Reimagining the Rook rifle, an all Canadian custom 3.75lb 5.6x50 Magnum

[Ardent]

Progress update with the wood wetted on the rifle I’m building for two purposes, one important. One is to make a respectable sub-4lb walking rifle, and the other is for my kids to start hunting with it. It’s a modern Rook rifle in 5.6x50 Magnum that presently weighs 3.75lbs. Barrel is a Gaillard (Canadian, as is the Hagn action), 27” 1-8 twist for 60-80 grainers.

Angus

 

[1899]

Nice work Angus - beautiful piece of wood .

 

[Boomer]

Very nice Angus, definitely a labor of love. What type of finish will the metal have? Man, if I'd of had a rifle like that to start with . . . !!!!

 

[hoytcanon]

That is a beautiful and unique piece, well done... it will be even more beautiful posed over a billy...

 

[cody c]

Ummm, how is it so bloody light? (Well done sir!)

And, is not that the fanciest piece of wood that kids ever get to handle? let alone adults? Wow.

 

[Ardent]

Nice work Angus - beautiful piece of wood .

Very nice Angus, definitely a labor of love. What type of finish will the metal have? Man, if I'd of had a rifle like that to start with . . . !!!!

That is a beautiful and unique piece, well done... it will be even more beautiful posed over a billy...

Thanks guys, and agreed Greg. Boomer haven’t decided on metal finish yet, I draw filed that barrel contour and kind of enjoy the matte / satin. It’s stainless so doesn’t necessarily need muting.

Ummm, how is it so bloody light? (Well done sir!)

And, is not that the fanciest piece of wood that kids ever get to handle? let alone adults? Wow.

It’s very small, a toonie covers the side of the action. On the wood, there’s other good chunks out there, making this as a small twin to my No.1.

 

[Ardent]

For scale on the Hagn action,

 

[mark k]

Beautiful! Lucky kids!

 

[Mr. Friendly]

dayum!

 

[mudgunner49]

Yeah, well... you don't have any cool projects on the go ever...

Extremely nice looking shooting stick, but starting someone off with that will result in them being spoiled for life!!!

 

[KodiakHntr]

I was wondering how this project was coming along. Looking amazing Angus.
That will make for really pretty field pictures.


What are you thinking for bullets?

 

[MiG25]

Very nice!

I should show this to my oldest, he wants an RDB for hunting.

 

[Ardent]

I was wondering how this project was coming along. Looking amazing Angus.
That will make for really pretty field pictures.


What are you thinking for bullets?

Cutting edge bullets sponsors us, so the price is right on their 78gr .224. Hopefully it likes em as CEB gave me enough for ten years.

 

[KodiakHntr]

What are you expecting for velocity with the 78gr?

 

[Ardent]

Dunno actually. But with the 27” barrel, should be respectable, .223 80grs make 2820-2850 from the same, maybe 2950 or a hair more. Hope is 3,000, I like that number.

 

[KodiakHntr]

I would think that would be attainable. Be interesting to see how shakes out when it is done.

 

[hoytcanon]

@3000 with a 4.0" KZR, your MPBR is 329 yards and retaining 1000 ft/lb energy @ 300 yards... that is pretty good for a "cute" little rifle...

With a little 3" KZR, MPBR is still 300 yards, zeroed at 250 yards... that is probably how I would go with it.

Go get em'...

 

[Ardent]

250 would be a great zero for it indeed.

 

[todbartell]

QL suggests the 70gr TSX can be shot to high 2900's

Cartridge          : 5.6 x 50 Mag.
Bullet             : .224, 70, Barnes 'TSX'BT 30193
Useable Case Capaci: 28.206 grain H2O = 1.831 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.413 inch = 61.29 mm
Barrel Length      : 27.0 inch = 685.8 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 53000 psi, or 365 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 103 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

86 loads produced a Loading Ratio below user-defined minimum of 80%. These powders have been skipped.
Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant Reloder-17                 100.1     27.3     1.77    3090    98.1    53000    7083   1.140  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon CFE223                      88.9     25.8     1.67    3013    98.0    53000    6572   1.163  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Big Game                    94.2     26.1     1.69    3005    97.3    53000    6545   1.163  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 760                      99.0     27.2     1.76    3004    92.5    53000    6804   1.160  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H414                        99.0     27.2     1.76    3004    92.5    53000    6804   1.160  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 3031                            93.7     22.8     1.48    3003   100.0    53000    5970   1.171  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 748                      86.7     24.3     1.57    2994    99.2    53000    6289   1.171  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4895                            93.1     24.2     1.57    2986    97.5    53000    6565   1.180  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon BL-C2                       88.8     25.2     1.63    2979    98.5    53000    6461   1.181  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant AR-Comp                     89.2     22.4     1.45    2974   100.0    53000    5474   1.175  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4320                            96.3     24.6     1.60    2972    97.3    53000    6278   1.168  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-15                  93.9     24.4     1.58    2970    96.9    53000    6493   1.183  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4895                       90.5     23.5     1.53    2964    98.0    53000    6374   1.186  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Hunter                     103.0     27.7     1.79    2964    92.8    50453    6744   1.179  ! Near Maximum 
Hodgdon H335                        82.2     23.3     1.51    2949    99.8    53000    5986   1.188  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H322                        87.0     22.0     1.42    2947   100.0    53000    5800   1.186  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H380                        95.3     25.3     1.64    2943    95.3    53000    6464   1.189  ! Near Maximum 
Alliant Reloder-16                 103.0     26.1     1.69    2942    95.7    47163    6684   1.199  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 8208 XBR                        89.3     23.2     1.50    2933    98.6    53000    6071   1.191  ! Near Maximum 
Hodgdon VARGET                      96.3     24.2     1.57    2930    96.6    53000    6214   1.187  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4064                            97.0     23.8     1.54    2923    96.9    53000    6129   1.190  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4350                           103.0     26.6     1.73    2903    91.2    51849    6263   1.187  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon Benchmark                   88.8     22.7     1.47    2902    99.1    53000    5837   1.203  ! Near Maximum

80gr ELD

Cartridge          : 5.6 x 50 Mag.
Bullet             : .224, 80, Hornady ELD-M 22831
Useable Case Capaci: 28.234 grain H2O = 1.833 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.413 inch = 61.29 mm
Barrel Length      : 27.0 inch = 685.8 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 53000 psi, or 365 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 103 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

95 loads produced a Loading Ratio below user-defined minimum of 80%. These powders have been skipped.
Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant Reloder-17                  98.1     26.8     1.74    2961    99.2    53000    7239   1.199  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Hunter                     102.8     27.6     1.79    2895    95.6    53000    7117   1.216  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 760                      97.0     26.7     1.73    2882    94.5    53000    7049   1.221  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H414                        97.0     26.7     1.73    2882    94.5    53000    7049   1.221  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon CFE223                      87.0     25.2     1.63    2877    99.0    53000    6697   1.226  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-16                 103.0     26.1     1.69    2876    98.0    49894    6986   1.235  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Big Game                    92.2     25.6     1.66    2872    98.6    53000    6687   1.226  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4895                            91.1     23.7     1.54    2854    98.7    53000    6686   1.242  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 748                      84.6     23.7     1.54    2850    99.8    53000    6342   1.237  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 3031                            91.4     22.2     1.44    2848   100.0    53000    5959   1.240  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon BL-C2                       87.0     24.7     1.60    2848    99.4    53000    6569   1.243  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-15                  92.0     23.9     1.55    2841    98.3    53000    6630   1.245  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4320                            94.2     24.1     1.56    2838    98.6    53000    6408   1.230  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4895                       88.7     23.1     1.50    2831    99.1    53000    6474   1.249  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H380                        93.5     24.9     1.61    2821    97.0    53000    6644   1.249  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-26                 103.0     28.8     1.87    2816    94.2    44130    7582   1.305
Hodgdon Hybrid 100V                103.0     25.9     1.68    2812    98.6    49920    6428   1.248  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant AR-Comp                     86.8     21.9     1.42    2809   100.0    53000    5473   1.247  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H335                        80.5     22.9     1.48    2809   100.0    53000    6010   1.252  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4350                           101.8     26.4     1.71    2807    93.6    53000    6556   1.237  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon VARGET                      94.4     23.8     1.54    2802    98.0    53000    6360   1.248  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H322                        85.1     21.5     1.39    2801   100.0    53000    5796   1.251  ! Near Maximum !

Extrapolate from there

 

[sharp shooter]

Can you please let me know what you use for, and how you apply the finish?