BFaucett
.333 member
Reged: 13/01/04
Posts: 472
Loc: Houston, Texas
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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. 
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EricD
.416 member
Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 4636
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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
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500Nitro
.450 member
Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
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Bob,
Nice. Well done.
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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member
Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
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Boy does that look sweet.
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CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5313
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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Very nice rifle. Congratulations.
Curl
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RoscoeStephenson.com
YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
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AzGuy
.333 member
Reged: 23/03/06
Posts: 388
Loc: Prescott, Arizona, USA
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Beautiful! Looks like a dandy elk rifle! What is the barrel lenght?
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Hike the Grand Canyon, you will never be the same!
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BFaucett
.333 member
Reged: 13/01/04
Posts: 472
Loc: Houston, Texas
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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.
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27616
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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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.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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allenday
.333 member
Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318
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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
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luv2safari
.400 member
Reged: 09/11/03
Posts: 1413
Loc: United States
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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?!?
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Hunt with Class and Classics
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BFaucett
.333 member
Reged: 13/01/04
Posts: 472
Loc: Houston, Texas
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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.
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BFaucett
.333 member
Reged: 13/01/04
Posts: 472
Loc: Houston, Texas
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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.
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27616
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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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.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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mehulkamdar
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
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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!"
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The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.
Mehul Kamdar
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eljefedouble
.300 member
Reged: 23/04/06
Posts: 189
Loc: Vic, Australia
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Great effort Bob, Now go hunting.
Best
Axx
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"it dont mean a thing, if it aint got no zing"
"Toa bunduki mkubwa"
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BFaucett
.333 member
Reged: 13/01/04
Posts: 472
Loc: Houston, Texas
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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.
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Classic416
.300 member
Reged: 08/09/06
Posts: 109
Loc: Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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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?
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BFaucett
.333 member
Reged: 13/01/04
Posts: 472
Loc: Houston, Texas
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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.
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600JDJ
.275 member
Reged: 22/04/04
Posts: 73
Loc: Iowa, USA
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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
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Classic416
.300 member
Reged: 08/09/06
Posts: 109
Loc: Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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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.
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Gustavo
.224 member
Reged: 01/02/07
Posts: 14
Loc: Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
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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.
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Best regards, Gus
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ColdBore 1.0 - the ballistics/reloading software solution
http://www.patagoniaballistics.com
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Stuart
.275 member
Reged: 24/05/07
Posts: 58
Loc: Mission, B.C., Canada
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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
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Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by
smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles
who really mean it. (Mark Twain)
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9.3x57
.450 member
Reged: 22/04/07
Posts: 5561
Loc: United States
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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... 
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What are the Rosary, the Cross or the Crucifix other than tools to help maintain the fortress of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
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