So I wanted a short handy rifle for hunting with, and had this Ruger #1 in 223 sitting around being completely ignored.

Since I have had a thing for the Ruger #1 RSI since I handled one, that was the pattern I sought, but what calibre?

I wanted something between 6mm and 7mm in calibre, light recoil but enough power for goats and fallow deer.  It would be the next logical step up from my 6mm/223 (6x45), but a step down from my 30/06 (soon to be 300H&H).  A light/medium rifle for Australian game.

After a fair bit of research I decided on the new 6.5x47 Lapua cartridge.  From what I could see, it would give me a 120gn Nosler BT at 2700fps, and would work very well in the short barrel I had in mind.  Other contenders were the 243, 257Roberts and the 7x57/7-08.  As there were 3 rifles to be built on this cartridge, (the Ruger, a large 'F Class' style rig and a friend has built a stalking rifle up on a Parker Hale Mauser action), the gunsmith ordered a reamer for his use.  Keith Hills in Canberra now has the 6.5x47 Reamer in his collection, tight 'no turn' neck with a short throat so he can custom throat for the intended bullet.  http://www.khgs.com.au

I ordered a bunch of bits from Brownells in the states.  Included in this package was the right size extractor, steel grip cap and butplate and some useful tools.

Then, I spoke with Geoff Slee, Roger Vardy and some other sources and bought myself some nice wood.  Not exhibition grade, but extra fancy english walnut with marble rather than fiddleback.  It arrived as two blocks of raw walnut.  (Apologies for the picture, but I can't get the colour correction right.)


After a visit to Geoff Slee and my payment of his fee, it looked like this.



Inletted and basic formed to shape, but so much work to do.  I left the layout up to Geoff and am happy with the result.  The two stock parts were cut from the single large block of wood.  The intended 'forend' is still a block of walnut sitting in my shed - fuel for another project.

After around 4 hours with a set of scrapers, a rasp and files the stock was smoothed out for fitting up.  Another 8 hours, the scrapers again, a little prussian blue and a tiny amount of Dremel, the stock was fitted up to the action.  The action then went back to Keith for the fitting of the new barrel.  As Keith makes his living by building target rifles, my sporting rifles were never going to be a priority job - I have known that for the 20+ years I have used Keith as a gunsmith.  I keep going back so you may assume I am happy with his work.  

BTW - I am so very thankful the barrel was bought when the AU$ was higher than now!  After some smart machining work by Keith it fits perfectly and the stock Ruger rib went back on without any issues of alignment.

Inletting the barrel took me 6-8 hours with a bedding tool on Friday and Saturday.  Enlarging the nose cap for the slightly bigger barrel took an hour with the dremel this morning.  I'm working on fitting the butplate to the stock right now.  i've been at it since lunch and am around 2/3 the way through.  Photos of the action and current state tomorrow morning.

The barrel, nose cap and buttplate have an appointment for blueing on Wednesday morning.  

I'm off for the weekend hunting on Thursday afternoon.

I've still got to prep the cases and load them.

The clock is ticking.

Very nice, Adam.
I'll be watching this closely.
Out of interest where did you get the blanks?

Fantastic.  I am confused though as to why so much of the stock work was up to you?  Was that just your choice in order to save money ?

The stock work that I am doing is my choice.  Obviously Geoff could have done it quicker and better than myself, so could David Stendell at Kopje, or Roger Vardy, or anyone with more experience.

I chose to do it to
a) get the experience
b) save serious amounts of $$$
c) the timeline is tight and it would not have been finished on time - they would all need the metalwork before they started the woodwork.

I am happy with the level of fit that I have acheived with wood to metal.  It is better than my factory Ruger #1s.  I will be tuning it more next week, particularly around that buttplate.

I won't be doing the checkering.  I just don't trust myself to get it right - I have already spoken with David at Kopje (Cowra is only 3 hours up the road) and will be speaking further to see when he could fit me into his schedule.

Looking very nice Adam!



I feel your pain. My old man gave me an antique (heirloom) set of chequering tools last time I visited him. I've been practicing on hardwood but it's another thing entirely to take to a precious project with them...

No photos tonight, but the barrel, nose cap, grip cap and buttplate were blued today.

The forend has been roughed down to something close to the size, and the butt is almost complete.  I just finished sanding it with 800grit and am going to bed before I get tempted to do something radical like glue the grip cap on, or start oiling it.

I gotta say, the wood looks farkin' amazing (to me anyway).

Photos tomorrow.  I have until lunch time to get the forend finished, nose cap inletted and fitted and the first coat of oil on.  After midday, I finish reloading and packing my personal crap for the weekend (which I did some of when I wanted a break from woodwork).  The rifle goes in the case, irrespective of condition.  I suspect I will be taking sandpaper, oil and a file with me this weekend.

And this is the first complete project I have done.  My earlier attempts on a Fraser action in 22 K Hornet work, but are less than pretty - ahhh the impatience of youth.

My advice - be prepared to buy some tools you probably don't have.  And have patience - don't rush it 'cause you can completely screw it up with one stupid action.

the rifle looks great, what will you be hunting with it, cheers David

brilliant so far.  have you bothered to bed the forend hanger yet, or wait and see how it shoots?

Hey Adam

How did the finished product end up???

+1 Any kills yet?

adamjp

Nice piece of wood.


Who did the pancake ?

Van, isnt it about time you got off your 2 gun bandwagon?
First it was the piss weak 22-250, now the bloody 250.
Where are your kill pics mate?

Adam has created a work of art, and all you can say is "bler bler the 250 is better"

Nice work Adam, very nice work. 

Well done Adam, you've done a brilliant job on the woodwork, she's a beauty. Look forward to seeing the photos of what she looks like when your finished with her.

Coming along nicely.  Can't wait for the final pics.  Love the RSI look also.
Will buy one one day....

Awesome looking rig.
I could only wish to have your obvious talent with timber 

Looks great mate