New custom built ultra light that anyone can do.

Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Messages
58
Location
Nevada
toy.jpg

Hey all, I wanted to share my latest project with you guys. I wanted to build my dream rifle, no corners cut , like most of my builds go. The best thing about this build is that anyone can do it, no gunsmithing experience needed. Just a reasonable knowledge of how guns work will get you by.

So the goal was to have a mountain rifle right around 5 pounds "all in" scope and everything but ammo, and less than 6 pounds with a suppressor (which I have yet to get). I did not meet my goal. Some of that was my choice and some of that was ot of my control.

lets start with the specs;

Action: Pierce engineering "featherweight"
Barrel: Carbon six 308 cut to 16 inches and threaded for a supressor (wanted a proof but they didnt offer the options I needed)
Trigger : Trigger tech
Stock : pendleton composite stock, made by oregon gunsmithing model "classic C" I think
Rings : Talleys
Scope: leupold ultralight 3-9 with cds dial
total weight 5 pounds 8 ounces

one reason I did not meet my weight goal was that I chose to go with more scope than I really needed, I could have gotten a leupold 2-7 without a cds dial and saved myself 2-3 ounces, but at the last minute I just decided I would rather have the 3-9 after all it's a nice gun. I might want to shoot some long range steel.
I also could have saved weight by going with a featherweight barrel, but considering I did not want to struggle to get groups out of this gun I went with the carbon fiber barrel, but a featherweight would have saved me a scant ounce or two.
the stock on the other hand came out heavier than I planned, I already had a stock by PCS in my inventory and it was 16 oz exactly, so I was planning on the new one coming in at that weight or less because it had more inletting. I was wrong it showed up at 20oz a quarter pound more than I expected. That was a little disapointing but still very happy with the rifle, and truly love the stock, it just feels good to me.
There are things i could do to take more weight of, I could start drilling holes in things like my magazine box, trigger guard, etc. I'm not going to though I'm plenty happy at 5.8 and with the supressor I am planning on getting it will be 6 poundes 2 ounces total. (slightly over my goal)

The best part is that anyone can build this gun. All parts were just ordered and put together. The main thing is that I used a Remage nut on the barrel. (If you dont know what that is, do yourself a favor and look it up) Even proof is getting into the barrel nut game now with their latest overly priced "switch" model. It makes installinga barrel or switching barrels relatively easy for anyone to do right in their home.

Questions:
how does it shoot? you may ask. I am a hand loader and have only had the gun back for a couple weekends now. so far I have gotten really consistant 1 moa groups with 150 grain triple shocks over 50 grains of CFE 223, BUT those loads are a little hot at 2809 fps out of my 16 inch barrel. right now Im only flattening the primers slightly, but it has also been like 20 degrees out when I was shooting, Im afraid that when the weather gets up to 90 in the summer those will be way too hot. so for this weekend I have loaded up a bunch at 49 grains. if they still shoot around an inch I'm going to call it good. I have a feeling if I really wanted to I could get some really amazing groups out of it, but A: I'm not that dedicated of a handloader, 1 inch is plenty good for all my hunting and long range target purposes. B : To be completely honest I'm not sure if I can shoot a 5 and a half pound gun any better than that. I think a better shooter could tighten up the groups I am currently getting. Its hard to get really stellar groups when you can see your heartbeat in the scope :)

Whats the damn thing cost? you might say. In short I'm not sure exatly, I have been buying parts over the course of 8-9 months and have kinda lost track but it should be right around $3,200 give or take a hundred without scope. That being said I spent hundreds to save ounces, if a guy didnt mind the gun being 6-10 ounces heavier they could save thousands. for instance the pierce action was 1800 bucks and weighed 16 ounces with recoil lug. pierce's regular steel action is 900 and weighs 24 ounces. so that alone is 900 bucks in saving for a scant half pound. 6 pounds all in would still be a really light rifle, probably better actually when it comes to shooting.

any other questions? just ask and thanks for letting me share my latest build. I knew you guys would appreciate it (most everyone else just thinks I'm crazy)
 

Dirty-D

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 12, 2017
Messages
119
Location
Texas
Nice build! I've been looking at rebarrelling one of my Kimber Montana's to end up with something like that, but hopefully lighter =]
 
Joined
Sep 3, 2014
Messages
529
Location
Sabinal, TX
I sure like your choice of action and I’ve heard good things about Carbon 6 barrels and I agree that more people need to get familiar with prefit barrels whether theyre Savage style, Remage or Tikka. There’s a real satisfaction to assembling your own rifle; and a project like yours gives people a better understanding of their rifle, which has all sorts of advantages. Kudos for jumping in and building what you wanted!

That said, if I built a rifle that cost me $3,200 I would expect it to shoot .5moa with handloads AT LEAST! Especially when rifles like the Cooper 92 are available for less than $3k. No way 1moa would be satisfactory, even for a short range gun and certainly not with those components. I suspect (knowing the action and the barrel quality) that rifle is capable of .5moa with a match quality ammo and most likely that good with a quality hunting ammo. You might want to look at the bedding because the accuracy deficiency isn’t coming from the action, barrel or trigger. You yourself said you got the carbon barrel to So as not to “struggle with groups.” If you’re only producing 1moa groups with handloads, I’d say you’re struggling. Heck, you should be able to throw junk ammo at that rifle and get 1moa. If it’s not a bedding issue it could be an issue with the torque value on your action screws. Short of that, it’s an issue with your loads. I couldn’t find any data on CFE 223 with those bullets (I don’t use Barnes) but a SAAMI spec (which a prefit will be) 308 has a max load of most powders is around 44gr, with a couple maxing around 47.4gr at 100% full and they’re producing ~2750fps out of a 24” tube. So, if you’re getting 2809fps from a 16” pipe, you’ve GOT to be well over safe pressures.
 
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260madman

WKR
Joined
Dec 15, 2017
Messages
1,211
Location
WI
His charge weight should be fine. E-Tips call for 51.1gr of cfe223. Seems cfe223 turns in the best accuracy at the upper end of charge weights. TSXs are the same way. My experience is the TSX likes to be jumped and maxed on charge weight.
 
OP
statikpunk
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Messages
58
Location
Nevada
I'm pretty sure I can get the group size down. So far I have only tested one bullet and one powder with a hand full of seating depths. So I still have a lot of work to do before I can truly comment on accuracy. It does seem to be very consistent with what I have shot though. Like I said though. I don't chase tiny groups. I used to and it used to make me crazy, but you are right, I will put some extra effort into this gun for some nicer groups since I spent so much money on it.
As far as powder charges go. I backed off to 49g and I have zero pressure signes. velocity dropped to 2750, still very pleased with that. CFE 223 is a stellar powder for short barrels. I get very similar results with lever revolution. Also I am shooting the barnes bullets with a jump (which they tend to like) that helps to reduce pressure.
 
OP
statikpunk
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Messages
58
Location
Nevada
Maybe try some 2000-MR?? It works very well in my short barrel 308s.
I will. It just so happens my father has been really pushing me to try 2000 Mr in it. He has some AMAZING loads for his kimbers using that stuff. Plus it's temperature stable isn't it? CFE is very temperature sensitive. I have had really good luck with it. But I have noticed temperature can really do some wild things to it velocity wise, which is not the best for a hunting load.
 
OP
statikpunk
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Messages
58
Location
Nevada
Maybe try some 2000-MR?? It works very well in my short barrel 308s.

An update on the project rifle, Luke you and my father were right with the MR-2000 recomendation I got some really good groups and velocities with 150g triple shocks 150ttsx.jpg

but at the last minute I decided I would rather shoot 165s through it so this was the best group I got out 165 triple shocks and MR. unfortunatley the velocity was a little lower than I wanted and I was starting to flatten primers so i couldnt really crank it up anymore.165ttsx.jpg

So all in I did end up going back to CFE 223, which works out anyway because it's a lot easier to find around my home town than MR-2000 is and I already have several cans . BUUUUT it just wasnt shooting the 165 triple shocks quite as good as I wanted, about 1.2-1.5 (which is a bummer because I really like triple shocks). Long story short Sportmans Warehouse had 165 Sciroccos on sale for about half off so I bought 200 of them on a whim (never used them before, but have heard good things), hoping they would shoot. Well they shoot good, and with a velocity I am happy with so I think I have found my load. that last picture is a 4 round group at .9 with the flyer included. I still have to shoot a couple times to confirm accuracy and velocity on a warmer day but it looks like this will be my load 165sciroc.jpg

RR!I can never figure out how to get pictures to show up, in my text. Whats the secret?....Edit* ok maybe I have it figured out...add it as an attachment then add it as a picture link ?? it worked but is there an easier way?
 
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