Ugly rifle? ha

Zeke · Dec 18, 2015

I just finished up a little project.

It's a 270 WSM on a Rem action with a LR 4.5X14 Leupold mounted with Warne rings.

The stock began life as a raw, rough Brown Precision fiberglass and with sanding, bondo, bedding primer, rocker-coat and paint with an over-spray of rocker-coat it's turned into my new "Creamsicle" rifle.

I couldn't wait to shoot it so it's been to the range a couple times before it was finished. This thing will shoot! Enough said.

It's kinds ugly with the orange color but I've had it in the back of my mind to do one this color for years. Maybe I should have left it in the back of my mind instead of on the stock but.... haha

Enjoy it.. or not, it's up to you.

Zeke

Zeke · Dec 18, 2015

Oh, and it's a cheap $2 factory barrel.
Sometimes a guy gets lucky with a factory rifle.
Zeke

deadibob · Dec 18, 2015

That stock should count towards hunter orange requirements.

Zeke · Dec 18, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-15 AT 01:10PM (MST)[p]Yep Bob, It should.

At least I'll never leave this one lying on the far bank of the Arkansas river in Colorado like I did with a rifle after a bighorn sheep hunt! Thank goodness I paddled back across and got it the next day. My second to the youngest daughter now has the old rifle and has used it very well for a decade.

At least you didn't call it ugly like I did. My wife hates it so it must be kinda cool though! LOL

Zeke

BIGJOHNT · Dec 18, 2015

>That stock should count towards hunter
>orange requirements.

X2 just what I was thinking. ;-)

30Hart · Dec 18, 2015

As long as it shoots I don't care what it looks like!!!

elkhunter49 · Dec 18, 2015

Looks like a nice piece to me. Well done sir. Great action and a super round!!! I like Orange as well.

Cahunter805 · Dec 18, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-15 AT 05:25PM (MST)[p]Nice job!! What bullets are you shooting? Powder?

I think all the metal needs to be coated white cerakote then it will be complete!

Zeke · Dec 18, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-15 AT 05:47PM (MST)[p]White cerakote huh? Now that would be cool with that creamsicle stock!
I've used 3 different bullets all 130. Barnes TSX, Accubonds and ballistic tips.
Primer is WLRM. Win brass dutifully worked: trimmed to square the mouth, flash holes uniformed and outside neck turned about 1/2 to 3/4 coverage just enough to make them more concentric and weed out the outliers. Powder has been MagPro and IMR 7977. The 7977 is showing great promise and I'm happy since I bought an 8 lbs keg. I have NOT chronographed the loads yet....in this rifle, but will in the next few weeks when the snow freezes or the muddy road to the bench dries out a bit. I expect at least 3250 fps and groups sub 3/4 minute when I'm done, based on what I've been seeing in the 2 short trips to the bench.
Whew! There you go.
Zeke

Cahunter805 · Dec 18, 2015

Sounds like you have a great start. My 270wsm loves h1000 which I've heard is very close to imr7977. I'm getting 3075 with a 150gr vld so I'm sure you can get 3250. I'm using Norma brass that's fully prepped and neck turned to .014 neck thickness.

Zeke · Dec 18, 2015

The MagPro is the powder of choice for MY other 270 WSM but then again I have not used the 7977 in the old Win Classic.
The H1000 sounds like it working for you! I'm encouraged and hopeful to get the speed and accuracy out of the 7977 since I have more than sufficient for a couple+ years. It shoots like a champ in my 280AI with 150's but I'm almost 2 grains over Hodgdon's max of 63.5 and I'm at 65.3 and it's awesome at 3080 fps.
We'll see where I end up with the powder charge in the 270 WSM.
Always good to hear what works well for others!!!!
Thanks,
Zeke

mtmuley · Dec 18, 2015

Looks good cept for the scope. 50mm is too big. mtmuley

Zeke · Dec 18, 2015

Actually mtmuley I think you're about right but it's the only scope I had kicking around in the safe and the only money I spent (at the moment) was for paint. I already had everything else and since I'm broke right now it was just a matter of "throwing" it all together.
Since I lapped the rings, the scope shouldn't have any obscene ring marks on it and I've been known to change scopes when something suits me better.
I just have a desire to play with guns. It's been that way for over 6 decades or at least for as long as I can remember.
Zeke

Captain_coues · Dec 18, 2015

"I just have a desire to play with guns"
I know exactly what you mean. It's nice to hear someone else say it. I have a 270 that my dad gave me when I was 12 or so. I've change scopes, loads, triggers, you name it. It's so fun to play around with these things.

sageadvice · Dec 19, 2015

I like it Zeke, everything about it! Congrats on putting together a nice shooter for not much money!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

sjhgraysage · Dec 19, 2015

Add some black paint stripes and viola "Tiger Rifle"!

Post some groups!

I agree on the big bell scope being a bit too big, but a guy has to use whats at hand.

mtmuley · Dec 19, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-15 AT 05:32PM (MST)[p]zeke, It just struck me that the rifle is too svelte (sp?) for that scope. Understood you used what was at hand. Sweet rifle. Different is cool. mtmuley

feddoc · Dec 19, 2015

Ugly? Naw, it has its own coolness.

Tikka · Dec 20, 2015

I like it...

Longun · Dec 20, 2015

Sorry to say this Zeke...it's ugly...but it will blend well in some of the west desert red clay areas....I'm just an woodstock fan for guns myself even though you have to do some improvising on free floating the barrels...But like my Dad told me a long time ago-If everybody was just like you the world would a pretty dull place---I replied...UH Yep....

Zeke · Dec 21, 2015

sjhgraysage asked for some groups. I don't save them all but went out Saturday to plunk with the muzzleloader and figured I'd take the new creamsicle along.

I worked up to 72 grs of IMR 7977 (Hodgdon book says 72.5 is max with a velocity of 3250). 72 grains with 130 Nosler BT's shot pretty well in my rifle on Saturday but bolt-lift was a bit stiff and one case showed the ejector "circle" so I'll back off a bit. The fps was off the chart too at 3357, 3351, 3361 on the 3 rounds I checked. I wanted to hit about 3250 so I'm well above that but the load is a bit hotter than I like.

Here are a couple groups from Saturday. It's showing promise and I suspect I can hit my goal of at of sub 3/4 minute groups.

Thanks guys, for the honest comments. Nothing beats the looks of a fine walnut stock on a rifle and nothing beats the real-world performance of a well made and properly bedded synthetic. I have and use both depending on the application... and weather.

Zeke

Zeke · Dec 21, 2015

By the way, those of you who shoot BR will recognize the targets that I use.

We've modified the targets to suit our application and I shoot at the upside down!

I aim at the box and we've made the center of the bullseye exactly 3" above the middle of the box. We also made the grid lines exactly 1/4" for easy reference so we can center the groups where we want depending on the cartridge's trajectory.

As you can see, I'm more interested in group size, more so than I am in POI. I'll sight it in where I want it after I find the sweet spot.

(my brother is pretty handy on a computer and made the targets just the way we wanted)

Zeke

Cahunter805 · Dec 23, 2015

Zeke

Looks like a good start. A little oal tweaking and I bet it tightens right up. Pm sent.

Zeke · Dec 23, 2015

CAH805,
I can't get my phone to stay hooked up to the Internet when I use PM's so I'll respond here.
Yes, I can reach the lands and still fit in the magazine while using the Ballistic tip's.....which is awesome since it doesn't alway work out that way.
Right now I'm 15 thousandths off. I've backed down to 71 grains of IMR7977 since 72 was a bit hot.
One step at a time: I'll shoot 3 or 4 groups with 71 grains and then start to play with seating depth again.
Do you have suggestions on what depth works with that combo? Usually I've had pretty good luck with 10 to 20 thousandth of bullet jump.....a bit more with Barnes works best for me.
What say ye?
Thanks for the words of encouragement!
Zeke

Cahunter805 · Dec 23, 2015

I usually start most load development on the lands. Then in testing I will try .020,040,060,080. Whichever one groups best with my chosen powder charge I'll fine tune from there in usually .005 above and below up to .010. Say 060 is best. I'll then load 050,055,060,065,070. I keep track of es and sd also. I usually test at 300 yards.

Strayhorse · Dec 23, 2015

I really like it. How do you like the 270 WSM? What will it be used for?

Zeke · Dec 24, 2015

>I really like it. How do
>you like the 270 WSM?
> What will it be
>used for?

Strayhorse,
I've used a couple different 270 WSM's since the cartridge hit the scene, used it on a train-car load of game and I like it plenty well. The cartridge works very well but it's not the only cartridge design out there that would garner my praise.

Here's even more of my OPINION:
It works well enough on elk with heavier, stout bullets. It's not my first choice for elk but when I've had it in my hands I don't feel under-gunned.
It's one of the best out there for deer size game and that's always been my primary application.
I shoot a lot of targets but I'm not a target shooter, I'm a hunter and everything I do is with that in mind.

Zeke

Cahunter805 · Dec 24, 2015

I'm also a huge fan of the 270wsm. I shoot 150gr Berger vld in my rifle and don't feel undergunned at all. It's an easy recoil caliber and always been accurate for me.
Here is the most recent kill. Utah cow elk a few weeks ago. Shot at 380 yards 150vld over h1000.