Yikes, 3 different grays. The scope, the metal, and even the freakin stock. I thought maybe a silver scope would be less...overwhelmingly terrible. Clearly I was wrong.

Why couldn't Ruger just stay with the same black/gray laminate that so beautifully graced the long action rifles?

What to do, what to do...[bleep] it, I'll just shoot it and apologize to everyone at the range for having to look at it.

That sucker's a candidate for the ol' spray bomb....:)

Should I cerakote the metal to match the scope? I am not aware of an aftermarket lefty short action stock, but something has to happen. Ruger went full retard with these.

There is a company that does the scopes and they have a finish to match the metal. Can't remember the company but it does not affect the scope warranty. Either that or go to a matte black scope. I wouldn't change the gun metal but that's just me.

Full retard! That's funny.

Tropic Thunder right?

"You never go full retard"

Tropic Thunder, while full retard itself, was totally awesome simply based on the fact that Robert Downey Jr not only climbed his junky ass out of the gutter for a great movie, but he did it to play a guy who plays a black guy.

I think Tef-Cote might be the company that refinishes scopes. Got a request for info in to them to match the scope to the receiver.

I kinda like it, Leupold I think made a scope that is similar to the metal work either that or a black matte finish.

The laminate doesn't bother me as much as the [bleep] mismatch between the rifle's metal finish and the scope's.

I mounted a silver VX-2 3x9 on mine and all I could think of was it's something only a mother could love.

Extreme Makeover: Campfire addition,

I agree I think I could live with the stock. I recall several years ago about the only left handed Reminton 700s you could find new in the rack were SS with the gray barn wood laminated stocks. I couldnt warm up to them back then but would like to find one now.

The 3 shades of Gray is a bit of a turn off. I would go with matte black rings and scope, maybe cerakote the bottom metal and bolt handle matte black at some point.

Matte black scope and call it good I think. How does it shoot?

On second thought, mine doesn't look as mismatched with the Leupold as TXpitdog's does with the Nikon.

Haven't shot it yet. Just received and mounted the scope last night. Matter of fact, I don't believe I've read a single range report on these. How many were made, 16? Half went back to get a Ruger custom shop straight barrel put on, but I don't believe I've read anything from someone who has actually shot theirs yet. Gonna try to shoot it Sunday, but it will be with plain ol' 55gr FMJ handloads.

If this Tef-Cote place can match the scope to the rifle, I'll be happy. If it's cost prohibitive, well, ugly rifled need homes too.

Here's what I'm doing.



Never have warmed up to silver scopes on anything, I put matte black scopes on stainless rifles and even stainless handguns.

Shot my .223 with the bent barrel, right out of the box with standard trigger and speed bump in the barrel channel it was putting most 4 shot groups into a bit over an inch. Finally got a straight barrel back last week but took it to that stockmaker in the picture the very next morning, so it will be a few more weeks before I can shoot it again.

Jim, does he do the type of work where you can send him your rifle and a chunk of pretty wood, and he creates the stock from your block and sends it back in a finished form?

Almost. He works with a semi-inletted stock and then finishes the inletting, outside final shaping/sanding, applies the finish and checkers it.

I got the semi-inletted stocks from Walnut Grove Gunstocks in Weiser, ID, but the fellow above will use anyone's semi-inletted stock.

Those stocks are from my pattern based off the Hawkeye factory stock with a fuller, rounder pistol grip, the comb nose moved back a bit and a cheekpiece added. The pattern from Walnut Grove will have the comb nose more forward so you can leave it or move it back as you desire.

If you want, you can search the Custom Gun forum for threads titled "Stockmaking" going back 8 or 9 months. I've chronicled my process starting with picking out the blocks of wood, having patterns made, stocks made and so far up to the pic above.

The fellow above works pretty quickly so I expect to have four custom stocked rifles arriving over the next month. (crossing my fingers )

Cool thanks

Here's one who shot theirs with the replacement barrel: CLICK D LINK

I just got a scope mounted on mine last Sunday and I'm waiting for a day when there isn't a 30+ mile-an-hour wind to shoot it.

Yep, it is Tef Cote through Altitude Gun works. They were Spradlins when they did mine. I had them do a pistol scope to better match my super redhawk 454. I can compare that to the Hawkeye stainless color and let you know. It is one of their standard colors.

Just make sure you specify what you want coated. They usually mask of the gold rings or power selection markings. So if you don't tell them to spray the entire thing, they won't.

Do you recall what the work cost?

I managed to shoot mine and get it sighted in this afternoon. The weather was about 40 Degrees F and misting rain off an on; just cool enough to be uncomfortable. I sighted it in with the point of impact approximately two inches high at 100 yards and then let my 13-year-old daughter shoot it. We used a small amount of older South African .223 (30 rounds) that I was recently given and managed to obtain right at 1 MOA. I had plenty of other ammo to try, but it was just too damned miserable to stay out there any longer than we were there and the mist kept coming and going. (I also sighted in a Ruger 1A in .257 Roberts that I bought from fatjack34 a while ago.)

I'm happy with the initial accuracy and think it might tighten up a little with my handloads and more favorable conditions.

Dude, don't be so hard on yourself.

There's fugly, and there's FUGLY.

Tried to put Feinsteins sour mug up, but it got sensored because it was recognized as [bleep].

I managed to dial my Hawkeye .223 in a little better this evening with a series of five three-shot groups consistently measuring 0.639" at 100 yards. It was the last 30 minutes or so of daylight, precluding any further testing. Load was a 55-grain Hornady FMJ seated to 2.225" OAL over 25.0 grains of WC844 in a Winchester case and WSR primer. It typically produces 3011 FPS out of my 20-inch barreled AR15.

Think of it as a "meat gun". No worries if it gets dirty, scratched up, or the like as long as it drives that bullet deep and where you aimed. Field scars will add character which automatically offset the mis-matched finish(s). Just keep it mostly out of sight when you're taking photos of your trophy deer or elk...maybe a partial view of the muzzle so no one will mistakenly assume you used a sling shot?

Enjoy.

Bob

I've managed to get my Hawkeye .223 dialed in a little bit better since I last posted. I shot this 0.532" group at 100 yards today:




And this 0.998" group at 200 yards:



I don't care what the grays look like.