Two New BAT DS Rifle Builds

[critter_bill]

Yesterday I made the trip to pick up my two Ronnie Long built BAT DS rifles. One is a 6PPC with three .268 ND Dwight Scott chambered barrels that I bought from fellow board members. I ordered a new BAT DS action last year with right bolt/right port configuration to match my BAT B Varmint builds in McMillan A-5 stocks. Most bench guys like the dual port for faster feeding but I like to keep it simple when switching from BR to varmint builds, so I go R/R.

The black stocked rifle is a Dwight Scott/Ronnie Long combo. Ronnie polished all metal to a high gloss finish. I wanted the bolt finished in melonite to match the black stock and scope. I will install a March 40X in BAT SS rings today.

On the 6BRA, Ronnie chambered two 1-8" x 28" Kreiger barrels with my JGS .268 ND reamer. I chose a desert camo finish Shehane ST-1000 stock for this rifle. I will install a NF 15-55x Competition scope in BAT SS rings today.

These are both 17 pound guns. I wanted the PPC just for shooting pleasure now as I had (6) PPC barrels left over from previous BAT B BR rifles. This build can later be fitted with a 6BR/6BRA/6Dasher barrel for someone who wants to compete at 600/1000 yards.

After admiring Ronnie's work for a number of years, I finally have two builds of my own. Ronnie is top shelf all the way with awesome attention to detail. And, more important to me, he is better man than he is a gunsmith. He doesn't need my endorsement because I am avid enthusiast but not a competitor but I highly recommend Ronnie Long.

Build details:

BAT Dwight Scott action with diamond fluted, melonited bolt, PPC/308 boltface, right bolt, right port

(3) 6PPC 1-14” x 22” long, .268” Neck Diameter HV barrels with .268 neck diameter, Dwight Scott chambered & Ronnie Long polished

Black & Grey Shehane ST-1000 stock inletted, pillar bedded, clear coated, sanded, and polished by Ronnie Long.

Shehane Tracker Polished Aluminum Butt Plate

Jewell BR 2 oz trigger,

BAT 20 moa picatinny rail,

BAT ADL SS trigger guard


BAT Dwight Scott action with diamond fluted, PPC/308 boltface, right bolt, right port

(2) 6 BR Improved Ronnie Long chambered Kreiger 1-8” twist x 28” long .268 Neck Diameter HV barrels

Desert Camo Shehane ST-1000 stock inletted, pillar bedded, clear coated, sanded, and polished by Ronnie Long

Shehane Tracker Polished Aluminum Butt Plate

Jewell BR 2 oz trigger,

BAT 20 moa picatinny rail,

BAT ADL SS trigger guard

 

[KenOath]

Very nice indeed..

 

[critter_bill]

Very nice indeed..

Thank you, Rushty! Didn't mean to write a book but one of my biggest gripes with a post of a new rifle build is the lack of build specs. Looking forward to shooting these new toys.

 

[17VLD]

Very nice rifles,
Love the BAT actions and Bills stocks,have a few.My 20 BR has a desert camo MBR Tracker that I clear coated with PPG Deltron,came out very nice and boy does it shoot well.I bet yours will shoot very nicely,keep us posted with some group pics.
Matt

 

[Phil]

Ronnie is one of the best, we have communicated for some time, and I consider him a great friend.....

Phil.

 

[boltfluter]

Some very nice rifles. The Melonited bolt makes for a very nice contrast. Happy shooting!

Paul

 

[joshb]

Those are a couple of fine rifles! Beautiful!

 

[Phil]

Here's one Ronnie built for me.


Preacher fixed and finished the stock on this one.....

 

[critter_bill]

Thank you all. I hope I can do these rifles justice. I briefly tried the 30BR when it first came out and found it too much recoil for my tastes, at least shooting free recoil. Had I known Ronnie back then, he likely could have provided some guidance and I likely would have stayed with it. Didn't mean to slight any other gunsmith as I've used some of the best, Jim Borden, Dwight Scott, Mike Bryant, the young but awesome Lee Gardner, and several tactical builders who all did fine work. It was a pleasure to meet Ronnie and live close enough to visit and get to know him better during these builds. Thanks to our mutual friend, Paul Hammer, for introducing me to Ronnie. Fine man, indeed.

 

[KenOath]

Thank you, Rushty! Didn't mean to write a book but one of my biggest gripes with a post of a new rifle build is the lack of build specs. Looking forward to shooting these new toys.

I’m a fan of specs also , was an interesting read.

 

[critter_bill]

Great looking rifle, Phil. Looks like Preacher has some great skills as well. Here are a couple of pictures after mounting scopes and starting break in. Gonna take me a little while to get my "free recoil" form back after shooting McMillan A-5 stocked rifles with hold for a couple of years now. I named the black PPC "Raven" and the red 6 BRI "Ranger"...short for Ronnie Long "Range" BR rifle.

 

[critter_bill]

Started with the break-in on Ranger with the old standby shoot 1/clean x 10. I usually clean before firing, shoot 1/clean, shoot 3/clean, shoot 6/clean, then clean after 10 for the first 100 or so. Ronnie suggested the rigorous 1 x 10, so I did and have the patches to prove it.

The cases are the 6 PPC and the 6 BRI 40 BA as named on the JGS reamer drawing. Most of us know it as the 6BRA. Hard to believe that such a small difference in size provides the long range speed and accuracy of the BR case over the PPC.

 

[17VLD]

Can’t tell which one is my favorite,as they are both so nice.
Very fitting names too.Top notch shooting irons
Matt

 

[critter_bill]

Thank you, Matt. I have to relearn 2 oz triggers and free recoil now. I run Jewell HVRs on my BAT single shot A-5 rifles and Huber 2 stage on my tactical builds. I am having to "build up" under the rear bag for 100 yard shooting at my range with these low riding stocks. I had the same problem with the BAT/Scoville LV PPC that I used to shoot. 100 yards is slightly downhill and I cannot adjust either my Hart or Seb NEO low enough to get on target. Our max of 300 is just fine on elevation.

As I said in the intro, I don't compete but have been an avid rifle enthusiast for 31 years now. Like many in this sport, I tend to have "rifle ADD" and have sold some very nice rifles to build the next one. At age 66, I think I may hang on to these two builds.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Ronnie long is a great gunsmith