First project gun

[nvbroncrider]

Well I started my first project gun the other night. While looking at the Midway site and reading that trigger article on the forum I got an itchy trigger finger and bought myself a Jewell trigger for a 700. So now that the ball is officially rolling and I've kinda narrowed down what I want got a few questions.

Trigger- Jewell
Action - Rem 700 SS Pac-Nor Blueprinting Tubbs Recoil Lug
Barrel- Thinking Pac-Nor SS Super Match 28" #6 or Palma contour 1-9" 4 flutes leaning towards .280AI
Stock - Not sure but I do like the Hart accublock stocks at stockysstocks.com Anyone with any experience or opinions? Has to be a laminate! Maybe a thumbhole?!?!
Scope- Leupold would like the Mk4 Tacticle if i can get it to match 6.5X20X50

Might be a little heavy probably somewhere around 12 lbs but I'm sure it will drive tacks and be an all day shooter.

 

[onesonek]

Sounds like it certainly has potential !!!

 

[BeeTee]

I wonder what the top shooters (benchrest, Sil, etc.) think about stainless-steel actions. I know SS is more difficult to machine and that SS rubbing on SS galls. The smoothest 700 actions I've handled were carbon steel - the roughest were stainless. Stainless barrels outlast CS barrels, because they're more resistant to throat erosion. Are SS barrels equal to CS in accuracy potential (because they are harder to machine)? Just thinking out loud....

 

[Oldtrader3]

The coefficient of friction of Stn Stl on Stn Stl is quite high, made somewhat better by surface hardening but action and bolts are not too hard except in the major bearing areas of the action ring and bolt lugs.

You can have the bolt hard chromed and improve the coefficient of friction for a stainless dramatically. Something to consider?

 

[nvbroncrider]

If you check out the Lawton website it might give you some insight. The Lawton 7000 is a copy of the Rem 700 but is extensively used by match shooters. Probably better than a 700 but I personally love the look of the 700 otherwise I would go with that action. It runs the same as if you pay to blueprint a 700. About 875 according to their site. Stainless is indeed much harder than carbon steel but the big advantage with stainless is that it dissapates heat quickly and I would imagine being harder would also increase barrel life.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I wonder what the top shooters (benchrest, Sil, etc.) think about stainless-steel actions. I know SS is more difficult to machine and that SS rubbing on SS galls. The smoothest 700 actions I've handled were carbon steel - the roughest were stainless. Stainless barrels outlast CS barrels, because they're more resistant to throat erosion. Are SS barrels equal to CS in accuracy potential (because they are harder to machine)? Just thinking out loud....

A large percentage of the custom actions are SS. A lot of times the bolts are CS instead of SS or they are coated SS.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Stainless steel is not harder than tool steel. Surface hardness is a funtion of annealing-to-machine and hardening after processing. Hard is hard, it makes no difference when the parts are the same Rockwell C, they are the same hardness. Almost all wrought material in tool steel and stainless is sunshine annealled to 35-40 Rockwell C. This means that before you machine them, they are the same hardness. After machining they are carburized and drawn to whatever final hardness is needed.

Stainless, even when Martensitic, has high chrome content and high nickel content. The nickel makes it work harden while machining or processing and the chrome content makes the surface "gummy", a combination which damages and breaks tools. These factors make speeds and feeds for machining and surface finishing stainless steel totally different than for most tool steels.

I think that "hard" in the case of stainless steel is that it is more difficult to process, not surface hardness.

 

[Guy Miner]

Do you really want to go for a 12 pound rifle?

They're fine at the range, but become a burden in the hunting field. I've got a couple of relatively heavy rifles, and although I like them, they sure don't carry like a 7 or 8 pound sporter weight rifle.

Good looking components though, and the .280AI is one heck of a cartridge.

 

[30-338]

Well I started my first project gun the other night. While looking at the Midway site and reading that trigger article on the forum I got an itchy trigger finger and bought myself a Jewell trigger for a 700. So now that the ball is officially rolling and I've kinda narrowed down what I want got a few questions.

Trigger- Jewell
Action - Rem 700 SS Pac-Nor Blueprinting Tubbs Recoil Lug
Barrel- Thinking Pac-Nor SS Super Match 28" #6 or Palma contour 1-9" 4 flutes leaning towards .280AI
Stock - Not sure but I do like the Hart accublock stocks at stockysstocks.com Anyone with any experience or opinions? Has to be a laminate! Maybe a thumbhole?!?!
Scope- Leupold would like the Mk4 Tacticle if i can get it to match 6.5X20X50

Might be a little heavy probably somewhere around 12 lbs but I'm sure it will drive tacks and be an all day shooter.

Not knowing who your gunsmith is I would look here for barrel. this is about the only place that stocks Obermeyer 5r barrels. Kreiger,Brux,Mike Rock,Channlyn and few others got their start with Obermeyer. http://www.bugholes.com/barrels.php

I looked at the Hart stock you mention but heavy 4 plus lbs but wasn't real sure how it balance depending on barrel contour. What you might do is call Hart another place you could find more information is on sniperhide site. Well good luck

 

[onesonek]

If you don't have a gunsmith lined up,,,if it were mine, I'd just have Pac-Nor do the fiting of the barrel to action. If they do what they do with the blanks, I would trust them on the rest.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Pac-Nor will be blueprinting and installing the barrel there a lot cheaper than other places too. Then I will put the trigger in and fit it in the stock. I'm not worried about weight I have a standard .280 @ 7 pounds I'm really looking for a tack driver that I can just shoot a ton. In Nevada hunting if you do your scouting you can just set up and wait. So I'm not worried plus I'm young and it won't hurt me. Has anyone ever used one of those accublock stocks?

 

[FOTIS]

Sounds like a nice bench gun. Too heavy for the field though except maybe antelope.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Well I placed my order with Pac-Nor so there's no turning back now. Between the trigger the barrel and the pile of 160AB stacked up in the cave there's no turning back now.

 

[Guy Miner]

Sounds good! Looking forward to seeing the finished project. You're doing this at a good time. There will be plenty of time to get that thing built, sighted-in, a load developed and to get familiar with it before hunting season next fall.

This should be pretty doggone cool.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Well got 100 pieces of brass this week along with the Redding competition dies. Pretty excited about that. Going to break down and buy a new gun this week to build off of since I can't find a used one. Last time I checked I can get an ADL for $419. Anyone who wants or needs a barrel in an 06 series case let me know and that's what caliber I will get it in. Pac-Nor wants my action in shop in 2 to 3 weeks. Enough time for me to play with the magazine length and seating depth before I send the action and some dumbies up for chambering. Still need to order a stock rings and scope for it. It's gonna be either a Leupold or a Zeiss.

 

[JD338]

nvbroncrider

Congratulations on the new project. The 280 Ai is a great round but you might want to rethink having a 12 lb rifle. Won't be an issue for the range but over time, you will get tired of lugging that much rifle around the country side.
My M700 custom 280 AI has a Hart 24" #5 fluted barrel and she tips the scale at 9.0 lbs. I wouldn't want it any heavier. This rifle has produced many groups under .25".

FWIW, I have a M700 VLS 22-250 and with scope it weighs 11.5 lbs. I have shot quite a few coyotes with it but I have not used it the last couple years because I have lighter rifles that work well. YMMV.

JD338

 

[nvbroncrider]

nvbroncrider

Congratulations on the new project. The 280 Ai is a great round but you might want to rethink having a 12 lb rifle. Won't be an issue for the range but over time, you will get tired of lugging that much rifle around the country side.
My M700 custom 280 AI has a Hart 24" #5 fluted barrel and she tips the scale at 9.0 lbs. I wouldn't want it any heavier. This rifle has produced many groups under .25".

FWIW, I have a M700 VLS 22-250 and with scope it weighs 11.5 lbs. I have shot quite a few coyotes with it but I have not used it the last couple years because I have lighter rifles that work well. YMMV.

JD338

Jim I thinking I'm gonna be under that number by quite a bit. My barrel is gonna be 4.33 lbs and stock at 3 so action about 2 so I'm thinking 9.33 or so and 10.33 with a scope won't be bad at all. Stock is in the mail. Pac-Nor wants my action in 2-3 weeks and I haven't found one yet. I'm thinking I might be able to press 3150 outta a 160 AB too. It will have a 28" tube on her what do you think?

 

[SJB358]

nvbroncrider

Congratulations on the new project. The 280 Ai is a great round but you might want to rethink having a 12 lb rifle. Won't be an issue for the range but over time, you will get tired of lugging that much rifle around the country side.
My M700 custom 280 AI has a Hart 24" #5 fluted barrel and she tips the scale at 9.0 lbs. I wouldn't want it any heavier. This rifle has produced many groups under .25".

FWIW, I have a M700 VLS 22-250 and with scope it weighs 11.5 lbs. I have shot quite a few coyotes with it but I have not used it the last couple years because I have lighter rifles that work well. YMMV.

JD338

That sounds like a great build NV. I am not sure what the 280AI would do in a longer barrel, but I would imagine it should be a solid 3000FPS rifle with the 160's..

Jim I thinking I'm gonna be under that number by quite a bit. My barrel is gonna be 4.33 lbs and stock at 3 so action about 2 so I'm thinking 9.33 or so and 10.33 with a scope won't be bad at all. Stock is in the mail. Pac-Nor wants my action in 2-3 weeks and I haven't found one yet. I'm thinking I might be able to press 3150 outta a 160 AB too. It will have a 28" tube on her what do you think?

 

[nvbroncrider]

Got my action.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Stock came in so I played with it a touch.