I've been bragging on this rifle on other sites as well so stop me if you've heard this one.
Build details: Someone posted a link on another site that I spend a lot of time at back in Apr 08 That he was looking at a 300 RUM on the huntingpa boards. He ended up not buying it and I snagged it for $275 shipped. I pulled the barrel and sold it. My wife got me the Bushnell 4200 6-24 x 50 a few weeks later for Father's day. I bought another rifle project that was basically a pile of parts, and some parts not there. The seller threw in in an extra tactical bolt handle though and it was perfect for this project. I grabbed a Ken Farrell 20 MOA steel base from a member on the same forum and bought Seekins Precision 30mm rings new. I had to have the slots in the Farrell base milled a hair wider to use the Seekins rings but definitely worth it. Work on the base was performed by Kevin Cram and I just wanted to pass along that he does excellent work and is great to deal with. I ordered a Shilen stainless select match 30" tube. And finally the stock was ordered in May of this year. I guess I have about $1600 + or - into it right now. I'll report back when I actually finish the bedding, lug, short bipod, and most importantly, load development. I am REALLY liking this gun so far and I'm thrilled that I can shoot it from the bench without a brake.
I've been getting PMs about this gun and making excuses for why I couldn't shoot it yet. I finally went out and shot the beast the other day. I borrowed some dies, assembled the rifle using a factory recoil lug that I will be replacing with a higher quality one later, and cheated and spent out of my gasoline budget to buy the action bolts from the hardware store. I started with a 338 RUM load of 98 grains of H1000 and a 250gr SMK just to see what the recoil would be like. In my rifle that weighs about 16 pounds, recoil was pretty stout but not unmanageable. It hit about as hard as my 8 pound 338-06 with heavy 225gr loads. I do NOT have a brake on this gun and it has only a thin rubber pad on it at the moment. I could probably put 5-10 rounds over the bench before I start to flinch. I was rather pleased with the recoil level. I didn't shoot it over a chronograph or even set up a target. I was only looking for felt recoil impressions.
Things that I will need to do before I am ready to call this rifle project finished are...
Devcon bed the stock
Replace the recoil lug
Install a better recoil pad
Add several more coats of Tru Oil to the stock
Get the short version of the Harris bipod
I weighed it on my Normark digital fish scale and it came out to 15lb 3oz. I really don't intend to carry it or hunt with it. My 270 is all the rifle I need for deer and my 338-06 does fine for the elk here in Idaho. I just want to keep it legal in case I get the urge to try it out on elk or maybe 1000yd coyotes or something.
