Stinky Coyote
03-29-2012, 10:20 AM
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/824048/17448107/401852604.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/824048/17448107/401852606.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/824048/17448107/401852623.jpg
Needing a firearms project each winter along with various other projects, the 2012 winter i followed this direction in my head.
Goal, tool less takedown to stuff in pack and just to have a takedown rifle in the stable for something different, plus a short handy carbine was bonus. I also chose a cartridge that would make an easy on the shoulder for loaning/teaching etc.
Studied every platform i could think off with hope a guy may end up sub-moa for 5-600yrd performance. Ie; scope remaining intact with barrel...scout style not going to fit in with goals. And wanted higher quality base than a NEF. Turns out i picked a decent platform with the Thompson style.
Step 1 was to determine if using hinge pin with forend ear removal as the basis for takedown point via a custom easily removeable hinge pin of some creation, but after learning how the buttstock attaches it was a no-brainer to go here as then no need to mess with action break...ie; keep accuracy potential as high as possible.
Off to my machinest/gunsmith/metal magician Henry Rempel and a quick turnaround and my vision comes to life in form of a nice aluminum knurled knob that is at one with the buttstock, turn it on to tight and spin it off for quick takedown, too simple and easy. Knob stays installed on buttstock, all it can do is spin, can't fall out etc. So there is only two pieces when taken down. Oh, and can't forget the 8" of barrel i had removed at the same time, so its a 20" barrel in 7mm-08 cartridge.
The rest is just regular gun stuff, i'm extremely familiar with how to take the entire gun apart now as i've done the full bellm tune up kit etc. and have a 2.0 lb on the nose trigger, larger hinge pins, better headspacing and shooting around moa with factory federal 140bt's. Took a bit to get there though as it was doing 2-3 moa with most factory stuff. The headspace on this federal load is still high so i will have a hundredth or 7 thou taken off face of barrel so i can get total headspace down to the .001-.003 range and see if it tightens up groups a bit more and also need to pillar bed the forend to remove that possible variable, as it stands i can live with how it shoots now but just not totally done my tweaks yet as i'm so close to sub-moa performance, i expect to get there without reloading and without the need of a new barrel but i'm between projects or waiting for parts for others etc. so this write up will fill the need for now.
Gun was over 7lb stock, losing 8" of barrel lost 15 oz just like that. Did not like talley extended base for this scope, vx3 4.5-14x40 cds, scope had to be pushed forward to max. Gone to EGW rail with weaver lows for better ring spacing and getting the scope a bit further forward. This scope may not end up being final scope, a fixed 6-36 with target or cds knob may likely end up the final config? Gun pictured with shell holder, 9 rounds of ammo, sling, butler creek flips etc. is 7 lb 14 oz all in. A few ounce lighter than my sako a7 build. So its short and handy but has a solid feel.
I could see using this platform for more builds in future. Would be cool if you could get ultralight stock sets from the usual stock builders, with the takedown knob installed. Then a lightweight barrel contour and it wouldn't be hard to build some 20-22" barrel sheep rigs in the 6-7 lb range all up. I'm sure one could simply lose 1 lb on my rig by going to the 10 oz scope instead of 13 and lighter contour barrel....but things would get even sweeter if lighter stock sets could be found from mcmillan, wildcat etc. Thompson has the g2 platform for smaller cartridges that is already way lighter than the encore prohunter, could see builds a 1 lb less easy than what can be done with encores with that platform, just don't see many contenders this side of border. Yes you can build little bolt guns lighter but this is just a fun project idea i had to scratch the itch. So not the ideal lightweight project...it is a sweet little handy takedown carbine however.
SPECS:
Overall length is a little over 34" and taken down the longest piece is a little over 23". This is a 20" barrel 7mm-08 to confirm. Naked gun weighs 6 lb 1.5 oz. Naked butt stock is 1 lb 4 oz, forend is 6 oz, sling and 9 round shell holder are 3 oz, 9 rounds of ammo is 7.5 oz, barrel/action 4 lb 7.5 oz.
Future Plans, i can see going with a match grade machine barrel in same length, lightweight contour, same cartridge at some point for another winter project. Just to get it closer to 7 lbs all up. That with a lighter scope would be light enough for the cartridge recoil. The lighter the barrel gets the harder i think groups will be to shoot and hold steady with such a short length so i'm fairly satisfied with how it sits now, will have to get low on projects before i go for a barrel/scope swap to satisfy the minor itch that is left.
Hope you enjoyed the project.
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/824048/17448107/401852606.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/824048/17448107/401852623.jpg
Needing a firearms project each winter along with various other projects, the 2012 winter i followed this direction in my head.
Goal, tool less takedown to stuff in pack and just to have a takedown rifle in the stable for something different, plus a short handy carbine was bonus. I also chose a cartridge that would make an easy on the shoulder for loaning/teaching etc.
Studied every platform i could think off with hope a guy may end up sub-moa for 5-600yrd performance. Ie; scope remaining intact with barrel...scout style not going to fit in with goals. And wanted higher quality base than a NEF. Turns out i picked a decent platform with the Thompson style.
Step 1 was to determine if using hinge pin with forend ear removal as the basis for takedown point via a custom easily removeable hinge pin of some creation, but after learning how the buttstock attaches it was a no-brainer to go here as then no need to mess with action break...ie; keep accuracy potential as high as possible.
Off to my machinest/gunsmith/metal magician Henry Rempel and a quick turnaround and my vision comes to life in form of a nice aluminum knurled knob that is at one with the buttstock, turn it on to tight and spin it off for quick takedown, too simple and easy. Knob stays installed on buttstock, all it can do is spin, can't fall out etc. So there is only two pieces when taken down. Oh, and can't forget the 8" of barrel i had removed at the same time, so its a 20" barrel in 7mm-08 cartridge.
The rest is just regular gun stuff, i'm extremely familiar with how to take the entire gun apart now as i've done the full bellm tune up kit etc. and have a 2.0 lb on the nose trigger, larger hinge pins, better headspacing and shooting around moa with factory federal 140bt's. Took a bit to get there though as it was doing 2-3 moa with most factory stuff. The headspace on this federal load is still high so i will have a hundredth or 7 thou taken off face of barrel so i can get total headspace down to the .001-.003 range and see if it tightens up groups a bit more and also need to pillar bed the forend to remove that possible variable, as it stands i can live with how it shoots now but just not totally done my tweaks yet as i'm so close to sub-moa performance, i expect to get there without reloading and without the need of a new barrel but i'm between projects or waiting for parts for others etc. so this write up will fill the need for now.
Gun was over 7lb stock, losing 8" of barrel lost 15 oz just like that. Did not like talley extended base for this scope, vx3 4.5-14x40 cds, scope had to be pushed forward to max. Gone to EGW rail with weaver lows for better ring spacing and getting the scope a bit further forward. This scope may not end up being final scope, a fixed 6-36 with target or cds knob may likely end up the final config? Gun pictured with shell holder, 9 rounds of ammo, sling, butler creek flips etc. is 7 lb 14 oz all in. A few ounce lighter than my sako a7 build. So its short and handy but has a solid feel.
I could see using this platform for more builds in future. Would be cool if you could get ultralight stock sets from the usual stock builders, with the takedown knob installed. Then a lightweight barrel contour and it wouldn't be hard to build some 20-22" barrel sheep rigs in the 6-7 lb range all up. I'm sure one could simply lose 1 lb on my rig by going to the 10 oz scope instead of 13 and lighter contour barrel....but things would get even sweeter if lighter stock sets could be found from mcmillan, wildcat etc. Thompson has the g2 platform for smaller cartridges that is already way lighter than the encore prohunter, could see builds a 1 lb less easy than what can be done with encores with that platform, just don't see many contenders this side of border. Yes you can build little bolt guns lighter but this is just a fun project idea i had to scratch the itch. So not the ideal lightweight project...it is a sweet little handy takedown carbine however.
SPECS:
Overall length is a little over 34" and taken down the longest piece is a little over 23". This is a 20" barrel 7mm-08 to confirm. Naked gun weighs 6 lb 1.5 oz. Naked butt stock is 1 lb 4 oz, forend is 6 oz, sling and 9 round shell holder are 3 oz, 9 rounds of ammo is 7.5 oz, barrel/action 4 lb 7.5 oz.
Future Plans, i can see going with a match grade machine barrel in same length, lightweight contour, same cartridge at some point for another winter project. Just to get it closer to 7 lbs all up. That with a lighter scope would be light enough for the cartridge recoil. The lighter the barrel gets the harder i think groups will be to shoot and hold steady with such a short length so i'm fairly satisfied with how it sits now, will have to get low on projects before i go for a barrel/scope swap to satisfy the minor itch that is left.
Hope you enjoyed the project.