Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Project Hawkeye 338 Ruger Compact Magnum

Holds 4 down, that sort of suprises me, I do like the feel of that rifle.

My 338 WSM (M70) holds 3 down and dats it.

Sounds like your rig will be about 8 lbs all up and ready to go, nice rig now doubt!

Keep us in the loop about speed and accuracy ok?

Thx 4 sharing

Dober

JOhn T-what are you getting for speed out of your 300/168 load?

Thx
Dober

JohnT, I don't know your level of training, experience, and skill, so there could be a myriad of causes for stringing be it shooter of be it equipment.

If you are not squared away, you could be changing hand or bag location on the forend between shots. You could be changing the cant of the rifle between shots. You could be changing your cheek or spot weld between shots and not looking straight through the sight. You could be heavy on the trigger. Etc., etc.

If it is the the rifle, the barreled action may be binding in its bedding and/or the barrel may have uneven contact. As it heats up, things move. The trigger may be overly heavy. The ringmounts may not be properly seated and may be moving. Etc., etc.

If the mag box is locked into place tight, good chance that the center screw is binding the action which is never good. If the barreled action is not sitting squarely and flush in the inletting and against the lug mortise, chances are that the barrel has uneven pressure along its channel. Etc., etc.

On an unbedded Ruger, I generally go as tight as I can on the action screws without binding the mag box. Usually this runs around 35in-lbs on the front, 25in-lbs on the rear, and 15in-lbs on the center. Some I can go higher, others I cannot. If the rifle is properly bedded and everything is sqared away even, you can bring up the torque without binding the action. You can always add material or remove material from the barrel bedding pressure point to find the sweet spot.

Hope this is of some help.

Later

Mark about 2835fps with the 60.5gr W760 & Fed 215's. Primers look normal not flattened at all, nor any cratering. Could up it slightly but around these levels is good for me in a 20" baarrel.

Shaq we don't get any of the Ramshot powders in Australia.

Regards,
JohnT

Heck, I thought that primers were supposed to be flat and cratered a bit in order to not be abby normal...

Thx
Dober

Spare time is hard for me to find, but I found enough tonight to complete the final touches on fitting the forend aluminum stiffener. Ready for epoxy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3590207339/

Later

The aluminum stiffener is epoxied into place and it has made a huge improvement to the stiffness of the forend. It is easily 2X times stiffer and the weight of the stock is about the same as original. When I add the bedding epoxy for the barrel boss pad, the stiffness should increase even more. The barrel floats perfectly and I am more than pleased with the results:)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3597885487/

Later

Being that the pillars were installed straight and square within the stock, I made a set of pillar bushings on the lathe with an ID to fit over the front and rear action screws and an OD to fit inside the front and rear pillars. These pillar bushings take out all play and hold the barreled action in perfect alignment within the stock while bedding. Once installed, the barreled action fits on top of the pillars dead center with zero slop. They will only be used while bedding the action.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3612781812/

Even with the front recoil lug mortise hogged out for bedding epoxy, with the pillar bushings installed, the barreled action is held perfectly square within the stock with zero play. The forend channel matches the barrel contour and is relieved a measured .050" to float the barrel. I will probably use four layers of PASCO tape (total .040") on the barrel underside when bedding which will float the barrel .040" and seal the channel for the remaining .010" with bedding epoxy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3612782258/

Later

Wow really a superb job Gary. Can't wait till you shoot that thing!

Those screw bushings are a really nice touch. As I don't have a lathe I have to make do with masking tape over the screws.

regards
JohnT

Update; I used four layers of PASCO tape (.040" total) the length of the barrel leaving a 1.5" bare section for a contact pad at the barrel shank. For best balance and minimal weight, the barrel contact pad at the receiver only needs to extend beyond the balance point of the assembled barreled action less stock. Mine balances on a knife edge at 1.25" so my goal was for a 1.5" contact pad.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3638793420/

The barreled action removed after the epoxy was poured, set-up, and cured. Complete bedding of the recoil lug and receiver area ahead of the mag box inlet, a 1.5" contact pad at the barrel shank, and an epoxy sealed barrel channel with a .040" float.

Another tip I'll share; my favorite method for removing a bedded barreled action is to use the lap technique. For right handers, lay the rife upside down across your lap with the wrist of the stock and rear tang rested on you left thigh. Firmly grasp the stock forend near the sling swivel with your left hand and raise the barrel off your right thigh. Using a rubber, leather, or padded mallet, sharply strike the underside of the barrel next to the forend using short strokes. Repeat these short sharp raps until the barreled action breaks loose. This technique works like an impact wrench and reduces the likelihood of damaging the stock or bedding. I normally pop out the barreled action within a few raps.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3638794000/

Removal of the clay filler from the aluminum forend stiffener. This area could have been filled with epoxy to increase stiffness. The forend turned out plenty stiff without the added epoxy so I was able to keep the weight down.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3638794544/

Rough overall look of the barrel channel before clean up. The forend turned out perfect with a marked increase in stiffness and stability with minimal weight. Everything looks great to this point. I'll bed the rear tang and the bottom metal next.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3637981525/


Later

I made up a threaded cross pin with a slot head to strengthen the stock through the thin webbing area between the mag box and trigger inlets.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3669561513/

I also inletted an aluminum lug for the front end of the trigger guard. The lug is at the correct height to match the rear pillar for a perfect fit.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3669562419/

Using epoxy, the rear cross pin was threaded into place using a driver for the slot head. The pin was made short to recess below the surface on both ends.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3670367740/

In addition to the rear cross pin, the front recoil lug cross screw was modified and epoxied into place leaving the ends recessed. The recessed ends were filled with Marine Tex epoxy. This is the rough look after the tape was removed. Once cured, I'll sand the epoxy even to the surface and cover with clear. The Marine Tex will look like hand fit ebony plugs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3670368206/

Everything fits well and the barrel channel turned out perfect.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3670368692/

Perfect barrel float with the forend now extra stiff while maintaining light weight.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary2va/3669564357/