The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Well mine has been festering over a few years since I played with a DSR-1 and fell in love with the top mounted bipod concept.

I have been experimenting with converting existing bipods with no real success. This winter I started a project more to source a bipod for myself than anything else. But if I can sell a few too, I wont complain. If I dont I still have a great bipod albeit more expensive as a one off

Here is a pic of the prototype which is basically my own bipod to keep for my own use regardless..........only extra development I am considering is removing the lip from the rear of the ski feet to allow better stowage - not sure yet.

Anyway its taken a few years but this winters project has been the bipod I have wanted for ages.......

breacher wrote:Well mine has been festering over a few years since I played with a DSR-1 and fell in love with the top mounted bipod concept.

I have been experimenting with converting existing bipods with no real success. This winter I started a project more to source a bipod for myself than anything else. But if I can sell a few too, I wont complain. If I dont I still have a great bipod albeit more expensive as a one off

Here is a pic of the prototype which is basically my own bipod to keep for my own use regardless..........only extra development I am considering is removing the lip from the rear of the ski feet to allow better stowage - not sure yet.

Anyway its taken a few years but this winters project has been the bipod I have wanted for ages.......

Nice work! How about a picture of it folded?

Add a couple of fullbores, 223 & 308, to cabinet now variation is back and learn the black art of reloading.

I'm pretty chewed up about selling my Canadian No.4 last year , I reducing my numbers of rifles and sold the ones I didn't shoot much. It was a mistake , I bought it for £7 , 10 shillings in 1969 and was quite attached to it. By some chance I was almost given a Parker Hale sporter in 303 based on a No.4 mk2 in very good condition . I already have all the correct No.4 wood so I intend to convert it back to an issue No.4 over the winter , the only thing I'm lacking is the correct rearsight , the Mk1 micrometer. This is a Fazackerly gun so I will find one at a realistic price then the only thing wrong will be the lack of bayonet lugs up front. A new barrel would correct that but I don't have a .303 brit reamer to chamber one .

TomH wrote:

breacher wrote:Well mine has been festering over a few years since I played with a DSR-1 and fell in love with the top mounted bipod concept.

I have been experimenting with converting existing bipods with no real success. This winter I started a project more to source a bipod for myself than anything else. But if I can sell a few too, I wont complain. If I dont I still have a great bipod albeit more expensive as a one off

Here is a pic of the prototype which is basically my own bipod to keep for my own use regardless..........only extra development I am considering is removing the lip from the rear of the ski feet to allow better stowage - not sure yet.

Anyway its taken a few years but this winters project has been the bipod I have wanted for ages.......

Nice work! How about a picture of it folded?

Now you can see why I am thinking of removing that rear flip up bit on the feet

It would make it just that bit more neat in the folded position.

[quoteI'm pretty chewed up about selling my Canadian No.4 last year , I reducing my numbers of rifles and sold the ones I didn't shoot much. It was a mistake , I bought it for £7 , 10 shillings in 1969 and was quite attached to it. By some chance I was almost given a Parker Hale sporter in 303 based on a No.4 mk2 in very good condition . I already have all the correct No.4 wood so I intend to convert it back to an issue No.4 over the winter , the only thing I'm lacking is the correct rearsight , the Mk1 micrometer. This is a Fazackerly gun so I will find one at a realistic price then the only thing wrong will be the lack of bayonet lugs up front. A new barrel would correct that but I don't have a .303 brit reamer to chamber one .
][/quote]

How would chambering a new barrel fix the lack of bayonet lugs.?

I have all ready started my winter projects and spurred on by the success of the 6.5x47 neck bushing die I have roughed out a drawing for one in .303. In fact I'm fairly confident I could turn one out for any of my rifle calibres now.
I have been looking at making a dedicated cast boolit seating die using a seating stem made from aluminium cut to the boolit nose profile so as not to mark the boolit on seating. Using my arbor press. The arbor press gives you a lot more feel/feedback on seating I think I have got it sussed. It should be interesting. I'm quite taken with the arbor press the possibilities are endless.

you cut barrel lugs on the new barrel?

or get a new barrel with lugs

Alpha1 what material are you using for your bushings and are you doing them in .0005" increments?

The neck bushing and seating dies are 316 stainless. Iv pretty well got these sussed now the first one was 7.62x39. I'm really pleased with the way the recent set in 6.5x47 turned out I showed them to the clever people at work and was pleased with all the nodding of heads as they were passed around. What's really cool is they don't all go into a huddle and start pointing fingers and chuckling any more when I walk into the machine shop now a days I'm usually greeted with hey Dave what you working on this week any thing interesting.
I have made a couple of blanks one is going to be .303. The other one will be military calibre probably a 7.62x54.
The bushings are a different story I used 316 stainless I have made one in .288 for the 6.5x47 but to be honest for what it cost me to get set up and machine the bushing I could probably buy them cheaper. I have spent a large sum of money on reamers. Cutters collets etc etc. I would have to sell a few to recover my outlay. But to me its a hobby I enjoy my time in my little workshop. Its how I wind down and hey I have got some of the best precision made re loading equipment in the UK. I know that for a fact because I made it my self and I have range tested it and it works.
Then there is the cast boolit thing and the-------. It just goes on and on there is not enough hours in the day.

(These projects would not of been possible with out all the help and advice from ovenpaa at the shootingshed)

I look on my bushings as 'emergency' bushings however they do hold up well. The important thing is not to remove the material from the chuck once you have started the job to ensure they are concentric and I allow the boring bar to wash out over a series of final cuts. I use exactly the same bars as I sent to you.

The other part that takes some skill is accurately measuring and reading internal bores and I use a mix of some natty little Mitutoyo measuring devices and plug gauges I machine to suit.

My biggest disappointment is not having more time to do such jobs for myself....