Custom components all ordered

[Elwood]

Right that's the ordering all over, now for the waiting.

 

A few months ago I decided I needed a new stalking rifle, the TRG is fine for laying out in ambush but it's just to heavy for practical stalking

There were three main criteria to meet' it had to be light, for me that is 10lb or under without scope, it also had to double up as a range rifle from time to time, but primarily it was going to be a stalking rifle, and it had to mag feed. I took the unusual step of deciding to order all the components myself for this new rifle, as opposed to letting a gunsmith do it for me. This was to me quite daunting as I'm not a technical person in any way shape or form, to give you some indication of my lack of understanding my theory on motoring problems are, if it's moving then it's working!

I have to say all in all it's been easier than I thought, although I have had some lucky breaks and some help from a few of you on here, for which I thank you.

 

So down to calibre choice, their were three calibres that I was considering, the .260, 6.5x55 and the 6.5x47, I chose the 6.5x47 after reading so many good things about this new calibre, the ballistics are better than the .308, with light recoil and very accurate and lapua brass available, what's not to like?

 

My choice of stock was the McMillan ADJ HTG, I have always liked this stock and after handling one at Mike Norris's my mind was made up, I was also told it's probably the best stock going for a medium weight stalking come light tactical rifle.

I called McMillan and ordered one with the integral cheek piece, which probably wasn't a good idea as this increases weight, my first mistake! I knew I was going to use a Remington footprint action so had an inlet for this and then chose a Sako varmint barrel inlet, mistake number 2! I already had a Badger ordinance bottom metal mag that I bought while in Texas earlier this year. Now to finalise the stock what colour and finish, I have always liked the marbled effect and after a great deal of thought I chose 60%dark green, 30% olive and 10% white. I later changed this to 50% olive, 25%black and 25% medium tan. I bottled it on my original choice, but I can’t help wondering what it would have looked like.

 

 

 

My action choice had to be a Remington footprint which I thought would limit my choice to either a Stiller or Lawton, after doing a lot of searching on the net I discovered that every major action maker other than Kelby? make a Remington clone. After talking to several of the guys from here and reading views and comments from the net I went for the Surgeon repeater with built in 20 moa built in piccatiny rail and was compatible with the Badger bottom metal.

This is where lucky break number one happens, upon talking to my local RFD he informed me that he imports quite a few firearm related items from the US so I asked the question would he handle getting my action into the UK for me, he happily obliged

Whilst on the phone ordering the action from surgeon I thought I would be cheeky and ask them if they supplied it with a Jewell trigger, my luck was in, they did and at $200 I just saved myself £100. I had intended to use the CG universal but changed my mind after reading that a bit of fettling was need to make it work with the Badger bottom metal.

Back on the phone to McMillan to ask them if it's not to late to have the action inlet changed to the Surgeon, by all accounts the angle of the bolt lift is at a different angle to a standard Remington and the positioning of the recoil lug is also different, thankfully McMillan said no problem.

 

The barrel, oh my god the barrel! What a nightmare, a nightmare dreamed up by me. I have always liked the profile of the Sako Varmint barrel, it's big enough not to heat up quickly but also handles well and doesn't seem to be heavy or ungainly, so I have my profile all I need now is someone to make it.

Once more, hours spent on the internet and a few PM's sent backwards and forwards on here and I decided on a Bartlein barrel, these chaps were formerly linked to Krieger, they also use the cut rifling method and made barrels with the 5R rifle, and I wanted both of these attributes.

So I begin emailing Frank from Bartlein barrels who informs me he can make the barrel in Sako varmint profile so long as I give him the dimensions, and so my nightmare begins. I will cut a long story short I couldn't find the dimensions or profile for a Sako varmint barrel anywhere. In a last bid attempt I PM'd JR who used to work at Border, I followed his advise and emailed both Border and McMillan asking for the figures I needed. Border pulled the rabbit out of the bag and gave me the exact dimensions I needed. Lucky break number two happens, In the meantime Dick Davies from McMillan replied to my email telling me that he thought the shank diameter of the Sako barrel of 1.120 could possibly be to small for the Surgeon action with a diameter of 1.360, it was at this point that I thought enough is enough and I decided to change the barrel profile to something more standard, I opted for a Remington varmint contour, 26 inches long, fluted with a 1-8.5 twist and 5R rifling

Back on the phone to those poor people at McMillan to change the barrel inlet, once again they were superb in dealing with my request.

 

So there we are all the components ordered, lets see how long it takes to get here! If I were to do it again the only thing I would do differently is to choose the barrel and action first and the stock last and hopefully that way I would get it right first time.

I have to say for the best I have enjoyed it and I have definitely learned plenty, lets just hope I have ordered all the right bits and have managed to keep the weight and the cost down.

 

Stock 3.3lbs

Action 2.2lbs

Barrel 4.2lbs

Bottom metal 1/2lbs

 

Approx 10lbs

 

Projected cost without shipping and tax is ADJ HTG stock £300, action and trigger £795, barrel £206 and bottom metal £169 Total £1470

 

Pictures to come.........................in five months time

[6mmBR]

Good luck sounds like a good package.

You won't go far wrong with the 6.5x47 Lapua, I've been running one for just over a year now a cracking little round.

At the moment with a 120gn bullet it gives over 200fps more for 7gns less powder than a 6.5x55.

Its been great on deer, however yet to test it on a big red, hopefully this will come in August.

If you ever want any info please get in touch.

Cheers

Dave

[baldie]

Great post Elwood....now just imagine if you had to do all that, week in, week out, for punters

I dont think people realise just how much legwork, and time goes into sourcing bits, and trying to get them all together in one place, at one time.

I,m sold on the surgeon action, we have a boxfull coming, and i,m having the first one that see,s daylight.

[skany]

Hi Elwood

 

Hope it goes smoother for you then it has for me!:-(

 

 

I ordered & sourced all the bits my self!(Most of it from the us of A)

 

but ive had a right mare with it all!

 

First wrong barrel !ordered a shillen 1-12 in 6mm & get a .22 1-12 turn up after 4 months!;-(

 

get a stunning stock made only to find out its been inleted for a long action & not a short;-(

 

sourced a lawton action & the pictiney rail suplied dosent fit it!

 

theres other little things that have been anoying to go along with those problems that i wont bore u with!lol:-)

 

what was going to be a bit of a blinging rifle has now turned into a stealthy media blasted understated rig which in practicality is proberly a good thing!

 

Like u i must have changed my mind a fair few times!

 

my A5 is on route from the states in 75%balck25%white & when that gets here i should be set as the metal work is all built & profed waiting for its new frock!;-)

 

would i do it again?

 

Hmm im not so sure!

 

I can see how builds end up taking longer then they are supposed to due to wrong/faulty goods being sent & long lead times on the components!

 

basicaly i should end up with

 

lawton action

shilen barrel in sendro format

mcMillan A5

jewle trigger

normal bdl metal(thought about a mag system but changed mind)

talley rings & bases

slurry blasted action & barrel

 

pics should be if all goes well in about 2weeks or so!

 

Good luck!;-)

 

Andy

[Guest varmartin]

All sounds stunning mate, and some fun along the way....hope your dream come true ASAP

[Ronin]

Ian

 

re the comment about Surgeons needing a 1.350" barrel tenon diameter, this applies only to the XL action (.338 Boltface)

 

The 308 bolt face repeaters will accept "standard" 1.250" barrels no probs.

[Elwood]

Andy, Dick Davies concerns were with the diameter of the shank on the Sako barrel (1.120) being to small for the Surgeon which has an outside diameter of 1.360. I wasn't in a position to question him and decided to make things easier for all concerned and go with 1.250 diameter barrel shank.

 

And up until about a week ago I didn't even know what a shank was

 

Skany, that really was a nightmare, did you send the barrel and stock back? if so how did you get on.

[skany]

Andy, Dick Davies concerns were with the diameter of the shank on the Sako barrel (1.120) being to small for the Surgeon which has an outside diameter of 1.360. I wasn't in a position to question him and decided to make things easier for all concerned and go with 1.250 diameter barrel shank.

 

And up until about a week ago I didn't even know what a shank was

 

Skany, that really was a nightmare, did you send the barrel and stock back? if so how did you get on.

 

Hi Elwood

 

It turned out ok in the end mate!

 

Shilen sorted me out "my" barrel or made me a new one within a week!(im guessing they found mine!)

 

I sold the .22 barrel thinking that would cover the cost of getting the correct one only to get a email 5 days later saying the 6mm has been dispatched FOC:-)

 

the stock was a robertson jobbey via master class & he credit the money back inc my return postage so a top chap really!

 

Luckly i orderd a Mcmillan A5 at the same time but changed my mind & fiqured i could sell it on in the uk & when i phoned up to inquire about it I was the next one due in!;-)(its on route)

 

So all in all i lost a bit of time but gained a bit of cash!;-)

 

not to woried as foxing dosent really kick of for a bit yet anyhows!

 

 

I have to say that this cstom rifle has a lot to live up to as my savage shoots bug holes @ a fraction of the cost!

 

I have a top chap on the case so im sure it will be awsome!(dasherman aka Neil)

 

Andy

[Elwood]

Andy

 

I'm glad to hear it all worked out ok and the people you used honoured their mistakes, you can't be fairer than that.

 

 

I have to say that this cstom rifle has a lot to live up to as my savage shoots bug holes @ a fraction of the cost!

 

I have a top chap on the case so im sure it will be awsome!(dasherman aka Neil)

 

Andy

 

As one of the top gunsmiths told me once, there's a bullet for each and every rifle, the problem is finding it and then you pray it suits your need.

[skany]

Andy

 

I'm glad to hear it all worked out ok and the people you used honoured their mistakes, you can't be fairer than that.

As one of the top gunsmiths told me once, there's a bullet for each and every rifle, the problem is finding it and then you pray it suits your need.

 

 

Yeah all will end well im sure mate:-)

 

 

Looking forward to taking it out & using it in anger & seeing it in the flesh:-)

 

Andy

[Vermincinerator]

Elwood,

Who are you going to entrust with the task of building this dream rifle for you?

 

Ian.

[Elwood]

Elwood,

Who are you going to entrust with the task of building this dream rifle for you?

 

Ian.

 

If he's not to backed up with work when all the components arrive I will be using Mike Norris.

[Elwood]

Update

 

The first part has arrived on time as stated from Bartlein barrels, 27 inches, varmint profile, 1-8.5 twist and fluted.

 

I was slightly concerned when I saw the shipping weight of 5.10 lbs this would have to much for a stalking rifle, much to my relief when it was all out of the packaging it weighed 4.6 lbs, hopefully when it has been finished to a length of 26 inches, screw cut and chambered it might get it down to 4 lbs.

 

Cost to my door including tax £332

 

Question...Is there anything I should do to protect the barrel before it gets to the builder?

 

 

 

My Surgeon action and trigger should be here within the next few weeks, so all I'm waiting for is my McMillan ADJ HTG stock which I think will run into early August and I'm good to go.

[col48]

Update

 

The first part has arrived on time as stated from Bartlein barrels, 27 inches, varmint profile, 1-8.5 twist and fluted.

 

I was slightly concerned when I saw the shipping weight of 5.10 lbs this would have to much for a stalking rifle, much to my relief when it was all out of the packaging it weighed 4.6 lbs, hopefully when it has been finished to a length of 26 inches, screw cut and chambered it might get it down to 4 lbs.

 

Cost to my door including tax £332

 

Question...Is there anything I should do to protect the barrel before it gets to the builder?

 

 

 

My Surgeon action and trigger should be here within the next few weeks, so all I'm waiting for is my McMillan ADJ HTG stock which I think will run into early August and I'm good to go.

 

 

 

your barrel should have been shipped with grease or oil on and inside of it, if not just run an oily patch through her and she should be fine.

 

ATB

Colin

[Ronin]

Ian

 

 

send the barrel to your builder in the packaging it came from Bartlein (if it survived overseas travel it may just protect it from Parcel farce staff)

 

 

Not sure you will lose .6lbs weight in machining mate?

[foxing2night]

Well mate i hope that you are happy when it is all put together as i am sure that you will be!!!!!

 

Have hours of fun and good luck,,,

 

Darrel