Time to get ready fer next year!

[wildcatter]

Getting back into Varmint for score, shooting a few matches this year, I decide to get serious with it next year. As well as my same score and group BR Matches short range and 600 yards.

But I'm going to need a new gun built for factory modified class. Since I have the Axis built on a 14lbs 10 oz bench stock, which I will add 2lbs, Fer just under 17 lbs. The max limit.

So my gun smith came up with a walnut blank, we want wieght. But we want a stiffer stock. So he has made his own laminated blanks in the past, and still has the vacuum chamber and dryer. So, a laminated Walnut stock with 90 degree alternating layers is going to be the platform for another Axis action. Then about the same finished wieght with the heavy Varmint style stock just under 17 lbs.

This is because I found a new Savage Axis, in a Muddy Girl Camostock, and in 223 w/ the kit 3-9x40 scope. Missing the bolt! Yep, a $190.00 grab. But since the Unlimited gun is the Stainles 6BR with a bushed bolt. You guessed it, for factory modified relays, I'll use the same bolt for both guns, it's a Savage, so just headspace both to the same bolt.

I'll also depending on the competition in each class, have the option to use the 10 twist with 95 fb or 8 twist and 95 bt in the class that I see the most need in? Swap anytime I think it's an advantage.

I should have the 6mm 1-10 twist Krieger that was ordered 5 months ago by Spring. My only issue is what chamber? 6x47L orstandard 6BR Norma? I already have 2K Bib 95 grain plain base just for thos barrel twist. Then since 200 300 and 400 yards are the distances the Matches are shot at, and 100 added to a few of them, I'm leaning on the 6BR.

These are all 10 animals at each yardage, with .6" horizonal 10 rings on the 300 and 400 yard targets, with the closer being more like .4" wide, I think the 6BR would be up to the task.

2 minuete sighters, then 10 in 10 minuets Fer score. My thought is, the 6x47L would see a shorter barrel life, and be heated on each relay.

So 6x47L,,, or 6BR? What would you do in this situation?

 

[wildcatter]

Oh ya, the current gun is the 8 twist 6BR. This laminated Walnut is nearly identical just has a wiiidddee beaverton forearm. If the wood sucks, I'll paint it Kandy Blueberry.

 

[JB10]

Id like to buy one of those stocks. I like it!

 

[jimmymac]

Sounds like you are busy. Enjoy! I have two BR projects cooking. I love the planning out phase. Wish I had the skills and tooling to execute the projects myself. That would be extremely satisfying. Those are rabbit holes for another day!

 

[Fuj]

Hell, I'm still prepping for this year.....

 

[JEFFPPC]

Hell, I'm still prepping for this year.....

Yep, I know the drill. A day late and a dollar short. How is Zach doing?

 

[WyleWD]

Sounds like you'll be busy and out of trouble for the next few months. Having shot a lot of factory and modified...... just a word of caution to ya....... make sure that you have the rules in writing on "allowed modifications" in both factory and factory modified. The rules often times change from venue to venue . Trust me. WD

 

[Fuj]

Yep, I know the drill. A day late and a dollar short. How is Zach doing?

LOL.....Yeah he's doing fine. School work is getting in the way of range
time !! As it is, I'll be packing the car for the range. Ethan finished my
Lilja for the SA284. and need to see what it likes to eat for that big
match, just 3 weeks off. And what I meant about still prepping.....LOL

 

[JEFFPPC]

Good luck, I'm rooting for you. Had another young fellow shooting and he had great interest in the golf cart. Now if we can get Nolan and Zach at the same matches that will be a great target crew! They both are good kids.

 

[linebaugh]

6BR for that bullet weight and range is what I would pick. 6x47L is a wonderful round as are all the 47L alternates but for what you are doing probably a bit overbore.
Fun projects. Would like to see that stock when done.

 

[wildcatter]

Sounds like you'll be busy and out of trouble for the next few months. Having shot a lot of factory and modified...... just a word of caution to ya....... make sure that you have the rules in writing on "allowed modifications" in both factory and factory modified. The rules often times change from venue to venue . Trust me. WD

I know what you mean, we talked about that. With the "key word being currently", their is no factory class, like in Delphos its now a factory modified class. Maybe why we are not seeing the new and younger shooters like we once did?

But this is why I shot a few of their matches this year, as well as giving me time to decide how I want to execute a rifle that is competative, but available for other duty. As well as if they decide to make a rule change that would sideline this rifle, i have other useful work for it.

Being a 10 twist, I can have Fred take a half inch off the back end and stab it in the azz with a 6mm AI reamer, and I'll have what I ordered that barrel for back in May. That was when I found out in an 8 twist barrel, you can't push the big 105 and 108 bullets over 3200 and keep their accuracy.

That is what that green gun started life as, for varmints over 600 yards out. When it didn't work, we just took a 1" off the azz and stabbed it with his 6BR reamer. It gets its share of attention when I take it to Galopolis at 600 yards. Even won high score one match.

When you do win one, especially in unlimited class shooting against all custom actions, it really gets attention. Since you loose money even when we win in this sport,,, hell what else are we shooting for,,,,,,

 

[wildcatter]

Sounds like you are busy. Enjoy! I have two BR projects cooking. I love the planning out phase. Wish I had the skills and tooling to execute the projects myself. That would be extremely satisfying. Those are rabbit holes for another day!

I know what you mean. But I have so many other hobbies and activities, I couldn't justify a machine shop and still use everything.

For years, hot rods, target and varmint rifles, running charter service on lake Erie, personalizing and maintaining Harleys, building and modifying fishing reels, and custom rods, custom casting and loading for specialty revolvers, and modifying them for cast bullets. Not to mention doing all my home and grounds maintenance, as well as fabricating and welding.

Just so much space without being a complete business. NO space for mills and lathes, and at this age, to late to refine the processes to be a top builder!

But my smith allows me to partake in the process and see the entire build thru, from trying and timing, to trigger refinement and chambering. Stock finishing and final touches. But as I age, more and more, I tend to stick with the things I have years of experience tackeling, and turn the things I don't to those with a lifetime of specializing in the things I don't.

Once together, it's all on me, and that's the most fun in all this.

 

[wildcatter]

The donor action has arrived! Seems the story behind the no bolt, was the guy that I got it from owns a pawn shop. He took it on pawn with the guy supposed to bring the bolt for it, but he never seen him again.

This will work out perfectly for me, I can only shoot on class at a time! Sharing the same bolt I simply headspace both guns to that bolt. I may not win all the matches, but this is sure a win win situation for me.

See now my Varmint rifle that I switch between 17 Mach IV, and 6BR, I use a single shot adapter in. But now I have the short clip for that caliber as the Donor for those two barrels was a 243. Plus the 243 factory barrel from that gun is now a tack driving 6mm AI, we just punched out the 243 chamber.

 

[wildcatter]

Well it's a good thing I started plenty early on this new pair for 100 to 400 yard Varmint for score targets.

With one barrel being a 1-10 twist originally ordered for a 6mm AI build, I am twisted on the direction and cartridge to run with?

It's always nice to have options, and one of them with this set is the current rifle I'll be using also for 600 group and score matches I attend 2 or 3 times a year. It is currently a 6BR 8 twist in a laminated BR stock, I use the Bibs 95grn BT. in. This is because I sold my Panda, in 6x47L which proved very accurate.

The current barrel and that rifle was born as a 6mm AI, which suffered from lack of optimum performance @ 8 twist. But then the 6mm BR was born, now with in excess of 1200 rounds, I am debating either taking 1.5" off the back and rechambering it ti 6BR again for a fresh throat to get another year out of?

But I could take a 1/2" off and run a 6x47L reamer in for about 1/2" less of fresh barrel, and still have 25.5" for barrel length. This barrel still shoots pretty good, but has to be cleaned more often now. But the 95 gr BT's and 108's will work in this 8 twist.

I think either cartridge will do great out 300, and 400, but will be only capable of running the 95 plain base in the 10 twist. I'm thinking I should maybe use this barrel as a 6x47L because it is going to be able use lighter bullets for live Varmint hunting?

The sweet thing in all this is I can swap either barrel, at anytime from action to action, and have either one on a BR stock, or on a Heavy Varmint stock.

Options are great, but this is really making me wonder, just which barrel to chamber in which cartridge,,,, or do I just chamber them the same. One thing chambering different would do is make confusing ammo for each gun impossible.

What would you do?