Pics. My new LR rifle build

[sierra22]

Visited the workshop again. He worked and I filmed. I like!

The original plan was to put in a 6,5x47 barrel in the project rifle now, but all my Sako's received good offers and were sold as we were working. It'll now be a 308 and my 280 will be a 6,5x284 and the new owners will have the rifles in May. Bought a Blaser R93 Pro stock with an unusually good trigger yesterday and also got hold of a secondhand 6,5x55 barrel. Ordering a bolt soon.

Anyway, mounted picatinny rails on all three Sakos. Used aluminium as this is more than strong enough and weighs a lot less than steel. The scope will break before the rails so no worries. Put in 20 MOA cant this time.

This is the rail on a Sako Finnbear action. Chose the picatinny system as it provides a rock solid mounting solution.

A small surprise for me. The short-action Sako Forester action weighs 1082gr/ 2.385 lbs complete and the long-action Finnbear weighs 1156gr/ 2.549 lbs. A tiny difference only.

 

[sierra22]

Used Duracoate quite a bit this weekend. Use a mask, was sick for two days after. Subdued the rifle a bit in colour and added some details. The safety now shows only green when safe, and red when unsafe.

I liked this green. Create it by using WWII Olive Green and add same amount of white as hardener.

Used a 1000W lamp for drying this time. After 30min it was dry enough to accept masking tape without marring the finish.

 

[sierra22]

Will not say too much about this as it isn't finished, but the end result will be fool-proof turrets that can easily be marked/remarked. Note how I put the spin drift on the windage turret and also put some yellow (yellow/weak/left) on the scope ring. As said project not finished, it will look slightly different but should be good and user friendly.

 

[Chas1]

Sierra22, great pictures...easy to see the detail, enjoyed them and the footnotes. Looks like an interesting build, you'll have to keep us posted. I'd really like seeing it when it's finished.

 

[sierra22]

Thanks for that Chas.

Have made a video on the fitting/machining of the picatinny rails now. It's quite an easy job, just order a blank bar from Brownells if there isn't one available for your rifle. Then it's just a matter of shaving some metal and drilling a few holes. The video shows this in much greater detail than the earlier blog. Hope this answer some questions.

Blog 10, fitting picatinny

 

[sierra22]

My load is 87 Hornady Vmax in front of XX grains of Vit N160 in Lapua 243 brass. It exits at 950 msec in my 18,5" barrel and kills deer very reliably when shot in the shoulders. In the lungs it produces a bit of soup. Tried Federal Fusion 95gr factory as well. Very accurate and knocked them dead also. So far only shot 17 deer and a dozen foxes/hares with this rifle.

This is what the present project all started with: My old Tiny-Sako in 6x45 with a good buck on a perfect day... Shot some 25-30 deer with this rifle using the Sierra 85gr Gameking exiting at 830 msec but wasn't too happy about the lack of effect when shot in the lungs.

So this year I returned with another 6mm, my Sako Forester in 243 configured to be a proper tool for killing...

Before departing I used the Swedish Method and calculated a trajectory on a predicted atmosphere. I came very close and the predicted trajectory fit on the click out to the 750 meters I tested it.

 

[sierra22]

First shot, dead center at 462 meters (slightly over 500 yards)

The rifle is in original factory state and is just wicked accurate so it was with good spirits I awaited first dawn...

I was however pelted with an unbelievable amount of crap weather. Had rain or fog or both most days...

.

 

[sierra22]

I looked everywhere for the deer...

 

[sierra22]

 

[sierra22]

had a lot of "almost" this year. Here I'm waiting for a broadside the deer never showed me...

Pretty slim results for a while, hadn't even produced enough meat to cover the diesel...

 

[sierra22]

Had some good days as well...

Here are some pictures showing the effect of Vmax on these deer. I've put the explicit pictures behind links as not to offend...

link Vmax

Link Vmax

Link Vmax

 

[sierra22]

Link Vmax

Hope this embroids a little more on the 243/ 87gr Vmax combo I use.
It's good for killing deer, but have sold this rifle with a 308 barrel now and bought a Blaser R93 pro in 6,5x55. Same weight/size package and quite a bit more potent at the longer ranges as well as being way cheaper to shoot here in Norway.

(This 4 pics only limit is kinda annoying... I just barely bother making these post when all the extra work is generated...)