Saubier.com  



Go Back   Saubier.com > Saubier.com Forums > Project Guns

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-30-2018, 09:51 PM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default Build in progress - 300 Jr.

I just started building a full custom rifle for one of my customers, and I thought I'd share it with you guys...

This rifle will be chambered in a cartridge that I designed and developed, and it is what I call the 300 Jr....


Here is a little history on the 300 Jr.:

I designed and developed this cartridge in 1994 as a tribute to my dad. The first rifle I built and chambered in the 300 Jr., was to be a gift to my dad, and when I completed the build, he wanted me to shoot a deer at 1,000 yds. with it. So, I did a complete load development on this gun and when all was said and done, 300 yard groups averaged just under an inch, 600 yard groups averaged around 2 1/4 inches and 1,000 yard groups averaged around 5 inches. Understand that I am a deer hunter and not a target shooter in any way...

I shot this gun to the maximum limit of my rifle range, which was 1,380 yards long. It use to be a place where crop dusting planes landed many years earlier. The scope stayed sighted in to strike point of aim at 600 yards, and was dialed in, in 50 yard increments, from 600 yards to 1,380 yards. All of this took place just before deer season in 1994. I had also shot a lot of deer at my shooting range, but not too many that were past the 1,000 yard mark...

Early one morning, a couple weeks into deer season, I was setting at my shooting bench, waiting for a deer to walk out into my shooting lane. While waiting for a deer to show up, 2 gentlemen showed up and identified their selves, and asked me what I was doing. I don't remember their names, but one was a Federal Game Warden and the other was local. I told them I had planned on shooting a deer at long range, and I was waiting on one to step out. They looked my rifle over, asked a bunch of questions, and asked if they could record me shooting a deer. I told them they could, only as long as I got a copy of the tape. They agreed, got their equipment out, and waited with me...

We waited and talked for probably an hour or so, and a deer finally showed up. The Game Wardens were watching through my spotting scope and binoculars. The range was 1,118 yards, and I thought the deer was closer to my range marker than what it actually was. There was "0" wind to contend with, so I dialed my scope in at 1,100 yards. I got settled in behind the gun, put the cross hairs at the top point of the front shoulder, and very gently touched the 6 oz. trigger until the gun fired. The deer just stood there, and I was heartbroken. Probably a good 10 seconds went by, and the legs just buckled under that deer, and it dropped straight down. Then another long 5 seconds went by, and the deer laid over on its side. One deer down, a perfect shot and we got it on film!

While the guys were congratulating me, one of them kept looking through the spotting scope, and said - there's another deer!

They were still set up to record, and asked if I would or could shoot another deer. I said yes, looked where it was standing, and it was next to the tree line, at the very end of my range, 1,380 yards away! I dialed my scope in, let my pulse rate slow down, and began the trigger pull. Cross hairs were on the top point of the front shoulder, and about 4 seconds later, this deer dropped and never moved a muscle! I asked the guys if they were able to record it, and they did...

About a month later, the local Game Warden came by my house, and brought a video of the 2 long shots that I had made. We ate dinner and watched that video 3 times! I was so proud of that video and wanted to pay the Warden for it, but he said the experience of watching those shots was all the payment he needed!

I had sent the video to my dad for him to watch, and it was a couple of weeks later before I got in a good enough gun case to ship that gun off in. I called my dad and told him his gun would be shipped off as soon as I got it ready, and it would ship out in a couple of days. Talk about excited!!! I had everything laid out and had just put the rifle in it's case, when the phone rang. My sister called, and said our dad just passed away....

So needless to say, this build means a lot to me, and in a lot of different ways. It will be a slow build, because everything has to perfect, and if I cannot do it to absolute best of my ability, I won't do it!

A big thank you to my customer for the opportunity to build this rifle and thank you for allowing me to post pictures along the way...

My 300 Jr., it is based on a maximized 280 Remington case with minimum body taper, a 40 degree shoulder angle and a short neck...

My furthest shot to date was with a 300 Jr. rifle that I built, and the range was 1,862 yards.. A shot that I will never be able to duplicate!


The action is a Remington 700 long action that will be set up as a single shot and will be blue-printed to match specifications...

The barrel is a Bartlein .30 caliber / 1-10" twist rate / 32" length / finish length will be 30" plus the addition of one of muzzle brakes, for an overall length of 31 1/2"...

The stock is a McMillan MBR with a 3" wide forend...





Some of the accessories that go with this build: Oversize recoil lug / lightweight firing pin with heavy duty firing pin spring / steel scope base with .040 taper / base and action will be modified for the larger 8-40 screws / steel trigger guard with new action screws / single shot follower that will be glued in the bottom of the action / trigger that will be adjusted and set to 10 oz. per customer request...





More pictures to follow as work progresses...
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-30-2018, 09:55 PM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default

Once my gauge was set up, the chamber end of the barrel was dialed in at two different points. One point was at the breech face, and the second point was 3 inches inside the bore. The barrel was dialed in, in a 4 jaw chuck, and a spider was used on the outboard end of the lathe to help keep everything in perfect alignment, and to keep the muzzle end of the barrel from flopping around. Once everything was dialed in to my satisfaction, the dial gauge did not even quiver when the barrel was spun at 200 and 700 rmp...




I used a boring bar to cut the bolt recess in the barrel, and started roughing in the chamber...








The reason for the blue shop towel around the barrel, is because I could not get my camera to focus on anything but the lathe chuck. After adding the paper towel, the camera was able to focus better
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-30-2018, 10:04 PM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default

My computer and photobucket have both been going nuts, so please bare with me. Since I am having so much trouble posting pictures, I'll post what I can and if you have any questions, just ask!

Factory bolt face -







This shows the front of the Remington action with their "grinding" marks on it -

Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-30-2018, 10:05 PM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default

Action set up for the truing process -







The face of the action was NOT square and one lug set .004 higher than the other! So then the bolt was in battery, it was sitting .004 high and above center! Not good!




Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-30-2018, 10:07 PM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default

When I turned the barrel between centers for threading, I always cut the threads .0015 over size so I can lap the barrel and action threads together. There is "0" play between the barrel and action threads...







I replaced the factory firing pin and spring with a much lighter weight firing pin, and a heavier firing pin spring. I also turned the firing pin tip to where it is .0005 smaller that the firing pin hole. The assembly shown here is less than half the weight of the factory firing pin and spring...




For whatever reason, my pictures keep getting thrown out of order, So I hope you'll understand...


More pictures to follow after the first of the week...
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-31-2018, 03:17 AM
craig55 craig55 is offline
Supporting Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 176
Default

Thank you for this post. Great in so many ways!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-31-2018, 06:17 PM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default

Glad you like it craig55, thank you!

I have had several guys ask me about the barrel in this build, so here are a few more specs on it...

Bartlein barrel, 5R rifling, 1.250" at the breech for 5", then it straight tapers down to 1.00" at the muzzle at 32"...

Customer has requested an oversize muzzle brake, and I just finished making it, so either Monday or Tuesday I will install it, after cutting the barrel back to 30"...

Any questions on this build, just ask!

DAVID
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-31-2018, 06:27 PM
visiter1 visiter1 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 180
Default

Lovely work cant wait to see the end result
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-01-2018, 12:54 PM
Eddie Harren Eddie Harren is offline
Supporting Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 333
Default 30 Jr.

I cant wait to see a picture of the case.
__________________
NRA Patron Member Benefactor Level
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-01-2018, 04:09 PM
mulepasture mulepasture is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 387
Default Great Post

Thanks for sharing the story and the pictures and commentary. Envious of your obvious skills! Nice.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 07:47 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.