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Let me see if this works...
http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Jo...]=1&sort=1&o=1[IMG]http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/...psl3tp4ppk.jpg[/IMG]
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Sorry it took so long to figure out the photobucket thing, but here are the pictures I promised on the other thread. To say I'm thrilled with this rifle project would be an understatement. I had high hopes for the gun, but really had no idea how accurate it would be, esp with "just" a 4x scout scope, or how lightweight and handy it would be when I dropped the iron sights, replaced the oversized bolt handle, and put it in a tupperware stock.
As pictured, that gun is 6 lbs. 12 oz. with the sling and loaded magazine. A joy to carry and point, and the 20" barrel is perfect for balance, accuracy and getting in and out of a truck.
So far, the rifle has accounted for 6 hogs and one whitetail buck along with a few varmints. Recoil is practically non-existant and ammo is everything from $26/box to $5/box and it all shoots pretty darn well.
The other day, I was wasting time at the range between groups from my .308, and shot a 10-shot group at 100 yards with the scout rifle, using three different kinds of ammo. Here is the result. 3 shots with Winchester 123-grain soft point "Hog Special," 4 shots with the Hornady 123-grain SST, and 3 shots with the cheap 154-grain TulAmmo soft points. The one "flier" was from the TulAmmo 154 grain, but as you can see, even it wasn't off by much.
Results at 200 yards are very similar, with the 154-grain TulAmmo impacting only about 1" lower than the 123-grain rounds. Anyone who thinks the 7.62x39 isn't an accurate round has probably never shot them from a good bolt action before.
Oh, and all three of these rounds mic'd at .310 bullet diameter. Despite having a .308" bore, the Savage handled them to perfection. Eventually I'll start handloading for this caliber, but with results like this from affordable ammo, it's kinda tough to justify.
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Nice! One of my all time favorite calibers. Now wouldn't that be a great little caliber in the lightweight hunter?:thumb:
Wow. That's actually a great idea.
What I have now is pretty close to a synthetic LWH, with the exceiption of the milled-out receiver. Otherwise it's the same stock, the same barrel profile, etc. Without the scope and scout rail, we're talking about a sub-6 lb. rifle with a 20" barrel. Not far off the LWH I'd think.
Mighty fine shooting there! Great looking little rig!
BW
Thanks!
Very nice! Which scope did you go with? Which stock? (and might you be interested in parting with the accustock that was on it originally...?)
I have had a Weaver 4X scout scope on my Win. M94 (in a vintage Leupold scout mount) for a few years, but I never really liked that rifle in a scout configuration. I think with the the magazine tube under the barrel, it was already a little nose heavy, and the scout scope just put it over the top. Anyway, that is a great scope. A lot of scout rifle shooters have forgone the Leupold and Burris 2.5 and 2.75x and embraced the 4X Weaver. It is super, super lightweight. I think mine is under 9 ounces. Crazy light. And super bright too. I have no problem shooting 300 yards with it, despite just being 4x. Do it all the time in fact, and can easily hold all the rounds on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper.
The stock is the "cheap" Tupperware I stole off my Model 11 Trophy Hunter XP. It is stupid light as well. And believe it or not, I can't tell one bit of difference in groups between that cheap plastic stock and the Accustock. Not one bit. So I figure why carry the extra lb. of weight?
The stocks on the scout and my .308 got swapped, so my 308 now wears the Accustock, the "real" bottom metal, and the enlarged "tactical" bolt handle from the scout. Those things added almost 2 lbs. to the weight of that rifle, but I mostly shoot that one at the range anyway, so all it did was reduce felt recoil. I do like the larger bolt handle, but don't care for the extra 2 ounces of weight it comes with.
I just picked up a once-in-a-lifetime rifle yesterday in 7x57 Mauser, and if it shoots even halfway decent, I think I may be putting my .308 up for sale. Not sure yet though. That .308 is a smooth and accurate gun. Oh, I also stole the "target" Accutrigger off the scout and put it on the .308 too. So now that gun has a 1 lb. 12 oz. trigger pull. I didn't need that on my hunting rifle. The Scout is right at 3 lbs. and I'm totally fine with that.
Well done. I aplaud all your choices! I hope you're able to swing both the keeping the .308 and your new 7x57 Mauser. 7x57 is one sweet caliber that doesn't get the respect I believe it deserves. 7mm has some of the sweetest ballistic coefficients and sectional densities out there. Combine that with a long-ish neck and still an ample boiler room, put them into a strong, modern action, and it is tough to beat imho.
I think I will. I have enough rounds through my model 11 .308 now that I've grown to like it, and I know what it can do. And what it can do with my handloads is very impressive if I may say so. It's my "benchmark" rifle for 300 yards and beyond. I would not hesitate to take a 300 yard shot at a deer with the Savage .308. After shooting the Ruger 7 Mauser today, it's going to need some work to get it out to 300 for hunting accuracy. But if any rifle is worth it, that Ruger will be. I won't mind putting some sweat, time and money into that gun to get it out to 300.
That 7x57 is a sweet shooter. Just the right amount of recoil for a walking woods deer rifle IMO. Reminds me of my 30-30 actually. I look forward to hand loading it and seeing what that gun can do. Until then, it's worth admiring, and then some.
Oh, and a UPDATE on the extractor issues...
My order came in today from Sharp Shooter Supply. I ordered their extractor/ejector upgrade kit ($25) and installed just the larger bearing and the new extractor just now. With the new bearing and extractor, it was throwing spent cases nicely. I have high hopes that the gun will now cycle perfectly with both brass and steel cases. I sure need it to. The hogs are bad this year and the failure to eject cost me a few just the other day!
7x57 ! Another one of my favorites. Lots of power with soft recoil. Tons of bullet options as well. I have a love affair with the its little brother the 7mm-08 but if you reload the 7x57 can do more with larger bullets. Newtosavage did you get an older 77 with a tang safety or a MKII with the safety up on the bolt? I have a couple Ruger 77MKII and the first thing you have to do is improve the trigger. Mine all get Timney triggers. The tang safety models can be worked by a gunsmith to get to a decent pull. That will improve your accuracy tremendously. Keep the 308. You will be talking to yourself later on if you sell it.
Maine-iac, if I can get that 77 RSI to shoot decent groups, I have no doubt it will become my go-to deer rifle. I still can't get over what a great looking rifle that is.
The RSI I have is the Mk2 with the lever safety - something I'm already familiar with since I've owned a 77/50 muzzleloader for years now.
The first thing I did was improve the trigger. It was so easy. I just clipped one coil off the spring and viola! Pull went from an unbearable 6 lbs. to a lovely 2 lbs. 12 oz. just like that. That's all I needed to do, and now the trigger is great. All my hunting rifles are about 2 3/4 lbs. pull.
And I think I will keep the .308. I now have my short/medium/long range hunting arsenal. :D
The 7.62x39 will always be my go-to pig gun, loaded with the factory Hornady SST's or TulAmmo soft points. If I deer hunt with it (or my wife or daughter do) it will have the Winchester 123 grain soft points, but otherwise it's my budget/daily shooter. Max range for deer with it is 200 yards.
The 7x57 will be my personal deer rifle. Hope I can find a load that gives me good 300-yard hunting accuracy.
The .308 will be my long range hunting gun, out to 400+ yards, or if I ever decide to hunt elk with a rifle, that will be my elk gun. I have a Weaver K6 in the mail that will go on that rifle, and probably stay forever. That will bring the weight of that rifle to 7.5 lbs. as well, although I may still drop the Accustock and go back to a tupperware stock to get it under 7.
Just for some eye candy, here's the 7x57 in all it's glory. :D
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/...psdpt4xkgj.jpg
Sweet! [emoji41]
BW
I've always liked the manlicher stocks but just never had anything to put in one
Bloodied that rifle today. Pig #1 is in the books. Wish I could say it was a 250-yard head shot, but no, the 2x setting on that scope came in real handy when I walked up to within 20 yards of a sow. LOL. I think the muzzle blast alone killed her. :D
Sweet! I wish we had more pigs around here
Be careful what you wish for. If you own any land, you don't want any. Trust me.Quote:
Sweet! I wish we had more pigs around here
Only good wild pig is a dead one IMO.
I have 5 acres but would like more. I know how deviating they can be though
TN has outlawed hunting wild pigs for fear that people will start bringing them to TN or just turning them loose. Also made it illegal to turn those animals loose.
BW
If TN has outlawed hunting wild pigs, they need to update their website:
https://www.tn.gov/twra/article/wild-hog-regulations
That's the first I've heard of that. TX made them illegal to transport years ago, but it was too little, too late. They were being transported in most cases by hunters who didn't own the land they were being released on, for purely sport hunting reasons. So those landowners have sport hunters to "thank" for their invasive destructive nuisance hogs. This IMO remains a black eye for sport hunters in many parts of the U.S.
Yes, they are fun to hunt. I'll give you that, but they cause millions of dollars worth of damage each year, not to mention injuries by those who work the land and end up dropping a wheel in a hole created by rooting hogs. Been there, done that, have the scars to prove it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ol' BW
Nope the website is right. It outlines legal ways to eradicate hogs. If you read further it states:Quote:
Originally Posted by Newtosavage
"In 2011, new regulations were enacted that changed wild hog management. Wild hogs are no longer regarded as big game animals in Tennessee. In order to remove the incentive to relocate wild hogs, they are now considered a destructive species to be controlled by methods other than sport hunting. It is illegal to possess, transport, or release live wild hogs. - See more at: https://www.tn.gov/twra/article/wild....1N9jpIuE.dpuf "
"Hunting" being the key word there. There is not a "hunting season" for hogs but you can kill them following special regulations.
BW
Ah, that's basically what every other state, including Texas, is doing. Again, too little too late though.
But back to the rifles...
I finally found something I don't like about my 7.62x39 scout rifle - its so accurate and easy to shoot that it's making my other rifles look bad. I mean really. I was pretty satisfied with a few of my other guns before this one. Now I'm like "I wish it shot as good as my Savage." LOL.
Hopefully it is not too little too late in TN. Unlike the Asian Carp situation. . .
Well you have proved all if the naysayers wrong that count out the 7.62x39 and the Savage. It is a great platform and a great little cartridge!
BW
That 7.62 scout with "just" a 20" barrel, 4x scope and tupperware stock has consistently produced the smallest groups I've ever shot, and I've never even handloaded for it. Best factory load my Savage .308 fired (22" barrel, Accustock and 4-12x scope) was Winchesters at .83" and the best handloads I've made up for that rifle were in the .6" range. The 7.62x39 scout shoots .8" with 50-round box Hornady steel case, and .5" with Winchester factory ammo. That's just ridiculous.
At least from my Savage scout, that 7.62x39 is no slouch at all. I hear the CZ's are shooters too. Maybe it's just an "inherently accurate" caliber. LOL. :D It does indicate just how bad (by comparison) the SKS and AK's shoot that round though. Reminds me of what my old Mini-14 does to the accuracy of a .223 round. If that was the only rifle you knew, of course you'd think the .223 was not an accurate round.
Looks great man, and that's a big ol' pig!
Yea, she was full of little pigs. When I poked her with my boot, she just rolled around like she was filled with jelly. LOL. Nasty buggars.
Now that I have the form factor settled and the action cycling the way I want, the last thing to do is figure out a higher cap. magazine for her. I don't need 10 rounds, but 6 or 7 would be darn nice when the pigs start scrambling! A couple of 6-7 round magazines in my pocket would be pretty nice too.
There was a guy on here that did 223 mags, wonder if he'd do a 7.62x39? He might show you how to make one yourself.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01...b3229b15c6.jpg
BW
That is disgusting lol...Quote:
Originally Posted by Newtosavage
As for mags, I have no idea if you can get a stock designed for AR mags, but if you can, you can get 10 round AR Stoner 7.62x39 mags.
BW, that's exactly what I need! I see the .223 mag. also has the block at the back like my 7.62x39 does! So if nothing else, I can get some spare .223 mags and modify them. Sweet.
Inebriated - that's another good idea. Thanks. I'll look into that. There have been two or three occasions when I just needed more bullets! Nothing I hate worse than letting pigs get away.
Shoulda brought an AK :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Newtosavage
More like a shotgun. LOL
Very nice. Stainless and walnut is a great look. I want to get a Savage American Classic Stainless/walnut some time in maybe a .243 . I have an RSI in .308. Blue and walnut. Great little deer gun. They have very thin and short barrels so you can only shoot a few rounds and then let them cool before shooting again. Makes them slow to sight in. Contributes to the reputation that the RSI's are not very accurate. I long for one in 6.5x55 Sweed. I have emailed Ruger a bunch of times telling them to offer limited runs of the 77 RSI like they do in the #1's. Wouldn't you like to see one in 7.62x39? Enough about Rugers (my second favorite gun maker after Savage) after all this is a Savage shooters site. (:
Currently there are 2 model 14 walnut stocks on numrich. One looks real nice. Both are about $135
Thanks for the heads-up. Those do look like a great stock for the money.
And Maine-iac, a Ruger RSI in 7.62x39 would be ideal, as would a full length stock in a CZ 527 in the same caliber. Folks have been asking for it, but I've yet to see one.
I like the fit and finish on the CZ rifles and their stocks but I just cannot stand the way that the magazine but up to the trigger like it does.
That's honestly the reason why I'm building a 7.62x39 rifle instead of just buying a CZ
I understand. I would love to own a 527 someday, but there were some things about it I didn't care for as well, like the mag extending below the stock, and the weird scope rings.
Nice to have one in a conventional action with ample accessories.
I'd still buy a 527 .22 though
Because the CZ is sooo light and handy the magazine really does not interfere at all. I kind of like the looks of it but everyone has different taste and appreciation for it. There are after market 3 round flush magazines available for the CZ. One in the chamber and three down is plenty for hunting. I am surprised Ruger does not chamber the 7.62x39 in the American and Savage in the Axis.:confused:
I am too. I've noticed that in the past couple months since I've started looking to build mine I've been noticing more and more attention to the 7.62x39 bolt gun. I'm real surprised Savage dropped their Scout but it was expensive for what it is
Yes, it was expensive for what it is, but I'm still not letting go of mine. :D I balked a little at the price when I bought it. It didn't need the Accustock, or the real metal bottom metal. All those did was weigh down an otherwise handy rifle with a 20" barrel. After stripping those and the iron sights off, I got it down to what a scout rifle should be - about 6 lbs. pre-scope. It's still under 7 lbs. with the 4x scout scope. If I put the iron sights back on, it would be right at 7 lbs.
Ruger and Savage seem to be done with the venerable 7.62x39 caliber. Maybe they see it as outdated. I dunno. Maybe too many associate the round with the SKS/AK and their poor accuracy. Maybe they just think they can sell more rifles in a "newer" caliber like the .300 BO or 6.5 Creedmoor? Who knows. But a Ruger American Ranch in a 7.62x39 for about $400 would be a heluva rifle. So would a Savage Axis in a short action and 18-20" barrel.
Now that I've owned, shot and hunted with one for a while, I am prepared to declare the 7.62x39 the ideal deer and hog hunting caliber for women and youth, and anyone who doesn't enjoy getting kicked by their rifle any harder than they have to. Mine kicks less than my daughter's .243 that she has used with great effect, only she doesn't want to shoot her rifle very much because of the recoil. Had I started her on a 7.62x39, that might not be the case, and the deer she's shot (all within 100 yards) would still be just as dead.
This is my dedicated hunting rifle right now it's a 110e in 270win. The x39 will not be a replacement but it will definitely be a nice alternative for me. And tons cheaper and more pleasant to shoot. Honestly if they made an Axis in 7.62x39 I probably would have bought that.
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Beautiful stock alright.
When I bought my model 11 in .308, I figured that would be the only bolt-action hunting rifle I'd ever need. Then after carrying it all day for a few weekend hunts (I rifle hunt on my feet and typically cover a lot of ground in a day) I soon realized I wanted a lighter woods rifle. And in most cases, a 200-yard gun was more than enough. There are very few places where I hunt that you can even see more than 200 yards.
The difference between a 6 3/4 lb. rifle you can carry by the action and 8 lb. rifle with a conventional scope is literally night and day on hunts like this. By the end of the season, I carried my 7.62x39 lightweight scout on several hunts and hardly noticed it was there. I've drug it through brush (literally on my hands and knees) after pigs, and shot it from a lot of positions. All I can say is it really grew on me the more I used it.
My .270 weighs in right at 7.5lbs loaded out with ammo and sling. Primarily I sit in a tree or 2 and don't travel more than 2mi
Futurerider
Where did you get that beautiful stock!
BW
Came from savage with it but slightly uglier. Few hours of sanding and a little stain and it turned out nice. Not to bad for a $130 gun $250 with the Leupold VX 2
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I certainly hope you have better luck regarding accuracy from your RSI than I had with mine in 30-06. No matter what I tried, different factory loads, hand loads with different bullet weights, I never could get mine to group better than 2.5" at 100 yards. At 200 and 300 yards it was a joke. I finally sold it in disgust. Sad, was a fine looking rifle to be so inaccurate.
Thanks. It's a finicky beast alright. After free floating the barrel completely, I can usually get 2", 3-shot groups, but they are always in a vertical line. That barrel is just so whippy that any heat at all and it completely changes POI.
I was thinking about putting the barreled action in another stock anyway - to preserve that pretty full length walnut stock - so I bought a Hogue pillar bedded stock just to experiment with. Same results when free floated as the free-floated walnut full-length stock ( no real surprise ) but then I took a folded piece of neoprene that I cut from an old set of waders, and put it under the barrel, giving it some upward and side-to-side pressure inside the stock.
BAM! .75" group! LOL. All three holes were nearly touching. First time I have seen that from that particular gun.
I cut some pieces to length that could stay in that stock permanently if I want them to, then shot some more groups. Some were again in that 1" territory. I was playing with loads and bullets and seating depth, so I had a lot of variables to consider, but this weekend I'm going to try putting some neoprene shims under the end cap of that factory full length stock and see what happens. From what I can tell, it helps.
I'm not happy with that Hogue stock (love the feel but it's way too heavy) so I'm going to get a Ruger factory plastic stock and shim it, then see what happens. Shimming the walnut stock in any way doesn't make sense to me, since that wood is going to change POI with changes in the weather. But the plastic stock has a chance to hold zero, so it's worth a shot.