| BFaucett |
| (.333 member) |
| 15/03/07 01:02 AM |
my new toy.... (photos)
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Just thought I'd share a few pics of my new toy. It was finished a couple of months ago.
Stainless Ruger M77 MkII in .338 Win Mag. Ruger factory walnut stock that has been reshaped and slimmed down. Stock refinished with about 47 hand rubbed coats of oil. Checkering recut. Some goodies like jeweled bolt and extractor, Neidner pistol grip cap, African ebony fore end cap, Timney trigger, Mauser cross bolt. Action glass bedded. Lugs lapped. Action polished. Extractor tuned. With scope, it weighs 8.75 pounds. (The scope is a Leupold Vari-X III 2.5-8x)
I like it!
My gunsmith friend Todd Johnson did all of the work.
His web site: http://www.lone-star-armory.com/
This baby was built to be used. It's not going to be a "safe queen". If I get back to South Africa, I'm going to try to whack an Nyala with it. Maybe a nice Blue Wildebeest too. Don't really need a .338 Win Mag to shoot an Nyala but I'm just a medium bore kind of guy.
Cheers!!
-Bob F.
| EricD |
| (.416 member) |
| 15/03/07 03:39 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Congrats with the new toy Bob.
I'd think that even if you don't get back to RSA for Nyala, you can still find good use for it closer to home.
Erik
| 500Nitro |
| (.450 member) |
| 15/03/07 03:43 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Bob,
Nice. Well done.
| mikeh416Rigby |
| (.450 member) |
| 15/03/07 04:11 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Boy does that look sweet.
CptCurl
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| (.450 member) |
| 15/03/07 05:01 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Very nice rifle. Congratulations.
Curl
| AzGuy |
| (.333 member) |
| 16/03/07 04:11 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Beautiful! Looks like a dandy elk rifle! What is the barrel lenght?
| BFaucett |
| (.333 member) |
| 16/03/07 12:37 PM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Guys,
Thanks for your kind words and compliments. I enjoyed sharing the photos with you.
It's a 24 inch barrel. It's the factory barrel but it has been slimmed down just a little in diameter.
-Bob F.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 25/03/07 01:38 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Looks rather striking with the walnut and stainless. Hope it shoots well for you as re-contouring a factory barrel is rarely a good move due to the internal stresses in buttoned barrels. Some enlarge when re-cut if not properly stress relieved.
| allenday |
| (.333 member) |
| 25/03/07 02:16 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Bob, that's a very nice rifle indeed. Stainless and walnut go together very well, as your rifle certainly proves!
The Ruger action is fundamentally very good, and I take it seriously as the foundation for a quality custom rifle, such as yours.
Of course, the 338 Win. Mag. is one of my all-time favorite all-around cartridges. It'll handle 98% or all the world's big game in a walk..........
AD
| luv2safari |
| (.400 member) |
| 25/03/07 05:12 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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BF,
What a beautiful rifle! As one who loves wood and tolerates plastic, I have to say the gun is an eye-popper, indeed...done just right. Why not hunt with something elegant?!?
| BFaucett |
| (.333 member) |
| 25/03/07 11:36 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Quote:
Looks rather striking with the walnut and stainless. Hope it shoots well for you as re-contouring a factory barrel is rarely a good move due to the internal stresses in buttoned barrels. Some enlarge when re-cut if not properly stress relieved.
I've only had it to the range a couple of times so far but it seems to be shooting fine. Mostly around 1.0-1.5 inch groups at 100 yards with Hornady and Nosler 250 gr bullets. (And I don't claim to be the best rifle shot in the world.)
Your comments about re-contouring a factory barrel are interesting. I freely admit I don't know squat about gunsmithing and/or machining. I will say that Todd (my gunsmith) said he used hand draw files (is that the proper term?) to slightly reduce the barrel diameter. So, it wasn't cut on a lathe if that makes any difference. I'll have to ask him about it.
-Bob F.
| BFaucett |
| (.333 member) |
| 25/03/07 11:43 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Quote:
Bob, that's a very nice rifle indeed. Stainless and walnut go together very well, as your rifle certainly proves!
The Ruger action is fundamentally very good, and I take it seriously as the foundation for a quality custom rifle, such as yours.
Of course, the 338 Win. Mag. is one of my all-time favorite all-around cartridges. It'll handle 98% or all the world's big game in a walk..........
AD
Allen,
Thanks for your kind words. I know you're a very experienced hunter so I sincerely appreciate your comments.
Thanks,
-Bob F.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 30/03/07 02:33 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Bob - sounds just fine. Drawfiling is not as invasive as turning quickly, which is what many 'smiths' seem to do.
: Nice rifle. I do appreciate the walnut - I'm kinda worn on the fiberglass, plastic and other composite stocks. I've never had any walnut stock loosen the screws just by shooting.
: Your 'smith' did a very nice job indeed.
| mehulkamdar |
| (.416 member) |
| 02/04/07 09:21 PM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Bob,
Congratulations. As vastly more experienced members have said that they love how the rifle has turned out, let me just say, "Wow!"
| eljefedouble |
| (.300 member) |
| 03/04/07 06:57 PM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Great effort Bob, Now go hunting.
Best
Axx
| BFaucett |
| (.333 member) |
| 04/04/07 12:27 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Thanks guys.
My big problem.... Trying to find time to get away from the job and go hunting!!!
Cheers!
-Bob F.
| Classic416 |
| (.300 member) |
| 25/04/07 12:12 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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That's an extremely elegant and tastefull looking outfit. I like the slimmer stock and the oil finish looks superb. Does it have a cheekpiece on the other side?
| BFaucett |
| (.333 member) |
| 25/04/07 12:45 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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No cheekpiece. It's a standard Ruger walnut stock and, as I'm sure you know, they don't have cheekpieces. The stock came off my Ruger M77 MkII in .30-06.
My Ruger in .30-06 got a custom stock and it does have a cheekpiece.
This one was finished back in 2005.
-Bob F.
| 600JDJ |
| (.275 member) |
| 25/04/07 10:03 PM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Not only does the stainless & walnut go together beautifully, scope selection is about perfect as well. Great looking rig. Now let's see pics of it leaning against the animal
| Classic416 |
| (.300 member) |
| 25/04/07 10:08 PM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Another very nice outfit. I normally prefer the timber and blued look ; but once again that 338 of yours comes together extremelly well. Very choice.
| Gustavo |
| (.224 member) |
| 31/05/07 04:24 PM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Bob,
As a fan of Ruger rifles, especially the all-weather, my hats-off to your beautiful rifle.
A nice balance of beauty and function.
| Stuart |
| (.275 member) |
| 11/06/07 01:27 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Quote:
... Stock refinished with about 47 hand rubbed coats of oil...
Hmmm... I'm only up to nine on my Martini stock. No wonder it doesn't glow yet.
Todd did a beautiful job on that rifle. Congratulations.
Stuart
| 9.3x57 |
| (.450 member) |
| 11/06/07 10:09 AM |
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Re: my new toy.... (photos)
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Very nice job on both of them!!!
We like Rugers, too. We have a few around and one in particular, my 6.5x55 M77MKII, I have been contemplating a remodel on. I really like it. It kills elk and deer like lightning, but is HEAVY, particularly for its caliber.
You DID what I've only talked about doing. Very nice!
I did send it back to Ruger for a "trigger adjustment, minimum pull" as they state it and they also put iron sights on it but it still wears the heavy factory stock.
Man, now I don't have any excuse...
