New PDC Custom

[img width=600 height=448]http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1521/img0012ja.jpg[/img]

My http://www.pdccustom.com/ stock finally arrived on Friday after a nearly 5 month wait.

The Model 10 action dropped right in and is solidly held. The stock came with bolts to mount the action and T-handle hex wrenches for every size used on the stock. I chose the Hogue grip instead of the palm-shelf style that is standard because I have wide hands. I also opted for the rear mono-pod which is removable and reversible (mine is reversed for shooting left-handed) The cheek-rest is height adjustable and reversible (again, mine is reversed) and has two positions fore and aft. The stock also came with a ski for use with a rear bag that is installed in place of the mono-pod. LOP is adjustable using spacers. The butt is available adjustable for height and angle but I did not choose that option. The stock uses AI mags. I purchased a single 5-round for use with this rifle initially, but I'll be purchasing another soon.

The rifle is a model 10 that began life as a Wal-mart package gun. The barrel was swapped for a 20" ER Shaw in .308 which came threaded. I installed a Bennie Cooley brake. Scope is a Bushnell Elite 4200 3-12x44 with an illum. FFP mil-dot mounted with an EGW 20MOA base and Burris XTR rings. I replaced the sporter bolt handle with the larger version made by Savage. I'm not normally really picky about triggers, but this one has to go! I have 3 Accu-Trigger rifles in addition to this one and all are smooth and can be adjusted to a reasonable weight. This one is as light as I can get it and is HEAVY. Worse than the mil-spec triggers on several of my ARs, in fact.

Got a chance to shoot it a bit this morning. I need to reduce the LOP a smidgen which is a simple matter of removing one of the spacers. The mono-pod has a locking knob (on the back side of the stock in the pic) and a finger wheel for making fine adjustments. This feature was very nice and just as simple, but more repeatable, and a rear bag for use with a bi-pod. The mag positively locks into the stock and drops free smoothly. Feeding was better than with the factory centerfeed blind mag.

I shot one five-shot group with Silver State 168gn SMK factory loads after getting zeroed. It measured 0.935" and exhibited some diagonal stringing that I can largely attribute to my inability to get the bi-pod loaded on the bench without the feet slipping. That was followed with 25 load development shots using 168gn Nosler CC OTM bullets over Varget loaded in Lapua brass. Found a likely accuracy node in the 44.8-45.2 range and it happened that the 45.2 load also grouped at 0.604". I'll load some more in that range to try to fine tune the center point and then play with the seating depth a bit. Between that and fixing the stupid trigger, I think that I'll have a real shooter. Not bad considering that the barrel was a $140 deal and the action came from a $400 Wal-mart gun.

Very nice! :)

As far as a trigger goes for your rifle, I would recommend a SSS Competition Trigger. They would be able to reduce the weight considerably lower than what the accutrigger can. Thats if you want to change trigger at all.

If you don't mind me asking, how much did the stock put ya back?

With options and the magazine the total was $865 IIRC.

The SSS trigger is on the short list. Like I said, I don't normally mind the Accu-Trigger and have 3 that are very much to my liking. It's just this one. My old 3-screw is better as it came from the factory 17 years ago.