Un-handi fellow - .454 Stutzen Build

[RPRNY]

Good News / Bad News 

Good News: I have finished the wood and while wood to metal fit is sub premium in a few places, it doesn't look bad. I should have been more aggressive with the steel wool between coats because there are some slight bumps. But I finished with Birchwood Casey Stock Sheen Conditioner for a more satin finish and then worked in some antique brown walnut wood polish from Yorkshire that, given Carnuba and Beeswax are key ingredients, could double as bullet lube in a pinch




Bad News: I've broken the (I presume) trigger sear. The stock bolt, unbeknownst to me, was too long. I reassembled and found that the trigger would not go back to detent. I loosened the bolt and the trigger would set. So, I removed the bolt, put a few washers on as spacers and re-tightened with the trigger set, figuring I was short enough now but that I would feel the bolt hitting otherwise. Well, I assume I over-tightened because when I released the trigger it would then no longer go back to detent.  So, I would appreciate any advice on what I may have done and how to rectify it. Very frustrating...

[tacklebury]

Turned out beautiful, sorry for your issues on the trigger.  I cannot comment on that, but was going to say that if you have bumps, just use some fine sand paper and smooth down the one spot a bit then build it back up.  I've touched up high spots ok this way, just try not to spread the finish over the other finished areas. 

[RPRNY]

Brian has outdone himself. Turn around on this rifle from door to door was one week. Even more amazingly, it arrived at Ilion on Monday and the had fixed the hammer, done a trigger job, fitted a shorter stock bolt, bench tested and shipped it out by Tuesday!






Now to see how it shoots before sending it out for checkering.

[mechanic]

If it turns out you don't like it, a certain fellow down Ga. way sure does!
 
Ben

[RPRNY]

Well, after any number of annoying delays, I finally got to the range with my now scoped Stutzen. Went with a relatively inexpensive Simmons Prohunter shotgun scope for the eye relief and (hopefully) durability. I shot a mix of Double Tap 300 gr WFNGC 45 Colt +P loads and Hornady 300 gr XTP factory Casull rounds to sight in. At 100 yards I was getting groups as good as the shooter could deliver, certainly Minute of Deer.



The full house Casull rounds are pretty brutal and my next move is to get the stock set out to be checkered and to have a GOOD recoil pad fitted. I think I will stick to mainly hot Colt loads. With Tim's help I loaded my first ever rounds last week: Hornady 45 Colt brass, Win LP, Hornady 250 gr FTX/SST and 26 grains of H110 at 1.787" COL. It made for a nice zippy round and was giving good (for me) accuracy - groups inside the ten ring. I will load some Hornady Casull brass with the 250 gr SST/FTX and 34 gr of H110 to have a solid 2300 fps round (the .45 MBM - "Mini Bushmaster", as the 250 gr SST is used in Hornady's 450 Bushmaster factory round...), just to see what that feels like, but I feel the Colt +P loads are enough. I will however work up some 300 XTP loads in both Colt and Casull and possibly some @ 335 gr SWCGC because I really liked the Double Tap factory rounds in 300 gr and those perfect round holes.

The .45 SMBM (Super Mini Bushmaster ), my first handload (thanks again Tim):




So, lots of fun, this Stutzen 

[quickdtoo]

Good job!! 

Tim