Being a sucker for any orphan gun that needs a new owner, I'm putting the finishing touches on this project....an Old School 30BR.

It's entire history is a bit murky but it was an East Coast (Maine) gun at one time. After that, it somehow made it's way to the wilds of the deepest, darkest Iowa sub continent, then through multiple hands following the death of it's owner. It ended up in the western 'Forbidden Zone' (western South Dakota) and then, like an orphan being dropped at a convent, it ended up on my doorstep one frosty January morning.

The metal work was done by Gary Long, a long time BR rifle 'smith from Millville, Pa. He and his wife Helen were very involved with the IBS and Gary was known for doing very good work. It's a 700 with a Panda foot print sleeve that Speedy Gonzales had available at one time. Bolt handle is a Holland that's been well timed with good mechanical camming. Barrel is twisted 1:15. It's likely a Hart as Gary used a lot of those. The chamber has a bit more free bore (.040) than we'd do now but nothing out of line. With my 1.00" 7 ogive 'Dakota B1 bullets', the base of the neck is right at the halfway point down the neck to the 'TP' (Touch Point) so that's all good. The chamber is a .330 neck and the chamber and barrel both look very good. While at Randy Robinett's one day working on a project, the muzzle got pulled back .250 and got a nice indicated and lapped crown. A .703 sleeve was also fitted to the bolt body for .001 bolt-receiver clearance to get ahead of any pesky vibration induced vertical that shows up with excessive bolt clearance.

The stock is laminated curly maple and walnut in the Shehane 'Baby Tracker' pattern. It had a lot of barrel movement when the front action screw was cracked loose...not good. In the mill, there was a definite high spot mid way along the length of the action.I milled the old bedding out, made new pillars and did a stress free bedding in Pro Bed 2000. While I was at it, I updated the bottom of the fore end with some carbon fiber.

Here's a couple pics...the bedding pic was right after the barrelled action came out, prior to any chamfering, radiusing, deburring or other clean up. The pad under the barrel shank was there from the original bedding job but since it wasn't contacting the shank, I left it. When I got it initially, there was .015-.016 of barrel movement when the front action screw was loosened. After the redo, it has right at .001 max. and the barrelled action falls right out...no binding anywhere.

Good shootin' -Al

The weather finally straightened out enough to get to the range Tuesday with this project. It tuned up easily, like any good 30BR will. It shoots down low and up high...never a bad thing. Wave form was consistent and predictable as the powder charge went up.

Winds were variable at 12-16 from the 2 o'clock. On the 5 shot group, there's a bit of a weather report. The tails were dropping when I pressed the trigger and it blobbed one out the right and a skosh low.

Good shootin' -Al

Nice work, Al!
Are you going to take this on a campaign?

Great work as always Al.

I'm not really sure. It sure could do the job, though. It would be a great gun for someone that wants to get into real Benchrest (with a capital B) Score competition without breaking the bank. I could also keep it as a backup gun.

This Panda 30BR is my primary gun. I had it out yesterday after extensive off season work to find the cause of a bit of naggy non-condition related vertical that would pop up randomly.

It's working good now.

Thanks, Butch.....appreciate it. -Al

Good shooting.

I was never really into the 30br until here of late. The more I read and hear about it, the more fun I think one would be.
Good shooting and it looks like it will get the job done.

You're a true operator Al. Pleasure reading how a pro does it. Thanks for posting.

Impressive! And a beauty. Thanks

Al,

Is that one of Ronnie’s stocks or did you put the graphite on the bottom of it yourself ?

A cabinet maker laminated curly maple and walnut together and Bill Shehane profiled it to his Baby Tracker pattern. I did the carbon on the bottom of the fore end. It's a thin piece that we use on the race cars over roll cage side bars and underhood chassis tubing.

Good shootin ' -Al