpose as a tacticool or would it be discipline specific?

 

Couple of my weird musings:

 

Where do you fellows see the disadvantage of a smaller 6mm hole sitting in all this? Offset entirely by the lower recoil & better wind behaviour?

 

300m vs 200m - I enjoy 200m more as I think 300m is a bit pedestrian, you barely have to move- far less angular movement to get on target.

I'd like to see the 300m castle have a 50% increase in width to retain the angular movement required at 200m. Anyone share that thought?!

 

I shot my last McQueens with this:

 

 

It was however sporting a 30" Mike Rock 5R 6XC Barrel

 

IIRC When they shoot the McQueens at 300 Yards during the Imperial on Century the Target used is the Fig14 and there is no V-Bull so its far easier than the 200 Yard version on Shorts where the NRA PC Fig 14 is used. I'm going for a 6.5x47 as a 50th Birthday present to myself and will be using it specifically for the McQueens so can tolerate a heavy profile barrel, it's going to be fitted with a brake and will be threaded for a moderator as well.

[brown dog]

Watch this space Matt.

 

Is that the very cool new action you mentioned to me a while back? Sounds perfect, can't wait to see it!

 

(I've slowly come to realise that the manners T4 is the ultimate stock too, that will be the perfect rifle! (well, when l/h! ))

[John MH]

Looks like I'm going to go for a .260 rather than the 6.5x47, new Lapua Brass clinched it.

[baldie]

It is a little more versatile John. I,m going to barrel mine in the morning in .260. I have a 6.5 x 47 and the comparison is going to be interesting. I want to use the 139 scenar and its good bc.

[Guest richness]

A 50.3 is a good score John.

You will find as you shoot the comp more and more, that those last few "v" s are extremely difficult to come by. I,ve shot mcqueens for a good few years, and have found short siberia to be the most difficult range i,ve ever shot it on. There are ways and means to shoot the comp, which i,m not going to divulge , but i can tell you from experience , and having shot it with a variety of guns and scopes....that its not down to the gear, although it does make a difference.

 

Short siberia has the oddest winds outside Diggle. Unless you drop on an absolutely still morning, the maximum score is all but impossible....i know one spawny git who managed it once however.

I dropped on the last slot of the day, at last years phoenix, or maybe the years before, when the wind had died...i shot a 59 ex 60 [ 50.9 ] and have won the comp several times at the various gallery rifle meetings. There is a lot of luck involved if there is wind, because you cant wait for it to drop when the head appears.

 

For what its worth, i,ve had the most success with a 6.5 x 47 and used to use an NXS on it, until i shot one day in bad weather and coudn,t see the "v". I switched to an S + B 12-50 x 56 and found this to be a much better scope for mcQueens. The field of view is greater for any given magnification, so that means you can use a higher mag and still see the castle edges in your peripheral vision. This means you can see the "v " easier.

 

The build of the gun dictates a good mcqueens rifle. It has to be accurate obviously, but if you put a mid weight barrel on it it, you will always be an also ran. A mcqueens gun needs a heavy barrel, for one simple reason. If you shoot a 50.5 you stay down and shoot again, which means another 10 rounds to count as a tiebreaker. Only a heavy barrel will send the second ten down without a POI change. Been there, and done it. My 6mmbr has a varmint weight barrel on it, and it moves ever so slighty when warm. My 6.5 has a barrel 1.3" thick on it. If i can get to the tiebreak situation, that barrel usually clinches it for me.

 

The mcqueens is won every comp by various rifles, even down to .223,s in sporter configuration. A win is a win, but only the heavy guns seem to win consistently. A mcqueens gun is a different animal altogether to any other, and i must admit, its a holy grail for me. I,m getting closer and closer each year to a perfect one i think [and hope ]

 

That is most interesting

[John MH]

Most of the parts are now here as the CG Trigger has just arrived, its now a .260Rem as opposed to a 6.5x47 and is due to be test fired over the weekend.

 

Next week the scope should also arrive, a SFP 5-25x56 PMII 1/4 Min Double Turn P4F S&B fitted with Third Eye Tactical Rings.

 

I'll post a picture when I get one.

[brown dog]

Most of the parts are now here as the CG Trigger has just arrived, its now a .260Rem as opposed to a 6.5x47 and is due to be test fired over the weekend.

 

Next week the scope should also arrive, a SFP 5-25x56 PMII 1/4 Min Double Turn P4F S&B fitted with Third Eye Tactical Rings.

 

I'll post a picture when I get one.

 

 

Test firing at Bisley?

[John MH]

Gavin's testing it, I didn't ask where.

[brown dog]

Klar. Was going to suggest an RV.

[John MH]

Maybe another time.

[littlefraggle]

Gavin's testing it, I didn't ask where.

 

Im rolling it out for a run on Sunday. albeit with a manky Remmy trigger!

Gav

[John MH]

You should have the CG by then hopefully, provided Royal Mail do their bit.

[littlefraggle]

You should have the CG by then hopefully, provided Royal Mail do their bit.

 

Which they have not!

Fail , Remmy it is...