**Range Report Added** LRB T44E4/5R Match Service Rifle Build Thread

TonyBen

TonyBen

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Beaverton, OR, USA
I couldn't help it. I bought one of the LRB T44E4 receivers during the LRB 4th of July sale ($599). I sold my stripped M1A standard barrelled action locally for some cash + a new GI bolt. I also bought one of Jon's new 22" 5R barrels during his 4th of July sale ($314 shipped). I'm just waiting on the barrel delivery so I can build it!

This build will be my competition service rifle. I'll bed it into my original big red birch stock until I can afford a McMillan or an AG composites CF stock (providing that they are SR legal). It will eventually have all the bells and whistles. I'll probably take the receiver in to have a hole drilled for SAI style ball/detent windage rear sights. I still have to have the FS reamed and the GC welded/unitized. I'll also need to upgrade to a Sadlak NM spring guide and vented gas piston later.











Thanks for looking!

Tony.
 
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Wanna borrow my number 7 tapered pin reamer for the correct reaming diameter of your USGI flash suppressor?

Drilling the hole for the ball bearing SAI treatment? Sounds like a lot of work. Why not source a set of NM rear sights without the half MOA adjustments right from the factory. I believe the ball bearing approach is an SAI after thought and that LRB receiver is so sweet or too sweet to drill. :eek:

A gorgeous project overall I have to say. For the NM course of fire, you struck a note in my heart. Yuk yuk yuk :)

Cheers and keep sharing those great posts. :wave:

Barney
 
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Thanks! I got a message from DaveP yesterday. He saw my post across the street and offered to sell me his McMillan stock for $200. NO BRAINER; IT'S ON IT'S WAY TO ME NOW!
Things just keep falling into place for this build!He said it's loaded with lead in the butt already.

Depending on who you ask, some believe that the ball/detent is a more consistent setup than fine thread sights. Plus, I don't have $250 for NM sights right now. The machinist for my company will cut my barrel for proper timing and drill the hole in my receiver for $20. I've got a SAI NM ball/detent windage knob already. And if I ever change my mind, I can still buy some new fine thread sights and go traditional later, if I want.

I'll pass on the reamer for now. I'll check to see if my machinist has it already, first. Plus, I'd need a cut barrel front half to chuck up in the lathe before I cut it. Thank you for the offer, though and I'll let you know if I need it in the future.

Tony.
 
TonyBen said:
Depending on who you ask, some believe that the ball/detent is a more consistent setup than fine thread sights. Plus, I don't have $250 for NM sights right now. The machinist for my company will cut my barrel for proper timing and drill the hole in my receiver for $20. I've got a SAI NM ball/detent windage knob already. And if I ever change my mind, I can still buy some new fine thread sights and go traditional later, if I want.

I'll pass on the reamer for now. I'll check to see if my machinist has it already, first. Plus, I'd need a cut barrel front half to chuck up in the lathe before I cut it. Thank you for the offer, though and I'll let you know if I need it in the future.

Tony.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree with you... some people swear BY the ball/spring method and some people swear AT it. Similar treatment for the 32 tpi finely threaded NM specific windage knob and NM specific rear sight base.... Same sentiments.

I've also discovered that some people tend to CROSS Thread that windage knob while installing it on the NM rear sight base. Heat treating is so critical with this combination of NM sights and fine threading! :)

Now about that flash suppressor reaming, LOTS and LOTS of cutting oil! Go slow and shave gently. :cool:

BTW, thanks for letting me talk about this since I have not entertained these upgrade projects publicly in years (or 60 clinics with the M14). Most of my conversations have been specific to tweaking the box stock M14 Norinco on a budget! Now I get to return to my roots of tweaking USGI M14's... back to the 1980's. :cool:

Cheers and warm regards,

Barney
 
This looks like being an awesome build and hopefully we can all learn stuff as well ( Barney please keep adding to this thread OK ! ) as the build progresses.

Lacking anywhere near enough know-how (and living the opposite end of the country from Barney) I couldn't possibly entertain a M14-style build but I am going to be a keen watcher and reader of yours Tony :)
 
I've often wondered abot doing that ball an spring rear sight mod. Instead I got my mitts on a couple NM elevation discs that insert between elevation knob and receiver. Love it, and have NM adjustments all around.
Not sure if they are still being made anywhere. My M14 mentor stateside gave em to me years ago when I was in S.D. for a visit.
Cool build, yer enjoying yerself and that's what matters ;)
I long for the day when I live in the US and have unfettered access to all the m14 goodies... Very envious LOL
 
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I installed my bolt stop and the clip guide this week as well as lapped the bolt. I also got Dave P's McMillan stock in the mail. Now I'm just waiting on the barrel and it will be shootable! I should have the barrel in about 2 weeks!









Tony.
 
I got the last part I needed for a functional rifle! The WMMW 5R barrel came in today!



It hand timed at 38Ëš. Looks like I need to take the shoulder back about 0.007" to get the appropriate hand timing range.





I just need to see when my machinist is available to put it in the lathe. Won't be long now!

Tony.
 
I got the barrel turned to hand time at 10Ëš to 11Ëš and got the barrel timed last night. It was MUCH easier to creep up on a perfect timing without the last 5Ëš and it's still plenty tight!





I'll finish reaming and building today. Range day out in the woods tomorrow!

Tony.
 
Stage one complete!

I got the chamber reamed to 1.632" and assembled the rest of the rifle. It's ready for test fire later today!

Cedar block, courtesy of DaveP! Thanks!















After test fire, I hope to have the action bedded into the McMillan stock within the next 3 weeks.

Tony.
 
I have some all matching military m14 s that I have considered building into non restricted rifles by changing
receivers. It is interesting to see this rifle build
 
Well, I broke form from my usual range trips. Today, we went to BLM land and just had a good ol' fashioned good time! I took nearly everything in the safe and shot with a couple of friends today.









I warmed up the new build and fired a few rounds from the hip for function testing. Then I popped off some rounds in rapid fire and finished off the magazine. I had no failures or jams what so ever! It was PERFECT!

Then I cleaned the barrel, fired a few more rounds, cleaned and called it good!


I fired 20 rounds of Federal XM80 ball at an SR-1 target about 85 yards away. I had my sights (I thought) at mechanical zero with the rear sight 6 clicks from the bottom. The first group was slightly left of center. I looked at my rear sight and I was 2 clicks left, so I brought it back to mechanical zero and fired 10 more rounds on to another SR1 target. The wind blew my target over at an angle so the target on the right isn't really an accurate representation of of what the group looked like when I shot it. It was actually centered perfectly at 6 o'clock...



here's my friend shooting my M14. Notice the spent casing ejecting out of the chamber...




He was absolutely AMAZED at how well this thing shot! He was busting clays at 85 yards with ease! He was also there for the christening of my M25 too. From what I can tell, this rifle shoots exactly the same as my M25!

My next range report will be more scientific and factual. I'll also shoot with my Zeiss/Bassett/Bradley scope setup to see what I can do as well as run some good match ammo through it.

Tony.
 
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