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FTR Build Project by Robert Fortier PART 2

For those who have enjoyed following the work of Robert Fortier and his stock building, here are more pics as he completes the shaping and finishing of the stock. In the first installment, we stopped at the inletting stage.  Now the fun and messy stuff –  shaping and sanding. First step, put on the outline of the shape you want.. really it is a point of reference as you will modify the shape as you shape and sand for that perfect custom fit. Given that the stock is wood, any type of power sander can be used to quickly remove the bulk of the wood to closer to the pattern you want.  You will be making ALOT of dust so some way to contain and extract is a good idea.  I work outside and leave the sawdust on the lawn For me, this is the most fun part of making a stock.  Removing all the bulk material to reveal what you want underneath.  Let your artistic feelings go… as well as what feels comfy to you.  Odds are the stock that fits you will not look like a commercial stock.   I pay alot of attention in the grip and trigger area.  Good trigger control is critical to accurate fire. Also, in the comb and getting the perfect eye to scope alignment with a comfy cheek weld. Like shoes, one size does not fit all. NOTE:  the buttstock bottom has an angle to it.  This is ideal when using the MPOD so you can make your fine elevation adjustments by simply sliding the stock fore and aft in the rear... read more

If at First You Don’t Succeed….

One of the most rewarding parts of Mystic Precision is helping shooters get into various forms of shooting and meeting/exceeding their goals (hey, it helps pay the bills too 🙂 ).  But sometimes the journey can get a little long, frustrating and expensive. I have had the pleasure of working with Kelly T for a few years now with info on set up, loading and testing.  His baby has been a Savage in 338 Lapua Mag but unlike most Savage rifles, this one was a royal PITA! Here is the journey by Kelly T… Hard work, dedication and a large insertion of funds… success! “Well, It was a two year journey that started with my decision to get into the LR game after playing with what I had and realizing it’s limits. I purchased a Savage 111 LR Hunter (I believe is the model) and decided this was a decent and economical way to get started as I had no clue if I would enjoy the discipline.As I was already an avid and patient reloader with mild OCD this would appeal to me and my nature.   SO I order up a 10-50×60 LRMOA from Jerry as I like magnification and I felt it would be suited well to this application, I also asked Jerry at the time what other “gadgets” he had there and he told me about his new MPOD, so, I said lets try one of those also. Items arrive in timely fashion as usual with Jerry, I have used his services and product line for quite some time, as well, his knowledge has aided me... read more

F Open Success First Match… 6 Dasher Custom

It is always great to have new shooters enter the sport and even better when you can help them get on the podium.  Below is a build by Mike T of Alberta.  He entered his first F class match in May and came in 3rd!!!!  But his story is even better so here is Mike’s Email to me… “Hey Jerry Well I did my first F Class this last weekend (300,400,500,600,700,& 800). Having never shot past 300 I was nervous. Had some organizational issues at 300m but I got my act together for the rest. Day two (700 & 800) was windy up to 5 MOA hold. At 700m they pulled the target before I shot so it was off in the white (the RSO asked if I wanted a redo but since I was sure I was coming in last I told him not to worry about it). So did not rank in the top 3 on day one or two, however I came in third overall with the aggregate score; 4 points below #1 – about what I lost on the pulled target! Should have redone it, my bad. Thanks for the help with the bullets, the scope, & the tips. I raised my scope rings as you suggested and keep my head up when I shoot! Mike” Ooops… it ain’t over till the last bullet hits the target and scored.  There is always time to screw up 🙂 Mike put together a great looking rig “My F Open target rifle is:  McMillan F Class stock w adjustable butt plate and cheek piece Borden Rimrock action Jewell... read more

FTR Build by Robert Fortier – Fierce Action, Krieger Barrel, Custom “homemade” stock

Always great to get another of Robert (Bob) Fortier builds.  Bob is a member of the PQRA and Team Mystic Precision.  He does some very nice stock work and his current build is his new FTR rifle.  Using a Fierce Action, Krieger barrel, and one of his homemade customs stock.  This will be a photo journal of the build so you can see some of the many steps involved.  I encourage anyone with the desire to build their own stock to just grab some lumber and have at it.  I hope that the pics will give you lots of ideas and inspirations. A 2 part article so enjoy and let me know what you think – [email protected] or find me on facebook. Enjoy Jerry   The new Fierce Single Shot action – 1.112 kg  Bolt is DLC treated  Jard Trigger at 12 ounces Machining of the receiver threads and receiver face.  Good view of the recoil lug and front action bolt pillar Three lug with Sako type extractor The stock blank being glued up Ready to cut out the raw blank Side Layout Bob making his own pillars… nice Inletting Begins Some very nice wood work – this is the hardest part of a stock build.  It is intimidating but if things aren’t as well done as Bob’s work, bedding compound will resolve alot of oops Action fitted to stock Smart “weigh” to get the bedding mixture correct Action is prepped for bedding.  Voids are filled and release agent added.  Note the pillars are held loosely in place so they will be glued into the stock but the action... read more

2016 Sightron STAC 4-20X50 and 3-16X42 – Performance/Value – Out of the Park

  Doesn’t take much searching to see my posts and very positive impressions of Sightron scopes. Since they came out with the SIII family, I have been an ardent fan using them in competition and to reach way out there on my LR rigs. The new SVSS 10-50X60 is superb with a novel and unique focus system that is just a joy to use. My goto FTR competition scope now. Great glass, excellent and reliable tracking, nicely finished, backed with a lifetime warranty against manf defects, for prices way under product that offer as much performance, the Sightrons have developed a well deserved reputation for performance oriented shooters on a budget around the world. Historically, all the scopes were manf in Japan. Consistent quality but Japanese costs are higher then other markets in South East Asia. Here, Sightron has found a fantastic opportunity in the Philippines. Before the howls of horror get too loud, google Nikon and see where they have set up much of their sport optics manufacturing including their top ranking Binoculars. Nikon makes some of the best glass in the world …. Period… so the Philippines is a great place to call home. The STAC family is fairly new and really started life with the really cool 2.5-17.5X56 IR scope. Why such a big objective, cause the main market are the many hunters and predator getters all around the world that are allowed to hunt at night and with lights. Great low light performance? You better believe it. Been using one of these scopes and it has worked very well. The quality of manf, markings, finish... read more

Burris XTR Signature Rings w/ Inserts – Long Range Goodness

I have been waiting for these rings for many months and am thrilled by how well the concept is executed.  For those into LR and ELR shooting, a big problem is maximizing the scope elevation travel.  Many use a canted scope rail but what if you need more?  What if you find that you are using up a lot of windage to zero the scope? The solution is surprisingly simple and has been used by shooters in the know… the Burris Signature Rings.  The patented concept allows eccentric inserts to physically shim the scope within the rings for elevation and/or windage.  You can align the scope with the barrel without touching the turrets. Great idea indeed and I have successfully used this for a very long time on all my competition and LR rigs.  But scopes have gotten really heavy and large tubed over the last few years and the standard Burris 4 cap steel sig zee 30mm rings were starting to hit their limits. Burris answer was the XTR tactical rings… well made alum rings with a wide 6 bolt cap.  Held very well but had the same problem of all solid rings… ring vs scope tube alignment and not being able to shim. For 2016, Burris has merged the concepts of both rings to make what may be the BEST ring set for LR shooters Welcome the Burris XTR signature rings… the size and brute strength of the XTR rings WITH the ability to shim the scope using the Signature style inserts… SMART. The rings arrive in the pelican of scope ring boxes.  A plano waterproof container... read more

Cdn National Development Team list for the 2017 F class Worlds Championships

Just got the final rooster for the 26 shooters (13 for Open and FTR) that will go through the final training and selection for the 2017 Canadian National F Class Team. A number of very experienced shooters and members from the 2012 team.  Shooters from Coast to Coast too.  From Head Coach, Eric Bisson: “Ladies and Gentleman, I am pleased to announce the Canadian team members that will continue on through 2016 as the official development team. F-Open 1) Greg Deleenheer 2) Darrell Pranke 3) Coty Pranke 4) Bruce Condie 5) Bob Raymond 6) Brian Sztym 7) Alexander Tkalitch 8) Ken Thiessen 9) Barry Price 10) Marc Thibault 11) Ralph Colgan 12) Cal Waldner 13) Jim Farrell F-TR 1) Jeff Wardlow 2) Armen Papazyan 3) Marcel Timmons 4) Darcy Spenst 5) Todd Sumner 6) Jerry Teo 7) Mark Iwanochko 8) Matt Wolf 9) Bob Galloway 10) Paul Kahnert 11) Gerry Wiens 12) Dave Harry 13) Bill Watts” I look forward to the training and final selection process that will happen throughout 2016. The final 20 shooter to be on the Cdn National Team will be selected this fall – 10 each for Open and FTR. All the best to everyone trying out… It is a huge commitment in both time and resources.  See you are the practises.... read more

Vortex Razor HD Gen 2 4.5-27X56

This was a scope I really wanted to review and was lucky enough to be able to borrow a brand new in the box unit. As been with my other reviews, I am not worried about the mechanical side of the scope. Scopes in this price should work… they better work… so I am really concerned about the optics and how that can help you make hits at LR. Vortex hit the consumer market a few years back and has done an amazing job at gobbling up market share. I think they may well be the most represented scope in the retail scene? Hard to bump into someone that hasn’t got one, had one or shoot with someone that does. Backed by a no nonsense warranty and really listening to their customer base, they now offer a huge range of product that are not only current but relevant ie… what shooters actually want. Now as a consumer grade product, their price point and performance would not keep many top tier brand engineers up at night. In fact, many of their products are functional with price, warranty support and features the main reasons for purchase. There are no shortage of shooters who have used this wonderful warranty. Looking through several higher grade Vortex products has always left me with … Meh…. nothing special. Over the last couple of years, Vortex has tried to change that with their Razor line. The first go were more “Meh” but the Gen 2 Razor tactical scope was met with rave reviews and demand that seems to defy the market. So I really wanted to... read more

Tangent Theta 5-25X56 – a Professional Scope Made in Canada

There has been plenty of buzz around this new high end “professional” scope.  Yes, the main audience for these scopes are the pros and the scope is built to accomodate their very demanding needs.  With some already in Service, the reports have been glowing with the typical response being…. “SEND MORE”. I recently had the pleasure of viewing my first TT scope.  This was a customers scope so only got a short look but what I saw was impressive. The scope is well packaged and includes some very nice Tenebraex flip covers and ARD.   These covers are very pricey but built to last and have nice features not found on the typical Butler Creek covers which have a tendency to break under moderate use. The ARD is the real deal.  Very well made and should make you IR safe. Complete instructions and a nicely laminated info card on the reticle subtensions which will be handy for field reference. No tools are included in the box…. we will get to this later.   This is a full size scope.  34mm and has some heft to it.  Typical of this gendre, there is no doubt you are picking up a scope made with alot of quality material.  Alum tube and very nicely, evenly finished.  The matte black is the same colour as we find on pretty much all popular better made scopes. All moving parts are manf with the very best materials and tested to hold up for a lifetime of use. All the controls are where you expect them on a scope.  Everything moves smoothly and all feels very well... read more

Remington 783 – The Best Donor for PRS/Mag Fed Rifles?

How’s that for an opening statement? PRS – Precision Rifle Shooting Series – is a relatively new rifle shooting sport that has taken off in the US. The game involves shooting from a variety of position against a variety of shaped and sized targets over a wide range of distances with heavy emphasis on longer distances Plates, moving targets, hostage style formats, the list is only limited by the ingenuity (or cruelty depending on your view) of the range designer. The goal, to simulate “real world” shooting where rarely are targets known or conditions simple. The sport rewards those who have mastered a wide range of rifle craft and really know how to shoot under time pressure. From the rifle, it has to be accurate, reliable when dirty, and fast to function. With time constraints and some very demanding shooting positions, the bolt action has to feed smoothly and quickly, and extract/eject with authority. I bumped into the Rem 783 in Dec 2015 more out of boredom then anything specific. With the whole host of new plastic fantastic hunting rifles littering the shelves, this was the only one I hadn’t spent much time with and a local Canadian Tire was pretty much giving them away. The icing was the rebates Rem was offering as well. For a winter “hunting” rifle project, I got one in 243. Given the current state of Rem 700s, I was not expecting much. Wow, was I surprised. CYCLING THE ACTION: The first thing that grabbed me was how smooth and easy the action was to cycle right out of the box. Outside a handful... read more

Pierce Titanium Custom FTR Rifle

  I am thrilled to have received my new Pierce Custom Titanium Rem SA type receiver. This will go into my new FTR rifle for the 2015 Season.  As pictured – Long Tenon, Fluted Bolt, Timney Calvin Elite – Action is in the White.  I swapped out for a Jewell BR in the final set up.  Very impressed with the machining and tolerances of these Actions. I have seen them in action and they work very well. Can’t wait to get my rifle finished in the coming months. Weight of my receiver without base or lug as pictured… 23.5 ozs   Pierce alloy base is about 1 oz Rear Square Tang.  With this feature, you do not need to use a recoil lug in smaller chamberings.  I added a precision ground oversized lug as I will be putting alot of rds through this receiver of heavy recoiling 308…  Scalloped bottom reduces weight some more and adds more bearing surface in bedding.  Notice that notch in the front of the receiver.  I swap barrels alot and this allows me to us a lug with a pin.  Ensures the lug is properly indexed in my bedding … sure saves a huge headache and I don’t need to pin the receiver.  Not a fan of taking any metal out of receiver in a way that can weaken it.  And there is never a risk of a pin breaking off inside the receiver… that’s a headache you just don’t need. Fluted Bolt Body, Tactical Bolt knob, Cone Breech Beautiful machining and chambering by Terry at Black Art Rifle Company. Min spec chamber and will... read more

Sightron SVSS 10-50X60 vs NF Competition 15X55-52 – Quick comparison

  Quick Review – Sightron SVSS 10-50X60 and NF Competition 15-55X52 (2014 Model) Had a chance to do a quick side by side comparison between these two scopes while out shooting with a buddy at 850yds. The weather was overcast with sunny and cloudy patches. Mirage ranged from light to medium. Pretty much identical to the lighting I had in my previous review. The difference was this was only done in the field on a target. So like before, I am only concerned about optical qualities. We know the NF Comp works mechanically.   Eye Relief: Win SVSS Although the NF Comp offers a fair amount of eye relief, the Sightron SVSS is simply….more. Not a problem for most target shooters as recoil is moderate to light. Again, I would be leary if mounting this on a boomer that may move back a lot under recoil. The March and SVSS offer more eye relief.   Eye Box – Win SVSS Getting a full and clear sight picture was easier, faster and better with the SVSS. The NF is quite critical on eye position or you will loose the image. Certainly not as bad as the March but far more critical then the SVSS or S&B.   Field of View – Win SVSS Both scopes at 45X When you do get a good sight picture with the NF, there is a sense of looking through a narrow tube. Again, not as bad as the March but definitely more “confined” then the SVSS. There is a very thick black ring around the image. Maybe a byproduct of using a smaller objective????... read more

Comparing the Sightron SVSS 10-50X60, Schmidt & Bender 12-50X56, and March 5-55X56 Tactical

  When Sightron announced their new SVSS series for 2015, I was hoping for good things. Certainly the specs look very promising as is the price point… Yikes. First Sightron to MSRP well over $2000 (Canadian retail $2700). It better be good. 34mm 1pc tube, 41.5oz. 70 mins of elevation. 60 mins of windage. 20 mins per turret revolution. Certainly checking off the right boxes. A big solid, robust scope. The main feature that caught my eye was their patent pending side focus system. Looking similar to fine and coarse focus adjustment on a spotting scope, I hoped that it would offer the shooter a much better and easier way to get image into focus when viewing targets at LR. This it does and does superbly. By far, the best side focus system I have ever used on any brand or type of rifle scope. The glass also struck me as being very sharp, crisp and clear. But am I biased or viewing on a good day? An opportunity was offered to compare the SVSS to a couple of other top tier high mag scopes. I received the S&B 12-15X56 and March 5-55X56 from CGN member ‘blackburbot’ to compare. Schmidt and Bender, and March certainly need no introduction as a top tier optic.  When reviewing the specs of these scopes, you can only see a lot of similarities. All have 34mm tubes, are high mag variable scope with similar range of operation and front AO size, side focus with exposed target turrents. Similar weight between the S&B and SV. The March is 13oz lighter – that’s a lot! In this... read more

Wby Vanguard 6BR Tack Driver from Belgium

Phil from Belgium sent some nice pics and results of his new Wby Vanguard/MPOD 6BR.  The Wby Vanguard is not often discussed when building precision rifles but it does perform very well.           “Hi Jerry here are some photos of my rifle and some targets for your customer gallery. Description of my rifle: action—weatherby vanguard ( howa 1500) barrel—- lothar walther inox 6br1/8″ twist stock— staffordshire synthetic stock ( TAC5) bipod—- mystic precision I’ m very please of your bipod, rigid and light. Phil from Belgium.” Wish you all the best and continued success.  I hope this will increase interest in this strong and solid receiver.... read more

PGW 338 Lapua Timberwolf Excels with an MPOD

  Hello Jerry, Here are some more pics of the PGW .338 Timberwolf as well as my PGW .308 Coyote. Noticed something, the .308 Coyote is missing your MPOD. Let’s work on that…..haha The .338 Timberwolf is my very prized addition to my collection. It’s perfomance is outstanding for all distances. For ammo, I use my hand loads of 225g Nosler AccuBond bullets, Lapua Mag Brass, Match primers and Hodgdon1000 Powder. Although PGW recommends the use 250g. bullet, they are hard to get. In result, with .225g. I can achieve smaller then 1inch group at 300m. The rifle performs very well under all weather conditions. Easy to handle and fun to use. This combination with your MPOD provides enormous amount of stability and control while performing in adverse conditions. I think this is a winning combination of true balance between the rifle and the MPOD. I strongly recommend your MPOD for use with any rifle. It is light, strong and durable and well balanced. Hopefully in the near future my .308 Coyote will also have the use of your MPOD. Thank you for your support Enjoy the pics Sebastian B Those are some fine looking rifles.  I am very pleased that the MPOD is serving you well and obviously, shooting some very tight groups.  I hope you get the rail for your Coyote.  Now you put the MPOD on either rifle.   Continued success… Enjoy and Thanks for sharing.... read more

Tikka T3 Tac Rifle from the Neatherlands

Here is another really cool Tactical rifle based on the Tikka T3 Tac.  Some very interesting parts we don’t commonly see in the Canadian market.         Hi Jerry, The MPOD arrived on 26 december. I’ve been putting in some handy work to put some threaded sleeves in the forend and attach the rail with two metric allen screws. See the result in the attached pictures. My set up is as follows: Tikka T3 TAC in .308W (basically only the 24” barrel, short action and trigger assembly); Roedale Precision M18x1 threaded muzzle break; GRS laminated wood long range stock; Konuspro M30 8.5-32×52 scope And… a Mystic Precision MPOD I expect to enjoy shooting it again in January, and will let you know how it goes. If all’s well, I will put out a positive review on the “vuurwapens.net” forum in The Netherlands. Just one quick question that came to mind – the ski’s are smooth on the underside. I am shooting from a flat concrete floor. Would glueing on some rubber pads be advisable? [Told to put a piece of thick nap carpet under the feet and things will track superbly] Thanks again for the fast service!... read more

Promag Rem 700 SA Precision Stock

  One of the best featured stocks for the Rem 700 SA Right Hand.  Comes with superb ergonomics.  Fully adjustable LOP and Comb – settings stay put. We put a custom rifle together on this stock and very impressed with how it all fit and functions. The integral forend bipod is not adjustable and has limited use but makes a quick rest if needed.  We modified to fit a rail for the MPOD. Comes with a 10rds center feed detachable mag.   This great looking rifle was put together by Terry of Black Art Rifle Company.  The action was fully blueprinted.  Shilen SS Select Match barrel was expertly installed.  Muzzle brake blended to a seemless fit.  It shot very well, averaging in the 2’s and 3’s at 100yds. Contact... read more

Kepeller FTR/Trainer from Slovenia

How do you get more trigger time with your FTR rig without costing a fortune in ammo and bore wear? Well, Klemen P from Slovenia has a very interesting solution.  He is shooting a Kepeller Rifle with a rimfire and 308 barreled action.  These are near identical and mount to the same stock. The ergonomics are the same so form and position does not vary. Here is the rimfire version.  Note the tuner.  Love the all the adjustments possible with the Kepeller stock.  Looks like the typical excellent design and manf typical of quality European rifles. And here is the 308 FTR.  Klemen writes: Hi Jerrry, I went from international match already. It was held in Serbia, a big ammo & reloading components manufacturer “Prvi partizan” hosted “PPU 2014 CUP”. We shot at 300 & 500 meters (F-class open and F-TR). Bad weather, two days of rainy & windy conditions. I used the same rifle (only one – 308 WIN) & your bipod for all events (even open). I liked it a lot, no bounce, good tracking, light weight, rock solid, only adjusting took me a lot of time (height & canting adjustment). I won both 300m events, finished second in 500m TR (3 ponts behind winner) and third in 500m open (1 point behind). Results are not published yet, will send you link when they will be. A lot of guys looked what I use, so I did some marketing job for you. If you need test pilot for one free new generations bipod you are developing, please feel free to mail me :-). In 300m events I... read more

Choate Tactical Rem 700ACCSD by Frank D

Frank D of Petawawa picked up a Rem 700 ACCSD recently but wasn’t happy with the stock.  I suggested the Choate Tactical with a Tac Pro adjustable cheek to keep costs down without compromising performance.   Here is his finished rig taken at a recent match in Ont.  Rem 700 ACCSD in 308,   Vortex HST Viper 4-16X44 in MRAD.  Really nice pic by CGN handle, klink1983   200yds group with his bet 168gr Handloads. Frank notes ” I noticed a marked improvement from my first attempt shooting at 600yds.  The only thing this stock doesn’t do is eliminate hard cross winds” Enjoy the stock and learning to read those hard cross winds.... read more

MPOD NOW MANUFACTURED BY EVOLUTION GUN WORKS (EGW)

  I am thrilled to announce that my MPOD will now be produced by Evolution Gun Works (EGW). Many will know of their great scope bases, rings and 1911 parts. Their quality of manufacture and attention to detail have really moved the MPOD to a new level. A few new tweaks have been made to the design to improve rigidity and tracking even more. EVOLUTION GUN WORKS you can see them on FACEBOOK Pics of the plates being laser engraved – ENGRAVING PICS   Here is the “Boss” stress testing a couple of MPODs The MPOD keeps getting better and new features will be added this year. Enjoy…... read more

NRA Record Falls to MPOD “F Open” Shooter at Berger SW Nationals

    Congratulations to Steve B of British Columbia, Canada for an amazing performance at the Berger SW Nationals Feb, 2014.     Shooting a 300RSAUM and  210gr VLD Bergers from a McPhee barrel, Steve set a new NRA F Open Masters Grand Agg Record with a score of 1223-50X (possible 1250-125X) in challenging conditions.  First in MASTERS and  the 12th highest score overall of a field of over 250 shooters.   The Surprise?   Steve used the MPOD for the entire match.  What a bipod in Open?  Yep…. Consistent tracking and ability to handle higher recoil, the MPOD helped Steve hammer the center of the target. An adaptor was made to mate the MPOD to the Remple mounting block. Welcome to HIGH MASTER and continued success. Jerry  ... read more

Congrats – Nik Taylor sets 2 new NRA F TR Mid Range Records

Continuing his success from the World Championships, Nik Taylor sets another two NRA records at 300 and 500yds at a recent match in Dec. He writes: “Jerry, It was the North Carolina Mid-Range State Championship (300-500-600 yards). Saturday was 20 shots at 3-5 and 6 with an extra 20 shot match at 600, I was clean through the first 3 matches (600-48x). My 300 yd. score of 200-18x was a national record and my 200-16x is a new record (I’m already the national record holder with 200-15x). Unfortunately I dropped a point in the 2nd 600 yd. match. Conditions were cold, overcast with a 3-5 mph tailwind that picked up later in the day. Sunday was also cold and fog started to move in just as relay 2 finished up, I was shooting 3rd and before I got to shoot we had a 1 1/2 hr. delay waiting for the fog to clear. I was shooting my number 2 rifle on Sun. it’s not quite the tack driver that my #1 rifle is but I wanted to even up the round count on both guns. Sunday saw the wind pick up considerably as the day went on. I dropped a point at 300 to vertical, cleaned 500, and by the time I shot 600 it was gusting up to 10-12 mph with a fast switching tailwind. I ended up dropping 2 points and thought I gave it away but Phil Kelley ended up dropping 5 points at the same time. It was a tight match with 3 of the top 5 F-TR shooters from the worlds participating. Take Care, Nik” Nik was shooting the MPOD to complement a very accurate FTR rifle which he... read more

Evan Z – New XLR Rem 700 Tackdriver

I’ve been fascinated by long range hunting from the onset of my hunting career, thanks to the writings of yourself, Ian McMurchy, and others- both on paper and online. I decided that if I wanted to start shooting and hunting at long distances, I’d need a purpose-built long range gun; and with my love of guns and gunsmithing, I decided to try building it myself.     I spent many hours gathering info online on all aspects of my project, from actions and chamberings to twist rates and headspacing, finally settling on the inexpensive and ubiquitous Remington 700 action with a heavy, 1-10″ twist McGowen barrel chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum. Because of its high ballistic coefficient and terminal performance, the bullet of choice would be the 210 grain Berger VLD Hunting. Choosing the stock would prove to be a much more difficult task, with the huge number of options available, but after much deliberation, I settled on an XLR Industries Evolution chassis for the excellent features, adjustability, and reasonable pricetag.     While waiting for my chassis and barrel to arrive, I set out on building my own barrel vise. Thanks to my father being a mechanic I had access to all the tools and metal I needed, and the barrel vise was done in no time. The barrel from Mystic Precision, and chassis from XLR arrived right on schedule. I stripped the old barrel (with no small amount of cussing) from the used M700 I purchased, and installed and headspaced my beautiful, new McGowen stainless short-chambered #8 contour barrel in short order. Then, I hand-lapped the action,... read more

Whiskey 3 Chassis SAKO 7STW Custom Build by Mark K

      This is a project we recently assembled for Mark K on his SAKO TRG-s.  Not very often we get to see a Superb Build on a SAKO and this one is a gem. Parts List: Sako TRG-s m995 Action, bolt and trigger. 7mm Kreiger SS #6 contour 1-9 barrel, chambered in 7mm Shooting Times Westerner JP Enterprises Bennie Cooley Muzzle Brake Whiskey 3 Chassis by Kinetic Research Leupold Mark 4 6.5-20x50mm TMR Reticle M1 turrets. Sako Optilock rings and Bases MPod bipod by Mystic Precision. AICS CIP Magazine. (Still waiting/looking for one)   Mark K  :  ” I just have wanted to build a custom rifle/long range setup for years. I have grown up and continue to shoot almost exclusively Sako rifles, and I have always been attracted to calibers that have good long range capabilities. I Currently have, 222 Remington(Not really a long range cartridge, but great accuracy), 260 Remington, 280 Remington, 7mm STW, and my newest 300 WSM So I knew my build would be based off a Sako. I just never could decide on what cartridge. Until last year when I bought a Sako 75 in 7mm STW and loved it. It has all kinds of power, and the capabilities of shooting way out there. So, that was it, I had my plan. Although, my plan was to use the Sako 75 as base for the custom. Then I bought the Sako TRG-s to use as a hunting rifle, but upon receiving it discovered someone had tampered with the head spacing. So it became the donor rifle. That lead me to contacting you... read more

Low Budget Rifle Stock Build by bobfortiers of CGN

This is a photo essay of a stock build for a Savage Axis using commonly available materials and tools.  Now Bob is pretty darn good at wood working as it shows in his skill in the build BUT none of this is beyond many shooters/hobbyist.    Some great tips and pics.    Enjoy… Orig post on CGN I wanted a dedicated gun to shoot at targets, either from a bench at 100m or shooting long range in F-class type of shooting. I did not have a lot of budget for this project, so I decided to build from a Savage Axis gun. I found one used in 223 for 300$. Being a stockmaker it was a no-brainer to me that I wanted a new stock for it, because Axis stocks are a bit on the soft side. Also, I wanted to see if the Axis action could be used for a built. I think that there will be more and more of those around, so we might as well play with them a bit. Since the Axis trigger guard is made of plastic and integral to the stock, I made my own using aluminium from the home center and a jig in plywood. The recoil lug is in the stock on a Savage Axis, I checked and it is easily removed. More on that later. The stock was made of russian birch plywood, laminated with exterior glue. I did not want a dedicated bench stock, with flat foreend to ride on bags. I enjoy shooting prone with a bipod, and I wanted a do-it-all kinda stock. I started with a wide... read more

My New Sightron SIII by Barry Luscombe

The journey began several years ago in my quest for long range hunting accuracy. Taking my old Winchester Model 70 in 300 win mag after the factory barrel just wouldn’t cut it any more and deciding on a new barrel. I’ve no idea how many rounds went down that pipe but it was many. The first barrel on it was a Bevon King SS match heavy contour with a 1-9 twist for the Sierra 240gr. Matchking and off I went to try my hand at 1000 yard shooting. Lesson 1 was the Bushnell Banner 3 to 9 and standard 2 piece base set up wasn’t going to get me there. Over the winter I got a one piece base and cut a piece off a .020” feeler gauge and Devconed it into place. Then for a whopping 60 bucks I bought a Futong Tactical scope at the Prince George Gun Show. Very good looking scope. 2nd shot it turned into a kaleidoscope, hilarious. Sent it back to the dealer in Vancouver and within a week another was in the mail box. This one made it to about 5 shots then did the same thing. Actually the scope was worth the money cause to this day my Grandsons still have a ball with it. Then came the Wotac out of Oklahoma from Wonders Optics. Also a tactical job. Love the hash mark retical and the windage and elevation adjustments were dead on and repeatable. Unfortunatly the optics were only a tad better than had they been made by Mattel. Out shooting one day and at 600yds I couldn’t make out... read more

How To Fit a M305 to the Promag Precision Stock

Here is a copy of the CGN post by Parabellum on how to fit the Norinco M305 to the new Promag Precision stock.  The info and pics are complements of Parabellum and used here with his permission.  Thanks for the info and I am sure it will help many fit their Norinco M1A’s to this wonderful stock. LINK to the orig CGN post The Promag Unit Now secure the stock in a vise or similar.  Be careful to not scratch it Protect the surrounding area with tape.   Measure from the front of the action opening  back  6 1/4″.  You will be filing 1 1/2″ forward of this mark. Also, measure down about 3/16″ from the top of the stock and mark.  Some rifles may need less The tools that will be needed to do the modifications include 2 different files, razor blade and 180 and 320 sand paper Then start filing making a bevel towards the “inside” of the stock Lastly, some pictures with a level to show the angle because it is hard to see in the pictures.  Enjoy. Some additional spots that needed fitting Fitting the trigger pads is next but there are no pics of this step.  The fitting is done when the trigger guard will close using firm pressure on both the action and the trigger group.  The tighter this fit is, the better.  You may find that additional material will need to be removed in the inletting if the action is not sitting flat with the stock Slowly file material in the stock until the action fits level and flush. Go slow and... read more

Norinco M305 and Promag Precision Stock Build

This is a project rifle by TheZreturns fitting a Norinco M305 to the new Promag Precision stock.  One of the nicest looking M1A’s I have seen in a while.   He writes: Here’s my new Norinco M14S (2011 model) slightly modified… From the help of Jerry Teo of Mystic Precision, I’ve finally succeed to “pimp” a little bit this chinese rifle… Starting with an american-made precision stock called “Promag Archangel M1A Precision“. The Archangel stock was originally made to fit a Springfield Armory M1A but only little adjustments had to be made to fit the chinese Norinco M14S. Personnaly having only small gunsmith skills, I had to take out the dremel and files to make some nice adjustements to fit the rifle in the Archangel stock… With the help from M14Doctor on Canadian Gun Nutz, I’ve followed every steps he made, to make this rifle fit in the stock. Grinding around 6¼ inches of material beveled at a 35-45 degrees angle, on the right inside of the stock and also a little bit from the shoulder pads (trigger housing), helped to fit the action and trigger housing… Took me around an hour to fit correctly without goofing around and it fitted flawlessly! It’s nice and tight! Stock is adjustable in lenght (shoulder pad) and in height (cheek riser) with some tight 0.5 inch increments with the turn of a knob. Also have some nice features like at the bottom of the stock, there is a place to fit the web of the left hand so you can push the rifle in your shoulder. It also have 2 swivel studs to... read more

Mark B’s Barrel Nut Rem 700

McGowen Precision Barrels decided to take the Savage barrel swap idea one step further and in cooperation with a barrel nut manf/supplier, can offer prefit/chambered barrels for the Rem 700.  Headspacing is the same as with a Savage. From Mark Baxter:  “Attached is the completed rifle, (remington 700 with 28″ 8-twist mcgowen barrel w savage style lock nut chambered to 243 ai, timney trigger, burris signature zee rings, and lots of other goodies) as well as an exploded parts view, as well as a picture of the best 100m group from the first ladder test of 105 gn berger’s.  It seems to be a shooter.  If you want I can get some bettter quality pictures for you, if you would like to use them.  I plan on shooting a second ladder test to explore some ‘nodes’ at 300m in the very near future (as it is hard to tell the difference between group sizes when they are anywhere from .330″ all the way out to .460″) Hope you are well, and thank you for the great service and thank you for your great online articles Mark... read more

Dave (yodave) D’s SR BR Score Winning Rig

Dave, on Vancouver Island has been making himself some very nice looking  and great shooting Savage and Stevens target rifles.  With his own duplicator, he is fabricating these great looking stocks.  His results speak for themself and he recently won a Score BR Match in Parksville (March 2011) with a 600-40X out of a possible 600-60X. Nice rigs, great shooting.  The text has been cut and paste from his post on CGN.  I look forward to hearing more about his rigs and how they perform in competition. http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=594785 “Here are three of my go to rifles – the specs, Apple jack stock, pillar bedded stevens 200 action, hi score ssa, SSS barrel nut and recoil lug, rifle basix trigger, shillen 17 twist 30BR Robinett cut and crowned at 24″ Hornet Stock, pillar bedded Stevens 200 action, hi score ssa, SSS barrel nut and recoil lug, rifle basix trigger, savage 12bvss 223 rem tak off barrel for now. Pepper Laminate stock, action bedded Savage 110 which will shortly be wearing a model 12bvss 308 Win 26″ stainless barrel, Canjar set trigger, SSS barrel nut and recoil lug and going into a Hornet Laminate benchrest stock as soon as I get it chucked in the duplicator and remove some of the material that is hiding the benchrest look.” “This target was during new 30BR load developement with 125 grain bullets hand made for me, four shots into a .100 inch group and the last shot of the day dropped right out. I tried to deny all or most of this but to many people managed blackmail pictures of the target so... read more

6mmBR F Open Rig by doemaster (CGN)

Hi Jerry The rifle was made to compete in F class and precision . It is chamber in 6BR for the 105-107 weight of bullets . Smith work was done by Joe K. Presently I have been shooting the 95 gr. VLD`s at about 2975 out to only 600 yards . The barrel is a Shilen [SS Select Match, 6mm] 1-8 HV contour sitting in a Robertson tactical stock . For optics I went with the Sightron 8-32 . Last year I mostly competed at club level except for one excursion down to the Kingston Fall Match . Where she placed in 3rd in Agg. Not bad for her first time out. Here she is poised for action at 600 yards at Kingston     [Target of 5rds group at 100yds after breaking in... read more

McGowen/Stevens 260AI by Kevin K

My post is for all those who are gun nuts in search of the holy grail of accuracy. Yes, some might think, Stevens…what is this guy thinking? For those who have not tinkered with one or have not shot a Savage/Stevens product it may come as a surprise. For those who do this idea will not. I began one day with the idea,” I’d like to play the F class game. “ But I was not going to convince the boss of a multi thousand dollar toy. I would have to think on the cheap, so I began my search all over the internet of ideas, guidance, and some good luck. The goal of this project, (besides the great fun in shooting it) is to find an answer to the age old question, “How much does one need to spend to attain competitive accuracy.” Well, that began the addiction to Savage/Stevens products. Here is my 260 AI as a result of a years effort and with the help from some fine CGNers. Thanks Jerry for great advice and service. PS, cost all including taxes. Cost of Build: Rifle: Stevens 200 SA. 430.97 new. Sold barrel, 350.97 total. Timney Trigger 145.60 Thanks Jerry Teo from Mystic Precision. Boyd Thumbhole stock 63.38, yes…..keep an eye out for those crazy deals, they will surprise you. 8-24 Tasco Varmint Scope 112.00, bases $15, Rings 0 as I had some old weaver 1”ers kicking around. Bottom metal and action screws 36.73 from Brownells. Barrel, McGowen Prefit, 260AI, 28″, Target crown, bead blast. $365 Thanks 6mm Shooter. Hours spent on bedding and stock work, and... read more

How Well To Prechambered Barrels Shoot?

Oct 16, 2009 This is a very common question I get asked. The short answer is VERY WELL and it really depends on the quality of barrel used and the precision of the chamber cut. I just received a new Shilen SS Select match barrel prethreaded and chambered for the Savage action in 260AI. I put this into an older Savage action that used to be my 7RM LR hunting rig. Into my BR style thumbhole stock and off to the range. Below is a picture of the test groups I shot today with new, almost fireformed Win brass, Lapua 139gr Scenars, H4831SC, CCI BR2 primers. Conditions were near ideal with next to no wind, overcast, cool but damp (just rained). [almost fireformed brass – this brass was formed using a light charge of pistol powder and cornmeal and has the shoulder about 90% formed (still rounded shoulder). The first smokeless load performs the final forming and gives the case a nice sharp shoulder] After the first 6 shots to try and sight in the rifle, I found that the scope ring shims (Burris Sig Zee rings) were way off and I was shooting way too high. I forgot my extra shims so had to make do. Was able to get the POI on the target but still over 1ft high at 100yds. All testing was done at 100yds because I couldn’t keep on target at 200yds – POI way too high. A couple more shots and I was near the target and had run out of sighting in ammo so I had to use my first test load.... read more

How to Build a Long Range (or F class) Rifle on a Budget

  In this article, I cover in detail the steps you can take to build a 1/4 min or better shooting LR rifle suitable for either Hunting or F class competition. It distills the experiences I have had over the last 12yrs trying to extract the most performance for the least amount of money.  The article is posted on LongRangeHunting.com, the premier site for anything and everything to do with LR hunting. The article continues to be one of the most read articles on the website. Enjoy, Jerry How to Build a Long Range (or F class) Rifle on a... read more

Setting Up Your Scope for LR Shooting

In this article, I will explain how to mount, shim and set up your scope to maximise the elevation and windage adjustment to reach out as far as possible. I will also describe the test process I use to determine if a scope is up to the task of LR shooting. Enjoy… Jerry Setting Up Your Scope for LR... read more

Load Tuning to Maximize LR Accuracy

In this Article, I walk you through the steps to quickly and consistently get your rifle shooting its best in the fewest number of rds.  This Method has worked well for me over the last decade on dozens of rifles in cartridges from the 223 to the 300RUM.  Simple, effective and saves alot of wear and tear on your new rig and your wallet. The GOAL – produce the most accurate load with no vertical dispersion at 200yds and beyond. The two pics below show what the same rifle will do with a very small change in powder charge.  Both group sizes are very similar but one load has no vertical, the other all vertical – both shot at 200yds.  At LR, the vertical load will fall apart Enjoy.. Jerry Load Tuning to Maximize LR... read more

Savage Tactical Rifle Project

With the kind sponsorship of Shilen Precision Barrels and Berger Bullets, I put together an economical tack driver that would serve me very well in Tactical Style competitions.  Using a base model Savage 11FCNS, I show you how to transform this into a head turning rig for little money and some sweat equity. Enjoy… Jerry Savage Tactical Rifle... read more

Shooting a 223 Accurately to a Mile

“Can’t be done” – That was pretty much how this topic was summed up by many shooters.  So, I just had to find out for myself.  If you are interested in pushing the ballistic limits of your rifle and bullet, I think you will find this article worth reading. It has a very happy ending. Enjoy… Jerry Shooting a 223 Accurately to 1... read more

6mmBR Gun of the Week #75 – Budget F Open Project Rifle

Interested in shooting F class but concerned about the costs?  This is my answer to building an affordable rifle that can shoot and win against the mega dollar rigs.  I have campaigned this rifle for several years and it has put me on the podium several times and also helped a novice place 3rds in the Frosty Farky Sept 2010 in Kamloops.  One of BC toughest F class matches. Enjoy… Jerry Gun of the Week... read more

Precision Reloading for the M1A/M305

Trying to get the most accuracy out of your M1A/M305 or other semi auto rifle?  I cover the history, theory and steps you can take to squeeze the most out these rifles.  After proper rifle tuning and bedding, my Norinco M305’s shot MOA or better and stayed accurate enough to hit clay pigeons at over 500yds. As an update to this article, I would strongly recommend the use of a Redding Body die to bump the shoulders after each firing.  This ensures the cases will chamber properly and eliminates the need to chamber check the rifle after each firing.  A huge time saver and increases safety. I have successfully used these methods on my Norc M4 and Ruger Target Mini14 in 223. Enjoy… Jerry Precision Reloading for the... read more