Another (bad?) idea....

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Skylerbone said:
My Encore is my ultimate switch barrel but that doesn’t make for a project, just a few fore end screws and a pivot pin
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Sure it does, custom forend hangers, barrels, stocks.....I'm sure there's other stuff, but I've only had one Contender, so don't know much about the platforms as a whole lol.

I've been trying to avoid the AR Rabbit hole, but I just got another lower.......I don't really have a reason to build another one right now, but the things have a habit spontaneously combusting into complete rifles........I think I did manage to finally buy a gun i can't do anything with. I paid for a GP Xcal yesterday.... literally can't find any parts, tho I've shot the thing and it doesn't need anything.
 
BigBore44 said:
Maybe a good candidate for a custom build?
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They arnt as easy to work on for a home gunsmith as some other actions (mostly because of the conned breach, and extractor relief cut), but besides barrel work they are the same as any other action. They offer a really unique look as well.
I fit a barrel to a friend's gun and filed in the relief cut. The barrel he got somewhere, was shanked correctly but the extractor cut wasn't made yet.
Normally I believe they come with the groove cut, and you need to set the shoulder back to align it properly, then chamber the thing.
On a 1903 I'd have to farm the work out. Probably take it to a local machinest and have him cut the shoulder back while checking for alignment and clearance on the bolt.
Otherwise the 03s one of those classic actions that really turn into nice custom rifles. They are fantastic for the whole 06 family.
The down side for me is with something like an 03, I'd be tempted to go all out with nice wood, aftermarket trigger, high polish bluing etc....
 
Well
LoonWulf said:
They arnt as easy to work on for a home gunsmith as some other actions (mostly because of the conned breach, and extractor relief cut), but besides barrel work they are the same as any other action. They offer a really unique look as well.
I fit a barrel to a friend's gun and filed in the relief cut. The barrel he got somewhere, was shanked correctly but the extractor cut wasn't made yet.
Normally I believe they come with the groove cut, and you need to set the shoulder back to align it properly, then chamber the thing.
On a 1903 I'd have to farm the work out. Probably take it to a local machinest and have him cut the shoulder back while checking for alignment and clearance on the bolt.
Otherwise the 03s one of those classic actions that really turn into nice custom rifles. They are fantastic for the whole 06 family.
The down side for me is with something like an 03, I'd be tempted to go all out with nice wood, aftermarket trigger, high polish bluing etc....
Click to expand...
Well, that’s a problem. We have exactly one gunsmith around here. And he’s as slow as cold molasses. He seriously took a year to put a safety on my brothers Mauser. Machinists won’t work on guns unless they are licensed to work on firearms. And I don’t know any that are. Plus, that stupid gun has an amazing trigger on it. Breaks clean at 2.2lbs and has no creep after you take up the slack. And it shoots 1.1” 3 shot groups. So going custom with it doesn’t really make sense I guess.

I think my problem is I have so many rifles that overlap all the way from 223 to 375 H&H. And they all shoot. What’s my advantage to building a gun that will do what at LEAST 2 other guns already do? Yeah. It will be one I built. But it won’t kill yotes better than my 223 or 243. Deer better than pretty much every caliber I own. Hogs better than almost every caliber I own. Elk, bear, or moose, better than my 338WM or 375. But maybe that’s not how I need to look at it.

I feel like I’ve hijacked this thread. That wasn’t my intention. This thread is about YOUR rifle build. Not the potential of mine. If you want to have the mods delete my posts, I completely understand. I want to keep your thread about you. I need to start my own thread.
 
BigBore44 said:
Well

Well, that’s a problem. We have exactly one gunsmith around here. And he’s as slow as cold molasses. He seriously took a year to put a safety on my brothers Mauser. Machinists won’t work on guns unless they are licensed to work on firearms. And I don’t know any that are. Plus, that stupid gun has an amazing trigger on it. Breaks clean at 2.2lbs and has no creep after you take up the slack. And it shoots 1.1” 3 shot groups. So going custom with it doesn’t really make sense I guess.

I think my problem is I have so many rifles that overlap all the way from 223 to 375 H&H. And they all shoot. What’s my advantage to building a gun that will do what at LEAST 2 other guns already do? Yeah. It will be one I built. But it won’t kill yotes better than my 223 or 243. Deer better than pretty much every caliber I own. Hogs better than almost every caliber I own. Elk, bear, or moose, better than my 338WM or 375. But maybe that’s not how I need to look at it.

I feel like I’ve hijacked this thread. That wasn’t my intention. This thread is about YOUR rifle build. Not the potential of mine. If you want to have the mods delete my posts, I completely understand. I want to keep your thread about you. I need to start my own thread.
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I'm not worried about it lol, this is all good info for someone thinking about doing this kinda stuff.
Your thoughts there are also both useful, and valid. Going into a project, like a custom rifle, or anything really, needs to be a weighing of option/cost/results.

To be honest I've never built a rifle better than I could have bought over the counter. They all have something they do thats unique, explore a concept, or simply provide me with some entertainment, but none are really "better"
For me the journey to the end of the line is more important than what I find when I get there, sometimes it's a bust (The .30-06AI, which was an excellent gun, but uninspiring for some reason), sometimes it's something special (like my .375 Ruger, Abolt).
I highly suggest anyone who WANTS to build a custom gun, or do any project really, do so. I also think making a decision as to what one wants FROM the project is a necessary step in the process.
 
Having the correct resources makes a huge difference also. There's a few shops who will help me with machining work i can't do myself, and there's an excellent gunsmith for me to dump a jacked up project on if necessary (tho i haven't needed to yet).
I didn't think about it, but most "customizing" that really matters in a guns ease of use is small stuff.
 
The canoe paddle looking stock on the dimension T/C might look weird, but when you run those expensive elevating adj. combs up where you use them, they actually are the same ! T/C just trying to think out of the box again, ya got to give them that. Cheap too ! You know their barrels have 5R rifling ? And pre threaded of course. The Rynite stocks are kinda cheap looking but guess what ? a solid Rynite stock is really stable and just about indestructable .. An amazing product for the money IMHO.the whole T/C line.
TC-Dimension.jpg
 
Sideways update........

I got a bit more load work up done on the .300. I need to get some more 180 accubonds, they are hovering right around 3/4", which maybe an effect of the dot reticle. But very little change in accuracy over the load spectrum so far.

I have the .264 and .458 dies on hand.
Got cases for both, tho I'm still needing .458 bullets.

I've decided to stick with the factory sporter stock for now. I played with a couple more boyds sporters since last update, and Id have to do a fair amount of work on the middle sections to get them the way I want.

Now the sideways part of this update......Do I add a .270wby heavy sporter barrel?

This is actually a win70 pushfeed barrel that was meant for my sister in laws rifle, and I don't have a gun for it (which makes it likely to grow one), besides fitting it to the American.

I need to face off a bit of the shank, but otherwise it will simply be reaming it in.....so I'm thinking of just reaming it to .270wby and adding another barrel to the set?

Guess I will need a set of .270wby dies.

PXL_20201126_044703714.PORTRAIT.jpg PXL_20201126_044701281.PORTRAIT.jpg PXL_20201126_044612314.MP.jpg

My FFL buddy finally got dealer status with Shaw, so the .264 and .458 barrels will be ordered in the next month or two.
 
I just placed the barrel order with ERShaw last night. They will be sent to @troy fairweather when complete, as he's been kind enough to forward them to me since shaw had rediculous rates to hawaii.
26" light varmint contour 1-8 twist .264 Winchester Magnum
23" varmint contour 1-14 twist .458 Winchester Magnum
Ive decided to ream out the .270 win barrel I have to .270WBY magnum when I rent the reamers for the other two
All three will be shouldered barrels, so headspace will be one and done, I'll have to figure out some way to lock the barrel nut...or just live with it....on the .300wm.

I have dies and bullets for all of them (thanks to @Alaskan Ironworker for some 400gr speer .458s), now I just need to dig up some casings. Tho I have a huge supply of 7mm Remington and .300win mag, so I CAN make cases if I absolutely have to.

Gonna start watching Boyds for a nice rapid-fire stock to snag as well, and since my dads living with us and unemployed at the moment, ill see if hell build my case for me.
 
PROGRESS!!!

The barrels from shaw were finished, and recently delivered to Troy, those are the last pieces of the gun puzzle.

I'll need to rent the reamer for them in the next week or so...but first I have to return the reamers I have on hand....
One of which is the .270WBY reamer to make that first Shaw barrel I got useful.

and here we are....
PXL_20210424_230854749.jpg

View attachment 994898
PXL_20210424_230821385.MP.jpg


The reamers pilot wouldn't reach all the way to the bore, so I had to improvise......not the most precise way to do things, but once again electrical tape to the rescue....
PXL_20210427_012753613.MP.jpg

The barrels will get blasted and painted fde ro match the reciever.



So to finish this project out (besides loading ammo and shooting), I still need to pick out, and pick up, and LPV. Ill also need to build my case to hold all this crap.
The case Im pretty sure I've GOT on hand....ill take picture of it later.
The scope I'm not sure what to go with. Im thinking of using a VX-F 1.5-4x20, or something similar.
 
At my age, if my .270 Win won't kill it easily, I'm not going to hunt it because I won't be able to handle it without a front-end loader. The big moose shot with my .270 is the last major big game I intend to shoot. LOL
 
Picher said:
At my age, if my .270 Win won't kill it easily, I'm not going to hunt it because I won't be able to handle it without a front-end loader. The big moose shot with my .270 is the last major big game I intend to shoot. LOL
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He needs something big for them Farrell cows.

Seriously we all could use a 22 to kill most animals, but it's nice to have some options.
 
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troy fairweather said:
Yup should have them out today, tomorrow the latest.

the leupold I think will be good, definitely go with a scope with 4" or better eye relief 5" even better. Be cool with some sights to on the 458.
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Yeah I think 4 in is the minimum that will be acceptable on the scopes I relief.
I did the calculations on weight last night, And when using the standard sporter stock, even filled full of epoxy, The 458's only going to weigh something like 9 lb..... Which should be exciting to say the least.
Thankfully the thing comes with a decent recoil pad, and I can still add a bit more weight to the butt if necessary.

Picher said:
At my age, if my .270 Win won't kill it easily, I'm not going to hunt it because I won't be able to handle it without a front-end loader. The big moose shot with my .270 is the last major big game I intend to shoot. LOL
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There isn't a whole lot that a well-placed 270 won't kill lol!
troy fairweather said:
He needs something big for them Farrell cows.

Seriously we all could use a 22 to kill most animals, but it's nice to have some options.
Click to expand...
I agree, quite honestly I could get away with owning nothing but a 223....
Still I like having a bunch of different toys to play with:D And this build is like four toys in one box!
 
Total cost as it stands.

Ruger American Magnum .300wm - 500

270wby barrel - 190 (really 0 as it was for another project)
.264 barrel - 170
.458 barrel - 170
@troy fairweather is helping with shipping, otherwise cost on barrels would almost double

Boyds stock - 150

Burris ffe1 4.5-14x42 - 200

Brake for 300 - free from @Skylerbone

2x leupold qd 1" rings - free from @Skylerbone

Case - free from my buddy Eddie.

Tool rentals from 4D reamers - 60

Thus far, and with help from friends... There's actually been significant help in terms of reloading components as well.
Total cost is at $1250, I'd ideally like to keep the completed cost under $1,500 but theres wiggle room.
 
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