First Custom Rifle Project: What do I need to think about?

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wombat13

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I'm pretty sure I'm going to send my Ruger Hawkeye (stainless with laminate stock) to Hart Barrels (because they have a good rep and are in driving distance) to be rebarreled. I'm going to keep it chambered in .300WM. My reason for rebarreling is that I want a rifle that is easier to develop good handloads and is a joy to shoot. I know that I could sell this rifle and buy a new nice rifle probably cheaper than this project, but my rifle was a gift from my wife, so I prefer to keep it.

I've never had a project like this done before, so I'd appreciate advice (other than sell the Ruger/buy a different rifle). Here are the things I'm thinking about, but please tell me if I'm missing anything.

1. Twist rate: Should I stick with 1:10 or go 1:9? Currently the rifle shoots 165 gr bullets quite well, but I haven't found a factory or handload for 180 gr that does much better than 2" at 100. I know that 2 MOA is good enough for a hunting rifle, but I'm fortunate that I don't have to settle for good enough. I would like to shoot heavier bullets (200 gr +) for two reasons. Slower MV in .300WM is still plenty fast to allow nearly all bullets to open up but not blow up on close shots and the higher BC will be better if I ever hunt where long range (300+ yards) shots are likely.

2. Barrel length? I'm inclined to stick with the 24" that it came with. Seems like a good trade off for velocity and usability since I live in NY not the great plains.

3. Throat depth: Any help on terminology, considerations, and how to determine the proper dimension is much appreciated. Rugers have short magazines so you can't really seat a bullet near the lands and still load it into the magazine. I don't even know the proper terminology here.

4. Cerakote or Teflon or neither?
I'm leaning toward just the bead blasted finish because that's what my current rifle/action are and I like it, but am open to advice.

5. Barrel profile and fluting: Any suggestions are welcome on profile and to flute or not.
I've read that thicker barrel profiles are more accurate and that fluting offers the benefits of a thicker barrel but reduces weight. Hart offers several fluting styles but I'd probably go with a simple straight flute because it looks like the easiest to clean.

6. Pillar bedding? Hart offers pillar bedding. Rugers have the angled action screw. Does pillar bedding help with Rugers? This leads to the next question.

7. Keep the laminate stock or replace it (with what)? This is really a hunting rifle so I wouldn't want a tacticool stock. I also don't mind the rifle a little heavy since it is .300WM. How hard is it to modify the laminate stock if I go with a thicker barrel profile than original?

Thanks in advance for all advice on this project. I'll probably contact them in November/December to get their comments/advice but thought I'd gather the wisdom from THR first. I'm planning to deliver my rifle to them in January.
 
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FWIW, I personally prefer a shorter barrel for handiness and relative stiffness, but the 300 WM has different ballistic considerations from the cartridges I play with. Here's a good article with some hard data:

https://rifleshooter.com/2013/12/30...rrel-length-change-velocity-a-16-300-win-mag/

If you can go a bit shorter, you can achieve stiffness without barrel fluting etc. and perhaps save some weight if that's a consideration. I personally like pillar bedding when I can get someone else to do it properly. The M77 has its challenges, but there are solutions: https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...r-77-m77-mark-ii-bedding-pillars-prod357.aspx

No opinion on throat, but I would get Hart's advice here. I also like bead blast SS finishes and laminate stocks on Rugers, so if it was my rifle I'd vote yes to those.

RugerNo1.jpg
 
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Last time I check Hart was over $700. I'd check out McGowen or even Shaw they would be about half the price. I love with in a drive to hard but never found a reason to use them. You could always see if ruge r will rebarrel it. Why do you need a new barrel anyway?
 
Don’t want to dampen your excitement but I started doing almost exactly what you’re wanting to do. If I had it to do over again I would build from scratch. If the ruger has sentimental value I’d keep it the way it is
 
Last time I check Hart was over $700. I'd check out McGowen or even Shaw they would be about half the price. I love with in a drive to hard but never found a reason to use them. You could always see if ruge r will rebarrel it. Why do you need a new barrel anyway?
I spent several years trying to find a 180 grain load that would shoot better than 1.5" to 2" in my rifle. I've tried several factory offerings as well as combinations of several bullets and several powders in handloads. Secondary consideration is the barrel takes hours to clean. I'm just tired of battling the rifle. So far it shoots every 165 gr factory and handload very well. So, I'm guessing this barrel just doesn't like heavy bullets and i want to shoot heavies (not that 180 gr is even that heavy for .300WM).
 
Don’t want to dampen your excitement but I started doing almost exactly what you’re wanting to do. If I had it to do over again I would build from scratch. If the ruger has sentimental value I’d keep it the way it is
I understand that this way is not the most practical. But if I build from scratch, that's rifle I'll take to the range and hunting. I want this rifle to be my range and hunting favorite. I know I'm allowing sentiment to drive my decision, but that's what I want.
 
Last time I check Hart was over $700. I'd check out McGowen or even Shaw they would be about half the price. I love with in a drive to hard but never found a reason to use them. You could always see if ruge r will rebarrel it. Why do you need a new barrel anyway?
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm okay paying the local guy more as long as the quality is there. I've searched THR and other forums and never read any complaints about Hart quality. I'd be happy to hear about anyone's direct experience with Hart.
 
I spent several years trying to find a 180 grain load that would shoot better than 1.5" to 2" in my rifle. I've tried several factory offerings as well as combinations of several bullets and several powders in handloads. Secondary consideration is the barrel takes hours to clean. I'm just tired of battling the rifle. So far it shoots every 165 gr factory and handload very well. So, I'm guessing this barrel just doesn't like heavy bullets and i want to shoot heavies (not that 180 gr is even that heavy for .300WM).[

Did you ever try lapping the bore?
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm okay paying the local guy more as long as the quality is there. I've searched THR and other forums and never read any complaints about Hart quality. I'd be happy to hear about anyone's direct experience with Hart.
They quoted me about 8 months last time I called, that was almost 5 years ago. Never seen a bad hart , but for the money you could have any bartline barrel out one by a smith. for recoil is get a heavy barrel and maybe even have it threaded, unless your hunting with it much. With rugers there are a few things you have to check to get good accuracy from them,
 
I understand that this way is not the most practical. But if I build from scratch, that's rifle I'll take to the range and hunting. I want this rifle to be my range and hunting favorite. I know I'm allowing sentiment to drive my decision, but that's what I want.
Hey it’s your money so you can do whatever you want but you should know that you’re prob not going to get any improvement without truing the action and the gunsmith will prob charge you quite a bit for that. You’ll prob also need bedding. Adding all those things up will prob cost more than a new gun. And when you’re done it will still be a used ruger Hawkeye in terms of market value. I know you don’t value it that way because it was a gift. Just go in with eyes open.
 
Hey it’s your money so you can do whatever you want but you should know that you’re prob not going to get any improvement without truing the action and the gunsmith will prob charge you quite a bit for that. You’ll prob also need bedding. Adding all those things up will prob cost more than a new gun. And when you’re done it will still be a used ruger Hawkeye in terms of market value. I know you don’t value it that way because it was a gift. Just go in with eyes open.
Hart includes truing the action when they install the barrel. Maybe that's why others have found their price to be higher? I haven't sold a firearm yet and this would be the last one I would ever sell, so my kids can worry about the market value when I'm gone.
 
So I would start by identifying everything you like about the gun as is, then ID everything it doesn’t do as well as you want it to. Then, look at what could be better.

a good barrel, properly fitted is worth the money

the stock is your point of interaction, seriously consider a change, manners and Macmillan both make great stocks for hunting, they are expensive but can maximize the accuracy potential

trigger - another critical point of interaction, a 2lb March grade trigger changes the world compared to an ok 4-5lb trigger

glass? A good scope can make you shoot better

barrel twist - talk to the smith and explain what ammo you plan to shoot and what ranges, a 1-10” should work up into the 210 grain range

I can’t give any “do this not that” advice, but you are thinking of the right things, in 5 years you probably won’t regret a upgraded stock or scope,
 
I’m a damned fool as well, who has dumped a lot of money into building custom rifles around Ruger actions. It’s indefensibly silly, but it’s different. My first big game rifles were a borrowed 270 boat paddle, then I bought my own standard 30-06, 30 years later I still look for excuses to like the Rugers. For just a hunting field rifle I can feel good about carrying, I picked a Ruger All-Weather (the barrel for which promptly rusted terribly on the first trip afield, even further motivating me to swap barrels).

Questions 1, 2, and 5: On my own custom Ruger M77 Hawkeye All-Weather 300win mag, I went with a Bartlein #4 contour 1:9” twist barrel, to be finished at 26”. I like shooting the 200-212’s so I went with the 1:9” twist, and I do like to reach out a ways, so I went with 26”. I also don’t care for excessive recoil, and the #4 has sufficient weight to favor my shoulder without being so heavy it breaks my back (I have a 31” Heavy Varmint 300wm for that).

Specifically Question 5: thicker barrels are not more accurate. It’s a lie folks tell themselves. They respond less to heat, so they last longer and shift less during sustained strings of fire, but there’s nothing inherently more accurate about a bore, just because it has more steel wrapped around it.

Question 3: Pick your bullet, seat a dummy round to your mag length, and have your smith throat the rifle to fit the dummy.

Question 4: No Teflon for me. If it’s an All-Weather action, let it be. I could be convinced to Elite Cerakote the inside of the action and DLC the bolt, but really, I wouldn’t bother much, it’s just a hunting rifle.

Question 6: ABSOLUTELY pillar block and glass bed a Ruger M77 action. Free float the barrel, relief the mag box, and pillar block and glass bed the action. These are “Must-Have’s” on my personal Ruger M77 MkII/Hawkeye tuning list. The angled action screw is only an issue for 1) lazy smiths, 2) inexperienced smiths, and 3) pro smiths who are busy enough with typical work to ever be bothered by low volume Ruger work.

Question 7: it’s not terribly difficult to inlet barrel channels, but it can be very difficult to do so properly and result in aesthetically pleasing work. Barrel channel scrapers are well worth the money, and I usually end up playing with a router jig to get myself started. It’s very easy to screw up a stock too, but if it’s just a cheap factory laminate, it will be easily replaced. A guy can also relieve a LOT of channel, then wrap the barrel in bedding tape and glass bed the entire channel, it leaves a nice finished surface, and removing the tape leaves the desired free float. If you don’t own a router and can’t make jigs, and don’t want to buy a channel scraper, then I’d encourage you to pay someone else to do it.

Confirm with Hart whether they will true the M77 action. Many smiths and barrel makers will not, because the investment cast receivers are incredibly hard, and even burn up carbide tooling. They also may not have the fixture to hold the M77 action, and may not care to build it just for the low volume work it would fetch. Confirm.
 
So I would start by identifying everything you like about the gun as is, then ID everything it doesn’t do as well as you want it to. Then, look at what could be better.

a good barrel, properly fitted is worth the money

the stock is your point of interaction, seriously consider a change, manners and Macmillan both make great stocks for hunting, they are expensive but can maximize the accuracy potential

trigger - another critical point of interaction, a 2lb March grade trigger changes the world compared to an ok 4-5lb trigger

glass? A good scope can make you shoot better

barrel twist - talk to the smith and explain what ammo you plan to shoot and what ranges, a 1-10” should work up into the 210 grain range

I can’t give any “do this not that” advice, but you are thinking of the right things, in 5 years you probably won’t regret a upgraded stock or scope,
Thanks for the input. I hadn't heard of Manners stocks. I'll check them out. I have looked at Macmillan and will look again.

I think I'm set with glass. I've got a Leupold VX-6 2-12x on it now.

I've checked Nosler Accubonds, Accubond LR, Partition, and the Federal Edge TLR in the Berger twist calculator with velocities in the mid-range of what Nosler shows in their reloading data (e.g., 3000 fps for 180 gr, 2800 for 200 gr, 2700 for 210 gr) and all had SG greater than 1.5, except the 200 gr Edge TLR which was 1.3. The Accubonds were in the 1.6 range. On the other hand, would a 1:9 twist hurt? I checked the 125 gr. Accubond as a worst case and the SG with 1:9 twist is 3.4 (2.8 with 1:10 twist). Is that going to spin it so fast it blows up? I've never shot anything in this rifle lighter than 150 and probably wouldn't. I've got a .25-06 that shoots lights out with 100 gr. bullets.

I checked the trigger weight on three rifles this weekend. My Ruger broke at about 6 lbs (that's after I put a lighter spring in it!), my Savage Axis II at about 4.5lbs, and my inline muzzleloader at 3lbs. The 3lb triger felt very light. I don't think I would want to go much lighter than that. I'm thinking 3 to 3.5 lbs would be perfect. I'll have to decide between Timney and Rifle Basix and have to check which work with the LH safety.
 
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I’m a damned fool as well, who has dumped a lot of money into building custom rifles around Ruger actions. It’s indefensibly silly, but it’s different. My first big game rifles were a borrowed 270 boat paddle, then I bought my own standard 30-06, 30 years later I still look for excuses to like the Rugers. For just a hunting field rifle I can feel good about carrying, I picked a Ruger All-Weather (the barrel for which promptly rusted terribly on the first trip afield, even further motivating me to swap barrels).

Questions 1, 2, and 5: On my own custom Ruger M77 Hawkeye All-Weather 300win mag, I went with a Bartlein #4 contour 1:9” twist barrel, to be finished at 26”. I like shooting the 200-212’s so I went with the 1:9” twist, and I do like to reach out a ways, so I went with 26”. I also don’t care for excessive recoil, and the #4 has sufficient weight to favor my shoulder without being so heavy it breaks my back (I have a 31” Heavy Varmint 300wm for that).

Specifically Question 5: thicker barrels are not more accurate. It’s a lie folks tell themselves. They respond less to heat, so they last longer and shift less during sustained strings of fire, but there’s nothing inherently more accurate about a bore, just because it has more steel wrapped around it.

Question 3: Pick your bullet, seat a dummy round to your mag length, and have your smith throat the rifle to fit the dummy.

Question 4: No Teflon for me. If it’s an All-Weather action, let it be. I could be convinced to Elite Cerakote the inside of the action and DLC the bolt, but really, I wouldn’t bother much, it’s just a hunting rifle.

Question 6: ABSOLUTELY pillar block and glass bed a Ruger M77 action. Free float the barrel, relief the mag box, and pillar block and glass bed the action. These are “Must-Have’s” on my personal Ruger M77 MkII/Hawkeye tuning list. The angled action screw is only an issue for 1) lazy smiths, 2) inexperienced smiths, and 3) pro smiths who are busy enough with typical work to ever be bothered by low volume Ruger work.

Question 7: it’s not terribly difficult to inlet barrel channels, but it can be very difficult to do so properly and result in aesthetically pleasing work. Barrel channel scrapers are well worth the money, and I usually end up playing with a router jig to get myself started. It’s very easy to screw up a stock too, but if it’s just a cheap factory laminate, it will be easily replaced. A guy can also relieve a LOT of channel, then wrap the barrel in bedding tape and glass bed the entire channel, it leaves a nice finished surface, and removing the tape leaves the desired free float. If you don’t own a router and can’t make jigs, and don’t want to buy a channel scraper, then I’d encourage you to pay someone else to do it.

Confirm with Hart whether they will true the M77 action. Many smiths and barrel makers will not, because the investment cast receivers are incredibly hard, and even burn up carbide tooling. They also may not have the fixture to hold the M77 action, and may not care to build it just for the low volume work it would fetch. Confirm.

Lots of good info. Thanks. On the topic of stock inletting, mag box relief, etc., is that work that I can do after getting the barreled action back from Hart, or do I have to have that all planned out ahead of time? For example, if I tell them to pillar bed it, do they prep the barreled action and then I work on the stock when I get it back? If I plan to go that route and then screw up the stock or decide to switch to a Macmillan for some other reason, would that be a problem? I don't really understand how pillar bedding works vs. glass bedding etc.
 
Pillar blocking: embedding aluminum “pillars” - hollow tubes - into the stock for the action screws to pass through. This prevents the tension in the screws from changing when the stock wood swells or shrinks with varying environmental conditions, and prevents the screws from crushing the grain of the stock over time.

Glass bedding: filling the stock around the action to give an exceptionally tight, close, and consistent fit between the action and stock.

These changes happen to the stock, and everything stays with it. If you change stocks, you have to have the work done again. It’s relatively cheap and painless.
 
The silver “bushings” embedded in the stock here are the pillars. The black epoxy around the tang area and front of the action would be the glass bedding. In this project, I chewed out all of that bedding “spill,” and did a full length action bedding job. Apparently I forgot that I had forgotten to take that particular photo, however.

35631720832_814d283e7e_b.jpg
 
I've built/had built for me a few rifles.. I usually decide how much I'm willing to spend on a build first.

If the ruger has sentimental value I’d keep it the way it is

What taliv said has a special kick in the butt to me.
Many years ago, a very good gunsmith built a rifle for me. A NRA/DCM Springfield 1903-A*. He trued the action, locking lugs etc and installed a Douglas Supreme barrel, Timney trigger and hot tank blue etc.. For over 50 years with reloads it was a cold barrel MOA. With a 1960s Weaver, it will pop coke cans at 200 until you get tired.
I'd like to change the caliber; however, taliv's sentimental value hit home.. I can buy a R700 or whatever, start from scratch and keep the memories of may father and me shooting. In short, money is a lot easier to come buy than memories.
Thanks taliv for reminding me.
 
@wombat13, other stocks that might strike your eye include Greyboe ($$) and gunwerks ($$$)
If I were you I think I would either keep the original stock (sentiment and it’s not a terrible stock, maybe do a little bedding work) or upgrade in a big way, I wouldn’t get a bell and Carlson for example

for the barrel, I’d recommend you go heavy enough to be able to thread it for a suppressor, flutes will help keep the weight down. If you want to keep a 300wm and make it a pleasure to shoot, put a suppressor on it
 
@wombat13, other stocks that might strike your eye include Greyboe ($$) and gunwerks ($$$)
If I were you I think I would either keep the original stock (sentiment and it’s not a terrible stock, maybe do a little bedding work) or upgrade in a big way, I wouldn’t get a bell and Carlson for example

for the barrel, I’d recommend you go heavy enough to be able to thread it for a suppressor, flutes will help keep the weight down. If you want to keep a 300wm and make it a pleasure to shoot, put a suppressor on it
Lives in New york
 
Thanks for the input. I hadn't heard of Manners stocks. I'll check them out. I have looked at Macmillan and will look again.

I think I'm set with glass. I've got a Leupold VX-6 2-12x on it now.

I've checked Nosler Accubonds, Accubond LR, Partition, and the Federal Edge TLR in the Berger twist calculator with velocities in the mid-range of what Nosler shows in their reloading data (e.g., 3000 fps for 180 gr, 2800 for 200 gr, 2700 for 210 gr) and all had SG greater than 1.5, except the 200 gr Edge TLR which was 1.3. The Accubonds were in the 1.6 range. On the other hand, would a 1:9 twist hurt? I checked the 125 gr. Accubond as a worst case and the SG with 1:9 twist is 3.4 (2.8 with 1:10 twist). Is that going to spin it so fast it blows up? I've never shot anything in this rifle lighter than 150 and probably wouldn't. I've got a .25-06 that shoots lights out with 100 gr. bullets.

I checked the trigger weight on three rifles this weekend. My Ruger broke at about 6 lbs (that's after I put a lighter spring in it!), my Savage Axis II at about 4.5lbs, and my inline muzzleloader at 3lbs. The 3lb triger felt very light. I don't think I would want to go much lighter than that. I'm thinking 3 to 3.5 lbs would be perfect. I'll have to decide between Timney and Rifle Basix and have to check which work with the LH safety.

I'd go with pretty much exactly what VTs suggesting.
I'd WOULD suggest some barrel weight if your not carrying your rifle too far. I've always found some extra weight out front to help with recoil, and accurate shooting, both supported and off hand.

I'm shooting 2lb triggers on everything now, but I used to set all of mine right at 3. I would suggest picking a weight at setting all your rifles for as close to the same pull weight as possible. I've never bought into the rifle surprising you when it goes off. I want all my triggers the same if possible.

I was shooting my buddies 12lb duty Glock, and the surprise from that thing breaking gave me back the flinch I'd just managed to "fix"
 
Pillar blocking: embedding aluminum “pillars” - hollow tubes - into the stock for the action screws to pass through. This prevents the tension in the screws from changing when the stock wood swells or shrinks with varying environmental conditions, and prevents the screws from crushing the grain of the stock over time.

Glass bedding: filling the stock around the action to give an exceptionally tight, close, and consistent fit between the action and stock.

These changes happen to the stock, and everything stays with it. If you change stocks, you have to have the work done again. It’s relatively cheap and painless.

Hart offers pillar bedding for an additional $200. Does that mean they do the work on the stock or just prep the action?
 
Hart offers pillar bedding for an additional $200. Does that mean they do the work on the stock or just prep the action?

It’s work on the stock, there’s nothing done to the action during the pillar blocking or bedding process other than packing it with clay and smearing it with shoe polish.
 
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