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

The S&L barrel was also widely used in the earlier days of the likes of the SWING as they worked superbly with the 147 grain issue ammunition of the time. It would be a shame to chop one up for no reason...

Well that's not strictly true the reason I bought it was because I'm keen to have a go at cutting and re crowning a barrel. I would like to also have a go at re cutting and chambering a barrel. If I get it wrong it would be a expensive learning curve if I bought a action several hundred pounds and a barrel blank several hundred pounds.
This rifle has sat in a dealers for ever with no interest. The rear sight has a value as far as the dealer is concerned the rest of the rifle is worth £60 to him. So for £60 I get a barrelled action a trigger set and a stock. If I get it right I have a rifle to shoot cast bullets in if I get it wrong I'm £60 out of pocket and the rifle goes in the scrap bin.

But then again I might just shoot it as it is but if I do Ill have to buy the rear sight off him because that's not included in the sale.

A update.
I have had a chance to have a good look at the rifle now. I'm in no hurry to start chopping bits of it yet. I would like to fit a scope to it so I started measuring and pondering. I have got the rear sight now it seemed like the right thing to do. Any way I have dismantled the rear sight and I'm using the base as a template. The rear of the action is all ready drilled and tapped with four holes to accommodate the rear sight. I have decided to use the four existing holes to mount a scope rail the original base is being used as a template to mill a copy of it with a flat top. This will be done on a Bridgeport mill because it has a digital read out on it. The mill is busy at the moment so I wont be able to get on it till next week but that's OK. Iv got a idea in mind for the rail if it works out I wont need to drill any more holes in the action but we will see. I'm also looking at making a seating die to accommodate cast bullets to use with my Arbor press with modified seating stems rather than faffing about with my bench mounted jobby. I also need to slug the bore.

I have a Swing target rifle of 1982 vintage, bought new in fact from Arthur Clarke who built it to shoot 300m then decided not to bother as he was obviously doing extremely well in other directions. It is still fitted with the original S&L 1:14 barrel and despite its age it has shot less than 10,000 rounds and still shoots better than me. I use 146g Privvi, 155g Lapua Scenars and 195g lead bullets through it and all perform well. I removed the target sights a few years ago and fitted a scope, it's great fun.

How did you fit the scope did you drill and tap the action.
I'd be interested in any info on your cast loads. Bullet diameter and type of powders used etc.

The action was already tapped and drilled so I just got Fultons at Bisley to fit the rail. I think if you have to tap and drill you have to reproof the gun but I couldn't swear to this. I'm sure others will know.
In hindsight and knowing bugger all about such things at the time I think I should have specified a picatinny rail rather than the weaver they fitted as there seems to be more scope ring options with the former.
I use an RCBS double cavity bullet mould which drops 195g bullets with facility to add a gas check. I know there will be an outcry for saying this but I just use scrap range lead for the casting. I lube with Alox, resize to 309 and fit a gas check using a Lee die. I load the bullet on top of 16g of Alliant 2400 and this gives me 1550fps. I only shoot lead at 200 and 300 yards and it easily achieves inside 2 MOA groups. In fact I probably shake more than 2 MOA. I take Dromia's point about whether you need to use a gas check but being a belt and braces sort of lad I do use one.

Any chance of a picture of the scope rail and how it's mounted.

I will do my best to post some pictures but can't promise anything as my computer skills are somewhat lacking.
I live in Reading so if you live close you are very welcome to drop in and look at the rifle and take a few bullets away with you to try out, even load a few if you like.

Up date. I can not get on the mill at work I might have to have a go with my own mill at home. The machine shop is at full tilt at the moment.
Any way I have three moulds that I think will do for starters. I might post some pics of the boolits if any one is interested.
I will be slugging the bore at some stage I will post pics of the process as I guess there might be some interest in that.
I have bought in some steel round bar stock in bright steel and stainless for the Dies and stuff. I have also purchased/acquired a bunch of taps and dies in various sizes and some really cool centre finders and measuring equipment. I also got my hands on a variable speed gizmo with a motor that will hope fully give me a adjustable power feed for the lathe.
One of the Companies at work is down sizing the Company that provides my maintenance support has the contract to empty the labs and work shops. Every thing is being skipped I have access to the skips.

Hopefully picture of scope rail and scope on my Swing is attached.

Thanks for the picture. It looks like the original rear sight mounts differently on yours I'm assuming the block on the left of your action is were the rear sight bolts to. On mine there are four holes drilled and tapped in the rear of the action. I don't want to drill any more holes in it so I'm trying to make something that utilises the existing four rear mounting points. I'm just taking it one step at a time.