Guys as I mentioned in my first Gradous build which was my 300WinMag that I was going to have Mr. Gradous build my 12 year old a .308, well we got it done last month and I just got descent weather here in Oklahoma to do some testing. As most of you know Mr. Gradous takes pride in building anyone a precision firearm that the consumer will take pride in having the most accurate rifle that money can build here on planet earth.....and to say the least my 12 year old and I is really proud on how this build turned out! Will be confirming one of these loads then I'll start on some 125 Sierra's and 155 Berger VLDs. The first group is one I shot the very FIRST time shooting the rile with Mr. Gradous NightForce on it. As I mentioned in the heading "PartTWO" part 3 will be coming along here in a mouth or so followed by part 4 the year end Lord willing. Without further adieu here are the specifics and pictures below. Thanks again Mr. Gradous you ARE the man!!!!

Specifications are below.
BAT VR short action, thats possibly one of a few that you've seen fully cera koted.
Bartlein #3 5R with 1-11 twist. Spiraled by Karl!
Manners MCS-EH2!
Jewel Trigger!
Swarovski Z6 3.5-15X44 with NightForce UltraLites!
HS Precision DBM!
9lbs 11oz all done up as you see it!
CeraKote is flat dark earth!
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Beautiful rig!

Pretty to bad it don't shoot

Veddy nice! Great shooter, great looking rifle.

Robert knows his way around building rifles that shoot and even better the fit and finish.......nice build Pop!

nice rifle. Your son must be quite stout for 12, my same age daughter has a hard time holding a Model Seven to shoot it.

Nice rifle, but shlepping a 10lb rifle around at 12 years old around here would've bummed me out... Different style of hunting I suppose...

Tanner

Thanks guys we've really been enjoying it, yes Dillonbuck he's a stout lilfella not the average 12 year old being he's about 5'8" wearing a 11 men's shoe lol!

I can't say enough about Mr.Gradous OR his family, he's an incredible man and one heckuva rifle builder, just wished I'd known about him several years ago.......my safe would have every rifle with "Gradous" stamped on the side without a doubt.

Congrats on the new build - as to be expected it looks great and shoots:) Someday I hope to have a Gradous in the hunting rifle rotation:)

Thanks Oregonmuley....Mr. Gradous would love to build the rifle of your dreams, it'll perform well, WAY below his 1/2moa guarantee to say the least I know it'll shoot if not it won't leave his shop.

Nice shooting rifle, but you are under reporting the group sizes a bit.

Nice gun

Good shooting

Keep up the good work

Congratulations

Have a good day

Thanks guys!!!

I can see you cut some corners to save a few dollars on this rifle.

NOT.. Best parts/Best builder.... Congrats Marcus.

LoL.......Thanks Stoney, knowing that you went to Africa and did really well with the 155 BergerVLD I decided to load up 3 rounds just to fit in the magazine with 46grns of Varget......them dudes shot a .407 with 2 in the same exact hole with one kicked out. Definitely will play with them on my next outing.....and again thanks for turning me on to one heckuva person and rifle builder! Don't get no better that Robert Gradous.

How a person that likes rifles can profess to be an Obama supporter is truly amazing. How others will say anything nice to you on the 'Fire is even more disgusting.

Stoney what was your load with the 155Berger in your Gradous .308?

45gr Varget & Lapua Brass.

AMAZING

Thanks Stoney....I'm on it! Everyone stay tuned will be updating post with 155VLDs with 125 Sierra's up first!

No problem, Lol.

YesSir!...

that is one studly action I also have one and also use HS bottom metal as well on it. man what a gun for a 12 year old. I hope he understands just how cool of a gun he has.

Im super jealous!!! Fantastic rifle & shooting!! All the best brother!

CC, he doesn't.....all he asked for was a custom .308 and this is what I came up with as per build and parts, so thankful for Mr. Graduous on making this a go for him!

LoL! Mr. Swagger I wholeheartedly appreciate it. Over the years while looking at your and Stoney's rifles it was without a DOUBT who I'd be using on this build the last one(Ti300Win) and the next ones......you guys sold me!

"9lbs 11oz"

Why so heavy?

My Kimber 84M Montana weighs 6# 6oz with it's 2.5-8 Conquest and has CRF, a state of the art stock, a M70 type 3 position safety and it stays sighted in!

Your Kimber should with the little barrel, and delicate action, not to mention the 13-15oz 2.5-8 Conquest!..........and you probably have the Talley lightweights on it too!

How do you know?

I keep track of all of my range shooting. The most important shot from any of my hunting rifles or pistols is the first one.

I record where that shot hits and what the range and range conditions were.

Here is a target I fired with my 6 # 6 oz Kimber 308 at 200 yds.

POS

That's sighted in?

Was thinking the same thing....hate to see the target when its not!!!

Yes that's good for a six pound deer rifle at 200 yds!

The first and second shots hit about an inch to the left at 200 yds.

Deer hunting up North is not easy. We spend the whole day out there in the cold. Most of the time we get no shot at all.

A light rifle like that is less tiring to carry and deal with.

My favorite and most used is my Savage 99F that I have used since 1966. It's reliable and effective and not as accurate as the Kimber 308 most of the time.

However most shots with it are at close range on a moving deer.

The whole day????

OMG, say it ain't so!!

What's the matter friend?

In fact I used to spend the whole day but can't any longer due to my age.

From sun-up all the way to sun-down?

That's stretching the bounds of human endurance. No way.

Not to change the subject, but when a guy posts a thread about his new custom rifle, why do some people feel the need to pooh-pooh his choice in rifles and post pictures of their own factory rifles on the same thread?

Got any idea?

A nine plus pound 308 was 'built'!

What's it best for?

The guy who had it built.

PS, I have a 9-lb. .308, a GAP, it shoots bug-holes. Forgive me if I don't post a pic of it with my targets on Popapi's thread. I plan to use it in the next week or so to kill a doe pronghorn. They're spooky, the shot could be 500++.

If I want to go to the mountains, I'd take a 6-lb-er.

We're allowed to own more than one rifle now.

this is pretty funny hating on a guy for a 10# rifle. notice the guys that are worried to death about exactly how much their rifle weighs are generally from back east somewhere. There are some exceptions with dall sheep hunters etc. generally the guys worried about light guns live in the south and east. There are no mountains to hike, and its often a 4 wheeler ride to the deer stand.

in order to have an accurate rifle that you need or want .5moa out of. IMO you can't build the gun with a whippy light barrel. I know people pipe in and say my 6 # rifle shoots in the 2's when I do my part. yeah yeah whatever. I personally like my guns to be about 8#'s bare maybe a scosh more. This lets me go with a magnum contour barrel.

besides if your gun isn't built to shoot .5 moa, why are you even building a custom, especially in 308. that is one stud of a rifle don't let the haters tell you how heavy it is and how bad that is. to that I say toughen up and exercise more.

Nice rifle
Congrats to you and your lucky son

Great build.
Was that picture taken in Luther?

See.. There is the problem... It's the final 3lbs 6oz. where the accuracy is installed... Evidently you need to send yours back to the FACTORY to see if this is able to be corrected.

Geesh.. If 3 lbs. 6 oz. is an issue, maybe you should hit the pink dumbells a little more.

Once again, Popapi.. Congrats on a job well done!

99 I'll have to say you do blend in............

Thanks guys I appreciate the kind words, my son is happy and I'm surely happy on how all has turned out!

People crack me up - but then it is the innernet:) Crying that a Gradous built rifle is a little more weight than what they like. Popapi if your son should ever get bored with that rifle, pretty sure there are plenty that would kill to own it, me being high on that list.

Agree. I'd imagine there's been more than one PM calling dibs on that one.

VERY nice rifle! Robert is a heck of a guy and a smith. He built this one for me.


It's been known to shoot reasonably as well. This was when I was still tinkering between 155 Bergers and 165g Accubonds.

Who cares? Now...back to the original topic.

Why is it always the same few douching on a thread with unrelated waste?

Nice gun, Popapi. Where is that range?