[Sven]

http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/springfield_trw_krieger_before_.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/springfield_trw_krieger_before.jpg)

Here's all the pieces, ready to head off to Krieger tomorrow for barreling. Nice to be moving ahead with the project.

Next up: the stock. McMillan M1A stock, probably with molded in desert camo. Hopefully to be painted over by Karsten:


http://www.imageseek.com/karsten/karsten.jpg
Karsten's Custom Camo (http://www.imageseek.com/karsten)

Check it out... I could have it overpainted with green camo if I move to the forest. If I find myself in the desert suddenly (work with me here...) I can just grab some gun scrubber and work back to the original molded in camo colors. ;)

Versitility. Another step forward with the project, just wanted to post the 'before' picture... the 'after' will come soon, I hope!

[Kaylee]

coolness!

why two bolts? To have a spare, both headspaced to the same barrel?

-K

[Sven]

Yeah. Probably will never need to use it, but most problems folks have reported involved throwing an extractor during a match. Having a drop-in spare means being up and running in time for an alibi string (during highpower competition - I hope to compete with this rifle).

-s

[Sven]

My new McMillan stock just arrived - only 5 weeks after I ordered! I will post pictures... this is coming together sooner than I had hoped!

[Steve Smith]

So you're going to have Karsten to paint it before the smith beds it, right?

[Sven]

Is that the recommended sequence? If so, I need to decide on a camo pattern FAST. ;)

[Steve Smith]

Well, you don't want to take the rifle out of the stock after the MASTER beds it, and you don't want to have to ship the whole thing or risk gettin paint on the metal do you?


Tell him not to paint the inside.

[Sven]

Thanks for the advice. Will heed.

Pictures, by request:


http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/texture_.jpg
HiRes (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/texture.jpg)


http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/asreceived_.jpg
HiRes (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/asreceived.jpg)


http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/cutaway_.jpg
HiRes (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/cutaway.jpg)


http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/butt_.jpg
HiRes (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/butt.jpg)


http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/soon_.jpg
HiRes (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/mcmillan/soon.jpg)

[Sven]

What, is this a "Moderator-Only" thread or something? ;)

Got everything back from Krieger today... must've been an accounting screw-up - they didn't charge me for installation OR for the fitting of the second bolt.

(That good luck was later negated by a $2800 car repair bill I received today, but it seems good news and bad news come together. I'm just glad I'm one step closer to having my rifle).

Tomorrow, off Via FedEx to "The Guru" down in Atlanta for final installation, fitting and sprinkling of magic sniper dust. Krieger's work order showed a total of 5 weeks to do it all - delay was due to my not sending in the front band with the initial parts.


http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/krieger/sn_closeup_.jpg
Ultra Hi-Res (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/krieger/sn_closeup.jpg)


http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/krieger/to_hook_.jpg
Ultra Hi-Res (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/krieger/to_hook.jpg)

[larryw]

Very nice! Any idea how long it will take The Guru to get the gun to me for a proper break-in? :D

[45R]

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

[Abominable No-Man]

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

(Drool.)

(Jealous.)

(Drool.)

(Missing my M14.)

(Drool.)

Getting the urge to build again..........

ANM

[Dave P]

So many rifles, so little money ...


Let us know about accuracy when it comes back!

[Urban Warrior]

Nice looking project you got going there!!!! Can't wait for the final photo's

I really like the pic of the camo "bush" rifle on your post. Reason being it's MINE!!! in trademark "Urban Warrior" pattern..............UW:cool:

[Sven]

Yes, Urban... the pictures of your design are some of the finest on Karsten's Website (http://www.imageseek.com/karsten) - not only for your trademark design, but for the quality of the images themselves!

I confess that I am a huge fan of your design. I have been experimenting a different pallete for my part of the country at this time... here is my totally amateur Photoshop of the current idea I'm toying with:

http://www.imageseek.com/sven/karsten/idea.jpg

If you look closely you'll see some tiny 'chocolate chips' - I actually want to make these much bigger... like normal chips... but have them incorporated into the UW 'splotches' as shown above.

Karsten suggested some NATO Black - maybe to better break up the receiver in the otherwise light overall stock... open to ideas, of course.

[4v50 Gary]

Good taste in Krieger barrel. Oh, nice gun too. Great paint job.

[HankL]

Great to see your project comming along so nicely! The wait is almost over.

[Kestrel]

Who is "The Guru" in Atlanta?

Steve

[Sven]

The guru?

Well, I've been sworn to secrecy. Actually, I can tell you who he is, but I've sworn not to give out his phone number and stuff, though others might give you that information.

His name is Gerald "Hook" Boutin... do a search on Google and/or SnipersHide to learn a bit about this guy. Helped develop the M21 and kept the M14s running in Vietnam, to lightly touch on his impressive resume.

He's an old timer... quite a 'card'.

[Kestrel]

Does he do work for the public?

[Sven]

http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/its_here_.jpg

My M1A arrived today!

My smith reports that the windage is right on and was "very happy with the groups". Time to hit the range!

[Steve Smith]

I may have one "just" like it, but I'm still jealous.


Call me at my office tonight...I'll be here for an hour or two.

[Duke of Lawnchair]

Beautiful!

[45R]

Wow!!! Thats a rifle that doesnt have to sing "I'm so Pretty....I'm so Pretty!!" It screams it!!!

[larryw]

Are you taking it to the range Friday morning so I can help you break it in? :D

[Sven]

I don't see how I could resist some test firing on Friday AM!

Bring your sling - don't have one of them yet.

[Steve Smith]

Wait, wait, wait, YOU DON'T HAVE A SLING??!!!!


AARRRGGHHH!!!!


leslietam@aol.com
http://www.sharkysdive.net/LesTamm1907.htm

[HankL]

Dad gummit, I know I gave my last extra USGI 1907 away years ago.
You can try. Creedmore (http://www.creedmoorsports.com/C1061.html) if you can't wait on a Tamm.

[Steve Smith]

Les can usually crank one out in about two weeks.

[Sven]

Was looking at getting one of these:
http://turnersling.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TS&Product_Code=NMSRAWS&Category_Code=NSRS

Turner says he will have Desert Tan as soon as January.

Meanwhile, thinking bout a good ol' fashioned Navy Sling:

http://members.cox.net/charleyssurplus/

M14 NAVY ISSUE SLING
M14_ NAVY ISSUE OD GREEN NYLON SLING W/SPRING HOOK AND COMPRESSION LOCK. CURRENT ISSUE. NEW $8.95 EA.

What's so cool about the Tam slings?

[Steve Smith]

What's cool? Well, its the best made leather sling you can buy, and Les will want to talk to you over the phone before you buy it. It has the heaviest leather, and the heaviest hardware (within the rules) you can find. If you ever have a problem Les will make it right. The biothanes like the Turner are slow to rig for sure, but are stout once set. I prefer to have a little tradition on my rifle, so I have a brown leather sling, rather than rubber or a black sling. That's just me.

As far as the "Navy" sling is concerned, that looks like an M1 style web sling, but it is nylon. You DON'T want a nylon sling. The $4 cloth web sling is head and shoulders above the nylon because the nylon slips!

[larryw]

Sven, I'll bring both my Turner 1907 (leather ;) ) and cotton GI web sling for you to play with. Turner rigs sure are nice.

[Telperion]

Any more pics? :D When are you going to get it painted?

[HankL]

Tomorrow Is The Day!!!

[Sven]

She's calling... Steve Smith had me fire her and listen... indeed "rings like a bell" when the hammer falls - a high pitched ring. The rumor is that this is one of the hallmarks of a properly bedded M1A... who knows.

...now, the sad truth is, this will be the 5th or 6th time I've ever fired a rifle, so maybe I'll have larryw do the groups for record tomorrow. ;)


http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/receiver_close_.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/receiver_close.jpg)


http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/blend_in_.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/blend_in.jpg)

Finally my Tan paint job will be understood by those who didn't get it before - see how it blends in with my home environment? Fits right in at home - won't offend the sheeple with its Eddie Bauerish tones. ;) Belongs right on that chair.

Seriously, planning on having Karsten paint it after I shoot out this barrel - 5000 round 'oil change'. Hook told me "didn't have any of that paint you used so I couldn't touch up the spots where I filed"... no big deal. If you look at the end of the stock in the hi-res lower image, you will see where Hook sawed off the end of the McMillan stock (or filed off the end, at least) for his fitting. I'm sure the insides are also quite modified, but I'm not going to look unless I have to. Hook told me not to open the gun unless it gets wet.

Excited.

[45R]

Sweeeet looking rifle!! :)

[larryw]

And she shoots better than she looks. Not that Sven let me shoot it though; he mumbled something along the lines of "from my cold dead hands".

He did agree to sell it...for $5K. :D

[Sven]

I'm starting to suspect that people don't like to shoot other guys firearms because when they do, there is a good chance they will want to buy another piece.

My first five shot group at 100 yards was just over 1"... mostly vertical dispersion, probably because I find it easy to center the sight on the tiny dot but the elevation is harder to judge for my newbie eyes. This was using the Lake City M118LR ammo, 2002 production.

Throwing out a 'flyer' put the group size at 0.9". My smith said that half my group size is probably human error. I'll post a picture of the targets and you'll see what I mean about the vertical spread.

I couldn't sleep last night due to excitement, but it was all worth it! Now I'm chugging Red Bull to stay awake...

-sven

Larry: the Rule of Twos shall not not be broken!

[LynnMassGuy]

Oh man that is cooool. I wish I could sneak an M1A past my wife.

[Sven]

http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/100_yards.jpg

http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/50_yards.jpg

[Telperion]

Those are some GREAT groups. Hope to see you and your rifle at some highpower matches soon.

Did you use a china marker or paint on the bolt? I've never seen the roll mark highlighted like that.

[Sven]

> Did you use a china marker or paint on the bolt?
> I've never seen the roll mark highlighted like that.

China marker is what I used... marked the bolt, op rod, receiver markings... still need to perform this on my windage numbers.

[Thunderstick]

Hey sven! Too bad you missed the penny!;)

[Sven]

Naw, I need to save my pennies for the next project - and feeding this one. ;)

[Steve Smith]

No offense, but I think he's right...you're not even close to outshooting that rifle yet. She'll give you all the accuract you want for a long long time. Now, time to shoot a match!

[Sven]

Steve Smith called and explained how to march elevation for different distances onto the rings, as well as how to find mechanical zero. Took a couple more pics:

http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/left2_.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/left2.jpg)

http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/leftfront_.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/leftfront.jpg)

Tonight I began dry practice with larryw's loaned sling - even set up the scope. ;) I'm hooked.


-s

http://www.imageseek.com/sven/m1a/autoposed_.jpg
the proud 'father' - LOL

[Steve Smith]

Someone photoshop that with Lee Harvey Oswald's face!

[Dave P]

All that work that Hook did on your sights, and you shoot 1 " groups, and you're gonna scope it??? I hope I read that wrong.


50 lashes with a Tasco for you!

[Steve Smith]

Dave, have no fear, no scopes. After the conversation Sven and I had, I think he knows he'll be disowned by the entire Highpower community if he slaps a scope on that thing.

[Sven]

That's my pose for "Suburban Militiamen of Fortune", coming to a magazine stand near you soon! No scope will be put on there - I'll eventually build another M1A for that purpose. Like... in a couple years after I've 'digested' this project.