Your Custom Rifle

[Code4]

Post pictures of your custom or semi-custom rifle with a few details. Please also explain why you chose that configuration and caliber.

 

[Code4]

Here is my latest.

7x57
FN Mauser 98 action
25" Lothar Walther barrel
Old English style XX stock with open pistol grip.
Engraved floorplate and front sight
Ebony forend and pistol grip cap
Zeiss Diavari 2.5-10x43 with #8 reticle
XS rear Ghost sight attaches to rear scope mount and is carried as back up

I do not like recoil and also like to watch my shot impact my target animal. I thought the 7x57 would fit that criteria and still be legal to use on most game in most countrys.

So far with Sierra 140 SptBt's it works fine on animals up to 100 kgs. I have hand loads for 154 Spt and 175 RNSP Hornady Interlocks to field test as well.

All work by Tony Small of Nickal Traditional Gunsmiths and Ron Croxon engraver.

 

[dharding]

Thats a good looking rifle.

 

[nztimb]

Code 4, I saw the coming together of you 7x57 on NE and admired it then and now. Have to say that anyone who builds a custom 7x57 is starting out ahead of the game.
As shown already I have done that myself on a DWM 1908 action
26 in MAB barrel cut to 25 with min spec chamber.
Banded front ramp and sling swivel.
Bolt mounted aperture sight
Custom bases and ring levers
custom rear sling base and eye
reshaped rear tang and bottom metal
custom bolt handle
custom trigger finger piece
custom skeleton butt plate and grip cap
ebony forend tip on custom stock

The reason I chose the 7x57 is that for a general hunting rifle I dont think it can be bettered.
I have a 404 for a heavy and it has similar custom parts and build but the main rifle I use is my 7x57 .

 

[1Shot2Kills]

Von Gruff & Code4 you guys have some great rifles!

 

[Michael Brown]

Happy to say that I have just in the last few weeks joined forces with Tony Small of Nickal Traditional Gunsmithing to be trained in the trade. Yes !! He is back in gear again

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Hi guys
I use .275Rigby and 404Jeffery.
http://www.africahunting.com/threads/zkk-600-zbrojowka-brno-275-rigby-7x57.18033/
htp://www.africahunting.com/threads/dangerus-game-rifle-in-404-jeffery-10-75x73.18483/
Witold

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Zg47 in 9,3 x 62 is my favorite custom rifle.
htp://www.africahunting.com/threads/the-galas-rifle-zg-47-in-9,3x62-all-you-need.18272/
Witold

 

[Rob404]

I'd post a Pic of My Chilean Small Ring sporter in 7x57 but it still needs to be Blued

 

[buffybr]

My latest is my .300 Weatherby Vanguard. I've always been a DIY guy and when I started hunting in the mid 60s I ordered a Herter's Model U-9 barreled action in .30-06 and a semi-inleted walnut stock from them, and I put together my first centerfire rifle. Over the years I've put together a number of other both centerfire and black powder rifles.

I've always admired Weatherby rifles, and about 5 years ago I finally bought one. I also ordered a semi inleted Claro stock for it from Richards. It was their AA Fancy feathered crotch grade. I glass and pillar bedded the action and glass bedded the barrel channel, then floated it. I installed an Edwards recoil reducer in the butt stock and capped the butt with a Limbsaver recoil pad. I also hand checkered the forearm and pistol grip with a wrap around multi panel pattern that I have checkered on several other rifles. I also polished the trigger and sear, and set the trigger to break at 2#. I had a local gunsmith install a KDF muzzle brake on the barrel.

I'm proud of the finished stock and am happy with the way this rifle shoots. It's recoil is less than the recoil from my .308 Win, and it shoots 3 shot moa groups with a variety of 168 to 180 grain bullets.

This .300 Weatherby has quickly become my favorite rifle. I take it to the range just about every week, and shoot half a box of shells at targets from 100 to 430 yards. I have used it on several Western US hunts and hunts, a South African and a New Zealand hunt.

Here's my .300 Weatherby on a fence post in my front yard. There are about 75 elk in the field under the forearm of the rifle.

The butt stock and a 100 yard target with 180 grain Barns TSX bullets.

A close up of the grip checkering.

And a close up of the forearm checkering.

 

[Rob404]

It's beautiful, how close to drop-in was the Richards as Iv'e heard Pros and Cons

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

This is a beautiful rifle Buffybr.Congrats.
All the best.
Witold

 

[Ryno Botma]

I agree buffy weatherby is just in a league of of its own , I also have a .300 wby built on sako finbear and shoots great took a very nice kudu with it at 580 yards but my pride and joy would be my .378 wby

It is built on a CZ ZKK 602 with a nice Turkish wall nut stock

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Very good work Ryno Botna.Nice rifle.Congrats.
Witold

 

[Areaonereal]

Very, very nice, love that checkering pattern. What did you use for the final finish on the wood. Tung oil ?

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Thanks Gordon.
All the best.
Witold

 

[buffybr]

It's beautiful, how close to drop-in was the Richards as Iv'e heard Pros and Cons

Thanks Rob. That was the second rifle that I put into a Richards stock. This one was about 98% drop-in, however because I wanted to glass bed the barrel channel and action and to install pillar blocks, I opened it a lot more.

My biggest complaint with Richards and this stock was that they were VERY slow in shipping the stock, and the first stock that they sent was no where near the quality of grain pattern for the grade that I ordered (based on the pictures they advertised). They did exchange the stocks without any hassles.

Here's the other stock from Richards that I put on my .375 RUM. Its a grey/grey/pink laminate that I also glass bedded the action and barrel, then floated the barrel. I also installed a Beretta mechanical recoil reducer in the butt stock, cross bolts, and a Limbsaver pad, and had a KDF muzzle brake installed. I then checkered this stock with the same wrap around multi-panel pattern as I put on my .300 Weatherby.

This is the rifle in my avatar picture. It will also shoot 3 shot moa groups with 300 gr TSX bullets at 2830 fps, 270 gr TSX bullets at 3040 fps, and 300 gr Partitions at 2909 fps.

 

[Rob404]

Thanks for you Information, I use Boyds and they ship within 10 days but their Walnut stocks are not near as Fancy as a Richards

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Cool rifle Buffybr.
Witold

 

[nztimb]

This is another pair I did for myself. Both on long Lee actions (the top one is a 1901 ex mil and the lower is a BSA commercial action) that I stocked in the Lee Speed style that required filling in the lobbing sight recess's and reshaping the socket top. The top one is in 303 with a new no 4 barrel and was a simple rebarrel but the lower one is a 400 where I used a take-off 405 Win barrel from a Marlin so it had the thread sleeved and rethreaded for the Lee Enfield action, I lengthened the chamber for a case length of 2.410 and load the 320gn cast bullet for a c o a l of 3.04 and after making an insert for the magazine to center feed the cartridge I can load 1 up and 5 down. Both have self made aperture sights and are stocked from NZ walnut blanks with the 303 having buff grip cap and forend tip while the 400 has ebony accents
I made both the knives and they each complement the work the rifle is suited to. The top knife has ebony bolster and butt cap with hidden pins while with walnut handles are fitted with copper pins. The lower knife I made from my great grandfathers scrub slasher and has knickle silver bolster and buttcap and African blackwood handles with knuckle silver pins