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

Alpha1 wrote: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.

what sort of stuff is being skipped?

Yes absolutely right about the block. I left it on because if I took it off and put it 'somewhere safe' I'd never find it again. Now where did I put the rear sight ............

Fultons but they did a good job fitting the scope rail and may be able to advise you on your mounting. I expect they've seen all sorts over the years.

Alpha1 wrote:

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.


what sort of stuff is being skipped?

They are lots of skips down the line now. Most of it has gone. The kind of stuff I was interested in was hand tools. Taps and dies. Measuring equipment. There was a lot of lead ingots. Stainless steel. Mild steel. Tonnes of aluminium stuff. Most of it is bits of speciality equipment purpose built for research. Outside of a research facility they are no use to any one and if they were the Company would rather they were melted down than any one know what the original use was anyway.
The contents of several laboratories all the scientific glass ware. Vacuum pumps. Ovens. Gas cylinder gauges etc.The contents of all the offices including desks, chairs, filing cabinets, printers, fax machines etc. etc. the list is endless.
Its research every project is allocated a budget. Research does not have to make a profit. If it works you can make millions once you put what you have piloted into practice. If it does not work some were along the line you pull stumps. The kit has no value to the Company they just want rid of it as quickly as possible to make room for the next project. So they pay for it to be disposed of.

Hmm... I remember a friend turning up with a couple of brand new Snap-On complete with contents, many items unused at the end of a project. You can guess who was paying for the stuff at the end of the day...

Next Saturday the 13th is the rifles first outing with cast boolits.
Its only a short range so not really a good test of its potential. But it will give me the chance to sight it in and see how the different boolit types perform. The next week is about prepping and sizing the cases seating primers then loading up the cases with cast boolits and a suitable powder. It also gives me a chance to see how my cast boolit seating die works with the arbor press. Im going to full length size the cases then expand the neck with a custom expander. After the first firing they will be neck sized then the neck will be opened up using a custom expander. I have acquired a couple of L.E.Wilson micrometer adjustable seaters. I have fitted them with my modified seating stems so I can fine tune the seating depths.

In the mean time I took time out to re read Mr E.Harris thoughts on the subject in the Library section.

Stuff. Bullet seater

After much research I have settled on the rear sight base design. It has been machined in aluminium unfortunately I have not managed to get my hands on a scope rail to modify so this weekend will be about shooting it with the original sights. After that it's a complete strip down. Who knows what that will lead to.
I'll post pictures of the base if any one is intrested. Oh nearly forgot I prepped 50 Lapaua case and full lentgh sized them. Expanded the necks with my custom expander. I sized and lubed the bullets to .310 and fitted gas checks. I need to acquire some gas checks from some were I'm getting low. Any way onward and up ward.

Obviously there is no interest so to wrap it up.
I machined a rear block that went on using the original rear sight tapings. I then modified a mauser scope rail to accept a scope. Work to be done shorten the barrel re cut the chamber. Perhaps bead blast the barrel and action.
(We have got a huge shiny new blast cabinet that is just begging for a job like this) Polish and re blue. Some of the Chemists at work assure me they can do a sterling job of this if I should so wish.
There are other mods I am keen to do. I took it out last week end and and shot .308 cast boolits(NOE mould) gas checked with very good results. So I will carry on with my project. But that's enough of all that boring stuff.
So for now its good night from me and good night from him. Hmm whats next.

Just keep posting and get some pictures up, I am reading and I am sure others are as well!

Ok a update the project is moving along nicely.
The rifle is now fitted with a scope rail. Ill post some pics when I attach the scope. Its now also fitted with a bipod to make things more stable. I had to machine a fitting to fit the bipod. Its not a Harris and I'm not sure I like it. I may change it but the one that's on will do for now.
Pics to follow.
I'm going to slug the bore. Once I have done that Ill be in a better position to re load for it. Just a reminder the project is about shooting a cast boolit in .308.

Just to complicate things to day I acquired a new rifle in a caliber I'm keen to learn to reload for. There is just not enough hours in the day.
I could do with an apprentice re loader to help me out.