Santa's Come early Update on 338

[Ronin]

Having yearned for a while to make a pair of custom tactical rifles in standard mil calibres for myself (for the odd comp and knocking down ETR plates at silly distances) I purchased a pair of actions from Surgeon at the end of January (2008)

 

I sorted the import paperwork myself and used a guy in the states to sort their FFL documents.

 

It took 2 days for the actions to arrive with the exporter.

 

3 months for FFL paperwork.

 

3 days to cross the pond and arrive at customs.

 

7 weeks in customs

 

I collected them today

 

Sorry, but I think they are lovely

 

 

Just to repeat, these are for my own use - not advertising, they aint for sale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No prizes for guess in what the short action will be, but although the XL will be a 338LM, it will have a sting in its tail.........

 

 

Awaiting a barrel for stage 1 of the XL build, but i'm off to the lathe to start the 308 (barrel, stock and bottom metal already here, he, he, )

[foxing2night]

can,t wait to see the finnished product????

 

Should be good

 

F2n

[Elwood]

My Surgeon action got as far as the exporter in the US before it was recalled by Surgeon, I received email and phone calls so I knew it was pretty important. Apparently there were issues with the steel used for the bolt, mine was one of two that were found to be "not quite right".

 

Surgeon have been nothing short of superb getting it sorted and incurring any costs involved.

 

Seven months in customs! why for gods sake? I seriously hope my action gets through quicker than that.

 

I'll swap you your short action for my mine

[baldie]

You will love them gents, they are beautiful actions.I barrelled two , over the last two weeks, one in 6.5x47 for my shooting partner, and one in 6mmbr for myself. I,ve already got a long list of orders for the 15 we got in. Word seems to have spread, no doubt from Rob hunters rifle article,s and the huge amount being used in the states, and getting featured on snipershide etc. i personally dont think there,s a better tactical action out there.

Sorry to hear of your that which promotes growth and vigour with customs Andy...we,ve had 3 boxes with ar15 bits [some uppers and lowers] sat there for a bloody month, and they,ve only just found 2 of them.

[nemasis243]

AS I said to the barmaid in the pub last nite "What A Cracking Pair" , What tubes are going o them , cant wait to see the end product

[Ronin]

Ian

 

 

seven weeks in UK Customs not months!

 

Aggree'd

 

Surgeon were great to deal with, Preston Patrick is a star.

 

 

 

Not sure about the drawings theyve sent with the actions, they are "basic" to say least, but shouldnt pose any problems - you found same thing Dave?

 

 

 

 

Er barrels

 

 

 

 

308 is LW 1-12 twist I have a PTG reamer with free bore set for 155 g Scenars.

 

 

338.....well one barrel is a Pac Nor 1-9 twsit that will be used for 250g Scenars, the other will be a progressive twist (I think, not deffo yet) 1-10 finishing at 1-7 for LM105's (lathe turned solids).

 

 

I may use the 1-9 twist with LM Fernando bullets (lathe turned solids), not sure just yet...... still sorting reamer and things..

 

 

Have a brace of A5's sat waiting for the actions both in black, white grey marble. (got em in the specials section from Mac at price I couldnt refuse - - otherwise I would have opted for Manners T4A without and hesitation.

 

XL action has its own custom bottom metal accepting AI 338 mags.

 

S/A will take any mag system, this will either be Badger or CDi (both accept AI mags)

 

Triggers - no question, CG from Jackson's.

[SteveW]

Hi Andy

 

Enjoy the build dude , they look boootiful.

 

Keep us posted

 

Cheers Steve

[Elwood]

Ian

seven weeks in UK Customs not months!

 

 

 

.

 

Should have gone to spec savers!

[Vermincinerator]

Very very nice Andy, i wish they were mine.

 

Ian.

[6mmBR]

Looking good will be interested in seeing the end results.

Dave

[baldie]

Dont think we got any drawings Andy?

Our new bottom metal is finished and on sale.It takes ai magazines, 5 and 10 round, has a slightly longer paddle than a badger, and is substantially cheaper than a badger, at 175 quid, complete with allen bolts, and aluminium pillars.It also inlets slightly easier than a badger.There will be a trade price for RFD,s .

You wont need the drawings Andy, just treat it as a remmy.

[Ronin]

Dave, the bottom metal sounds interesting, could you maybe post a pic of one?

 

Re the drawings, it was comment on the quality rather than content - the Stiller I built a few months ago came with a comprehensive plan that was well laid out with just about every dimension shown and tolerances etc.

 

The plan sent with the Surgeon actions looked like it was almost drawn freehand- still has all the necessary dimensions but when compared with the stiller plan, it looks basic!

 

Spoke with PTG last night, reamer now ordered for the 338 (the MK1 version anyway)

[TC]

Dont think we got any drawings Andy?

Our new bottom metal is finished and on sale.It takes ai magazines, 5 and 10 round, has a slightly longer paddle than a badger, and is substantially cheaper than a badger, at 175 quid, complete with allen bolts, and aluminium pillars.It also inlets slightly easier than a badger.There will be a trade price for RFD,s .

You wont need the drawings Andy, just treat it as a remmy.

 

 

Any plans for .223 option Dave ?

 

Rgds

 

Tony

[ds1]

Looking very nice Ronin, hope to see a least one next year - bring the 338 to play.

 

When you want to strech the legs on the 338 Ive got a nice small scope if the sturgeon has enough receiver.

 

David

[baldie]

Any plans for .223 option Dave ?

 

Rgds

 

Tony

 

Hi tony,

We already have a .223 conversion on sale mate, in either a 10 round conversion, which then takes around 17 shells, or the 5 round mag, which then takes 7 shells.Both are std AI mags, just converted, they fit our new floorplate, and any other system which takes the AI mag.Cost is £25 per conversion, on top of the mag price.

[TC]

Hi tony,

We already have a .223 conversion on sale mate, in either a 10 round conversion, which then takes around 17 shells, or the 5 round mag, which then takes 7 shells.Both are std AI mags, just converted, they fit our new floorplate, and any other system which takes the AI mag.Cost is £25 per conversion, on top of the mag price.

 

Cheers Dave.

 

I have been trying to get hold of some bottom metal from Australia that uses Ruger mags but the guy has been travelling and there have been delays.

 

The availability of cheap mags makes it attractive but I suspect ultimately not the quality of the AI mags and I have not yet seen an actual example of the bottom metal.

 

He is due back in his workshop next week. I've already bought some Triple-K mags so should follow through but if it's not forthcoming it sounds as though you have exactly what I need (price sounds good too )

 

Any pics up anywhere ?

 

 

TC

[baldie]

Ours is very similar to the badger floorplate, though not, of course, identical.I altered some of the external angles etc, to make it simpler to inlet for.So basically it looks similar, with an AI mag stuck out of it!

We also had a conversion from the states, called a jag, which used ruger mini 14 mags, and once set up, its good.The guy was supposed to be making us 50 units, but it hasn,t happened.To be honest, ours is better.The mini 14 conversion required a small amount milling out of the magwell in the reciever, technically when done, requires a reproof.

[Ronin]

338 Tube just arrived - its in the lathe now and clocked up, he, he, he, he

[ejg223]

338 Tube just arrived - its in the lathe now and clocked up, he, he, he, he

 

don't slip

 

edi

[Ronin]

Just to follow up, the barrel arrived on the 3rd, it was placed in the lathe and set up for machining that day, I then created the tenon, and threads leave the tenon deliberately long to allow me excess material to "index" the flutes to the top in line with the 12 O'closk position.

 

Once I had set the shoulder to allow a satisfactory mate with the action, I cut the tenon to length and created the counterbore for the XL bolt nose.

 

That done, I set about chambering using a floating pilot reamer and initially step drilling so that the reamer wasnt worn by over use - hell its a big chamber!

 

The process took longer than expected, but my time was rewarded by what I consider to be a pretty good chamber (when I checked with my borescope)

 

I then spun the barrel around, cut it to length (28 inches) and set about threading for 18 x 1mm and fitting a muzzel brake supplied by Jager Sporting Arms (Kal)

 

Once again I indexed this so it sat as I wanted it - although these brakes are not threaded and are a clamp fite, I had already pre-threaded this in the 4 jaw in anticipation of the 338 barrels arrival.

 

This job done, I mated the action to the barrel torqueing to a reasonable figure and re-checked headspace - the bolt closed with just moderate finger pressure - lovely.

 

I then spent the next two days setting up, bedding and generally messing with the Mac A5 stock - although it was inletted for the XL action drop in stocks rarely, are!

 

 

That done - clean up commenced and the stock and bottom metal returned to the mill for excess clean up and slight opeing up for the CG trigger unit.

 

Anyway enough dribble ;

 

the results

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have some once fired 338LM RUAG brass that is decent quality - I full length sized a few of these and made up some barrel break in loads and general load test using 250g Lapua Lock Base fmj.

 

Start load was 91.5g H1000 - I went up to 94.5g in 1g increments (max book load is 100g)

 

Kind of disturbing realising you get less than 100 reloads from a lb of powder!

 

 

Anyway to cut a short story long, I messed up with the scope and didnt have an allen wrench with me to undo the PM11 double turn turrets, that meant I had trouble getting on paper and ended up using the uppermost crosshair on the P4 reticule as an aiming point at 100 mteres.

 

This cost me 10 rounds of ammo, cleaning after each shot.

 

two groups shown are with 93.5 (three shots) and 94.5g loads (the five shot group)

 

I cleaned after the three shot group and then shot the five shot in a string - the LH shot out of the main string is #1 and showed a sticky bolt...

 

The 4 shots measure sub 1/2 inch, shot five places the group to just under an inch (.917")

 

 

 

 

 

As a finale', I had one shot left so I turned the 338 to a newly made steel gong plate we have set up at the range, it was more than 100 and less than 300 metres.

 

This is the first time its been shot - the result

 

oh its an inch thick by the way;

 

 

 

The 338 definately is going to be a shooter, the barrel shows little copper fouling and I am quite pleased with the results of the basi load dev I have done so far.

 

I didnt bother taking along a chrono this time as I just wanted to shoot it and it left a massive grin on my face

 

 

I have other powders to try (RL25, more of H1000 and H4831SC)

 

I'd like to get some decent bullets but there is a defecit of 250g Scenars at present, I got what I could with the lock base's.

 

 

The CG trigger (as always) works very well, recoil is curtailed to "shove" rather than kick by the brake and the XL action functions superbly.

 

I had some sticky extraction / bolt on a couple of loads, I noticed when sizing some cases were difficult to fit into the RCBS shell holder in the press - my guess is these were the cause of sticky bolts.

 

Maybe I should invest in Lapua brass, instead of once fired next time - but with 400 pieces of RUAg, it will take a while to get through this lot

 

 

Or will it ?

 

 

Barrel and brake are too shiny for me, I will be trying one of Kals home Duracoating kits next to tone things down a bit (same with the Surgeon 308 barrel)

 

That is, as soon as the chap gets back from his "short",,,sojurn

[Guest northernchris]

Looks good Andy good going mate How much clearance did you run with for the bore on the brake????

[snap_shot]

She looks sweet mate, i'm just going to change my pants............

[Ronin]

Thanks Chris,

 

 

I think I reamed the brake bore exit hole to .400", the internal bore is massive, I only had to bother with the muzzle and obviously the inboard side.

 

Its very effective, although there is still quite a punch, feels like a lightweight 30-06 with 180's...

 

 

Less kicky than an AWSM with a AI brake.

 

 

Snaps Shot - I am just going to clean the stains off it now

[foxing2night]

Hi mate,,

Andy you surpassed yourself again mate!!!! Bloody fantastic!!! and i like the flutes as well!!! Did you do that or did they come allready done ?????

 

Andy thank you for sharing,,, Darrel

[Ronin]

Darrel

 

barrel was a custom order from Pac Nor, I specced it with flutes - I havent the equipment (or experience) to do fluting properly.

 

 

I look forwards to burning more powder later in the week, when it will be RL25, H4831sc and H1000.

 

Just wish I had some decent bullets - the lock bases have open bases (like nosler partitions) I think the bases expand and become unstable with the pressures of the LM.

 

Anyway, we will see with further experimentation!