bewsh Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 What seems like years ago I decided I needed a 6mm in my life It took me a long time to choose one something that ideally was going to replace my 300wm as a long range plinker but also be used on quarry (deer, fox mainly) I wanted a sako action, possibly in a sporter, then completely u-turned and decided to go for a long, heavy barrel in a tactical style stock! Stumbling across another component magpie I purchased a Bartlein 5r 1:8" Heavy Varmint blank, 200 lapua and Norma cases and all the redding dies one could possibly need for a bargain price! all i needed now was an action and a riflesmith This being my first semi custom I spoke to a lot of smiths and looked at costs and timelines and went to meet a number of them. I was referred to Alan Maughan (BigAl on here) and went to meet him. He had a well sorted workshop, meticulously organised and he had a Tikka 590 action waiting to be barrelled. Having seen some of the work he had completed I was very impressed, some of the load testing targets that go with the rifles need to be seen to be believed. Expected turnaround time was impressive also. You can see some of his videos and work on here too: https://www.facebook.com/alanmaughancustom/ We agreed he would do the rebarrel on a 595 action and I would finish my AI clone stock for the project. (that bit sadly is still in progress!) Alan helped decide on neck and throating for the 105gr AMax. (it will be mainly headshots at 300yds obviously.....) In hindsight I should have got Alan to stock it as well. Too many projects! Anyway! Ignore the stock, that is temporary, just had to get it shooting! This is a really nice touch He cuts the thread protector to cover the crown the join is so invisible that the proof house actually mistook the thread protector for the muzzle and stamped it! I have the world's only proofed thread protector..probably! Took me a while to get a scope that I was happy with. Plumped on a 8-32x50 SIII Sightron. Really like Sightrons now I did manage some load development before Christmas in the tunnel at Braidwood Not ideal as the digital target always leaves me wondering about its accuracy.... but its gets you there! lots of others were "there or there abouts" The best were two loads 30.0gr and 30.2gr of N140 under the 105gr AMax 31.2gr was also good but showing signs on the brass I shot the first load without a moderator as I was struggling to find one that either fit over the barrel or was what I wanted I ended up with a DPT muzzle can in .22 (its a 6,5mm bore. Very quiet, so quiet in fact I did the whole session today without ear protection, not something i take lightly) Hasn't been out of the cabinet since unfortunately. Been invited to shoot at 600yds at the weekend at Ponteland so I pulled my finger out and tried to finish working up a load 5 rounds of two charges at 4 different OALs increasing from the initial OAL all the way to the lands Not ideal conditions! sloping ground, forgot my rear bag, couldn't find a spot at exactly 100yds, started to snow, wind picked up! dog kept sitting on me....I will think of some more ... Tested one shot to get the zero with the moderator. interesting that there was no change with it on! I am guessing a big big barrel and a super light DPT combination Anyway groups started off very average and I wondered what was going on, other than me! first group low charge short OAL started stringing vertically. I decided to jump to the next charge level shortest OAL Not great at all! next one was much better but I was struggling a bit with the trigger. Can't quite decide if its too light or just unpredictable being new next group was messy, possibly me got better last one, the longest OAL, touching the lands first four shots in the same hole....pressure got to me and the last one screwed it all up! came out at 13.1mm or 0.22MOA ...without the flyer! 0.5moa with! back to the lower charge level all the groups showed the same thing 4 in the same hole and one just outside! The last one I really wanted too much as I could see it was small!! should have stopped at 4 rounds! 10.4 mm or 0.13 MOA for four shots ....0.3 MOA for the five Looking forward to working on this in the new stock with a decent platform! I am no superstar when it comes to shooting groups or reloading so I have no doubt I am the weak link here! All the bottom row show the same pattern, 4 shots in one hole and one out! One thing I am not used to as I have only had factory barrels before SOOOOOO easy to clean! 6 patches and the last is barely showing anything! All in all I am delighted with my first semi custom and the builder was a pleasure to deal with. 30gr of powder and no recoil is a shed load nicer to shoot 41 rounds back to back than it is with the 300wm at 80gr!! Looking forward to Sunday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Nice one Ed. Very happy with mine. Using 31 grains N135 over a 70 grain BT for foxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17 Rem Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Nice one Ed. Very happy with mine. Using 31 grains N135 over a 70 grain BT for foxes. What primer are you using, Toby? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 Nice choice bewish caliber wise , another nice build by Al. coupled with the budget 105 Amax can give quite amazing results . Armed with a quality LRF its the buisness as its not the flatest trajectory . I use that bullet in mine . I would try bergers but its for fox vermin mainly and it just works . As the bergers dont expand , shame really they seem to be very accurate when tuned properly iv read . In 224 they shot well from my 223 ackley . Dont worry about the stock as shootings more important , and i know about having a tidy workshop its better for the smith when the customer sees it tidy and in order although it can't always be perfect . I know what you mean about better than factory barrels , they do clean easier as you say . Also my pac-nor on mine seemed to start grouping tighter after about 50 rounds , but i did put on a CG trigger unit on which helped as the std 25yo was in need of stripping and polishing as it was unpredictable and not giving confidence . Nice to see you had a tight-ish neck , assuming you dont need turning ? Just load N play ? Well hope you get to play more with it , happy shooting bud . Would like to see new stock pikkys if you do change it , gun porn younno .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 You've got a lot of work bewsh, 6mmBR with quality custom barrel and good handloads will put them all into one raggedy hole. Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forbie Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 I personally am steering away from the A max too much variation in a box of 100. Just loade up Lapua's and have Sierra and Berger to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 What primer are you using, Toby? CCI 450 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si-Snipe Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 I agree with Ian. There's so much potential in both the cartridge and that rifle. Alan has done some work for me over the last few months and the results speak for themselves. Alan built me a 20 Practical on my 595 and the OAL test results can be seen in the first photo. The calipers were zeroed at 0.204" hence the edge to edge measurement. He re-chambered my 6.5x47 after 1200 rounds and after completing the powder charge weight test I could see the rifle was more accurate and less fussy than it was when new! The charge weight test can be seen in the second photo. Alan also throated out my 223 specifically for 77g TMK and it now shoots very well. A recent test on paper at 608yds yielded a 2.1" group which was rather pleasing. The OAL test for the 77 TMK post throating can be seen in the final photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paratrooper Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 SUCH A GREAT RIFLE. THE 6 BR PUTS A BIG SMILE ON MY FACE EVERYTIME I SEND A ROUND DOWN RANGE. I HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH RELOAD SWISS 52 AND EARLY TESTING LOOKS PROMISING. GOOD LUCK WITH THE RIFLE BEWSH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bewsh Posted February 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 You've got a lot of work bewsh, 6mmBR with quality custom barrel and good handloads will put them all into one raggedy hole. Ian. Yeah I know Not looking to break records fair bit of fettling as the stock is too short for me, cheek weld too low and I am not entirely happy with the trigger so that is first on my list Had it out at Ponteland today Weather was foul! solid 15-18mph with gusts at the targets hail/snow/sleet only at 200 yds but one of the markers came up after my first stint and told me I'd split the marker dowel from one shot to the next! Had to take a picture its a 10mm dowel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Bewsh, your first post had most groups with three shorts in a decent group (couldn't quite figure the measurement on them all) and one out. Did you notice any consistency for the 'out' shot? Like it was the first cold barrel shot of the set,,or the last of the four (barrrel warming,shooter excitement!) If it was random ,then maybe your points about rifle fit etc help explain.... Yesterday was not the best for testing at Ponteland (I was glad of the rugby option). gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bewsh Posted February 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Hi its actually four shots and one out all groups were five shots I measured the group of four in mm and MOA and then added the flyer in mm and MOA (numbers underlined and/or circled are MOA, smaller figure for the 4 shots and the larger figure including the odd one only pattern I can say was it was never the first shot. sometimes the last one unlikely to be the barrel warming.....its is seriously heavy and remained cold definitely room for improvement at my end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bewsh Posted February 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 New stock! much better fit for my lanky frame need to get out and do some shooting now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si-Snipe Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 That stock will make prone shooting more comfortable and perhaps offer higher levels of accuracy due to the style. Let us know how you get on Ed. Si Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Nice looking rifle Ed, nothing holding you back now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Hell yeah , seeing posts like this make me wanna get out lovely rifle .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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