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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Lee Speed Forum & Archive
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VonGruff
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Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
A 400 Lee Speed.
      #260603 - 17/02/15 05:07 PM

after the recent thread on the Lee Speed 405 Winchester I thought I would start a thread on my version of the 405 Winchester on a Lee Speed styled rifle.. This is how the project came together.

I had been wanting a big brother for the 303 Lee Speed I did a while back ( http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=248874&an=0&page=0#Post248874) and in a couple of email conversations with forum members the two contenders I was trying to decide on were between a 375 or a 40 cal. The 40 won out and I was generously given a BSA commercial action so with a bolt and stock bolt from my own parts box, had the start to what I wanted to do.



I intended to make a similar wrist mounted aperture sight so set out to make the filler plate for the lobbing sight recess



--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

Edited by VonGruff (17/02/15 05:08 PM)

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260604 - 17/02/15 05:08 PM


The next thing was to re-contour the rear of the action socket to give it the 'Lee Speed" radiused top rather than the almost square top of the standard action.






--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260605 - 17/02/15 05:11 PM

I then Spent a little time and made the aperture sight. Nothing fancy (or spendy) but similar to the one I made for the 303 which was a success so this is just more of the same.



It is about as low over the dust cover as possible which keeps the cheek weld right on the butt and makes for a front sght that is not abnormaly high. What it does require is that the rear lug for the dust cover is ground down to about half its height but I found that out when one of the bolts I got had the lug treated like that and it does not negatively effect the visual or the holdability of the single remaining lug that is not ground.



--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

Edited by VonGruff (17/02/15 06:33 PM)

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260606 - 17/02/15 05:14 PM

The next step was to look at stock blanks and had semi selected 3 from a plain but well grained one to a nicely marked 1/4 sawn one to a flat sawn one with more grain but no colour but after a conversation with Brian (from NZ Walnut Supplies) I bought this blank..



The other side is not as well figured but I think that if I set the stock well to the right side of the blank I will cut back into a bit more figure.



This is the walnut supply outlet http://www.nzwalnut.co.nz/

--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260607 - 17/02/15 05:27 PM

Laying out the pattern



Because I have a few more Lee speeds to do after this one I decided to make a framed pattern so I could lay it on the blank and actually see the grain rather than drawing around the pattern then seeing I needed to shift it a bit. This way I can shift the framed pattern round to the most advantageous position, mark two location spots on it and then mark out the pattern from the pattern board. It meant I did shift it from where I originally thought it would go but it will be better for the finished stock.




One of the chaps I had been talking to about the cartridge choice had wanted another 375-303 (he had had one years ago) so he sent down an action and we organised another blank so I could do the two of them in tandem. Having the guides set up for drilling the stock bolt hole I did mine in the mornig then got the second one done in the afternoon so they were both at the same stage.




--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

Edited by VonGruff (17/02/15 07:39 PM)

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260608 - 17/02/15 05:34 PM

After marking out the action lines, I use the hack saw (fine teeth + fine cut) and cut down to within cooee of the mark and only forward to the rear of the receiver ring.



and a few minutes with a sharp chisel gets the inletting started.



Next step was to find the dimensions of the mag wall and start an undersized hole though the wood.



One hole at 24mm and the front three at 20mm had it started.


Finding out the back of the trigger group recess came next and again all cut undersize.




and a little chisel work had it opened up to where I would just get clearance vertically



--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

Edited by VonGruff (17/02/15 06:36 PM)

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260609 - 17/02/15 05:37 PM

Turning the forestocks over again I could then mark down the action lines and gradually take out the bulk of the wood with the grannies tooth hand router. The depth had been marked in earlier

Note the small mallet It is one I made and is just 6" long and weighs 6 oz. Sometimes it is better to tap lightly and trying to do that with the heavier mallet can cause an oops moment.



The action is stripped of the trigger and spring but the mag release bar stays in place. The top of the trigger housing is opened up with a rat tail file till the mag release bar on the action will just slip over it so the action can start into its first fitting at the rear of the inlet.



The recoil lug can be marked into place and chiselled down to the action flat





And with a little gouge work the start of the receiver ring can be taken out.

After this stage it will be all smoke and scrape work, so things will slow down a bit.



--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

Edited by VonGruff (17/02/15 06:38 PM)

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260610 - 17/02/15 05:41 PM

Next up I took the lowered portion off the rear of the top side on the planer and filed a radius from the rear action flat onto the socket face. A quick look at this part of the action will show the need for the radius.



Then with a careful measurement I marked out to remove the majority of the wood to clear for the mag release lever anchor point which is the major "draw" that needs to fit tight so it was left proud and worried back as the smoked action was lowered into place by scraping with the bent file scraper.


With the draw roughed into place it was time to work on getting the action down into place. This bent and sharpened file (I ground off the teeth on both flats and edges befoe bending and sharpening) is almost indispensable for the job and far and away the most usefull way of working on the sides of the action inlet. I have previously used chisels etc to scrape but the bent file it the easiest to direct and use.


--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

Edited by VonGruff (17/02/15 07:44 PM)

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260611 - 17/02/15 05:42 PM

So at 10 3/4 hours both actions are snuggled into the wood




--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260612 - 17/02/15 05:44 PM

Just an hour on it today rechecking the inlet and getting the reinforce done across the rear of the socket face rather than through the rear of the stock as is done on the ex mil stocks. To get the position that will be at the centre of the triangle of wood that is left it is a simple matter to measure down to the centre of the through reinforce and transfer it to the new forestocks



Drill a series of holes and clean it out to take the end of a 3/16 machine screw



Set into place with Devcon steel, then with the action face given some Vaseline for mould release, the action can be set into place to make the rear flat against the socket face and to force it down against the main draw. It wil sit overnight and I can get back to it tomorrow.

--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

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VonGruff
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Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260614 - 17/02/15 05:47 PM

Todays effort has seen the trigger guard inlet on them both and the magazine well on one finished but 5 1/2 hours bent over the bench in the heat was enough for the day.

Worrying the t/g into place



Almost all the tricky stuff done now.



Then a little time in the shed gets the buttstock wrist into the socket and having an add up I see that I am 27 1/4 hours in to get them both to this stage. The top one (for the 375) has the mag cut-off while I didn't want to use one for my 400 but they are both ready for the barrels now although I can shape up the butts when I get the plates. Havent decided on the grip cap yet.



Edited by VonGruff (17/02/15 07:49 PM)

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VonGruff
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Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260615 - 17/02/15 06:03 PM

Possibly a lessor move but I needed a pair of grip caps so made them from a nice straight grained walnut that should give a little contrast in colour but more importantly will protect the end grain




With that taken care of, I returned my attention to the top of the socket wrist. I had done a bit of filing to take away from the square top but after spending a bit of time looking at some Lee Speeds and having one in hand, I decided to take a bit more off it. and have ended up with what should give a nice slim topped stock wrist









--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260616 - 17/02/15 06:08 PM

after consultation the 375-303 action was given the same wrist treatment, the TOTW checkered steel butt plates were fitted so I set to on the buttstocks and got some shape into them. Will not be able to do much more now till there are a couple of barrels threaded up.


--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

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VonGruff
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Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260619 - 17/02/15 06:54 PM

As for the barrel I had got onto one that was a take-off and had been chambered for the a shortened 405 Winchester --the 405 x 2.2. It had been fitted to a Marlin Lever action so needed som work on it. Thr action thread was turned off and a sleeve was machined up and threaded onto it. One downside was that it had two dovetail cuts on the underside and one for the front sight. I had ordered a reamer to lengthen the chamber but had to keep in mind the Lee Enfield magazine length. I decided to cut the chamber to 2.410 and trim 405 Winchester brass to 2.405 and with the cast bullet I intended to use I could load to a COAL of 3 inches. It would also suit a jacketed bullet.
This is the cast bullet ( standard dimensions) but the mould has been ordered to suit the barrel dimensions.



--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

Edited by VonGruff (17/02/15 06:55 PM)

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260621 - 17/02/15 07:18 PM

I started the barrel inlet but can not finish it till the rechamber is done, it gets timed to my action and snugged into place. In the meantime I decided to make a couple of extra tools to help with the channel finish. To date I had been using parts of old barrels as push scrapers but that is not always the best way to do it so I cut a 3/4 inch lengths of the end of the barrel bits, drilled them to 7mm and hardened them



Some long 1/4 in bolts were set for the handles and 3 nuts were ground down so they would be a back nut and unobtrusive for scraping. Three lengths of 7/8 in dowel were drilled, the heads were cut from the bolts and some fins made on the shank to hold them into the handle




A bend on the bolt and the handle tapped into place and I have three sizes of scrapers. They may not look it from the pic but the bends are all the same and the scraper heads are reversible and sharpenable so should do for quite a while.




--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

Edited by VonGruff (17/02/15 07:54 PM)

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VonGruff
.400 member


Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260622 - 17/02/15 07:20 PM


To fix - hide the dovetails a piece of steel was filed to shape and tapped into the first one



A bit of cleaning up and it would almost hide with a touch of blue




The centre one was done the same but would be used to position the barrel mounted sling eye. A piece of shotgun barrel was used to make a base for the sling eye




a hole was drilled into the dovetail, the sling screw was cut and a groove made round the stub so when it was all soldered together it would make a good bond.




--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

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VonGruff
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Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260623 - 17/02/15 07:22 PM

Some of the square has been taken from the forestock and this is how it will sit till the reamer gets here about mid march



--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12

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stug
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Reged: 20/08/14
Posts: 69
Loc: Canterbury, New Zealand
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: VonGruff]
      #260624 - 17/02/15 07:28 PM

WOW!!! Impressive work. You can see why a quality wooden stock costs so much.

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CarlsenHighway
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Reged: 19/03/09
Posts: 149
Loc: Port Chalmers, New Zealand
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: stug]
      #260628 - 17/02/15 08:13 PM

This is what happens when a true enthusiast is also a master craftsman, he can recreate something like this. Fascinating to see it take shape stage by stage.
These rifles are going to be impressive.

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If you carry a cat home by the tail you will receive information valuable to you for the rest of your life.
Mark Twain

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Waidmannsheil
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Reged: 19/04/13
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Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: stug]
      #260629 - 17/02/15 08:15 PM

Great job, well done.

Waidmannsheil.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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Norman4
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Loc: Vermont,USA
Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: Waidmannsheil]
      #260641 - 18/02/15 02:43 AM

Excellent write-up with pictures! You make it appear much easier than I know it is. Gives all a lesson on some of the idiosyncracies of the Lee action too. Thank you for taking the time to post all of this up for us to see.

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Caprivi
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Reged: 30/09/08
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Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: Norman4]
      #260661 - 18/02/15 11:50 AM

This is a wonderful example of why we love this forum.
Bloody good show.

--------------------
To live life as it is handed to me from God

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Iowa_303s
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Reged: 22/03/13
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Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: Caprivi]
      #260665 - 18/02/15 01:41 PM

Excelent post!
I don't know whether you are a great inspiration or a dangerous enabler.
Again, great work and overview of the build process.

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"

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Norman4
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Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #260707 - 19/02/15 09:57 AM

Quote:

Excelent post!
I don't know whether you are a great inspiration or a dangerous enabler.
Again, great work and overview of the build process.



Ha! Yes indeed!

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DarylS
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Re: A 400 Lee Speed. [Re: Norman4]
      #260711 - 19/02/15 10:42 AM

Very nice- wow- I admire your tenacity and skill. I've long lost that enthusiasm - at times I wish I still had it -
bravo!

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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