Custom Precision Rilfe Makers in Canada?

lineofsight said:
C4Pyro - the knurled knobs on the trigger, their function (am probably asking the obvious - weight/overtravel?) Like the anticant, also looks like it takes a threaded cover.

One day...
Click to expand...

I would guess the knurled knob at the front of the trigger guard is the mag release.

Dunno what the one poking out the rear of the guard would be for. I would have said Bolt Release but I know that is up inside ahead of the trigger.
 
I was planning on shopping around for prices, but I must say Rick has been unbelievable to work with. I must have asked him 101 questions, and got full, honest answers back within a couple hours each time. To top it all off, absolutely everything going into my rifle will be sourced directly from Rick and it's all in-stock! To me customer service is very important and knowing Rick backs his rifles up 100% and given his reputation for quality, it was a no-brainer for me. I know there are many others who make unbelievable rigs, but given the convenience of having everything I wanted in-stock and the customer service I was given, I couldn't say no!

Here is a list of what's going into my new (and very first) custom rifle, needless to say I'm going to have a tough time waiting 2-months for it:

- Stainless Remington 700 Action (taken from a .308win SPS)
- 22" .308win Stainless Rock-Creek barrel with M40 contour and 1:10 twist rate (bead-blasted finish)
- Black Tactical H-S Precision stock (fully adjustable cheek and butt)
- Over-sized bolt knob
- Tuned Trigger
- Bedded action and shank
- Precision recoil lug
- Truing of the action and scope mount screws

...I think that just about covers it, I still have time to change some things around, just wondering what you guys think, any recommendations, anything you would do differently? Cheers!
 
Last edited:
lineofsight said:
C4Pyro - the knurled knobs on the trigger, their function (am probably asking the obvious - weight/overtravel?) Like the anticant, also looks like it takes a threaded cover.

One day...
Click to expand...

Well the one on the front screws into the bottom of the mag release. Should you be crawling through the bush or hunting in heavy brush, you can unthread that screw and screw it into the side of your mag release locking it in place. This way if your mag release catches on something, it doesn't dump your mag on you.

The bottom metel is a vbull system. uses AI mags but the metal is built up here by ed begg. The other knurled knob is just a spare.
 
My only comment is that a 22" M40 contour gives you no length for setting back. When your throat is done, the barrel is done. You may also want the benefit of a bit more velocity for long distance shooting which will be difficult to get with only 22 inches. If you're ok with that, then otherwise the rig should shoot great. Your component list is excellent and Rick builds good stuff!
 
You will be very pleased with both the work and the service. Rick built our custom 50 BMG for us . We started the project last october and got it in may. We are still in contact with Rick on a regular basis getting shooting tips and answering constant beginner questions. Congratulations on your custom build and yes the wait is tough!!

Mr. and Mrs. 1000 yards
 
redman said:
What scope will you be topping this off with?

Is the 22" barrel for compactness/use in field/hunting? Or is there some other reason for this length?
Click to expand...

My initial thought was to get a 24" barrel, 26" being too long because I will be taking it into the field for hunting from time to time. Rick informed me that going from a 22" to 26" will only gain you 15fps, which isn't worth it in my opinion. Here is what he told me: "My own 308 has a 22" barrel and sends 190 gr bullets out the muzzle at 2775 fps, if it were a 26 " barrel it would be about 2790 fps. I know this from building the exact same rifle with a 26" barrel and using the Chronograph with my loads in that rifle."

But yes, a longer barrel will give me length for setting back once the throat is done. How many inches do you loose when the barrel gets set-back? I still think 22" is the way to go though, the extra weight and inches just don't seem worth it. Also, is there any benefits/disadvantages of an M40 vs M24 contour?

As for a scope, I still haven't decided, either a NF NXS 5.5-22X56 or Leupold mark4 8.5-25X50.......will see how much money I have left in the end, lol. I like the NF better for clarity and overall performance, but the Leupold is cheaper and lighter...
 
Last edited:
Well, if he has observed only 15fps difference for 4" of barrel in .308, that's what he has observed.
24" will allow you at least one serious setback. If the throat erosion has extended 1" into the bore, at least that much will have to be removed from the breech end. There are differences of opinion about setting back barrels. If you are paying a smith to do it, the cost is essentially the same as fitting a brand new barrel. I do my own work, and have had good results from setting barrels back. Personally I don't think that shortening a barrel a few inches improves handling in the field all that much, although barrel contour would certainly be a factor.
 
Quite often barrels that have burned throats will also have a 'fish mouth' muzzle. When we cut and rechamber for throat erosion we also cut 1" from the muzzle and recrown. One would typically cut over 3" from a 308. Just my .02. Mark
 
If you are paying someone "X" amount of dollars to have a worn barrel cut off and re chambered and cut off and re crowned you would be better off spending that same "X" amount of dollars installing a new barrel instead. The worn barrel redone will not be as good and will wear more quickly than a new one. A waste of time and money as far as I am concerned.
 
I agree with Dennis. It is as much work to set back, rechamber, and recrown, as it is to fit a new barrel and will cost as much. Also, the life of a set back seems to be significantly shorter than with the original chamber. I often set back or refit my own barrel but they are not worn out and I don't pay myself much! Back in my BR days, I set back a few really good barrels in an attempt to keep shooting them after they had lost their edge. This was never real successful. They seldom regained their original accuracy level. Now days, with barrel prices climbing, one might be tempted again but I think it's false economy.
In a comparison of velocities between different barrel lengths, the test is invalid if different barrels are used; even if they are from the same maker. Nonetheless, if one can get 2775 with 190's from a 308 with a 22 inch barrel ( phenomenal performance even from a 30/06), he has no need to go longer.
As far as barrel contour is concerned; for something like "F" class competition, heavier is better. For a practical field rifle or for a M40 look-alike, the M40 contour would be just fine. Regards, Bill
 
I agree the labour is exactly the same... the difference is whether you are spending additional hundreds of dollars on a new barrel and the time it takes to order one. I will agree to disagree on the accuracy of a set-back. Some work extremely well.
 
I , like Guntech and Leeper have not had what I would consider stellar results setting a used barrel back and trying to eek that last bit of use from a barrel.
It is exactly the same amount of work to rebarrel, so why not do the job right. Spend the money on a new barrel. For most guys they will get many years from a barrel if it is not run real hot.

Bill
I agree with you that using a single barrel to compare to another even of same make for velocity is not scientific.

Last year for the BCRA Tactical shoot I built 10 nearly identical rifles, all 308s, all with Rock Creek barrels, all with 22" barrel lengths.
The velocity variation between all 10 rifles is less than 25 fps. They all shoot within .5 gr of the same powder load with the same bullet and brass combo.
This was hotly debated early this spring as many would not believe the velocities were are getting from the short barrels.
How or why we are getting nearly 300 win mag performance from these 308s eludes me, but they are performing as posted, and the bores look great after well over 1000 rounds to date.
I also built 3 rifles that are virtually the same but the guys had to have 26" barrels, and both only have gained 15 or 20 fps, with the identical load I am using which again strays from the norm.:confused:

Someone posted "tales from a texas warehouse" , I believe it was called, on CGN some time back about experiments by Obermyer , Schneider and some others regarding optimum barrel length for 308. They came up with 21.75 as being the perfect length. It seems they knew something given what these recent builds are capable of.
 
Last edited:
guntech said:
I have had remarkable increases in velocity just by setting the chronograph screens 1/2 inch closer. :D
Click to expand...

Dennis are you telling me that having 1/2" variation in the distance between the muzzle and chrony 1 will make a difference, or is it the distance between chony 1 and chrony 2 set a 100 yards apart, that makes the difference?
 
mlebler, when you get you rig finished, I know where we can send some lead downrange a very long ways :)

It is great to hear so many educated opinions. These smiths have been there, done that but I would like to add a little perspective to the discussion.

I spent the early part of my rifle building with little money and many take off barrels from gunshows and other competitive shooters. With some luck, all of these barrels were reinstalled for a decent price AND all shot well.

But what is 'shot well'? For most shooters, varminters and hunters, having a rig that can shoot an honest 1/2 min is amazing. That is one big hole at 100yds. That's a milk jug everytime at 1000yds.

For a competitive BR match shooter, that barrel would be toast. An embarressment.

So I look at what the shooter wants to achieve with the build. If they are looking at competing at the highest levels, only the best NEW barrels need apply. Assembled by someone competent.

If they are looking at popping clays at 500yds (just slightly under MOA by the way), then a set back match pipe would be ideal.

For me, I can easily burn through a F class match barrel in one season.

For the average hunter, that number of shots is unlikely to be fired by several generations of shooters over all their lifetimes.

For a varminter, they can usually get twice as much barrel life as me because they usually aren't looking for my degree of accuracy/consistency.

So like everything else, it just depends.

As for needing to set back a 308, odds are you will have gone on to different things LONG before a 308 is worn. With an est lifespan of 5000rds, that is alot of shooting.

As for velocity, if you got fast pipes wonderful. However, I always caution shooters about accurate velocity as well as functional pressures.

Going really fast all over the countryside isn't much fun nor is locking up your action because of a change in ambient conditions.

Todays shooters can enjoy performance well above what was possible 15yrs ago. new powders are going to push these limits even further.

But there still remains the need to balance the performance with the intended application and rig that will be used.

There is no free lunch so be aware of the limitations/trade offs.

Jerry
 
alberta tactical rifle said:
Dennis are you telling me that having 1/2" variation in the distance between the muzzle and chrony 1 will make a difference, or is it the distance between chony 1 and chrony 2 set a 100 yards apart, that makes the difference?
Click to expand...

It was a joke Rick...

...For those who don't know, a chronograph is calibrated to have the first and second screen at an exact distance apart. The bullet starts the measurement when it goes through the first screen and stops the measurement when it goes through the second screen. Obviously if the screens were closer (to each other) than they are supposed to be, the measurement would read higher than it actually is.

The farther apart the screens are to each other, the more accurate the measurement will be. I usually use a 4 foot spacing and calibrate the unit for that... if the screens were 1/2 inch out, the readings would be way off.

The chronograph I use 35P (Proof channel) actually has 3 screens and each bullet is measured twice as it goes through the unit... and if the two measurements are not close, the computer rejects that data as unreliable. Some times a screen can be set off incorrectly by bullet glint... real shiny bullets with certain light conditions may cause this to happen. With two screen chronographs you never really know if the reading is dead accurate.
 
Last edited:
mysticplayer said:
mlebler, when you get you rig finished, I know where we can send some lead downrange a very long ways :)

It is great to hear so many educated opinions. These smiths have been there, done that but I would like to add a little perspective to the discussion.

I spent the early part of my rifle building with little money and many take off barrels from gunshows and other competitive shooters. With some luck, all of these barrels were reinstalled for a decent price AND all shot well.

But what is 'shot well'? For most shooters, varminters and hunters, having a rig that can shoot an honest 1/2 min is amazing. That is one big hole at 100yds. That's a milk jug everytime at 1000yds.

For a competitive BR match shooter, that barrel would be toast. An embarressment.

So I look at what the shooter wants to achieve with the build. If they are looking at competing at the highest levels, only the best NEW barrels need apply. Assembled by someone competent.

If they are looking at popping clays at 500yds (just slightly under MOA by the way), then a set back match pipe would be ideal.

For me, I can easily burn through a F class match barrel in one season.

For the average hunter, that number of shots is unlikely to be fired by several generations of shooters over all their lifetimes.

For a varminter, they can usually get twice as much barrel life as me because they usually aren't looking for my degree of accuracy/consistency.

So like everything else, it just depends.

As for needing to set back a 308, odds are you will have gone on to different things LONG before a 308 is worn. With an est lifespan of 5000rds, that is alot of shooting.

As for velocity, if you got fast pipes wonderful. However, I always caution shooters about accurate velocity as well as functional pressures.

Going really fast all over the countryside isn't much fun nor is locking up your action because of a change in ambient conditions.

Todays shooters can enjoy performance well above what was possible 15yrs ago. new powders are going to push these limits even further.

But there still remains the need to balance the performance with the intended application and rig that will be used.

There is no free lunch so be aware of the limitations/trade offs.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Well put Jerry, once my rifle is done I'll drop you a line for some good long-range spots around Summerland....Cheers!

With the information given here, I think I'll stick with my 22" barrel....if and when I need a replacement I'll just get myself a new pipe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom