Just showing off my rifle ;D 8)
The stock/action were originaly meant to be used as my new F-Class rifle, a modified version of the stock I had made by Alex Sitman a while back (GotW #76). The forend went to a low-profile modification in order to handle the intended 7-270WSM a bit better as the original is quite high and prone to leaning over when firing. The rear butt received an adjustable lower end in order to compensate for some potholes on the range where the front rest will just not go low enough sometimes. A palm-rest and integrated rail in the forend finish the combo. Alex did the stockwork and ordered me a custom color combination which you either love or hate, I'll admit
My dog and my rifle. Both are finicky about what they eat, both smell when taking them out, neither will listen to me.
Metalwork was done by Dave Bruno using a BAT MB 1.55" action, Jewell trigger, and the original 7WSM barrels. The rifle now sports a 20" .220 Beggs 1:10 twist with dashed fluting done by Dolphin Gun Co in the UK (hey Mik!). I had intended to put my 7WSM on here, but for some reason I ended up shooting 100m Precision Rifle prone competitions with it (bipod/scope, local thing). The scope is a March 8-80x56 in silver (eye candy) and since taking the pics I have bead-blasted the alu TPS rings to be silver as well. ;D
Couldn't decide to flute or not, so I went 50/50
I've had lots of help from Alex and Dave on the rifle and also very kind help from Gene Beggs with some Q's on the dies and reloading.
We shoot prone from a bipod, no rear support other than your hand/shoulder, so groupsize is determined by the shooter. None the less I wanted a rifle/caliber that would shoot better than I could and have some extra considerations on heat and recoil. We shoot 25-30 plus unlimited sighters in 30 minutes, so heat plays it's part. I came from a 30BR but found recoil and heat to be just a bit more than desired (yes, I'm a sissy!). Enter the tiny little 220 which required no work and can be fired out-of-the box, no forming etc like with the 30BR.
Ammo loaded up ready for the range
So how's it shoot, man?! Well, from my Farley and rearbag it will shoot 0.2-.25's all day. I use the 60gr Sierra Varminters, hence the 1:10 twist. A hunting bullet you say? Yes, quite surprising, this is a nice bullet. By no means BR stuff, but that's not what I am shooting. I did extensive testing when starting with the 220 Beggs and tried out the 52 Bergers, 52/53 SMK and the 60 Varminters in combination with N130/133/135. After about 750-800 rounds I came up with the same results for all four bullets and N133 as the favorite powder. They all come to life at 24.7-25.0 grains of N133, so all four will shoot the .2s with this load. The 220 is quite finicky or nervous, it will group like a shotgun and then suddenly close in to a knot and open up just as fast again when increasing loads in 0.1gr steps. Quite an experience and could cause headaches
Testing ammo off a bipod and no rear bags; I'll take this any day of the week
The target above shows the final load I ended up with: 24.8gr N133, CCI BR4, Sierra 60 Varminters. The 9/10 ring are actual size for the matches, I just omitted the 6/7/8 in order to save room on my load development targets.
Despite it being a thin jacketed varmint bullet, it will group within .3 all day long off my bipod and single groups in de .2 are not uncommon. As our 10 is 1cm (.393") in diameter and we're scored with an 8mm (.323") marker (this is the max caliber allowed and no caliber advantage this way), we don't need BR accuracy and thus no BR quality bullets. Just goes to show that the 220Beggs will do good even with commercial stuff.
Precision Rifle 100m, a new discipline here and picking up interest
Here's a link to jootoob showing the recoil (or lack there-of):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1hO_-SVS9s
The stock/action were originaly meant to be used as my new F-Class rifle, a modified version of the stock I had made by Alex Sitman a while back (GotW #76). The forend went to a low-profile modification in order to handle the intended 7-270WSM a bit better as the original is quite high and prone to leaning over when firing. The rear butt received an adjustable lower end in order to compensate for some potholes on the range where the front rest will just not go low enough sometimes. A palm-rest and integrated rail in the forend finish the combo. Alex did the stockwork and ordered me a custom color combination which you either love or hate, I'll admit
My dog and my rifle. Both are finicky about what they eat, both smell when taking them out, neither will listen to me.
Metalwork was done by Dave Bruno using a BAT MB 1.55" action, Jewell trigger, and the original 7WSM barrels. The rifle now sports a 20" .220 Beggs 1:10 twist with dashed fluting done by Dolphin Gun Co in the UK (hey Mik!). I had intended to put my 7WSM on here, but for some reason I ended up shooting 100m Precision Rifle prone competitions with it (bipod/scope, local thing). The scope is a March 8-80x56 in silver (eye candy) and since taking the pics I have bead-blasted the alu TPS rings to be silver as well. ;D
Couldn't decide to flute or not, so I went 50/50
I've had lots of help from Alex and Dave on the rifle and also very kind help from Gene Beggs with some Q's on the dies and reloading.
We shoot prone from a bipod, no rear support other than your hand/shoulder, so groupsize is determined by the shooter. None the less I wanted a rifle/caliber that would shoot better than I could and have some extra considerations on heat and recoil. We shoot 25-30 plus unlimited sighters in 30 minutes, so heat plays it's part. I came from a 30BR but found recoil and heat to be just a bit more than desired (yes, I'm a sissy!). Enter the tiny little 220 which required no work and can be fired out-of-the box, no forming etc like with the 30BR.
Ammo loaded up ready for the range
So how's it shoot, man?! Well, from my Farley and rearbag it will shoot 0.2-.25's all day. I use the 60gr Sierra Varminters, hence the 1:10 twist. A hunting bullet you say? Yes, quite surprising, this is a nice bullet. By no means BR stuff, but that's not what I am shooting. I did extensive testing when starting with the 220 Beggs and tried out the 52 Bergers, 52/53 SMK and the 60 Varminters in combination with N130/133/135. After about 750-800 rounds I came up with the same results for all four bullets and N133 as the favorite powder. They all come to life at 24.7-25.0 grains of N133, so all four will shoot the .2s with this load. The 220 is quite finicky or nervous, it will group like a shotgun and then suddenly close in to a knot and open up just as fast again when increasing loads in 0.1gr steps. Quite an experience and could cause headaches
Testing ammo off a bipod and no rear bags; I'll take this any day of the week
The target above shows the final load I ended up with: 24.8gr N133, CCI BR4, Sierra 60 Varminters. The 9/10 ring are actual size for the matches, I just omitted the 6/7/8 in order to save room on my load development targets.
Despite it being a thin jacketed varmint bullet, it will group within .3 all day long off my bipod and single groups in de .2 are not uncommon. As our 10 is 1cm (.393") in diameter and we're scored with an 8mm (.323") marker (this is the max caliber allowed and no caliber advantage this way), we don't need BR accuracy and thus no BR quality bullets. Just goes to show that the 220Beggs will do good even with commercial stuff.
Precision Rifle 100m, a new discipline here and picking up interest
Here's a link to jootoob showing the recoil (or lack there-of):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1hO_-SVS9s
