Rifle of the Month
The Eliseo Tube Gun - for F/TR Competition
The Eliseo was born on a cold winter's day - hopefully it will not have to endure such conditions in competition!
My
fellow scribe on Target Sports magazine, Laurie Holland is looking for a new
rifle - an F/TR rifle to be precise. Laurie is a great fan of the AR15 'platform'
and he already has the 223 and 308 versions but this is to be s serious
competition rifle to be used mainly at 800 to 1000 yards in GB F Class League shoots,
so no compromises.
When
the www.6mmBR.com web-site featured the Eliseo
Tube Gun (Gun of the Week no. 74) Laurie knew he had found the perfect chassis
for his new rifle. Laurie told me about his plans for a tube gun but I had already
seen it on 6mmBR and, I must admit, I was contemplating one myself as a
replacement for my McMillan 6.5x47 tactical rifle, which recently went to shooting
buddy Pete Wilson who 'urgently needed' a magazine-fed rifle for one of the
Czech. tactical comps.
Laurie's
project sounded a lot of fun and I was keen to get involved so I asked him if
he would entrust me with the barrelling work and before long, he handed over
the vivid red Eliseo chassis which had just arrived from the US and his new Sightron
8-32 scope. Little did we know that our 308 barrel blank would take somewhat
longer to arrive - a lot longer, as it turned out!
If
you are not familiar with the Eliseo chassis, it was originally designed around
the popular Remington 700 action. In the States there are thousands of
second-hand Remmies lining the shelves of American gunshops and finding a donor
action would not therefore present a problem for the American shooter but over
here, it's a different story. Fortunately the Eliseo can now be used with a
variety of other actions including Stiller, Savage and the New Zealand Barnard
action. Laurie wisely chose the Barnard, a far more practical proposition than
finding a second-hand Remmy and then maybe having to blue-print it.
Fox
Firearms of Manchester are the UK importers for Barnard and fortunately, Fox
always keep a few actions in stock so, no waiting! They could offer a choice of
left or right- handers and they also have the smaller 'S' action, which is the
same 'footprint' as a Remington so either would do. If you prefer a
magazine-fed Eliseo, the Barnard 'S' action can be obtained with a magazine
cut-out and, no matter what you do to accurise a Remington, it will never be in the same class
as a Barnard.
Laurie
plumped for Barnard's 'P' action. This circular action is one-tenth of an inch
larger in diameter than a Remington and the small ejection-port makes it
immensely stiff. The three-lug bolt is a massive 0.865 inches in diameter
(compared to a Remington's 0.7 inches) and bolt-to-body fit is hand-lapped to
ensure a close fit. It uses a Sako-style extractor but Laurie opted for the
non-ejector bolt. Barnard's own excellent trigger is included and is offered in
several pull-weight options and single or two-stage configuration. Also, the
Barnard has a decent barrel-tenon thread, offering much superior support to a
heavy barrel than the Remington ever could.
This
is an impressive chunk of metal. The Barnard's receiver is made from
chrome-moly 4340 steel and is CNC machined after hardening to ensure perfect
concentricity. With its blue/black finish, it will never win a beauty contest when
pitched against the likes of BAT and Stolle but in the accuracy department I'm
certain that it will hold its own. It weighs-in at a hefty three pounds so, no
matter how good it is, it won't find its way into the benchrest Light Varmint
class!
I
must admit, this is the first Barnard 'P' I have worked with, so the first step
was to contact the manufacturer in New Zealand and request a tenon drawing.
This is not strictly necessary of course as all dimensions could be simply
taken from the action but it's nice to have the re-assurance of the designer
that you are working to the tolerances that he intended. A recoil-lug is not required when using a
Barnard with the Tube Gun but if you are using a conventional stock, Barnard
offer the option of a lug let into the underside of the action - preferable to
the type which fits between barrel and action.
The
tenon thread is an inch and one-sixteenth in diameter with a 16 tpi UNF thread
which is typical of custom actions and our chamber is of course the 308 Win as
Laurie is building this rifle specifically with F/TR GB League shoots in mind. Rules
demand that the chamber must be within SAAMI spec. so no tight-necks or
anything fancy but our reamer is a bit special and was ground to our sample
round by Pacific Tool & Gauge in America.
Laurie
and I both favour the 308 155 Lapua Scenar bullet for 1000 yard work as it has
a superior BC to Sierra's 155 Palma Match bullet - though Sierra are about to
introduce a new 155 bullet with an improved BC. The downside is that the Scenar
is significantly longer than the Palma Match bullet (see pic) so if we were to
use the Scenar in a chamber cut for the Palma bullet, it would need to be
seated that much deeper in the case and powder capacity would be compromised.
Here's the new Sierra 155 gn Palma Match bullet - old Sierra on the left, 155 gn Lapua Scenar right.
Recent
developments over the 2008 season have seen GB F/TR competitors push the 308
cartridge to new limits, attaining spectacular velocities in the 3100 fps range
but such velocities are only attained by using the whole case capacity. Our
reamer therefore needed to be ground with extra free-bore to accommodate the longer
Scenar bullet so that it will not protrude beyond the bottom of the case-neck.
The
barrel is a four-groove, cut-rifle, stainless-steel, 33 inch-long Bartlein and
the heavy profile follows a straight taper from 1.25 inches at the breech to
one inch at the muzzle. As all of Laurie's competitive shooting will be at 800
to 1000 yards, we are aiming for a finished length of not less than 30 inches to
maximise on the long-range performance of our 308 Win. cartridge, but weight
constraints may well dictate the final barrel length.
Our
1 in 13.5 twist is erring on the safe side, as I'm convinced that a 1 in 14
twist would be adequate to stabilise the Scenar. However, Frank Green of
Bartlein Barrels was of the opinion that 1 in 14 could be marginal - especially
in cold weather. I'm more than happy to take Frank's advice, though I know from
experience that a 1 in 14 twist will certainly handle the shorter Sierra without
problem.
Barrel-twist
rates can be confusing as the popular but ancient Greenhill formula - which
takes into account the length and diameter of the bullet - is the one readily available.
The Greenhill formula has served us well but it was devised when muzzle-velocities
were about half what they are now and with current MV's of 3000 fps and more,
considerably less twist is required to stabilise a given bullet. Recently
published formulae offer much more realistic twist rates - remember, never spin
a bullet faster than you need to.
Bartlein
use the familiar 416R stainless steel for their barrels and, as always, this
one cut superbly and I'm pleased to say that our finished chamber is as true as
it gets. Now, the only job left is to turn the barrel around in the headstock
and crown it. Eleven-degree or recessed? Laurie has left it to me so it will be
a recessed crown - but not just yet.
I
can't wait to get our tube-gun assembled but first, we will weigh the
individual components. The F/TR class demands an all-up weight of no more than
8.25 kg. (18lbs. 3 oz.) so let's see how much we need to chop off that barrel.
Chambered
barrel (at 33 inches): 8
lb 14 oz
Eliseo
Chassis complete: 4
lb 12 oz
Dixon
custom bi-pod: 1
lb 2 oz
Barnard
P action & trigger: 3
lb 2 oz
Sightron
8-32 scope and Leupold steel rings: 1lb 14 oz
Total: 19
lb 12 oz
That
means we are about 1 lb 9 ounces over-weight! Every inch of our barrel will weigh
about 3.5 ounces so it looks like we will be loosing an inch or three! So, it's
back in the lathe for a crop and crown but that will still leave us about a
pound over - I think the Sightron and those Leupold steel QD rings will have to
go - a nice T36 Weaver and some aluminium rings should do the job!
Incidentally,
although we are struggling to make weight, I'm all in favour of realistic
limits - it-s a challenge for the gunsmith and it means that compromises must
be made. With the Open class, it's almost impossible to build a rifle up to the
22lb. limit without adding weight.
Totally pointless - they may as well have made it an unlimited class!
With the barrel now nipped-up onto the receiver, we can try it in the Eliseo chassis for the first time. The bolt-stop retaining screw protrudes from the side of the action slightly so this must first be removed. The action now simply slides into the body-tube from the front and is secured with the same three screws that you would use if the action was going into a conventional stock. Shorter screws are supplied as part of the kit as they only pass through a quarter-inch of aluminium tube rather than an inch or so of stock.
Brass grub-screws either side of the ejection-port provide additional support. That superb pic rail comes with the kit and has 10MOA elevation built-in
The 'action to tube' fit is close but not tight and there are a further four brass
grub-screws which bear on the action body offering additional support. With
flimsier actions like the Remington, you have the option of gluing the action
into the tube, which will then act as an accurising sleeve. The glued-on sleeve
makes the action stiffer by masking the magazine cut-out and reducing the size
of the Remington's yawning ejection-port. The Barnard is already impressively
stiff and there would be no advantage to gluing it in - unless we find that
accuracy is not up to par due to the 'metal to metal' bedding. This type of
bedding can sometimes cause high-frequency vibrations and a bit of glue could
act as a damper, if need be.
So
that's it - job done! The tube-gun is a DIY enthusiasts dream - no expensive
Devcon bedding, no inletting or truing of the stock, no finishing or painting
as we would have to with a fibreglass or laminate stock. That's what makes the
Eliseo such a desirable rifle - apart from the actual barrel work, assembly can
be undertaken by the owner. In fact, Fox Firearms will happily supply you with
a Barnard action complete with a ready-chambered True-Flite barrel if you like.
The Eliseo chassis kit is about the same price as a decent F Class stock like
the Robertson and comes with fully adjustable butt and cheek-piece.
To
some, the rifle may look a little radical, especially with its bright red
metallic finish but you can have any colour you like - black if you prefer. The
AR15 platform certainly works in the handling department and the
multi-adjustable stock means that it can be adapted to any style of positional
shooting, be it off-hand or rested, left or right. If you wanted to build an
off-hand TR rifle, the kit even comes with a hand-stop for the sling
attachment. In Laurie's case, he has simply fitted a bi-pod to the underside of
the hand-guard.
The
whole build has taken just a day and the rifle is now ready to shoot, so it's
over to Laurie - watch out for an up-date.
Back to basics - a 308 Savage for F/TR Class
This action is a real bargain. It comes complete with the Savage patented Accutrigger which, although not to the standard of a proper competition trigger like the Jewell, is more than adequate for an F Class rifle. In addition, we also get a good quality quarter-inch thick recoil-lug and a trigger-guard. These three components could easily add
�100-200 to the cost of a custom action, so we are looking at a real bargain with the Savage. OK, I�m not trying to pretend that the Savage is in the same league as the BAT or Stolle action but for anything but a benchrest rifle, it�s got to be considered.
Note small ejection port and solid bottom
If there is a drawback with the Savage action, it�s bedding area. Although the action is a handy eight-inches in length, the rear action-screw is forward of the trigger - rather than being placed in the rear tang, as is more normal. However, Savage have attempted to address the problem by adding a third screw. Having said that, I�ve already established - to my own satisfaction at least - that there isn�t really a problem with the two-screw action and a rifle I recently re-barrelled is happily carrying a very heavy 32 inch barrel and performing very well at 1000 yards in the GB F Class League.
The Savage action could be the key to my (and your?) next rifle. Even better, I can get my hands on one right away as Osprey Rifles (www.ospreyrifles.com) usually keep one or two in stock and this hopefully gives me the opportunity to build a similar rifle to the factory F/TR but for less outlay � or preferably - a better rifle for the same outlay!
We�ve established that this new action is rigid but does that automatically make it accurate � surely it�s just a mass-produced factory action, built to factory �mass-production� standards? Yes it is, but perhaps more by accident than design, the Savage has another feature which contributes to it�s above-average accuracy.
Have a good look at a Savage bolt. It�s made up of over twenty separate pieces � about twice as many as a Remington bolt. The reason for this is the same as with the barrel-nut idea � it saves a few costly machining techniques. The bolt-head is a separate unit which is pinned to the bolt-body. Loosely pinned to the bolt-body. This allows the bolt-head and lugs to articulate slightly � enough to keep the lugs in full contact with the action-lugs when ignition takes place. Do I need to emphasise the importance of full-contact with bolt locking-lugs? It is a basic requirement of an accurate action. It�s what we pay for in a top-end custom action. It�s what we get for free in every Savage action!
At the moment, the pound is strong compared to the dollar, so any American-sourced bits should be good value. The Pacnor barrels offer exceptional value anyway and I�m impressed not only with their finish and accuracy but also with their speed of delivery, so I�m using a �super-match� blank from Pacnor. Thanks to the locking-nut system, you could even order a Pacnor pre-chambered barrel (and a new bolt-head if necessary) for your Savage � via your local RFD of course � if you want to try building your own Savage-based custom rifle.
I�m also ordering a tapered Weaver-type scope-rail from www.kenfarrell.com The Farrell bases are really solid and superbly machined and good value at 80 dollars. There is a choice of steel or aluminium and as we are �weight-conscious� with this build, I�m going for ally.
What about our stock? We will be shooting off a bi-pod as this is one of the requirements for the F/TR Class. Although we won�t need a three-inch wide benchrest-style fore-end, we do need a stiff fore-end - remember, we are carrying a very heavy barrel. However, we must keep in mind our weight limit � just 8.25kg or 18lbs., (compared to 10kg. for an Open F Class rifle) and that includes bi-pod and scope. Although this seems generous, the weight soon adds up � the action, complete with trigger, screws, guard and scope-rail weighs 3 lbs, the barrel 7.5 lbs., my Leupold 8.5-25 scope with rings, another 1.5lbs. and a Harris bi-pod is around three-quarters of a pound. That leaves about 5 lbs for the stock.
I�m going for a laminate stock, even though they are heavier than a fibre-glass version. Laminates can be trued-up, pared-down, re-shaped etc. � you can�t easily do that with a fibre-glass stock and to keep the project as simple as possible, a pre-inlet would be nice.
Have a look at Sharp Shooter Supply in America - see www.sharpshootersupply.com They specialise in all things Savage and offer some really nice looking stocks which come ready in-letted, complete with aluminium pillars and Pachmayr butt-pad pre-installed for around $300. If you were looking to build your own Savage with the minimal amount of work, using a pre-chambered barrel, you could put the whole rifle together in a couple of hours! The wood-laminate is offered in a wide variety of colours and finished to a high standard, ready for lacquer and honestly - although I have bedded mine - you could simply drop in your barrelled-action and shoot.
The heavy-profile Pacnor blank is 34 inches in length and weighs a hefty 8 lbs and we are looking for an all-up rifle weight of no more than 18 lbs. complete with scope and bi-pod, so final barrel-length will not be determined until the rifle is virtually finished. I know from weighing all the components that our final weight will be very close to the 18 lb. limit and that two-inches of barrel will weigh around 7 ounces � should we need (to loose) it!
Our first job is to get the barrel set up in the lathe and run in our Pacific Tool & Gauge reamer. The reamer is ground to what PT&G refer to as their �
I can now �mock-up� the rifle and weigh it, complete with scope and bi-pod.
Barrelled-action C/W trigger, guard and screws 11 lb. 0 oz.
SSS stock 5 0
Leupold 8.5-25 scope c/w rings 1 10
Harris bi-pod 10
Accessory rail (to be fitted to the fore-end) 3
Total 18 lb 7 oz.
So, we are about 5 ounces over the limit � a couple of inches off the barrel will do nicely! So, off comes the barrel and it�s back in the lathe for a final chop and crown. As usual, I�m going for a recessed crown � no muzzle brake � this is an F Class rifle remember and brakes are forbidden. If weight had been a real problem, I could have swapped the Leupold variable for my Weaver T25 scope, which would have saved half a pound.
The longer, heavier SSS stock is apparent in this pic with the factory F/TR rifle - that's the new Sinclair bi-pod by the way
Rob's Ultimate Tactical Rifle
The idea behind this project was to build a rifle with the forthcoming Czech sniper competition as the ultimate goal. It would be a joint effort between myself (gunsmithing) and Rob Hunter (everything else) though I should make it clear that Rob is funding the project and thus �calling the shots�.
Rob will be contesting the aforementioned comp. and taking on some of the very best military and police marksmen in the world. Let�s start off by exploring the options for our project.
Calibre
The 308 Win./7.62 Nato would always the first choice for a true tactical rifle. But we are not in the theatre of war, our �job� is simply punching holes in paper, so are there better options than the old 308? I can think of several alternatives � like the 260 Rem. Improved or even the 6BR but we settled on the new Lapua 6.5x47 cartridge. I�ve had good results with this new cartridge in my own tactical rifle at all ranges and ballistically, it will better the 308 all the way to 1000 yards. The cartridge is slightly shorter than the 308Win. so it will load from a standard 308 magazine and, should the need arise, good-quality loaded ammunition is readily available from Lapua, in a useful variety of bullet-weights from 100 � 139 grains.
Left, 308 Win, right the Lapua 6.5x47
Action
Any of the quality custom actions would be suitable for this project but remember, it has to be magazine fed. That means that the action will have a large hole in the base for the magazine and this is difficult to do without compromising the general stiffness of most actions. Also, as this is a �field� rifle, which could be dropped, submerged and dragged through the undergrowth, we need a bit more �bolt to body� clearance than we would find in a custom benchrest action. We could even have used a standard Remington 700 action � some great guns are still built on these actions, including plenty of the top American military tactical rigs but Rob finally chose the Surgeon action.
The Surgeon action - note integral scope rail.
The Surgeon is American � of course � and it was designed from the ground-up as a tactical action. How so? Well, Surgeon realised that it would have that great big cut-out for a magazine, so they compensated by stiffening the action with an integral Picatinny scope rail. This rail is part of the action-forging, not a screwed-on accessory and effectively puts back the metal removed for the magazine cut-out. The rail comes with a built-in 20MOA taper, so this is another plus.
Surgeon have also nullified another of my gripes by using an integral recoil-lug � rather than trapping it between barrel and action. This simplifies barrel swaps and bedding though I do not envisage Rob changing barrels in the middle of the competition! Unfortunately, the extractor is the same old Remington spring-type which I personally don�t like and would much prefer a proper Sako-style claw but the manufacturers claim excellent reliability with this type of extractor and I must admit I�ve never seen one fail on a Remington. Finally, the Surgeon action offers an identical footprint� to the short Remington action but at least Surgeon have lengthened the barrel-tenon threads thus offering better support.
Stock
The stock is a critical part of any project and this rifle is no exception as it will be used in a variety of shooting positions including prone off-hand, prone with bi-pod, sitting and standing. I really like my McMillan A5 and both Rob and I also have the older McMillan A2. I still think the A2 is a great stock but I concede that the A5 offers superior ergonomics and so does Rob, so this will be our choice.
The fabulous US Optics scope
Scope
Both of us have plenty of experience with the the Leupold Mk4, the Nightforce NSX and the Schmidt & Bender PM2 and any one of these fine scopes would suffice but Rob has a bit of a thing about US Optics (see 'Extreme Stuff') and has gone for the SN3 T-PAL scope with a 35mm body tube. This is a fantastic scope with a really useful reticle offering accurate range-finding in the field. Optically, it is second to none and build-quality is legendary. You really can hammer in tent-pegs with this scope! What�s more, it comes in a superb green anodised finish which will perfectly compliment our tactical theme. Not cheap at $2500 but, buy the best and cry once!
Barrel
Almost any of the quality stainless-steel barrels would do the job and it�s often a matter of availability but from the gunsmithing point of view, I�m well pleased with our Krieger. The 28 inch blank will finish at 27 inches with a twist rate of 1 in 8 to stabilise the 123 Lapua Scenars. Rob also likes moderators � and he has a new one to try from Stealth. This is a �reflex� type moderator but it is made from aluminium and stainless-steel and can be dismantled for cleaning and replacement of components - should it be necessary. For more information, have a look at www.thewholeshootingmatch.co.uk
Trigger
The Surgeon action is designed to take the Remington-style triggers but Rob wanted something a bit better than a standard Remmy. Yes, the Remington can be re-worked to give a lighter, crisper let-off but we need reliable a trigger built from the ground up to these standards so it�s definitely a Jewell - not the 2 ounce benchrest variety but one of the HVR models set at around a pound. Yes, the Jewell could be a problem with dust or water but it will best compliment the accuracy potential of this rifle.
Accessories
As we have previously stated, the rifle will need to be magazine-fed and for reliability, the super-strong Accuracy International ten-round magazines will be used. Scope rings will be US Optics own and they don�t come any tougher. A Harris bi-pod, which is light and versatile, completes the job.
The build
Although we are hoping for half MOA accuracy, we will not be using a tight-neck chamber. This would not be appropriate in a �field� rifle where care and cleaning may need to be neglected but my reamer from Pacific Tool & Gauge is �min spec.� and throated to use the 123 grain Lapua Scenar bullet.
The Surgeon action has an integral recoil-lug so, should we need to remove the barrel, the integral lug will make this easier to accomplish. I know that removing the barrel is an unlikely event but it happened to me quite recently. I pierced a primer and the tiny disc of metal found its way into the bolt � as it usually does. When I attempted to fire the next shot � click. I was in the middle of a competition and of course when I opened the bolt, the bullet was jammed in the rifling and powder spilled into the action. It�s almost impossible to remove every grain of powder without removing the barrel. Sooner or later, a granule of powder will find its way onto the bolt-face then � lock-up!
The action uses Remington's 'ring of steel' principle but the tenon is longer
After machining, I�ve left the barrel with its natural external ground finish as Rob intends to have it Dura Coated. The action already has a sand-blasted finish. Handily, James Clark, proprietor of Jager Sporting Arms, has just set up a coating facility close by in the
James Clark with the Dura Coated rifle
The McMillan A5 stock is already neatly inletted for the Surgeon action and because we have a large load-spreading floor-plate, there�s no need to install any pillars and a light skim of bedding-compound is all that�s necessary to ensure a perfect bed for the Surgeon. Of course, pillar-bedding would be the better job but time was not on our side and my own A5 stock similarly bedded with the Howa action is still delivering 'day one' accuracy after over a year of use. Should accuracy deteriorate, then pillar bedding is always an option.
Magazines are Accuracy International with Badger Ordnance floor-plate
The rifle more than lived up to expectations when we took it to the range and Rob kindly allowed me to shoot the first group. My first shot hit the tiny red spot (see pic) which Rob was using as an aim-point. Shot two was touching the first and the third shot made a pleasing little clover-leaf which, as you can see from the photograph, measured about three-tenths of an inch. Rob took over and not to be out-done, fired a five-shot group which was under half an inch. Off the bi-pod, with no load development, I thought that this was quite phenomenal and there may be more to come.
Our first 100 yd group!
Once load-development and running-in is complete Rob�s final job is to establish zeros at all range distances out to 1000 yards. In the Czech competition, Rob will be shooting at unknown distances, so range estimation is critical and so is making use of the information. With settings logged out to 1000 yards, it will be easier for Rob to interpolate the come-ups at any intermediate distances � provided his estimates are correct!
See how Rob and the 'Ultimate Tactical Rifle' fared in
The Kelbly-Stolle F Class Rifle from Litts
McMillan A5 stock, heavy profile fluted Krieger barrel
I must admit I was more than a little surprised when I saw the Litt�s advertisement in Target Sports magazine for the Kelbly rifles. After all, Kelbly and rifle-accuracy is akin to Ferrari and Formula 1 and let�s face it, you don�t see many Ferrari dealerships in the
If the names Kelby and Stolle aren�t ringing any bells, then a bit of background is appropriate before we go any further. George Kelbly is a household name in the world of benchrest shooting and he�s been around pretty well from the beginning.
First job - sort out a load!
George was raised on a farm in Ohio USA, where he still lives with his two sons. The Kelbly farm is famous for two reasons � every year it plays host to the world�s biggest benchrest shoot, the Super Shoot and it is also the manufacturing base for the Stolle action.
Sadly, Ralph Stolle is no longer with us but, like George, he was a pioneering benchrest shooter and accuracy-seeker. Early benchrest actions were usually modified factory actions and Ralph was one of the first to employ an aluminium sleeve to stiffen-up a factory action. This eventually lead to a custom-built aluminium-bodied action with steel inserts at critical points - for the bolt-handle, locking-lugs and the barrel tenon. When Ralph was ready to go into production, George offered him premises on the Kelbly farm.
The Stolle has a massive flat bedding-area
The Stolle action revolutionised benchrest in a similar way to the advent of the 6PPC cartridge. The aluminium action was lighter and stiffer than anything else on the market and of course, manufactured to finer tolerances than any factory action. This meant that more �meat� could be put into the barrel without exceeding the Light Varmint 10.5lb weight limit.
Today, stainless-steel actions like the BAT are as light as the Stolle (around 32 ounces) but the Stolle offers a greater bedding-area and even today, more benchrest shooters choose a Stolle than any other action. And not only benchrest shooters - when I shot with the American F Class Team at Blair Atholl in April, their rifles were built on Stolle actions. In F Class, there is really no weight limit to worry about (22lb.) so clearly the Stolle is a very desirable action, no matter what your discipline.
The rifle we have on test is actually the F Class version of the Stolle action. The difference being an integral recoil-lug and the built-in scope rail has a 20 MOA taper for long-range shooting. The benchrest action does not have a recoil-lug, as most BR actions are glued in place. Also, most (right-handed) BR shooters would specify a right-bolt, left-port configuration to aid rapid shooting but our test rifle has the more conventional right-bolt, right-port. Having said that, you may specify the action exactly how you wish and you can even have a dual port � feed from one side, eject from the other.
The built-in scope rail has a 20MOA taper and is engraved 'F Class'
Our 6BR chambering is an excellent choice and, out to 600 yards, it will hold its own with just about anything. The 6BR, or one of its close derivatives, currently holds all the 600 yard benchrest records and the odd 1000 yard one as well for that matter. OK, if I were intending to shoot beyond 600 yards on a regular basis, I might well specify the 6.5-284 version of this rifle. In fact, as both cartridges share a common head-size, why not go for a switch-barrel option? Swapping barrels is quite literally a two-minute affair. You will never need another rifle!
Let's go and do some shooting - but before we do, it�s essential to find out a bit more about our rifle. The 6BR is such a versatile cartridge it will effectively handle bullets from 70 to 105 grains but, with such a variation, we need to know how much freebore we have, otherwise our 105 grain Hornady A Max bullets could be seated too far back in the case � compromising powder-capacity. Alternatively, our 70 grainers could be hanging out of the case-neck when we seat out to touch the rifling. In addition, the 105 grain bullet will need a 1 in 8 twist whereas a 70 grainer should stabilise in a 1 in 14 twist.
Using a cleaning-rod fitted with a new bronze-brush, we can easily determine the twist-rate by measuring the distance the rod moves in one complete turn, as we carefully push it through the barrel. This is not an exact method but good enough to tell me that we are looking at a fast-twist barrel here � around 1 turn in 8 inches. This is in keeping with the rifle�s F Class intentions and I�m guessing it will be throated for bullets in the 90 to 105 grain range.
We can check this by making two measurements. The first one is from the muzzle to the bolt-face (with the bolt closed on an empty chamber) and the second is measured by carefully dropping our chosen bullet, point-down into the rifling and then measuring from the bullet tip to the muzzle. This is easier said than done and you may find a tool like the Stoney Point OAL gauge a great help here. The difference between the two measurements is the COAL � cartridge overall length. With the 105 grain bullet, this comes out at 2.32 inches but this will of course vary with different makes of bullet. Remember we are ideally looking for a seating depth approximately equal to one calibre but we don�t want much more, as this could cause the bullet�s boat-tail to be hanging into the powder-chamber � not ideal. Having said that, the 6BR has a long neck � about 8.5mm � so it should handle most bullets.
The 105 gn. A Max seats quite deep but thanks to the 6BR's long neck, powder capacity is not compromised
I also tried a 90 grain bullet which, when touching the rifling, was seated four millimetres into the neck. Less than ideal but not a problem when shooting in controlled conditions. Yes, we could seat the bullet deeper but then it would be well off the rifling and maybe accuracy would be compromised and you don�t buy a rifle like this to compromise on accuracy.
There is stacks of loading data on the internet for the 6BR and a great variety of powders can be used. Hodgdon Varget seems popular with the heavier bullet so that will be our starting point. Vihtavouri 140 is just a little slower but should work equally well. Try Vit 135 for the lighter bullets.
Conditions were horrendous for my load development session so I was well pleased with this quarter-inch group (top left)
The day I picked in mid May for load-development was horrendous. Very windy with frequent showers. Fortunately, Laurie�s data proved to be excellent and even in this wind, at 100 yards, the biggest three-shot group was just 0.7 inches and my best, a quarter of an inch � quite remarkable in these conditions, without wind-flags.
It would not be prudent to list my final load as although the load was safe in my rifle, it may not be in yours � so, as always, start low and work up the load in small increments. You can expect velocities approaching 2900 fps with the 105 grain bullet but I�m chasing accuracy not velocity and I�m well satisfied with my load, which is not exhibiting any pressure signs. Extraction is effortless � except that there is no ejector so you need to hook out the fired case with your finger. You can of course have a bolt-face ejector-pin but there is a school of thought which questions the wisdom of the side loading which the pin places on the case-head.
All loading was done using Wilson hand-dies (thanks Steve)
We�ve not said too much about the stock. As you can see, it�s a fibreglass McMillan A5 � a great all-rounder. Very stiff and very handleable. It doesn�t look out of place in the field and it�s plenty good enough for F Class work and the like. Surprisingly, there are no sling-swivel studs on the underside of the fore-end, though admittedly it�s only a simple job to fit one but it did mean that I couldn�t use a bi-pod for the test.
The stainless-steel Krieger barrel is of a very heavy profile, tapering from 1.23 inches at the breech to just over an inch at the muzzle. The 26 inch barrel is deeply fluted which helps keep the weight down and improve the balance by lacing more weight on the back-end � important when shooting free-recoil off the bags. It�s also screwed at the muzzle should you wish to use a moderator.
The Stolle�s large, flat footprint makes the action very easy to bed and gunsmiths love working with Stolles. As I would expect from the Kelbly stable, the bedding looks very tight and neat and I�m not going to risk chipping it by removing the barrelled-action simply to take a picture.
My first competitive shoot with the Stolle was a 300 yard F Class competition. We were using the standard Bisley 300 yard targets but with a tiny 1.5 inch diameter V bull and the old 3.75 inch diameter V bull ring would count as the five-ring. This is a very difficult target but conditions were fair and I came away with a 100.11v � the winning score. I was impressed. Eleven shots in that 1.5 inch diameter V bull is fantastic.
A win first time out at 300 yards with a 100.11v. That white V bull is just 1.5 inches in diameter.
With its Jewell trigger breaking at 16 ounces but feeling much lighter due to the super-crisp let-off, the rifle was a real pleasure to shoot and this is the great joy of smaller cartridges � minimal recoil, less rifle upset and, if it�s a factor, much cheaper to feed. The safety-catch is part of the trigger mechanism and is mounted inside the trigger-guard. My scope incidentally was a Leupold Mk4 boosted to 32 power by Premier Reticles.
Two days later would be an even greater test � the famous Diggle Egg Shoot. You may recall that the weather on that May Bank Holiday was horrendous but the little 6BR did me proud with an equal first on the 100 yard stage - with a half-inch group and second overall in the groundhog competition. Unfortunately, I didn�t break the egg � it was hail-stoning when I took my 500 yard shot and I was just happy to get it over with and back into a warm club-house! You can read a full write-up on the Egg Shoot under 'Competitions'.
My Egg Shoot target - second place overall and joint winner of stage one.
So, here we have one very accurate rifle, built from the finest components by one of the best gunsmiths on the planet. The little 6BR proved to be very easy to �tune� and this is the feature of a pedigree custom-rifle � straight out of the box it�s competitive.
You will not be surprised to learn that the price - �2900 - is considerably more than you would pay for any factory rifle but I can assure you that you will not buy an equivalent rifle any cheaper and what�s more � thanks to Litts - you can have it NOW!
Litts (www.litts.co.uk) have a number of rifles in stock and more in the pipeline and should be able to satisfy most requests no matter what your shooting discipline.