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The_Mountaineer
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| Joined: | 4 February 2005 |
| Location: | USA |
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Posted: 22 February 2008 02:41 PM |
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My custom rifle is finally done! It has been a long project going on for about 3 years. Yesterday I picked it up and I must say I'm very pleased with the way it looks.
I started with a Winchester Model 70 push feed that was chambered in 7mm Rem. Mag. My uncle had it previously and had it rechambered to 7 STW. He gave it to me for doing some work for him and said that I could have it if I could get it to shoot. Well, my 3/4 inch groups convinced him to let me have it. There was a problem though - a short barrel and a short magazine. The rifle was essentially a single shot since the 7STW doesn't fit into the magazine of a 30-06 length action! Crap. That left me with a magnum bolt face and a 30-06 length action so I had 3 choices - 7 Rem. Mag., 300 Win. Mag. or 338 Win. Mag. (and of course a few others but these were the mainstream). Based largely on what else I had in the gun safe, I went with the 338 Win. Mag. Thought being that since I had a 30-06, 7 WSM and 7 RUM, it fit the battery best and would be great for big critters like elk/moose and such.
I started off with the stock purchase. I ended up with a Boyds JRS Classic in Royal Jacaranda. I paid extra for a "drop-in" like fit as well as sling swivel studs and a recoil pad. 10 months later I finally got it. The recoil pad was a joke but all else looked pretty good or so I thought. I would later find out that Boyds had mis-aligned the action screw holes and "fixed" it with a rasp file! Being that I was going with a pillar bedding job later anyway, it was a moot point. Still, I would've thought better craftsmanship.
Next came the matter of the barrel. For this, I sent the rifle off to Krieger Barrels Inc. via a UPS regional shipping center. No hassles in the process to or from to speak of. At the Krieger plant, I'd have a Krieger #2 contour chrome-moly 26 inch barrel installed and chambered to 338 Win. Mag. About 6 months later it showed up at my door where I had to sign for it.
Afterwards I contemplated about the bolt finish. The factory jeweling was pretty worse for wear so I shopped around. I ended up going with a 180 degree bolt flute pattern by Kampfeld Custom. In 3 weeks it was back in my hands.
The final touches needed to be applied. For this I enlisted the help of a full-time local gunsmith. After several conversations, it was decided to go with a pillar/glass bed job, a matte finish on the barrel and receiver, installation of a removable Vais muzzlebreak and thread protector, and installation of a new Limbsaver recoil pad. In about 2 months I had it back. Just picked it up yesterday and she is a beauty!
Here's some pictures:
This is a left profile of the rifle with the Vais muzzlebreak on:
The gunsmith put in some red highlight on the lettering that the Krieger factory engraved. I think it looks great with the red in the laminate stock:
The Vais muzzlebreak installed is quite a work of art in and of itself:
Removal of the Vais muzzlebreak is done with a simple turn of the rod:
The bare muzzle without break or thread protector:
I'll practice with the break but I'll hunt with the thread protector installed:
Without the break, I expect a fairly good wallop but this should help:
I really like the bolt fluting too:
And finally this is how it will look as I'll be hunting with it ala thread protector:
I've got a set of Talley mounts for the scope when I get it. I'll probably go with either Burris or Leupold. Also got brass for it, just need a die.
Finally the quest has come to a close!
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Montani Semper Liber - Mountaineers are always free
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Dirtkicker
addicted handloader
| Joined: | 3 September 2007 |
| Location: | High Plains |
| Posts: | 350 |
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Posted: 22 February 2008 03:40 PM |
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A really handsome instrument. Congratulations on the "birthing"!
Now you have to tell us how it shoots. (Better your shoulder than mine!)
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wheezengeezer
addicted handloader
| Joined: | 16 July 2007 |
| Location: | Jeddediah Jones Swamp, Kansas USA |
| Posts: | 701 |
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Posted: 22 February 2008 05:17 PM |
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| nice rifle.they used to chamber the push feed 70 in 375 h&h. why wouldnt the 7mm stw which is based on the 8mm mag (i think) not work in that action?
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I was raised in the 50's on gunpowder and jackrabbits.salt and pepper wooda made'em taste better
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The_Mountaineer
Administrator
| Joined: | 4 February 2005 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 715 |
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Posted: 22 February 2008 06:36 PM |
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geezer - in the "magnum" length action (i.e., 375 H&H) the 7 STW would definitely work. However, a 7mm Rem. Mag. action in this model is essentially the same as a 30-06 length action except with a magnum bolt face.
I'll be interested in seeing how mine shoots. Gotta get a few more things though.
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Montani Semper Liber - Mountaineers are always free
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wheezengeezer
addicted handloader
| Joined: | 16 July 2007 |
| Location: | Jeddediah Jones Swamp, Kansas USA |
| Posts: | 701 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | pistol |
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Posted: 22 February 2008 07:09 PM |
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| i thought the standard length 70 was the longest,unlike the 98.
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I was raised in the 50's on gunpowder and jackrabbits.salt and pepper wooda made'em taste better
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3006 user
Gold Sponsor
| Joined: | 30 July 2007 |
| Location: | Denver Area, Colorado USA |
| Posts: | 327 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 22 February 2008 08:23 PM |
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wheezengeezer wrote: i thought the standard length 70 was the longest,unlike the 98.
WG, I measured my 1967 pushfeed M70 mag box in 3006. The box was made with a spot-welded spacer in the rear, and measures 3.365" inside. Measuring to the rear of the spacer, the mag box would be 3.565", enough to accept .300 H&H, 7mm STW, and 8mm Rem Mag, among others. It has been my understanding that Winchester used two receiver lengths in the immediate post '64 M70s, the short being used for .308 Win, etc, and the standard with mag box spacer used for '06 class ctgs. When the standard action was used for longer belted mags, the bolt face, of course had to be the belted mag size, the mag box without spacer, and I suspect that the bolt stop had to be changed. Comments?
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hardjeepguy
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 9 January 2008 |
| Location: | North Brookfield, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 33 |
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Posted: 23 February 2008 04:17 AM |
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Congrats! If that shoots as good as it looks, you've got a keeper!
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The_Mountaineer
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| Joined: | 4 February 2005 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 715 |
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Posted: 26 February 2008 01:44 PM |
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Appreciate the feedback guys.
Picked up some test ammo at $32 for a box of Winchester 200 grainers. Good grief I've got to get a die soon!
Anyways, I've yet to get a scope for it or bullets but all else is in the works. I've gotta wait for the weather to break before doing some shooting. It's been fit for duck hunting but that's about it around here!
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engine4on
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 27 February 2008 |
| Location: | Kaufman, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: 1 March 2008 11:28 PM |
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Nice Rifle!
What do you think of the Vais muzzlebreak? I am thinking about putting some kind of break on my AR .
Timbo
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rifleman
HB Pro Staff
| Joined: | 29 November 2005 |
| Location: | Hazleton, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 62 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 15 March 2008 04:09 AM |
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That is SWEEET!
Good luck with your new toy!
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Hi Ball
HB Life Member
| Joined: | 29 September 2007 |
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| Posts: | 205 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 16 March 2008 04:24 AM |
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Mountaineer! I give you my "congrats" on a job well done, it is not only eye-catching, one can tell by those pics it is a class act job. It put a smile on my face too.
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The_Mountaineer
Administrator
| Joined: | 4 February 2005 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 715 |
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Posted: 17 March 2008 03:43 PM |
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| Engine04 - haven't had a chance to test it much. However, I did fire off a few factory rounds just to try out the break. It's not as loud as I expected it to be and recoil was DRASTICALLY reduced. I'm just getting started but the break was a good idea I think.
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klallen
Administrator
| Joined: | 10 February 2005 |
| Location: | Great Falls, Montana USA |
| Posts: | 694 |
| Photo: | [Download] | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 18 March 2008 04:46 AM |
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Looks Good, MOUNTAINEER.
I've worked a bit with Boyds stocks, too. With varying levels of frustration. There is no doubt when the finishing work is complete, they do look really good. I've come to accept the fact that their factory designated "drop-in" means you'll be working on it quite a bit and then it'll be a "drop-in". LOL. The colors of that R J combination were very tempting when I was ordering custom colors for my .280 AI stock. You chose well. The highlighted lettering on the barrel with the color of the stock does add something interesting to the whole thing.
Looking forward to load development.
You should have yourself one heck of an elk thumper, there.
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THE DUKE
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The_Mountaineer
Administrator
| Joined: | 4 February 2005 |
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| Posts: | 715 |
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Posted: 18 March 2008 01:31 PM |
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klallen,
Good to hear from you. Thanks for the gun compliments. I'm real happy with its looks. Now, just have to get a scope and get some rounds down range.
I remember your Alaskan and 280 AI projects. I really thought hard about the Burchell you used as well as the Desert Camo and Shady Camo. But, I opted for the Royal Jacaranda finally. I keep thinking I might still go with a Burchell type sometime wayyy down the road for a stainless 257 Weatherby Mag project. I've seen a few brown laminates against stainless to catch my eye.
All that's left now is the scope, probably pick one up after a few more paychecks. Might even go with a custom color scheme on it. Leupold offers a two tone job that might look good. . .a matte black objective end fading to red on the ocular might really be sharp. Purely cosmetic but like my 'smith said, "There's lots of stuff on this rifle that are purely cosmetic but at least when you pull that thing out of the gun case at the range, people are going to know right away you didn't pick that up at Wal-Mart!" I think he's right.
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Montani Semper Liber - Mountaineers are always free
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