SmallCaliberCentral

My gunsmith notified me that my two rifle builds were ready to pick up and I traveled down to his shop on Saturday I picked them up. One was a .17 Remington built on a Stiller Predator action with a Lilja 1 in 9 twist barrel, a Jewell trigger and a Tumbleweeds Custom Rifles aluminum trigger shoe on the Jewell. I'll have a Leupold VX-3 6.5-20x40mm long range side focus scope in silver colore installed when I get some medium height 30mm Burris Signature Zee rings. Here's some of the parts I gathered up for this build. The stock is a Bell & Carlson tactical Medalist with the vertical grip in desert tan with black webbing.







The bottom metal is all silver in color too. It is unfortunate Burris doesn't make silver Signature Zee rings, but the matte black rings might look OK too. I formed about 300+ casings for this new rifle out of WW .204 Ruger casings. It was a long process, but I just couldn't see spending all the bucks on this nice new build and then use crappy Remington brass in it. The formed casings allowed me to turn the necks to .0125" and the diameter of the loaded necks will give me about .00215" of space all around the casing neck with 25 gr. V-Max bullets. With Nagel and Starke 30 gr. bullets there's .00198" of space all around the casing neck and with the 30 gr. Kindler Golds, there's a tighter fit, with .0018" of space all around the neck.

OK, enough about calibers other than .204 and on to my other build.

The other rifle I picke up is a .204 Ruger built on a Savage target action that I had Sharp Shooter Supply time and true for me. It is a right bolt left port single action.



I pulled a no-brainer on the scope base for this one. I ordered the Bench Source one-piece short action round base. When it arrived four or five months ago, I just put it on a shelf with the other parts for my rifle builds and didn't look at it very close. I took it out last night to install it on the action and my Burris Signature Zee rings won't work on it. I need a base that fits my Sig Zee rings. Besides, this base is a hair over .61" tall and WAAAY to tall for my needs. So, now I need a one-piece Picatinny style base for this Savage target action that measures 3.925" between the middle holes on the base. I need some mentoring on a base. I don't want to have to mortgage the house to pay for the base, but I don't want to go cheap on it either. Since it is only a .204 caliber, I don't need a heavy duty base.

When I was buying parts for this build, the only company making a stock that I liked for this Savage target action was H-S Precision Pro-Series 2000. I chose the desert tan color with black webbing for this stock too. The barrel is a Lilja stainless steel 1 in 12 twist with three grooves. Yes, I really wanted a 1 in 11" twist, but Lilja doesn't make the 1 in 11 twister. I plan on shooting nothing heavier than the 39 gr. Sierra unless this barrel likes 40 gr. pills.



I'll post more photos when I get this one up and running too.

PS: This is the .204 Ruger that I bought 300 Nosler .204 Ruger casings for even though they are shorter than the trim-to length. I have a .230 neck in the chamber, but I turned necks on all these casings to .0110" to .0111" so my loaded rounds measure .2262" at the neck. That gives me .0019" of free space all around the neck with loaded rounds using 39 gr. Sierras.

Very Nice Silverfox! Too bad you went so cheap on your 17. I like your 204, I have the same action, rings and stock for my 20 VarTarg. Be sure to let us know how they shoot.

Sidewinderwa--What bases did you use on your Savage target action??? I'm looking for something along the lines of a Picatinny style one-piece base. If you have a part number I would sure appreciate it. Thanks.

WOW! On both of those builds.

Burris makes silver sig zee rings.


http://www.burrisoptics.com/sigrings1.html#2

Nice guns

Very nice...........looking forward to getting a range report.
The prairie dogs are in trouble!

Thanks to all you fellows for the compliments on the two new rifles.

I called Graff and Sons and asked if I could return the Bench-Source base for a credit or refund. The rep told me that they usually don't allow returns on merchandise that has been out as long as mine was, but she'd make an exception for me, but the merchandise had to be in brand new unopened condition. Well, that put a monkey wrench it the return. I told her I had taken the base out of the bag and had put Lock-Tite on the screws. She said I could not return it then. I asked her if they would take it back if I bought new screws and included them with the return. NO DEAL!! I guess I can't blame them for not taking them back--it was my fault for not recognizing it was the wrong base.

I also contacted Midway USA about returning the two sets of matte black extra high 30mm Burris Signature Zee rings and that was a smooth deal. They are on their way back for a credit to my credit card account. I also ordered a set of matte black medium height 30mm Burris Signature Zee rings from them and also ordered and EGW Savage RB Picatinny tactical rail scope mount for this Savage target action. They had the rings in stock, but the EGW rail was on backorder and not expected in until May 31 or later. I ordered it anyway.

I went to EGW's website and they had the EGW rail I needed and they had it in the silver color AND they had it in stock!!! I ordered it from them and called Midway USA back and cancelled the EGW rail I had ordered from them.


So, now after I had already ordered a set of matte black 30mm medium height Burris Signature Zee rings, acloco tells me that Burris makes silver colored Sig Zee rings!!!! WOW!!! My heart was racing along at 900 miles an hour with excitement and breathless anticipation. I clicked on the link acloco provided and checked for silver 30mm Sig Zee rings and my excitement quickly turned to utter dejection and sadness because they only make the silver Sig Zees in the 1 inch size and not in the 30mm size However, acloco, your heart was in the right place for trying to help me out. I appreciate the attempt, I really do

You got a couple hot lookin poodle punchers there SF!! Can't wait to read the report on them babies.

Likewise SF....that's one purty rifle you've got there. That baby should be a real shooter. Keep us posted; really looking forward to seeing her in action too.

SilverFox - whoa...sorry. Did not know you needed 30 mm.

Um...know anybody with a glass bead cabinet? Your black ones would become silver rather quickly. Just clearcoat them with satin or matte clear. Tape off the inside of the rings and have your cake while you shoot!