Saubier.com  



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

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-01-2020, 03:53 PM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default 357 Maximum!

Here is an H&R barrel stubbed rifle that I built and chambered in 357 Maximum, with the story behind it.

A couple of years ago, I bought a Shilen Select Match Grade stainless steel barrel blank in .224, with the intention of building a 219 Donaldson Wasp for use on Wyoming prairie dogs.

Well, with work keeping me busy and no time to build a gun for myself, I was still getting daily requests for anything chambered in 357 Maximum, so I decided to rebore my .224 barrel blank and chamber it in 357 Maximum, after I received my new carbide pull buttons that I had designed and custom made specifically for this project.

I took in an H&R single shot rifle on a trade, while waiting on my new carbide buttons to be finished, and decided to use this rifle as a donor to build a new 357 Maximum. So, I ordered a 10 ga. forend and scope base, then performed the following work -

I cut the factory barrel back to where it just start to taper in front of the chamber. This short section of barrel known as the barrel stub, was drilled, reamed bored and threaded.

The receiver was completely stripped down, cleaned and polished, and the trigger pull was adjusted down to 2 pounds 12 ounces.

Once I got in my carbide pull buttons, I rebored and chambered the Shilen barrel blank, made a molten lead lap and lapped the bore. Once all of that was finished, I threaded the barrel and screwed the barrel stub onto it.

The barrel was a full 1.250" in diameter and I decided to leave it at that. I did a light polish on the barrel to remove the scale from stress relieving, then cut and crowned the barrel to an overall length of 25 1/2 inches.

I decided to not pillar and glass the forend on this build, but instead, the forend was full length bedded and permanently epoxied to the barrel with a 20 ton 2 part aircraft grade epoxy. The forend I had gotten, turned out to be a 100% fit to this barrel, with no gap or play on either side of the barrel channel.

And since the main barrel was larger in diameter than what the barrel stub was, instead of milling down the top of the barrel, I decided to just shorten my scope base, and then mill the ring slots exactly where I wanted them.

Ok, so here is how the gun turned out -







Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-01-2020, 04:12 PM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default

All of these 3-shot groups were shot at 200 yards, with the 3X-12X variable scope set on 12X.







Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-01-2020, 04:53 PM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default

The only negative thing that I can say about this gun, is that I was so disappointed that it would not shoot Hornady's 140 gr. FTX bullets! Outside of that, I am very satisfied with how well this gun does shoot, with it's two favorite bullets.

One thing I just don't understand though, is why this gun shot the Hornady 158 gr. FP/XTP so much better than what it did the regular XTP bullets, unless it had to do with the velocity and pressure of these rounds.

And the Sierra bullets that shot so well, these were never a thought at any time during testing, and in fact, in all the years that I had these bullets, I actually threw 10 boxes of them in the trash 3 different time just because I got tired of looking at them, and they would not shoot accurately in any revolver, pistol or rifle that I shot them in. I even had to keep moving them out of the way while I was getting other bullets to test, and finally decided to give them a try as a last ditch effort. I sure am glad I did finally decide to keep and test them though, as it is now my favorite bullet to use in this rifle.

I called Sierra bullets and talked to their ballisticians about using this bullet on deer, and the velocity I was pushing it, and they said that as long as I stay behind the front shoulder and shoot the heart/lung area, I should have no issues with killing a deer out to 250-300 yards with this bullet.

Hornady said if I shoot the top point of the front shoulder, I should have no problem killing deer with their bullet out to 300 yards.

So I'm good with either bullet, as they both have different constructions, shoot equally well, and shoot to the same point of aim, so I can actually take both loads with me on any hunt, and not have to worry about shooting angle or shooting distance, as long as I don't exceed my 300 yard limit.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention it in my first post, but total gun weight is 13 pounds 8 ounces.

Ant the wooden shooting rest that I made to go across the bed of my truck, is where most of shooting will take place, even deer and coyote hunting. I hunt a lot of small fields, so I can pull up to the edge of the woods, wrap my truck in camo netting, and just keep my gun setting on the shooting rest.

My 357 Maximum may not be very elegant, is a little overweight and will never win any beauty contest, but what it will do, is put a bullet exactly where you want it, and to me, that's all that counts!

DAVID
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-02-2020, 03:07 AM
Bill K Bill K is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: N.E. Kommie Kalifornia
Posts: 6,304
Default

That is all we can ask, David. It looks like it will do the job very well. Bill K
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-03-2020, 01:41 AM
johno johno is offline
Supporting Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,123
Default

I think that is fantastic, makes me wonder if would work as a build on say a CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39

Johno
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-03-2020, 03:55 PM
Johnly Johnly is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 953
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by johno View Post
I think that is fantastic, makes me wonder if would work as a build on say a CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39

Johno
Take a peak at the 358 Gremlin if you want a 35 caliber CZ527, that or wait and see if it is offered in 350 Legend.

John
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-04-2020, 08:45 AM
BG17 BG17 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: murringo nsw australia
Posts: 89
Default Wow

Shit David that's a fine shooting rifle mate it's amazing that you rebored a 224 barrel and button Rifled it yourself and it shot like that well done sir
I have a nice Remington 700 bench gun in 6mm ppc that won't shoot like that at 300 yards

Hats off to you mate well done
You should be making barrels for a living

Last edited by BG17; 10-04-2020 at 09:09 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-04-2020, 09:21 AM
BG17 BG17 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: murringo nsw australia
Posts: 89
Default Arrrr

Ok looked at your website David all makes sense now still unbelievable !!!
Well done

Last edited by BG17; 10-04-2020 at 09:24 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-08-2020, 11:30 PM
csterner csterner is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Gettysburg, PA
Posts: 1,904
Default

That's incredible. Shoots better than a bench gun. You have some talent behind the lathe AND the trigger David.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10-10-2020, 12:04 AM
DAVID DAVID is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 263
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by csterner View Post
That's incredible. Shoots better than a bench gun. You have some talent behind the lathe AND the trigger David.
I appreciate the compliments csterner, but I have seen a lot of bench guns that would put this "hunting" gun to shame!

After building this particular 357 Maximum, I had to wait over 4 months before getting a "good" shooting day, before ever pulling the trigger on this gun. Then luckily enough, I finally got 2 days in a row that were heavy overcast all day with no wind and comfortable temperatures in the low 60's. This made mirage nearly non-existent, which at least for me, made accurate shooting a lot easier and definitely much more comfortable.

My wife is wanting to go to the shooting range tomorrow to shoot this gun, and if things work out to where we can go, I'll post some pictures of her targets on Monday.

DAVID
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 09:36 AM.


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