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Author Topic: Let's build a bolt gun :)  (Read 1627 times)

Offline 20nickels

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Let's build a bolt gun :)
« on: February 28, 2012, 09:32:59 PM »
I don't own a bolt action, rarely shoot them and I know little about them so what do I do?  I go out and buy a completely stripped Mosin Nagant reciever and a 7.62X54r chambered and threaded fat barrel for the intention of building a "benchrest" gun from the ground up.    :laugh:  When It's all said and done I really won't save money over the standard Remchesterby's but my family and I will be able to shoot cheap com-bloc surplus ammo all day without breaking the bank.  Parts so far;
-Stripped Mosin rec.  Bought it this way, no history was harmed in the making of this thread.
-Czech UK59 chrome lined machine gun barrel.  Don't laugh, kitchen table gunsmiths are getting 1/2 moa out of these with handloads.  Some how a batch of these tubes were screwed up before they drilled for the gas port so they threaded them for the Mosin rec's to try and make some of there $$ back.
-Mosin Bolt complete, off Gunbroker.
-Timney trigger pack- light adjustable and crisp, awesome trigger.
-Okie coin style headspace guages.  Go, No go, and Field.

« Last Edit: February 28, 2012, 10:11:36 PM by 20nickels »
~1522~    In an effort to reduce the continuing fear surrounding the black magic of guns and black powder, a Bavarian necromancer states that rifles are more accurate than smoothbores because the spinning bullet doesn't allow a demon to gain purchase upon it.

Offline 20nickels

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Re: Let's build a bolt gun :)
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2012, 09:39:13 PM »
First things first.  I need to time, torque and headspace the barrel.  54r is a rimmed cartridge so I turned the rim off of one loaded cartridge to see just how sloppy the chamber is.  The rimless cartidge sinks .020 deeper into the chamber which brings me to my 1st question;
Should I file the face of the chamber down a bit so it is a tighter chamber or leave it?  Thought maybe it would be easier on my brass, not stretching the cases as much.  What do you all think?
~1522~    In an effort to reduce the continuing fear surrounding the black magic of guns and black powder, a Bavarian necromancer states that rifles are more accurate than smoothbores because the spinning bullet doesn't allow a demon to gain purchase upon it.

Offline 20nickels

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Re: Let's build a bolt gun :)
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2012, 09:54:54 PM »
Question two;
How do you Torque a barrel?  Once it is hand tight do you crush it in a bit?  Parts of this barrel are way over sized, it weighs 6 1/2 lbs, so I don't mind wrenching on it as it will be turned down to about 7/8" anyway.  I have an appointment with a lathe this Sat. the 3rd so I would like to make sure this is the barrel for this receiver before I have the work done.  The rec. threads are .940 FWIW.  I will have to guesstimate how much the "torqueing" will clock the extractor cut from hand tight.
~1522~    In an effort to reduce the continuing fear surrounding the black magic of guns and black powder, a Bavarian necromancer states that rifles are more accurate than smoothbores because the spinning bullet doesn't allow a demon to gain purchase upon it.

Offline 20nickels

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Re: Let's build a bolt gun :)
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2012, 04:11:38 PM »
In case you all were dying to know  ::)  I've had all my questions answered.  I cancelled my lathework appointment and will pick it back up down the road sometime, no hurry.  I'm going to face the chamber down about .010, headspace and then re-cut the extractor. 
~1522~    In an effort to reduce the continuing fear surrounding the black magic of guns and black powder, a Bavarian necromancer states that rifles are more accurate than smoothbores because the spinning bullet doesn't allow a demon to gain purchase upon it.

Offline bkoenig

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Re: Let's build a bolt gun :)
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2012, 05:03:58 PM »
I missed this the first time around.  Are you going to turn the barrel down?  Those old machine gun barrels are massive.

Offline 20nickels

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Re: Let's build a bolt gun :)
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2012, 10:45:03 AM »
I missed this the first time around.  Are you going to turn the barrel down?  Those old machine gun barrels are massive.
Yes, Methinks about 7/8" or so.  That's about the sizes of the Muzz devices I like.  It's a big tube, weighs like 6 lbs.  Some are just screwing the UK59 tube in as is and shooting with it but without some sort of lock collar fabricated to butt up against the rec. I don't think this is very ideal.  The Mosin rec. is designed for 3 lb tubes not 6!  I have some interesting new threads on other forums archived on this barrel if you're interested.
~1522~    In an effort to reduce the continuing fear surrounding the black magic of guns and black powder, a Bavarian necromancer states that rifles are more accurate than smoothbores because the spinning bullet doesn't allow a demon to gain purchase upon it.

Offline bkoenig

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Re: Let's build a bolt gun :)
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2012, 10:40:59 PM »
I started building a similar project a couple of years ago.   I had a barrel blank reamed & threaded for 7.62x54R.  It's headspaced and just needs torqued down to the receiver, but I need to figure out what I'm going to do for a stock.  I originally bought a Richards Microfit stock and it's junk.  Looks like a drunken chimpanzee did the inletting with a crowbar.  They didn't even bother to inlet the barrel & action straight in the stock, and it's so thick that the bottom metal won't match up to the receiver.  I should have asked for my money back but I let it set for a long time before I tried to actually put everything together.  I'll probably buy a Boyd's stock.  That was going to be my winter project this year, but I never got around to it.

Offline 20nickels

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Re: Let's build a bolt gun :)
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2012, 10:20:22 AM »
Walther tube?
Sorry to hear about the stock.  Couple of options.  Tikka stocks fit with minimal work, flat bottomed rec.  There's a guy that sells benchrest stocks on ebay occasionally.  I wouldn't be surprised if a synthetic stock appears with all the Mosin's out there.
I'm still unsure how much turn in you can expect in torquing the barrel.
~1522~    In an effort to reduce the continuing fear surrounding the black magic of guns and black powder, a Bavarian necromancer states that rifles are more accurate than smoothbores because the spinning bullet doesn't allow a demon to gain purchase upon it.

Offline bkoenig

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Re: Let's build a bolt gun :)
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2012, 11:55:33 AM »
Yep, it's a LW barrel. 

Boyd's actually makes a few different stock styles now, and they're reasonably priced.