As I learn how to use my new camera I'll continue to take pics of the toys I built since the summer. What happened to my old camera, you may ask? Well, it worked fine right up until the wife dropped in the lagoon at Disney Island when she took the granddaughter on a Disney cruise for doing well in school. Funny how salt water really screw up electronics...
Anyway, here's a couple I finished load work up on and ready to stretch their legs on a longer range.
This is a 300 Win Mag with a 26" X-Caliber barrel Jim Apache made for me. Barrel is .950" at the muzzle. Action is a 110 Savage I picked from someone here. Scope is a Vortex (as usual) PST 6-25x50.
The stock is Choate from CDI. It's one of their package deals they sell complete with their bottom metal.
Bipod is Harris. Various assorted other goodies and countless hours of tinkering the get the action to cycle silky smooth.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...%201%20005.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...%201%20006.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...%201%20007.jpg
A word about the Choate stock.
When I first got it, I hated it. I had to wonder what kind of schmuck would put sling studs on BOTH sides of the stock without being able to remove one side & plug the hole.
The longer I looked at it, it started to grow on me. A little like a fungus at first. After shooting it for a few hours I really began to like it. Very comfortable. Remarkably comfortable.
Then came a little load work up. The 300WM's I built were for 200gr bullets or heavier. On a whim I decided to try some Vihta N570 and found the barrel liked it.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...%201%20001.jpg
This was the 3rd fine tuning session. I'm pretty impressed with the N570 powder and the 200gr SGK's seem to be a good combo.
Here's one I put together from stuff I had in the shop. The stock & PT&G bottom metal is from the 1st 300wm project I did back during the summer. The recoil split the stock (even with it pillared & bedded) so I pulled it apart and tossed it in the corner. After scoring a nice 25-06 barrel from Jim Apache, I decided to put this one together AFTER I reinforced to stock.
So far it's working out:
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...%201%20009.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...%201%20010.jpg
The scope is a Vortex Viper 6-20x44 I picked up on sale from Midway several months ago. Not sure it it'll be staying on this rifle as it was originally intended for a spare scope.
All the usual other stuff and a whole lotta tinkering to make it user friendly. This one the 'lil woman will be using.
Load work up is coming along well:
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...%201%20002.jpg
These are 2 of 6 I built since around August / September of last year. As free time became more available I filled it with rifle projects. There's a couple more 300WM's, a couple 30-06's and a couple 308's that I'll post as I continue to learn about my new camera.
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to Jim of "Apache Gun Works, Irrigation and Custom Subaru Exhaust Systems" for tolerating me as I must've ordered triplicate in all the barrels he made for me. I just couldn't seem to find one I liked and ended up using the first one he made.
Thanks to Dennis of Accurate Barrel for the great deals on some of the barrels and for promptly getting them shipped to me. There was one or two he took with him to Apache Gun Works & Plumbing Supply, had it threaded and sent it the next day. Truly a great guy to deal with.
Special thanks to Dean "Stretched Primer Pocket" Scope Eye. He was extremely helpful getting me aimed in the right direction when it came to loading for the magnums. His guidance helped me break a few old habits. He's also been providing me lots of great info with the 338 Edge project I'm working on.
Next Installment: 30-06 & 308 Win. (pending I remember how to get the photos out of the camera & into the computer.
