My Lefty .308 shorty carbine build

[big honkin jeep]

Well I have a little project I've been working on for a while and it's nearing it's current configuration.
It started as a model 10GL that I picked up from someone who didn't appreciate Savages or left handed rifles so I picked it up cheap.
I then proceeded to turn it into an American Classic style rifle in .243 on a budget.I replaced the Lawyer trigger with a 3 screw and tuned it up as well as bedding and modifying the wood stock.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/bighonkinjeep/gregsandmine005-1.jpg
After getting caught up in the long range, big heavy long barreled craze for a while I realized that the rifles I was winding up with weren't very practical for much but punching paper, building muscles and learning problem solving skills such as how to move a 26"barreled 12# rifle through the woods in the dark without becoming tangled in muscadine vines or beating up my rifle too bad.
After a while I had a new vision of a handy powerful left handed carbine so I set out to build myself one. I got my hands on a .308 sporter barrel (Thanks Deltagunner) and a staggered feed detachable box mag synthetic stock with pillars (Thanks Pdog06 ).
I converted the stock over to a Lefty with a little JB weld and a Dremel. I painted it before I got the length I wanted so the paint needs some touch up. I shortened the butt about 2-3" relocated the swivel studs and filed down the recoil pad to fit the new stock profile. I changed it over from .243 to .308 and lacking the tools to do it myself took the barrel up to Kris Lee at TGS Services In Ga. to be cut down to 16" recrowned and threaded to 5/8x 24TPI. He also installed a custom ASK Research muzzle brake from another local source. After I installed it and headspaced it to minimum using brass from my dies, I put a picatiiny mount from EGW on top and mounted up a Vortex Diamondback in 3-9x40 I had sitting on a shelf. Right now I'm thinking this optic is a little large and heavy for the concept of this rifle and I see a 1-4x20 or 2-7x33 in it's future. I'm in love with it and I haven't even shot it in it's current configuration yet. It's super handy and points great being about the size of a 10/22 and smaller and lighter than a Marlin 336 yet possesses .308 power. It almost feels like it oughta be in a holster.
I still need to touch up the paint and As we all know Savage projects are rarely ever completely finished but this is gonna be a great knockaround rifle for whatever needs killin
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/bighonkinjeep/100_1202-1.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/bighonkinjeep/100_1205-1.jpg

[RatMag]

Nice looking setup!! You did a good job of the change over. Congrats!!

DK

[ellobo]

I think you might be better served with a fixed power 4X scope. Lighter and more rugged with fewer internal parts to get out of whack on a knockabout rifle. I keep my 3-9 scopes at 4x and love my Weaver K4 and K6, both over 40 yrs old and still great. Don't forget, with a 16 inch barrel you wont get much more velocity than a 30-30 with a 20 inch barrel. If you reload use bullets made for the 30-30. Thats what I do on my .308 loaded to 2400FPS for woods hunting where I only see shots well under 100 yds, typicaly 50 yds. You will get better expansion at lower velocity. 24 inch barreled model 88 winchester.

El Lobo

[big honkin jeep]

I'm thinking the shorter barrel wont lead to as much velocity loss as one might think. I read a couple of articles on the subject before deciding on barrel lenghth and this one really caught my attention.http://www.tacticaloperations.com/SWATbarrel/
If it does I'm pretty sure I can overcome it with heavier bullets and their smaller powder charges to get a more complete burn. I'll probably start off with some SGKs and Nosler BTs and ABs between 165-168grs or some 180gr ABs cause that's what I have on hand, I'll probably start off pushing em with some Varget. Either way It's gonna have plenty of knockdown for anything in the Southeastern US. I have also been checking into some .308 handgun loads. (If any one has any good short barrel .308 loads feel free to post em up.)
I have a 2-7x32 Leupold on my Remington cantilever scope mount slug barrel and a Mark AR 1.5 - 4 on an AR carbine I think I may try before I spring on new glass specifically for this rig. The Vortex 3-9 is probably gonna go for the first ride at the range though just to see what it'll do on paper.
Thanks for the input and keep it coming.

[leatherlunger]

Thats a nice setup man! Ive really been diggin the vortex scopes too. Im puttin together an 18" 10twist .308 in a Rem-Age platform. Gonna run the heaviest pills it'll stabile to make good groups. I like the compact thumper type setup. I think im gonna try the Viper PST 1-4 MOA reticle. Let us know how she shoots man.

[nsaqam]

Nice job BHJ.

I'm pretty sure after carrying this thing around in the woods for a while your heavy, fat barreled rifles are going to lose a LOT of their appeal.

QL shows any number of powders will get you well into the 2600's with a 165.

Example, 48.5 of BL-C2 behind the 165 SGK will get you 2605 with ~61K pressure.

Ain't a .30-30 made that'll do that.

[xhogboss]

Now I don't care who you are - that's a nice-looking rifle. I have an idea earplugs will become your best friend....

[big honkin jeep]

Yeah something tells me that I just might need some ear plugs with this one. Probably get a good dose of stink eye from the next bench over at the range too.
I've been checking around with several ballisticians about the velocity loss with such a short barrel but I don't think it's gonna be an issue.
I found a couple of .308 handgun loads that show 2500+fps with a 168gr ( 2582fps with IMR 4064 and 168gr Sierra), 2600-2700fps with a 150gr bullet and 2800-2900 with a 125. That oughta be plenty of medicine for pests varmints and whitetails around here if I can find a combo that'll shoot well. Heck I might even get a little more velocity since my barrel is a little longer than most handgun barrels :)

[ellobo]

Nice to see you did your homework on loads. I am sure you will find a combo that works. For many yrs I hunted with a custom Mauser in 7x57 with an 18 1/2 inch barrel made by an immegrant Danish gunsmith. Gold and silver inlays. It was a joy in the heavy woods here in northern New England. Good looking rig you made and after a few trips to the woods you will be happy.

El Lobo

[keeki]

dat gone be loud

[cgeorgemo]

dat gone be loud

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

[keeki]

that 308 with that short barrel and a brake is gonna be punishing to the ears. But I like it

[handirifle]

Not a fan of the brake but you did a fine job on the rifle.

[big honkin jeep]

I finally got a chance to go shoot at a local wildlife management area range yesterday and I'm very impressed with the handling of this little rig. I pulled the bolt, looked through the bore and and bore sighted it with the 3-9 Diamondback in place. The berm is at 120 yards and the first shot was about 6" left and 2" low. I cleaned after every shot for the next 5 adjusting the scope and fired 2-3 shot groups cleaning after 3 which resulted in 6 shots in a 3" group with the point of aim dead center. The more I shot it and cleaned it the better it got. I ran 60 rounds of factory Federal power shock and Remington core loct 150 grainers through it to generate some fire formed brass and finished the session with 2-5 shot groups each with a flyer that opened em up to 1 1/2". I have no doubt it'll do even better once I do a ladder test and tune the action screws but certainly not a bad place to start.

I knew I liked the handling before I shot it. The recoil was amazingly mild and the muzzle blast was nothing like what I had expected either. She's a real *****cat and I was very surprised at her mild manners.

The only hiccups were that the staggered feed DBM popped out under recoil a couple of times but I'm pretty sure a little tweaking of the mag well will straighten that out. Any tips or tricks from those who have solved this problem before are appreciated.

I still haven't had a chance to weigh it but I'm guessing 6-6 1/2# scoped. After load development I'll probably order a Leupold ultra light 3-9x33 to cut weight and keep the magnification. It's 37" overall from the butt to the end of the brake and the balance is very good. I can already tell this handy little carbine is gonna be a great grab n go for knocking around the farm or hunting property.
Knowing now what I didn't know then, I wish I had built a shorty years ago

[airaddict]

Very nice. I want to do something like that with my 243 for deer season. My CBI 26" tube it great but way to.cumbersome for hunting. I figure a nice synthetic stock or thumbhole and cutdown mag contour or sporter with a brake will fit the bill to down whitetails and piggies inside 300-400 yards.

Brian

[pdog06]

very nicely done indeed!

[drybean]

very very nice

drybean