Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Project - .308

Finally got a project going. Simple really. .308. Action trued, bolt forged, going with a hinged bottom metal, and spacer block with a shortened follower. Drilled and tapped.

Finished the acraglass top and bottom the other day, and I'm doing final sanding/shaping. I'm at 150g right now on my way to 320, but I stopped and wiped it down with thinner to have a look.

A fine winter project.

Looking good. Reminds me of the Fajen on that Sako-barreled 03-A3 in 6-250 you sold me years ago. Turned out beautiful just like that one looks to be headed! I likey!

I forgot about that thing. That's been ages. This one has some roll engraving. I'll get better pics tomorrow.

Looks good

Whoever have the stock before me butchered the inletting so there's a couple points where the brown dyed bedding shows through pretty well. I'll do my best to blend it as the top coats go on.

Or spend your time making it the best shooter it can be... Looks don't make an accurate gun...

The full job on the action should do that.

Mandrel trued receiver face, recut threads all around, barrel squared and installed with a .002" crush. Hand chambered. The bolt was hand forged, the shroud threads recut and the face squared with a piloted mill. Dykem on the lugs and hand lapped, etc, etc.

Sometimes I square em up and slap em together. Other times I go full bore. I need to recess crown the barrel yet. I haven't decided whether or not to jewel the bolt and bolt stop/ejector yet so that's a maybe.

One or 2 more run downs/coats and she'll be ready. Then to send the metalwork off.

Wow man you're doing a great job that looks beautiful!

What's your process for refinishing the stock?

It varies from customer to customer. This one is -

The stock had been sitting in a corner for years so it was dinged/dark/dirty. It got an initial scuff sanding with 100 to open everything up. It was then steamed with a wet rag to pull out the dents and scuffs and mess. It was given 2 days in a controlled room to dry and acclimate followed with a hand sanding with 150, 220, then 320. It sat 2 days after that and was then given 4 coats of Watco danish oil over a 4 day period. Following a 72 hour hold, it was buffed with the grain with a maroon scotch brite pad. Tack cloth wipe, and then one Am, and one Pm coat of ZAR 1hr dry Polyurethane sanding sealer.

After sitting for a final day it got 1 coat/day for 3 days of ZAR Exterior Polyurethane Satin. With a wet sanding with 400 between coats.

It's resting until the metalwork is done, then it'll go to the gun show at the end of the month.

I usually like to finish with the epoxy method I learned here on the fire, but this is what I was asked to do on this one.

Nice looking.

What's the story on the action?

Nothing fancy about the stock or the chambering or, for that matter, the action, other than the engraving it happens to bear. Attention to detail and the desire to do it right makes all the difference. My hat is off to you.

No idea on the action story. It is interesting, although it just showed up one day.

Thanks all.

Really distinctive action I really like it.

Obviously a sporter from the start based upon lack of thumb slot.

Is it an old pre-war DWM?

What kind of barrel? Aftermarket trigger? Is this something you're doing for yourself or a client?

How much work is the mag cut off for a short action cartridge? That is missing on the 03-A3 I have and makes feeding tricky.

Beautiful work. I'd love to know the story on that action!

Barrel is most likely an Adams and Bennett. Trigger will be a bold. I don't have a block in my .308 and it feeds like normal, although putting the block in and shortening the follower does look a lot nicer, it often requires some rail work.