Your Custom Rifle

[ldmay375]

Morris is top notch, a perfectionist, and a hell of a great guy!

Cannot post any finished pictures, but here is the foundation.

Satterlee 404 Jeffery action.

The middle blank is the one that will become the stock. Steve Durren will be doing the stockwork and rust bluing. Not sure who I am going to have do the engraving.

CAD file for the barrel. Krieger blank with a 1-14 twist, a bit faster than the standard 1-16 for the Jeffery. Barrel will have integral ¼ rib, recoil lug, front sight base, and sling stud. Profile will be half octagon to half ovate. Morris Melani of Alaska Arms is doing the metal work.

rr

 

[Proneshooter]

Morris is top notch, a perfectionist, and a hell of a great guy!


rr

Always good to hear positive feedback on a chosen gunsmith. I have had some rough times in the past with poor choices, but Morris and I hit it off pretty quickly so I took the plunge.
John

 

[Rick Cox]

Well here are mine. One is a Model 70 Winchester Super Grade, but I had it rebarreled from 30-06 to 35 Whelen. It is showing impressive accuracy. The next is my 1903 Springfield still in 30-06. The metal work I had done years ago in Dawson Creek BC, the stock was carved and bedded by Chris Wilcox in Cherryville BC. Also surprisingly accurate for a 100+ year old gun. The photo of the action is the 1903.

 

[Rick Cox]

500 B&M Winchester M70 18 inch barrel Accurate Innovations Myrtle Stock

50 B&M Winchester M70 18 Inch Barrel Accurate Innovations Bastogne Stock

500 MDM Winchester M70 20 inch Barrel Accurate Innovations English Stock

458 B&M Winchester M70 18 Inch Barrel Accurate Innovations Bastogne

500 MDM Winchester M70 18 inch Barrel Accurate Innovations Myrtle Stock

50 B&M Alaskan Browning Hi Grade M71 18 Inch Barrels

Jeezzz there's a lot of beautiful guns showing up on this post!

 

[Rick Cox]

Because I once cried watching hand-rubbed linseed oil finished French walnut turn into a gray warped plank, and rust blue turn to rust, over the course of a 10 days, non-stop rain, fly-camp moose hunt in Newfoundland, despite my best nightly efforts; and because my last $xx,xxx custom Griffin & Howe bespoke rifle (.340 Wby on ZKK 602 action) ended up like this at the Phoenix departure (or Seattle arrival?) airport:

View attachment 350205

My custom rifles now look like that:

View attachment 350206

Absolutely matched .300 Wby, .375 H&H, .416 Rigby built by Triple River Gunsmithing on modified CZ 550 actions (released and polished actions; tuned up and polished feeding rails and ramps; Timney triggers; upgraded magazine follower springs; jeweled bolts & extractors; American Hunting Rifles bolt-mounted, firing pin-blocking safeties; straightened bolt handles; filled bolt handle knobs; barrel boss rear sight bases, barrel band front swivel mounts; New England Custom Guns barrel band front sight ramps; interchangeable front sight inserts; non glare, corrosion resistant ferritic nitrocarburizing metal finish; Bell & Carlson kevlar stock with full length aluminum bedding block and integrated bedding pillars; Leica scopes in Talley mounts).

Smooth as silk, fully reliable, MOA accurate, impervious to elements, virtually indestructible. The epitome of "utilitarian beauty." No show pieces for sure, but ruthless field pieces...

Your photo of the broken gun brought tears to my eyes.

 

[Longwalker]

Hello longwalker,

I would like to know your opinion about the Kaps 4x36 30mm scope on your big rifle...

Thank you!

CF

I have owned that scope for about 8 years now, and it has performed as expected. It is mounted on a .375. It has maintained its adjustment, adjustments seem positive, ( I do not change adjustments while shooting, only to sight in again when changing ammunition) Image through the lenses is clear, ok in low light, and it is not difficult to aim quickly. The image is not quite as flat as some of my other scopes, the small amount of distortion near the outside edges is about the only thing I do not like. Over all it seems like a good value and a solid reliable scope.

 

[Clodo Ferreira]

Thank you LW.

CF

 

[littlebear]

My two favorite rifles for Africa, and the one at top is my custom made CZ550 Magnum .416 Rigby, and the one in the bottom is my Musgrave 90 30.06.

 

[SAFARIKIDD]

Custom .600 Overkill with all the Bells and Whistles...

 

[SAFARIKIDD]

Custom .500 Jeffery by Bijou Creek ...
36" oal with 16" barrel..6.5pds
All Stainless Model 70 Classic
Cerrakote to match the Leupold
Has taken 2 Cape and a Brownie

 

[rookhawk]

Custom .500 Jeffery by Bijou Creek ...
36" oal with 16" barrel..6.5pds
All Stainless Model 70 Classic
Cerrakote to match the Leupold
Has taken 2 Cape and a BrownieView attachment 358247View attachment 358248View attachment 358249

@SAFARIKIDD are you the fellow that owned the 4-bore dinosaur gun?

 

[SAFARIKIDD]

Some 4 Bore MASTODON photos....

 

[rookhawk]

@SAFARIKIDD first gun where the ammo cost exceeds the trophy fee?

Ken is an amazing artist. He did an incredible job on the mastodon. Did you find the penetration or efficacy to be superior to your other large bores, or did the bullet diameter even it out in the end versus your .500-.600 rifles?

 

[mark-hunter]

@SAFARIKIDD
Out of couriosity, what powder do you use for 4 bore cartridges?

 

[rookhawk]

@SAFARIKIDD
Out of couriosity, what powder do you use for 4 bore cartridges?

I believe Ken Owen’s regulating load for four bores was 1000 grains of blue dot. I *think* it’s a 2000 grain bullet used. Resulting in 115-135lbs of felt recoil from a 26 pound rifle.

We’ll wait for @SAFARIKIDD to confirm.

 

[nztimb]

I believe Ken Owen’s regulating load for four bores was 1000 grains of blue dot. I *think* it’s a 2000 grain bullet used. Resulting in 115-135lbs of felt recoil from a 26 pound rifle.

We’ll wait for @SAFARIKIDD to confirm.

1000gn is just 7 loads to the lb. Makes my loads with BD in smaller cartridges totally insignificant in comparrison with 760/lb

 

[rookhawk]

Unknown custom in .270, although highly suspected the metal work is Griffin & Howe based on their jeweling pattern and a complex 5 panel bolt knob.

just had G&H custom fabricate 30mm rings with a custom offset (pricey!) so I could use it with a modern 2-10x50 Leica. The original Lyman aperture can now rest on the rifle simultaneously with the optic. (It previously had a 1” optic in low configuration)

 

[Scanos]

I just finished this custom .470 Capatick. BRNO 602, PacNor barrel, NECG classic front, ringed rear sightbase with integral recoil lug. Gunkote finish and customized stock. I did all the work myself except chamber the barrel. I do not have a lathe. Shoots great I am still working up loads. So far 81 grains Varget at about 2200 fps with 500gr solids.

 

[ChrisG]

This rifle was built by Al Lind. It is a 7x57, and the idea was to create the feel of a pre-war German stalking rifle with modern dimensions such as the high comb for scope use. If I were to do it again, we would have included open sights. It is dainty little thing that is perfect for Texas whitetail.

This is a .404 built on a somewhat modified CZ action by Craig Libhart. It is a big robust rifle, and I regret to say that I have not taken it to Africa.

Sadly, I do not know who built this rifle, but the man who ordered it new what he was doing. It was designed to utilize a Griffin & Howe sidemount. This left room for a redfield rear sight with a large "ghost ring" aperture. No traditional rear sight was ever mounted and the front sight has a generous ivory bead. It has a lovely slim English walnut stock with perfect grain through the wrist for strength. Its only flaw is the FN action which uses the ridiculous hinged bolt release that can malfunction in dust. I took my first buffalo with it (my avatar) in the Caprivi.

Lastly, is my .338 Win Mag. Again, I have no idea who built this rifle. I have taken it apart and can find no maker's name on it. It is the rifle that accompanied me on my first hunt in Africa. It is supremely accurate with 250 gr bullets, and with it, I took my leopard and significant amount of plains game, to include my best kudu. The Trijicon scope dates from that hunt. Whoever built it knew his business. It is perfectly bedded and the action is smooth as glass.

View attachment 349801

As per usual... You had to go set the bar really high

 

[Professor Mawla]

.458 WM ( Winchester Magnum ) built on Winchester Enfield 1917 action by Flaigs ( Millvale , Pennsylvania) in 1973 . Douglas Premium barrel , French walnut stock .

Very effective on Royal Bengal tigers , Asiatic elephants , wild boars and ( among more mundane things ) Axis deer .