I've enjoyed the 1st V22S action I built into a F-Class/RF BR rifle so much that I decided to sell an Anschutz 2011 and replace it with another V22S for smallbore prone use. I ordered an action with the 60* cocking piece in order to be able to use a Jewell or other M700 compatible competition trigger, like the XTSP M22 2-stage trigger I had on hand. While I'm very pleased with the Flavio Fare 90* sear trigger on the 1st V22S, it's adjustment range is only from 7/10ths of an ounce up to 2oz, which is far lighter than I want for prone use, and no one at Vudoo knew when or if Flavio was going to come out with another trigger designed for a heavier break range. I'd ordered in a Shilen select match ratchet rifled blank in their R0 contour, so when the action arrived, I set to work cutting the tenon, chambering it with a JGS Nevius reamer, then cutting the 18* angled extractor slots with the bbl held in a super spacer/indexer on my manual mill. After I'd finished the bbl work, I pulled the 1st V22S out of its Kestros stock and put 30-40rds through the new bbl'd action to confirm function and get an idea of its accuracy. Then I pulled it out of the McMillan stock and after discussing the project with Doan, shipped it off to New Mexico.
After Doan sent me some photos of the finished rifle, I asked if he'd mind holding onto it until I could get the opportunity to fly down to meet with him and bring the rifle home. It took a few weeks while I was busy getting our corn crop planted and the pre-emerge chemicals applied, but a week ago Friday - May 27 - I was finally able to pull our Bonanza out of the hanger and take off for ABQ. Sure could've picked a better day for the trip, as it was already into the 90s at 10am, with moderate turbulence forecast over the whole route. There were also a few TFRs (Temporary Flight Restrictions) in place in the ABQ area, due to forest fires in the mountains between ABQ & Santa Fe, which reduced visibility, very important due to the number of large jet tankers working the fire. So we had to stay farther east and fly farther south than usual before turning west and flying directly towards ABQ, When I was a fledgling private pilot 45yrs ago, flying in the heat & turbulence was just another adventure associated with flying, but at my age today, it takes some real motivation to take off on a 384nm trip in these conditions - however, the photos of the finished rifle and the fact that it'd been 12yrs since I'd seen & visited with Doan provided that motivation. It took us 3:05 to get there with the headwinds & diversion around the TFRs, but seeing Doan again, and watching him pull the rifle out of a padded case made the hot & bumpy trip well worth it. We caught up on shooting & etc and had lunch in the little cafe in the FBO's main hanger over the course of almost 2hrs, then it was time to get back into the air to head home. By the time we left, the temp was 98*, and the air had gotten even rougher, but with the help of a good tailwind, it took only 2:25 to get home. It was a day well-spent, getting to introduce another old friend who had asked to fly along to Doan, and with all the conversation catching up, and the thrill of seeing the new rifle in person - but man, did a nice shower feel good when I finally got the rifle home! Another good friend found a used Leupold 24x BRD scope for the rifle online, and is holding it for me until I can get down to his place to pay him for it and mount it on the rifle; since I had an old Nikon Buckmaster 6-18x44 scope sitting on the shelf, I clamped it onto the Vudoo's 20 MOA sloped base, and it will serve until I can get my hands on the Leupold.
After Doan sent me some photos of the finished rifle, I asked if he'd mind holding onto it until I could get the opportunity to fly down to meet with him and bring the rifle home. It took a few weeks while I was busy getting our corn crop planted and the pre-emerge chemicals applied, but a week ago Friday - May 27 - I was finally able to pull our Bonanza out of the hanger and take off for ABQ. Sure could've picked a better day for the trip, as it was already into the 90s at 10am, with moderate turbulence forecast over the whole route. There were also a few TFRs (Temporary Flight Restrictions) in place in the ABQ area, due to forest fires in the mountains between ABQ & Santa Fe, which reduced visibility, very important due to the number of large jet tankers working the fire. So we had to stay farther east and fly farther south than usual before turning west and flying directly towards ABQ, When I was a fledgling private pilot 45yrs ago, flying in the heat & turbulence was just another adventure associated with flying, but at my age today, it takes some real motivation to take off on a 384nm trip in these conditions - however, the photos of the finished rifle and the fact that it'd been 12yrs since I'd seen & visited with Doan provided that motivation. It took us 3:05 to get there with the headwinds & diversion around the TFRs, but seeing Doan again, and watching him pull the rifle out of a padded case made the hot & bumpy trip well worth it. We caught up on shooting & etc and had lunch in the little cafe in the FBO's main hanger over the course of almost 2hrs, then it was time to get back into the air to head home. By the time we left, the temp was 98*, and the air had gotten even rougher, but with the help of a good tailwind, it took only 2:25 to get home. It was a day well-spent, getting to introduce another old friend who had asked to fly along to Doan, and with all the conversation catching up, and the thrill of seeing the new rifle in person - but man, did a nice shower feel good when I finally got the rifle home! Another good friend found a used Leupold 24x BRD scope for the rifle online, and is holding it for me until I can get down to his place to pay him for it and mount it on the rifle; since I had an old Nikon Buckmaster 6-18x44 scope sitting on the shelf, I clamped it onto the Vudoo's 20 MOA sloped base, and it will serve until I can get my hands on the Leupold.
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