joecool
Well-Known Member
That's very nice!!! You will love the .338 AM… **** might have to have Kirby build me a lightweight one to go with my heavy one.
New arrival (almost) 338AM 4days and counting
- Thread starter AJ Peacock
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AJ Peacock
Well-Known Member
Hired Gun
Well-Known Member
Now this is more of what I was thinking about for myself. That is very nice. I'm still in phase 1.
After reading your "5 phases of new gun build!" it made me think. The forum may need a new subject heading. Something like, "Kirby's waiting room" or simply, The waiting room, where expectant and contemplating (new fathers) customers could hang out and keep each other company.
One other question. On a rifle with a solid one mile+ range capability why only a 15 power scope?
After reading your "5 phases of new gun build!" it made me think. The forum may need a new subject heading. Something like, "Kirby's waiting room" or simply, The waiting room, where expectant and contemplating (new fathers) customers could hang out and keep each other company.
One other question. On a rifle with a solid one mile+ range capability why only a 15 power scope?
AJ Peacock
Well-Known Member
I like the idea of the waiting room!
As far as the scope magnification power, I have the NP-R1 reticle and in a second focal plane SFP scope, the reticle is only correctly calibrated at the highest power. I intend to use the graduations within the scope to adjust my elevation (instead of clicking). That means I will have to shoot at the highest magnification. I really want to spot my own shots (even if I have a spotter), so 15x makes more sense than 22x (which is the next step in the NightForce line).
If I was only clicking my elevation, I might have gone with the 22x scope. I also figured that I could easily use this scope on another rifle if I wanted to go up to 22x on the 338AM, however I doubted I could justify it the other way around. For biggame (Elk,Deer, Bear) I figured 15x was enough. If I had been going after smaller game, I probably would have went with the 22x. Even though the rifle has the capability for 1 mile+, I intended this to be a 1200yd max hunting rifle, I'll certainly shoot at rocks further, but its unlikely I'll go beyond that for game due to wind.
Thats my entire thought process on the scope.
As far as you being in phase 1, I which I hadn't stayed in that phase for as long as I did, I would have received my rifle that much sooner.
AJ
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joecool
Well-Known Member
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Slopeshunter
Well-Known Member
Very nice build AJ! I really like the 5 phases you came up with. I'm still in phase 1.
Do I gather it took 10 months for phases 2 - 5? If so that's pretty quick in my opinion given how long it takes to get an A5 stock.
Congrats again. Good hunting!
Do I gather it took 10 months for phases 2 - 5? If so that's pretty quick in my opinion given how long it takes to get an A5 stock.
Congrats again. Good hunting!
AJ Peacock
Well-Known Member
My recommendation is to get out of phase 1 as fast as you can, its the only one you have ANY control over.
Yes, and it only took Kirby a month to put it all together with coatings etc. once everything was in house.
AJ
AJ that is a fine looking critter buster and I am glad your wait is over. I sympathize because I am in the waiting room and Phase 3 is freakin killing me. I understand resisting the urge to email the builder as well as anyone. I resist because I know that time Kirby spends answering my emails is time he could spend on someone elses gun or heaven forbid on mine.
I guess I will just have to keep busy by bugging my local gunsmith. At least my nesika based 06AI will be ready thursday so it will keep my mind off 338AMs. Had to wait 3 weeks on the mcmillan stock for this one, which was trying enough.
It is pretty cool to get first dibbs on unclaimed parts from a great gunsmith who builds a bunch of high end guns. Since my gunsmith doesnt require a deposit (because he thinks everyone should hold to thier word the way he does) I usually avoid the wait entirely. I sometimes get calls asking if I want a new action stock or barrel that UPS just dropped off. Then presto I have a new custom.
I am selfish because usually he asks, "Do you know anyone who wants a XXXX at cost?" Instead of saying that I know a bunch of great guys on LRH who may be interested i usually just tell him I will take it. If my wife ever figures out my finances or I run outta room in the safe I will have to start posting them here for him.
I guess I will just have to keep busy by bugging my local gunsmith. At least my nesika based 06AI will be ready thursday so it will keep my mind off 338AMs. Had to wait 3 weeks on the mcmillan stock for this one, which was trying enough.
It is pretty cool to get first dibbs on unclaimed parts from a great gunsmith who builds a bunch of high end guns. Since my gunsmith doesnt require a deposit (because he thinks everyone should hold to thier word the way he does) I usually avoid the wait entirely. I sometimes get calls asking if I want a new action stock or barrel that UPS just dropped off. Then presto I have a new custom.
I am selfish because usually he asks, "Do you know anyone who wants a XXXX at cost?" Instead of saying that I know a bunch of great guys on LRH who may be interested i usually just tell him I will take it. If my wife ever figures out my finances or I run outta room in the safe I will have to start posting them here for him.
AJ Peacock
Well-Known Member
Eddybo,
Sent you a PM
AJ
Sent you a PM
AJ
AJ Peacock
Well-Known Member
Settled on 143gr H50BMG with the 300SMK. Load development was pretty straight forward, Kirby said to start here, I tried the load and it averages exactly 3300fps, so I left it there.
We took 2 Elk with it last fall (520yds and 508yds), one shot each. Both cows.
The reason I stayed with the low end load, is that it does everything I need from a LR perspective and is a bit easier on the throat/barrel and brass than a top end load. We really just played with the seating depth a little and found a load that was more than accurate enough for my intended purpose (1000yd elk vitals). We were hitting everything we aimed at. Then we shot one 3 shot group at 1003yds and you could cover it with your hand!
We only have around 50 rounds down the tube at this point. There is no need to burn the barrel out playing with loads when you have a rifle and load that is so accurate.
AJ
338 am
AJ,
What range do you plan to use your rifle? I think that a 338 Allen would be suitable for at least 1000 yards+ on elk, maybe even lots further. If that is so then why not push the velocity? Have you tried any faster loads? I'm telling you, yours is an awesome looking rig!
Paul
AJ,
What range do you plan to use your rifle? I think that a 338 Allen would be suitable for at least 1000 yards+ on elk, maybe even lots further. If that is so then why not push the velocity? Have you tried any faster loads? I'm telling you, yours is an awesome looking rig!
Paul
AJ Peacock
Well-Known Member
Nope, 3300fps is just fine. 1000-1200yds is the limit for MY rifle. Wind is just too difficult to judge where I hunt.
Thanks, I agree, Kirby builds awesome rifles, and I think mine is the best he's built ;-)
AJ
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
With TTI brass, my standard load was 147.0 gr H-50BMG under the 300 gr SMK which generated 3550 fps in my 40" 338 AM and 3455 fps in my 32" lightweight rifles. This was a high pressure load but case life was roughly 5 firings per case before case extraction started to get sticky on following firings and also primer pocket tightness started to get looser then I like.
Since then, TTI has pretty much become a memory, you can not get it, so we had to go a different direction to get brass to keep these rifles up and running. Enter Jamison International.
Their original 408 CT brass at that time was not good at all. In fact very mild loads would loosen primer pockets on the first firing, at times to the point the primers would fall out of the case on the first firing.
To their credit, they totally revamped their 408 CT case design by listening to those of us using the case for not only the 408 but also the wildcats based on it. THey thickened the case head web, thickened the case walls, thinned the case neck, used better case neck and shoulder annealing and then played with the grain structure they used in the brass alloy.
In the end product, this greatly improved the performance of their brass.
The last area that needed improvement was the primer pocket dimension. THey did finally tighten the specs up on the primer pocket.
I wanted the primer pockets tighter yet to help offer even longer primer pocket life and again to their credit, they agreed to custom make me my 338 and 375 AM brass with tighter spec primer pockets which brings us to the latest brass I am using how.
Performance wise, it WILL NOT match the levels of the TTI brass. That is just a simple fact. It will however allow you to drive the 300 gr SMK to 3300 fps out of a 32" barrel with case life in the 5 firings per case at least range. I personally generally load to 3250-3275 fps in my personal rifles simply to increase case life even more and down range performance is unchanged for all practical purposes.
We have played with some exotic cases that may allow us to get back to the levels of the original TTI brass and then some but that is only in the R&D stages at this time.
For the time being, I recommend loading to 3250-3300 fps with the Jamison cases which are the only easily attainable cases on the market at this time.
In a 32" barrel length, please realize that 3300 fps is roughly 300 fps faster then the next largest 338 magnum out there which would be the 338-378 Wby, 338 Kahn class rounds. Quite a jump in performance.
Since then, TTI has pretty much become a memory, you can not get it, so we had to go a different direction to get brass to keep these rifles up and running. Enter Jamison International.
Their original 408 CT brass at that time was not good at all. In fact very mild loads would loosen primer pockets on the first firing, at times to the point the primers would fall out of the case on the first firing.
To their credit, they totally revamped their 408 CT case design by listening to those of us using the case for not only the 408 but also the wildcats based on it. THey thickened the case head web, thickened the case walls, thinned the case neck, used better case neck and shoulder annealing and then played with the grain structure they used in the brass alloy.
In the end product, this greatly improved the performance of their brass.
The last area that needed improvement was the primer pocket dimension. THey did finally tighten the specs up on the primer pocket.
I wanted the primer pockets tighter yet to help offer even longer primer pocket life and again to their credit, they agreed to custom make me my 338 and 375 AM brass with tighter spec primer pockets which brings us to the latest brass I am using how.
Performance wise, it WILL NOT match the levels of the TTI brass. That is just a simple fact. It will however allow you to drive the 300 gr SMK to 3300 fps out of a 32" barrel with case life in the 5 firings per case at least range. I personally generally load to 3250-3275 fps in my personal rifles simply to increase case life even more and down range performance is unchanged for all practical purposes.
We have played with some exotic cases that may allow us to get back to the levels of the original TTI brass and then some but that is only in the R&D stages at this time.
For the time being, I recommend loading to 3250-3300 fps with the Jamison cases which are the only easily attainable cases on the market at this time.
In a 32" barrel length, please realize that 3300 fps is roughly 300 fps faster then the next largest 338 magnum out there which would be the 338-378 Wby, 338 Kahn class rounds. Quite a jump in performance.
