Winchester Model 70 .22-250 Benchrest shooter Water cooler barrel. Yes I said water cooled... I’ve scoured the internet and talked to everyone I know. I’ve been told there’s always someone on here that can identify anything. Here’s the test!
Here’s something you’ve probably never seen before — a liquid-cooled benchrest rifle. No, this is not just a crazy experiment. This gun, built by Joel Pendergraft, produced a 10-shot, 3.044″ group that is still listed as the International Benchrest Shooters (IBS) 1000-Yard Heavy Gun record. Using this water-cooled 300 Ackley Improved, Joel shot the record group in April 2009 at Hawks Ridge, NC. This monster features a 12-twist, 4-groove Krieger barrel. Joel shot BIB 187gr flat-based bullets in Norma brass, pushed by a “generous amount” of Alliant Reloder 25 and Federal 210M primers.
Here’s something you’ve probably never seen before — a liquid-cooled benchrest rifle. No, this is not just a crazy experiment. This gun, built by Joel Pendergraft, produced a 10-shot, 3.044″ group that is still listed as the International Benchrest Shooters (IBS) 1000-Yard Heavy Gun record. Using this water-cooled 300 Ackley Improved, Joel shot the record group in April 2009 at Hawks Ridge, NC. This monster features a 12-twist, 4-groove Krieger barrel. Joel shot BIB 187gr flat-based bullets in Norma brass, pushed by a “generous amount” of Alliant Reloder 25 and Federal 210M primers.
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I read all up on that and made some calls... it was my only lead.
Powers Custom, out of either KC or Independence MO, built some of those for prairie dog shooters, back in the late '90s or thereabouts. There was at least one feature article about them in one gun magazine and I think the Varmint Hunter's Association magazine, too. It wasn't a new idea, it had been ripped off from the old water-cooled machineguns of WWI and WWII, they had to have a pressure manifold and pump system to pump the water from coolers thru the water jackets to keep the pressure the same for every shot, and they were complicated systems. I thought it was kinda neat, but the price for a system, and the smithing for the water-jacketed barrel and assorted equipment was pretty pricey. I thought it was more practical to just buy a couple more rifles and swap them out when one got hot. I was doing a lot of PDoggin' back then, and read about it with a lot of interest, but no money in the bank for such things.
You can roll a turd in peanuts, dip it in chocolate, and it still ain't no damn Baby Ruth.
Powers Custom, out of either KC or Independence MO, built some of those for prairie dog shooters, back in the late '90s or thereabouts. There was at least one feature article about them in one gun magazine and I think the Varmint Hunter's Association magazine, too. It wasn't a new idea, it had been ripped off from the old water-cooled machineguns of WWI and WWII, they had to have a pressure manifold and pump system to pump the water from coolers thru the water jackets to keep the pressure the same for every shot, and they were complicated systems. I thought it was kinda neat, but the price for a system, and the smithing for the water-jacketed barrel and assorted equipment was pretty pricey. I thought it was more practical to just buy a couple more rifles and swap them out when one got hot. I was doing a lot of PDoggin' back then, and read about it with a lot of interest, but no money in the bank for such things.
What’s “that kind of money”? I think I bought it right.
If I were you I would register at Benchrest Central. Post the pics there if he was into BR those folks will probably be able to help. Other option would be at the Trinidad school of gunsmithing. http://trinidadstate.edu/gunsmithing-degree/index.html
