AR-platform rifles can be maintenance-intensive beasts. But some AR owners make the situation worse by not regularly cleaning important small parts, or by using too much oily/greasy lubricants in the wrong places. A properly maintained and lubricated AR15 can shoot hundreds of rounds (between cleanings) without a problem. If you learn where (and where not) to apply lubricant, you’ll find that your AR will run more reliably and the task of cleaning the bolt and bolt carrier will be less of a burden.
Here is a good video that explains AR-15 Cleaning and Maintenance. In this 30-minute NSSF video, Gunsite Academy instructor and gunsmith Cory Trapp discusses the proper way to clean and maintain the AR-15 carbine. Very knowledgeable, Trapp provides rock-solid advice for AR owners. Along with cleaning procedures, this video explains how to inspect key components and how to function-test your AR before each shooting session.
If you want to keep your black rifle running smoothly and reliably, you must clean it regularly and follow the correct maintenance procedures. Here’s another good video that explains how to properly disassemble and clean AR-platform rifles.
Take-Down and Full Cleaning of AR15 by Jerry Miculek
Here ace shooter Jerry Miculek takes down and cleans an AR-platform rifle belonging to his daughter Lena. This is a good video because Lena’s rifle was “run hard and packed up dirty” so you can see where carbon and grease build up. This 35-minute video is very thorough. Jerry is one of the nation’s top action carbine shooters, so listen carefully to his advice on cleaning and lubrication.
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This video from Brownells talks about a the crown of a barrel and how the crown’s condition affects accuracy. As the bullet leaves the barrel of the gun, the shape, alignment and the condition of the crown can affect the accuracy of your shot. A proper crown is essential to ensure that the bullet leaves the barrel correctly and that the propellant gasses behind the bullet are distributed evenly on firing. A square crown without burrs and a smooth transition will normally ensure consistency from shot to shot. By contrast, a damaged crown can cause unpredictable flyers that open your group. That’s why it’s important to have perfect crowns on all your barrels.
The video explains the different types of crowns that can be used. In addition, the video shows how you can chamfer your muzzle in a home shop. If you use a properly-sized pilot, cutting a shallow chamfer is something that most guys with some mechanical skill can handle. Just be sure to use lubricant, flush chips, and don’t rush the job. Cutting the barrel is another matter. At the 1:20 mark the video shows how to use a hack-saw to remove a damaged muzzle section. While this may be fine for an inexpensive rifle that needs a “quick fix”, we do NOT recommend using a hack-saw with a vise for a competition barrel. The reason is that it is too easy for a novice to produce a cut that is not square. We suggest letting a professional gunsmith cut and crown your competition barrels.
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As posted in the Calguns.net a few years back, there was a nasty out-of-battery firing incident involving a BOHICA Arms .510 DTC AR15 upper. The cause of the out-of-battery firing is not certain but it appears that the ammo was not sized properly and the firing pin may have been stuck in the extended position. As a result, the round went off before the bolt was closed with the lugs seated. In the process, the bolt handle broke off, as the bolt retracted violently, actually ending up outside the bolt raceway.
The shooter was badly injured, with broken bones and ligament damage to his left hand and tissue damage to his right hand. The shooter was holding the rifle with his left hand near the front of the chamber where a gas vent was located. Gas and shrapnel existed the vent hole causing the severe injuries to the left hand.
From range reports, it appears that the shooter had been struggling to chamber previous rounds, and was having trouble closing the bolt. After talking with one of the rangemasters, a poster on AR15.com reported: “The guy was using new reloads that weren’t exactly fitting well into his chamber. [The shooter] was slamming the bolt handle with his palm trying to get the cases to lock in. The guy was also slamming the bolt forward full force from the rearmost position back and forth trying to ram the cases into chamber in an attempt to squeeze the rounds in so the bolt could close. Finally, on one of the attempts … the possibly stuck firing pin rams into the primer and explodes the round when he slams the bolt forward (zero lug engagement hence the KB) and shooter puts himself into a world of hurt.”
Lessons Learned — Don’t Try to Force Oversize Ammo into a Chamber
By all reports, the shooter’s ammo wasn’t fitting his chamber properly. In an effort to force the ammo into the chamber, he worked the bolt with excessive force. That MAY have caused the firing pin to extend or the hammer to fall without the trigger being pulled. One theory is that the trigger system may have been modified, allowing the hammer to fall from the force of slamming the bolt forward. Others have speculated that the firing pin may have failed to retract because the bolt handle was over-torqued — a safety issue listed in the BOHICA manual.
Whatever caused the out-of-battery firing, it appears that improperly-sized ammo (or a poorly-cut chamber) was the root cause of the problems. If you go to a range and find your bolt does not close easily over the ammo — STOP SHOOTING — don’t try to force the issue. Disaster may result. To paraphrase Johnnie Cochran: “If the ammo doesn’t fit, it’s time to quit”.
Photos by Wildcard, originally posted on Calguns.net.
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Jim Borden of Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles is adding “something extra” to the Borden actions crafted for F-Class Team USA members. These actions feature a Team Name and Team shield thanks to modern computer-controlled laser engraving. Jim Borden posted: “Here is Tony at Endless Laser Art doing his thing. [Team members] James Crofts, Drew Rutherford, Dan Bramley, Keith Trapp here we come!”
Jim is crafting special actions for both the F-TR and F-Open Team USA squads with laser-engraved USA F-Class Team shields. There is a BRMXD-type called USA Open and a BRM-type action called USA FTR. The F-Open serial numbers start USAFOPEN01 while F-TR numbers start USAFTR01. These are offered to members of USA F-Class Teams.
Watch Laser Engraving of Borden Actions
Watch the video above to see U.S. Rifle Team shield laser-engraved on Borden actions for F-Class Team USA and F-TR Team USA.
Don’t Tread on Me — Laser-Engraved Ax Blade for NRL Founder
Here’s a another example of modern, computer-controlled laser engraving. Travis Ishida, one of the founders of the NRL Precision Tactical series, has obtained a laser engraving machine. This can be great for putting identifying marks on tools, metal gunstocks, motorcycle parts — basically anything where you want some words and/or graphics. We like the message Travis printed on his Ax: “Liberty or Death… Don’t Tread on Me”. Travis posted: “Finally got my laser engraver working and now I want to engrave everything in sight! This could be a lot of fun… and a little obsessive.”
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For this Sunday GunDay article we feature a “blast from the past” — David Tubb’s engineering tour de force, the Tubb 2000, or “T2K” for short. With the remarkable T2K, David earned multiple NRA High Power championships, and David shot the first-ever perfect score in the NRA Long-Range “any sights” championship 16 years ago.
Our write-up this week focuses mostly on “hardware” because David’s performance with the rifle speaks for itself. He has won eleven High Power National Championships at Camp Perry, and in 2004 David mounted a scope to his rifle and captured the Long-Range “any sights” Championship with a 1450/1450, the first and only perfect score ever logged at Camp Perry. He did this all with his trusty 6XC-chambered T2K, shooting the DTAC 115gr bullet in a 1:7.5″-twist Schneider P5 barrel. For more information about this remarkable competition rifle, read on.
[Editor’s NOTE: Because this is an article from our older Archives, some technical details may have changed with time. For all current specifications on TUBB rifles, including the TUBB 2000, visit DavidTubb.com. For more information on the particular T2K rifle featured in this story, CLICK HERE.]
Mag-Feed Action with Unique Bi-Camming Bolt
The action is machined from 17-4 stainless steel to true benchrest quality standards. The design features a solid top with a loading port. This increases action stability, stiffness, and strength. The loading port is easily accessible and is angled to aid the shooter in single loading rounds. The Tubb 2000 is fed via 10- or 20-round box magazines.
“I prefer using 20-round magazines with the Tubb 2000 because it provides a secure hand hold when shooting off the bipod. For across the course competition, the 10-round magazines are the best choice as they do not encumber sling-supported shooting positions. There is no difference in the functioning or reliability of either capacity magazine.”
One-finger Bolt Operation
Low effort bolt operation was a key goal in the design of the Tubb 2000 action. The exclusive bi-camming design employs two cams that engage during bolt lift to radically reduce bolt lift effort. Bolt lift is 75 degrees. The cone-faced bolt has two locking lugs which are narrower and taller than on conventional actions. This design allows the magazine to be mounted higher in the action for smoother, more positive feeding. The bolt handle is designed for superior performance in sustained fire operation. Its ergonomic shape allows operation with a single finger, if desired. The bolt is machined from 8620 carbon steel and rides back into the butt extension, under the shooter’s face so the bolt can be operated without the shooter having to change his head position. This low center of gravity also improves the rifle’s feel and performance under recoil.
The action features a full-length Picatinny rail that will accept Weaver®-style mounts. The action’s adjustable sight mounting system allows the rail to be mounted at one of three pre-set mounting angles — 0, 5, and 10 degrees — to allow the shooter to level the sights to fit his shooting style. A custom base is available to mount match iron sights. All barrels have a small section at the muzzle turned down to accept a clamping-style front sight mount or cant indicator.
The T2K’s Lock Time is ONE millisecond — over three times faster than a Model 70 Winchester.
Barrel Configuration
Tubb 2000 rifles featured hand-lapped stainless steel match barrels with the exclusive “Tubb Contour.” This unique contour maximizes accuracy and minimizes weight — it’s the perfect balance. According to David: “It’s a contour where the barrel wouldn’t shoot one bit better if it was one bit bigger.” The Tubb 2000 was conceived as a “switch barrel” gun — it’s designed to be easily re-barreled by the customer. This feature means that the same rifle can support different calibers and shooting disciplines. Finished barrels in a variety of calibers were available for “do-it-yourself” installations. The gun shown here has a Schneider barrel.
The Tubb 2000 has, over the years, been offered in a variety of chamberings including: .22-250; .243 Winchester; 6mmBR Norma (6BR); 6XC; .260 Remington; 7mm-08; and .308 Winchester. Available accessories include finished barrels, extra 10- or 20-round magazines, cleaning rod guide, adjustable bipods, custom adjustable handstop, fore-end weight rail, and cant indicator.
Trigger, Stock Adjustment and Other Features
The Tubb 2000 uses the superb Anschütz® fully-adjustable two-stage trigger (with safety); one of the finest available to the precision rifleman. This trigger can also be adjusted to provide single-stage operation. The buttstock assembly, forend, buttstock clamping block, and magazine housing, trigger guard assembly are made from 60-series aluminum, hard anodized in the customer’s choice of 6 colors: light and dark teal, purple, red, forest green, and black. (The T2K Tactical (see below) comes in matte black only.) These four parts are each available in any of the listed colors, allowing the purchaser to design his own distinct rifle.
The buttstock is FULLY adjustable for length, height, cant (angle), and offset. The cheekpiece is adjustable for height. An easily accessible knurled wheel allows the shooter to adjust the cheekpiece from the shooting position. Shooter comfort is further augmented by an ergonomic pistol grip. All adjustment features on the Tubb 2000 were designed for easy shooter access. The butt extension, clamping block, shock housing, and buttplate all have index marks to allow the shooter to record and repeat adjustment settings. The tubular fore-end can be rotated and positioned to accommodate the shooter’s preference. An integral accessory rail accepts a custom adjustable handstop or bipod. The fore-end also incorporates a built-in barrel heat wave blocking system which eliminates optical distortion in the sighting plane.”
David Tubb Explains T2K Stock Adjustments
I advocate setting stock length a little longer than most people might. I am a firm believer that it is best to “reach” slightly for the pistol grip as this ensures a strong, secure hold on the rifle. I pull the rifle firmly into my shoulder pocket when shooting offhand, and also prefer to have what I would characterize as very firm contact between rifle butt and shoulder in the sitting and prone positions as well. When using a sling in prone or sitting, stock length (and sling tension) should be great enough so that, at the least, you have to push the buttpad forward with your hand in order to place the stock into the shoulder pocket. My buttstock is shortest offhand and longest prone. If my standing setting is “0”, I’m usually out about 1-1/2 inches for sitting and about another inch for prone. I have found that many people tend to shoot with a stock that’s too long in sitting and too short everywhere else.
I have found the cast off/on adjustment feature on the buttstock to be of great help to me in attaining the natural shooting positions I desire. For prone, I offset the clamping block so the buttplate moves outward [the index mark on the clamp is to the right of center on the scale on the receiver extension tube]. I swing it a little bit inward for offhand and slightly more inward for sitting. The amounts of cast on/off (in clock-face terms) are approximately 6:30 for standing, 4:30 for prone, and 8:00 o’clock for sitting.
Stock Length Adjustment Procedure
The buttstock is adjustable in length 4+ inches. This adjustment is accomplished by moving the buttplate tube in or out after loosening the four screws on the clamping block. Ensure that the buttstock tube is fully contained in the block. The extent of rearward (lengthening) movement is determined by the front of the buttstock tube fitting flush with the front of the block.
Stock Cast and Cant Adjustment Procedure
The buttstock is adjustable for cast or offset by loosening the four screws on the clamping block and swiveling the block on the receiver extension tube. The buttplate itself is adjustable for cant up to 360 degrees and after loosening the screw directly in the center of the rubber recoil pad is adjustable for height at approximately 1-1/2 inches. The cheekpiece is adjustable vertically approximately one inch. The vertical cheekpiece adjustment is accomplished via the top knurled ring. The lower knurled ring will then secure the setting.
About David Tubb — Tubb 2000 Designer
David Tubb is arguably the winningest centerfire rifleman in history. He has won a record eleven NRA National High Power Rifle Championship titles at Camp Perry, along with six NRA Long Range HP Championships. In addition, David is an NRA Silhouette Rifle legend, having won nearly 30 open, individual National Championship titles in all four rifle categories. David has also won seven Sportsmen’s Team Challenge Championships and multiple Wimbledon Cups. His latest big win was the 2019 NRA ELR Championship in Heavy Gun Class.
For more information on the
Tubb 2000 Rifle contact:
David Tubb Accuracy
and Precision Gun Parts
800 N. 2nd Street
Canadian, TX 79014 DavidTubb.com
Phone: (806) 323-9488
If two barrels are better than one, then why not three? That’s the thinking behind the exotic Bockdriling BD14 from Blaser, unveiled at the 2014 IWA Show in Germany. This three-barrel Bockdrilling firearm works as a shotgun, large-caliber rifle, and small-caliber rifle all in one. Even with all those barrels, the BD14 is relatively light, at 3.3 kg (7.26 lbs) without optics. That makes this a nice, carry-around gun for stalking. As you’d expect from Blaser, the twin triggers are crisp and precise, with a pull weight of just 1.43 lbs (650 grams). The front trigger is for the large-caliber rifle barrel, while the rear trigger works both the shotgun and small-caliber barrels, via a tang-mounted selector. These firearms are rare in the USA — and quite expensive. The only Blaser BD 14 we could find on GunBroker had a $9099.95 asking price. That works out to over three grand per barrel.
Here’s what Blaser USA has to say about its unique three-barreled BD 14:
“The ‘Bockdrilling’ is, put simply, an over/under (O/U) rifle-shotgun combination with a smaller caliber rifle-barrel… on the side. The barrel arrangement [allows] for an extremely slender receiver, making the BD14 exceptionally huntable.
The [patent-pending] Vertical Block Lockup… combines an extremely compact and solid block lockup in a closed system within the monoblock with the comfortable handling of a classic break-action rifle.
The double lock permits, if needed, a rapid second shot, the front trigger always releasing the large rifle-caliber. The … barrel selector actives the shotgun barrel when in position ‘top’ and activates the smaller rifle caliber in position ‘bottom’.”
Why Does Anyone Need Three Barrels?
The Blaser website explains: “As hunters, we learn to expect the unexpected, whether in a blind or stalking, so it’s understandable that we dream of a firearm that will allow us to take advantage of any situation. With the Bockdrilling BD14, Blaser has developed the perfect blind and stalking firearm – compromises are finally a thing of the past.”
Design Features of the Bockdrilling BD 14 Tri-Barrel Gun
The BD14 has a double-lock system so that a second shot can be taken without having to recock the firearm. Blaser says: “Thanks to the free-floating barrels, point of impact remains constant even with a quick succession of shots, no matter which barrel was fired first. The extremely strong vertical block lock on the BD14 helps contribute to the high degree of precision.”
Story idea from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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We have used NO-LEAD Cleaner in rimfire benchrest rifles similar to this modified Suhl 150-1. It helped restore accuracy with minimal brushing.
Made by the same smart folks that created Wipe-Out™, and Carb-Out™, NO-LEAD Brushless Lead Remover™ really works. Honest. If you are an active rimfire shooter, or if you shoot cast lead-alloy bullets in centerfire rifles and pistols, you should try this product. We now use NO-LEAD in our rimfire benchrest rifles, and in some centerfire guns that receive a steady diet of soft-alloy cast bullets (90%+ lead). (With rimfire guns, you don’t need to use NO-LEAD very often — maybe every 300-400 rounds unless you have a real fouler of a barrel.)
If you’ve got stubborn lead fouling in a rimfire barrel, or on a pistol’s muzzle brake/compensator, you should definitely give this stuff a try. We don’t know how but it does soften lead deposits. The manufacturer says you don’t need brushes, but we found that a bit of brushing (after NO-LEAD application) can help remove more serious lead build-up.
Yes we were surprised to find a lead remover that really works. We tried a half-dozen other lead “cleaners” that promised to dissolve lead and most of them, we discovered, are nearly useless. There’s a reason for that, as the lead alloys used in bullets don’t react to typical petrochemical-based solvents. It took the Wipe-Out chemists over five years to perfect this water-based solution that really does dissolve lead.
NO-LEAD Cleaning Procedure — Read Carefully NO-LEAD Lead Remover is a clear, red gel that is easy to apply. Just swab it in your bore (or on muzzle brakes) with wet patches or bore mop and let it sit for a few minutes. (The manufacturer says you can leave the NO-LEAD for up to 20 minutes, but that long of a dwell time does not seem necessary with our rimfire barrels.) When it contacts lead it will start to foam and you’ll see that the NO-LEAD solvent turns a pastel pink when it dissolves lead. The pink comes from the formation of lead oxide. After the recommended dwell time, simply patch out the dissolved lead deposits (you can also use a nylon brush for stubborn lead build-up).
NOTE: After cleaning, it is very important that you get all the NO-LEAD out of your barrel, and neutralize it. We recommend following the application of NO-Lead with Wipe-out or Patch-Out to neutralize the NO-LEAD, clear the bore, and remove residual carbon and copper fouling. If you don’t have Wipe-Out or Patch-out, flush the barrel thoroughly with Rubbing Alcohol or even a solution of Dawn dish detergent — then re-oil the bore.
Be Sure to Neutralize NO-LEAD After Use
Remember that N0-LEAD is a strong, slightly acidic chemical that needs to be neutralized after use. If you leave it on a nice, blued barrel for too long, it can harm the bluing. NO-LEAD will remove all the surface oils from the barrel bore. For this reason it is recommended that you neutralize NO-LEAD with Wipe-Out, or Patch-Out, which both contain effective corrosion inhibitors. If you don’t have those products, once you’ve flushed the NO-LEAD with something like rubbing alcohol, then follow with a gun oil. Caution: A petroleum-based gun oil will NOT, by itself, neutralize NO-LEAD. You need to neutralize first, then apply the corrosion inhibitor (or do it all in one step with Wipe-Out or Patch-Out).
Where to Buy NO-LEAD Lead Remover
NO-LEAD Lead Remover costs $16.99 for an 8 oz. squeeze bottle with a flip-top spout. This product is sold directly by Sharp Shoot-R Precision Products through Sharpshootr.com, or you can purchase NO-LEAD through many other online vendors. For more information, send an email via the Sharp Shoot-R Contact Form or or contact SharpShoot-R at (785) 883-4444. You can ask for Terry Paul, Sharp Shoot-R’s owner and the master chemist who developed the NO-LEAD formula.
Here is what high-end hunters have been requesting for years — an ultra-lightweight mag-fed action with Benchrest-grade smoothness, engineering, and craftsmanship. BAT Machine has just introduced two impressive new aluminum/steel hybrid repeater actions — the Bumblebee (short action) and the Vampire (long action). These are REALLY light. BAT states 23.8 ounces for the Bumblebee, and Alex Wheeler reports the Vampire is 25.3 ounces. So you get titanium-class weight savings without the titanium hassles.
Both the Bumblebee ($1699 MSRP) and the Vampire ($1765 MSRP) are aluminum/steel designs with integral recoil lugs and +20 MOA Picatinny rail segments. Though they are flat-bottom actions, both are designed to fit most Remington 700-pattern stocks. Gunsmith Alex Wheeler says: “This action shape should be very stable in the bedding — you just need to square up the inlet.”
Both the Vampire and Bumblebee actions feature a modular bolt. BAT does the modular bolt differently than anyone else, and very cleverly. This design allows easier bolt face changes and spring changes. Internal maintenance is also easier. Bat bolts also run super smoothly. Alex Wheeler reports “the Vampire action is very smooth — it feels just like BAT’s all-steel actions.”
Vampire action photos courtesy WheelerAccuracy.com. The Vampire fits a 4″-long CFE-09 magazine box.
Alex Wheeler got one of the first Vampire actions, and he was impressed. This is a long-action repeater, with standard or Magnum bolt. Alex says the mating of steel and aluminum was superb: “I have checked it for straightness and lug contact. It’s very good. I’m impressed with how straight they got this insert.”
Bumblebee Action — State-of-the-Art Lightweight Hunting Action
If you are seeking a very lightweight action with Benchrest-quality smoothness and precision fit/finish, consider the Bumblebee. Weighing under 24 ounces, this new Bumblebee short action may be perfect for hunters, varminters, and tactical shooters who desire a light weight, premium quality action. The new Bumblebee is designed to use 700 Short Action bottom metal. Combining steel and aluminum, the Bumblebee combines 4140 Chromoly Steel and 7076-T6 Aluminum to achieve strength and rigidity at a weight rivaling titanium. According to BAT, the Bumblebee’s advance design makes it “31%-42% stiffer than light weight steel actions and over 130% stiffer than round Titanium actions.”
Bumblebee Action Features and Specifications:
— Action weight is 23.8 oz. as configured in photos (11.4 oz. lighter than BAT VR/TR actions)
— Weight comparable to Titanium actions after including Picatinny rails, recoil lugs, and fasteners
— 31%-42% stiffer than lightweight steel actions and over 130% stiffer than round Titanium actions
— Action body made with aircraft-grade billet 7075-T6 Aluminum and hardened 4140 Chromoly Steel
— Integral +20 MOA Picatinny two-section rail standard
— Modular bolt for lower cost bolt face changes
— .070″ firing pin diameter for maximum accuracy and reliable ignition
— Standard medium aluminum bolt knob, 5/16-24 thread
— LiFe Melonite-treated firing pin, bolt and shroud for smooth bolt movement and low maintenance
— Extended extraction cam for smooth bolt opening
— Uses Remington 700 SA trigger components and bottom metal
— Right-hand and left-hand versions
— Barrel tenon is 1.062 x 18 tpi (CLICK HERE for blueprint)
Product tip from EdLongRange. We welcome reader submissions.
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Here’s good news for owners of M1 Garands, 1903 Springfields, and 1903A3s. The CMP eStore sells brand new Criterion chrome-moly barrels for these rifles for $200.00 or less. In addition there are M1 Carbine barrels for $229.50. These authentic-profile barrels are made by Criterion Barrels in Richfield, WI, using the button-rifling process. They are “semi-finished” meaning they come chambered and headspaced within .010″ of finished size, with final fitting to be done by a competent gunsmith. The barrels are also externally Parkerized to match the finish of your vintage ’03, Garand, or M1 Carbine. To order, go to the CMP eStore and click the Barrels Link in the upper left.
NOTE: Final assembly and headspacing by a qualified gunsmith is required!
New 1903 barrels by Criterion Barrels, Inc., 4140 chrome moly steel, button rifled, contoured, and finish lapped after contouring. These comply with CMP competition rules and are legal for the 1903 Matches. Parkerized like the original 1903 and chambered .010″ from finish size to be fitted and headspaced when assembled to fit your receiver and bolt dimensions.
New 1903A3 barrels by Criterion Barrels, Inc., 4140 chrome moly steel, button rifled, contoured, and finish lapped after contouring. These comply with CMP competition rules and are legal for the 1903A3 Matches. Parkerized like the original 1903A3 and chambered .010″ from finish size to be fitted and headspaced when assembled to fit your receiver and bolt dimensions.
New .30-06 M1 Garand barrels by Criterion Barrels, Inc. 4140 chrome moly steel, button rifled, contoured, and finish lapped after contouring. These complyl with CMP Competition Rule 7.2.4 (6) and are legal for M1 Garand Matches. Parkerized like the original M1 and chambered .010″ from finish size to be fitted and headspaced when assembled to fit your receiver and bolt dimensions. Barrel is .30-06.
New .308 Win Garand barrels by Criterion Barrels, 4140 chrome moly steel, button rifled, contoured, and finish lapped after contouring. Parkerized finish and chambered .010″ from finish size to be fitted and headspaced when assembled to fit your receiver and bolt dimensions. NOTE: Barrel is chambered for .308 Winchester.
New Carbine barrels by Criterion Barrels, 4140 chrome moly Steel, button rifled, contoured, and finish lapped after contouring. Comply with CMP Competition Rules and are legal for the CMP M1 Carbine Matches. Parkerized like the original M1 Carbine and chambered .010 away from finish size to be fitted and head-spaced when assembled to fit your receiver and bolt dimensions. Barrel is .30 Carbine.
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Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (Ruger) announced on 10/2/2020 that its offer to purchase substantially all of the Marlin Firearms assets was accepted by Remington Outdoor Company, Inc. and approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Ruger will pay the $30 million purchase price from cash on hand at the time of closing, which is expected to occur in October.
“The value of Marlin and its 150-year legacy was too great of an opportunity for us to pass up,” said Ruger President and CEO Chris Killoy. “The brand aligns perfectly with ours and the Marlin product portfolio will help us widen our already diverse product offerings.”
The transaction is exclusively for the Marlin Firearms assets. Remington firearms, ammunition, other Remington Outdoor brands, and all facilities and real estate are excluded from the Ruger purchase. Once the purchase is completed, Ruger will begin the process of relocating the Marlin Firearms assets to existing Ruger manufacturing facilities.
“The important thing for consumers, retailers and distributors to know at this point in time,” continued Killoy, “is that the Marlin brand and its great products will live on. Long Live the Lever Gun.”
“Marlin Firearms was founded in 1870, some 144 years ago, by Mr. John Mahlon Marlin. As such, Marlin rifles for generations carried ‘JM’ roll marks on their barrels to designate this homage. Marlin had cut his teeth in Samuel Colt’s factory making revolvers and pistols during the Civil War in Hartford, Connecticut. Then, he broke out on his own, starting a small shop in nearby New Haven.
The company specialized in lever action rifles, such as the M1891, which was updated as the 1893, then the Model 39, and still exists today as the Model 336. After Mr. Marlin died in the early 1900s, the company went from being family-owned to being a corporation, which made machine guns for the Army during World War 1, merged with Hopkins and Allen, then in 1924 went out of business.
It was then that the Kenna family bought what was left of the company for $100 and, for all but a decade, a member of the Kenna family remained the president of the company for the next 83 years. During that time, Marlin registered hundreds of patents including on side ejection lever actions, Micro-Groove rifling, the T-900 Fire Control System, and others.”
More recently, in the year 2000, Marlin acquired Harrington and Richardson (H&R), maker of break-action shotguns and rifles. Then in 2007 Remington bought out Marlin, including H&R.
This is a sad story. Remington, America’s oldest continuously-operated gunmaker, has collapsed due to debts and litigation. Through a bankruptcy proceeding, Remington’s product lines and other assets are being acquired by a variety of companies, including Ruger, Vista Outdoor, Sierra, and other large shooting/outdoor industry enterprises. Notably, Ruger will pay $30 million to get the Marlin brand, and Sierra will take over Barnes bullets/ammo business, paying $30.5 million.
The sell-off of Remington assets, specifically product brands, will be going forward through Federal Bankruptcy court, with an order expected Tuesday September 29, 2020. The Shooting Wire reported on 9/28/2020:
Although it won’t be formalized until approved at a hearing scheduled tomorrow (Tuesday, September 29, 2020) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama, the breakup plan for Remington was filed yesterday. Barring something unforeseen, Remington and its associated companies will be divided among Ruger, Vista Outdoor, Roundhill Group, LLC, Sierra Bullets, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Franklin Armory, and JJE Capital [Palmetto State Armory]. Remington’s Lonoke, Arkansas, ammunition business will go to Vista Outdoor (with SIG Sauer as a backup bid), Sierra Bullets will acquire the Barnes Ammunition interests, Ruger will acquire Marlin, Franklin Armory will assume the Bushmaster brand (and related assets), JJE Capital Holdings will assume DPMS, H&R, Stormlake, AAC, and Parker brands, and Sportsman’s Warehouse will acquire the Tapco brand.
Remington assets will be divided among: Franklin Armory, JJE Capital, Ruger, Roundhill Group, Sierra Bullets, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Vista Outdoor. Roundhill will take over production of Remington firearms which will continue in Ilion, New York.
Remington-owned brands displayed at Remington booth at SHOT Show. Photo by Remington.
Even with surging firearms sales in 2020, Remington Arms Company (Remington) found itself in financial trouble — with overwhelming obligations to creditors and investors. Accordingly, on July 27, 2020, Remington filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy — the second time in recent years.
Remington, based in Madison, North Carolina, previously filed for Chapter 11 in March 2018. With major loan reorganizations, Remington “emerged nearly two months later, having converted more than $775 million in debt into equity for its lenders.” (Source: Syracuse.com.) However, despite this debt-restructuring, the company struggled with high interest costs and litigation related to the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting. The perpetrator had a Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle sold by Remington.
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Editor’s NOTE: Shelley Davidson passed away in 2008 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was one of the great innovators in benchrest rifle design. This article, written before Shelley died, showcases Shelley’s creative talents at their best. His “Tinker Toy” design will always be a tribute to Shelley’s fabricating skills and imagination.
Shelley Davidson — a brilliant innovator. R.I.P. Shelley — you will not be forgotten.
Shelley Davidson’s peers called his radical rifle the “Tinker Toy” gun. We call it revolutionary. Even now, 14 years after its creation, there’s nothing quite like it. This innovative, skeleton design threw conventional wisdom to the winds. Shelley readily concedes he “broke the rules” of benchrest rifle building. But this was inspired rule-breaking, because Davidson’s rifle shot like a house on fire. The Tinker Toy gun won its first matches, both for Score AND for Group. And this rifle also delivered many “zero groups” in Gene Begg’s Texas Tunnel. Hats off to Shelley for conceiving and building a truly radical rifle that was also wicked accurate and successful in competition.
Tinker Toy 30 BR — Radical As It Gets
Report by Shelley Davidson
Although I’m not big on naming rifles, my shooting buddies have christened the gun “Tinker Toy.” I can live with that as it does kind of look as if it was made with a Tinker Toy set.
Origins of the Project
This project began with some wild ideas I had in the fall of 2006 about using magnets to tune a barrel. My idea was to use one magnet on the barrel and another on the stock so they pushed against each other to counter gravity-induced barrel sag (and possibly) tame barrel vibration in a beneficial manner. The only way to test these ideas was to build the device and mount it on a gun. That meant I had to build a new rifle because there was no place to mount a magnet on the stock of a conventional benchrest rig. I had a Kelbly-stocked heavy varmint stock with a Michael Kavanaugh paint job on it. I didn’t think Kav would ever forgive me if I started drilling holes in one of his works of art. My light varmint was in a carbon fiber Scoville stock that costs about a grand. Drilling into the Scoville for an experiment just smacked of bad judgment. So, the magnet thing was my first motivation for designing a new stock. As long as I was building from scratch I decided to offset the barrel and action 0.75″ to the right to counteract the spin/torque from the bullet.
Although there’s nothing new here, my second motivation was to build a 30BR that could shoot in the 10.5 lb light varmint class in NBRSA. The magnetic tuner will automatically make this gun illegal in the IBS. The IBS has declared all barrel attachments un-safe and have outlawed them. I personally feel that the IBS really outlawed all barrel attachments to prevent experimentation and innovation. But at least we have NBRSA matches.
Designing the New Gun — Thinking “Outside the Box”
Once I’d decided to build a lightweight stock that could support experimental devices out near the muzzle, I started drawing up some rough plans. I also took a trip to Jerry Stiller’s shop in Wylie, Texas for a brainstorming session with Jerry, the maker of Viper and other Benchrest actions. Jerry is a school-trained mechanical engineer and thinks differently than I do. I came away from Stiller’s shop with my design roughed out and sketched on paper. The design violated several covenants of conventional wisdom for building competition BR rifles. For instance, two-piece stocks stress the action. Stress reduction is why most BR rifles are glued into the stock. Another myth is that metal stocks vibrate too much so wood or foam-filled fiberglass or carbon fiber are used.
Tinker Toy Rifle DESIGN FEATURES
Shelly Davidson’s Rifle was so innovative, that almost every feature, except the bare action, is very different than you’ll find on most Benchrest rigs. Accordingly we felt it would be useful to isolate and describe the key design features, from stem to stern. Click thumbnails to view FULL-SIZE PHOTOS.
Front Bracket with Magnetic Tuner
The tuner consists of one rare earth magnet attached to the stock and another attached to a barrel sleeve with the magnets oriented so as to make the magnetic force repel each other. The purpose is to counter “barrel droop” and, hopefully, dampen barrel vibration. The lower magnet is carried on a threaded shaft (with lock ring), allowing the magnet to be raised up and down to adjust the “up push” on the barrel.
Tubular Fore-Arm Supported by Brackets
Three brackets support two tubes, one on either side of the barrel. The rear-most bracket is sandwiched between the barrel and the action. Four inches forward (max distance allowed for barrel blocks) a second bracket grips the barrel. Near the muzzle a third bracket secures the ends of the tubes and holds the magnetic tuner. To allow barrel offset, the left tube is 1″ diameter tube while the right tube is 5/8″ diameter.
Offset Barrel The rifle rests on a 3″ wide plate attached to the underside of the two fore-end tubes. With the plate centered in the front sandbag, the barreled action is actually offset 0.75″ to the right (looking forward from the breech). The purpose of this offset is to keep more weight on the right side to counter the tendency of the rifle to torque counter-clockwise. Two different diameter tubes allow for the built-in offset.
Floating Action without Sub-Support or Bedding
On the Tinker Toy gun, the action serves as a load-bearing assembly, holding the barrel in the front, and the skeleton buttstock (or “keel”) in the rear. Shelley was told that accuracy would suffer if you stressed a benchrest action in this manner but that proved untrue. It is a very simple solution to building a rifle, and it eliminates the need to bed the action. The forearm attaches to the action via a bracket installed like a recoil lug.
Skeleton Rear “Keel” Affixed Directly to Action
Davidson’s Tinker Toy does not have a conventional rear buttstock. Instead there is low-profile, v-shaped metal “keel”, as Davidson calls it, that rides the rear bag. The keel is supported by a tubular backbone that attaches at the rear of the Diamondback action. At the butt end is an aluminum plate covered with bubble wrap that serves as a butt pad. The skeletonized rear section helps the rifle maintain a very low center of gravity.
Locked Scope with External Windage and Elevation Adjustment
Shelley ran an older Leupold 36X Benchrest Scope with front-adjusting objective. To eliminate slop or loose tolerances in the erector mechanism that could cause changes in point of impact, the internals have been locked up by Jackie Schmidt. To move the cross-hairs relative to the bore axis, Shelley has a special Jewell/Foster rear ring that allows a limited amount of lateral and vertical movement of the entire scope body.
TINKER TOY SPECIFICATIONS
Action: Stiller SS Diamondback Drop-Port (1/2″ short), with .308 Bolt Face.
Barrel: Shilen .308 caliber, 17-twist, HV.
Chambering: 30BR, .330″ neck, Pacific Tool & Gauge Robinett Reamer.
Stock: Davidson Custom Tubular Stock with 0.75″ Offset Barreled Action.
Tube Construction: 6061 Aluminum, 1″ diameter (left), 5/8″ diameter (right).
Load: H4198 powder and 118gr Ronnie Cheek bullets. Loaded to 2980 fps.
Trigger: Jewell, 2 ounce BR.
Tuner: Custom, Adjustable with Opposing Magnets.
Optics: Leupold 36X (locked by J. Schmidt).
Rings: Jewell Foster External Adjusting Rings.
Stiller Diamondback Action and Shilen 17-Twist Barrel
I had wanted to use an aluminum Stiller Cobra drop port with a 6mmBR bolt face but Jerry had none in stock and he estimated it would be a year before one was available. Although I’ve waited for up to a year for an action in the past, I wanted to build this rifle during the fall of 2006 while the weather was pleasant enough to work in my unheated and un-air-conditioned garage shop. Jerry did have a 1/2″ short stainless steel Diamondback in stock so I purchased it even though it would add 3 ounces to the gun compared to the aluminum Cobra. Three ounces is a lot of weight when you’re working with a 10.5-lb limit. I had a heavy varmint contour Shilen 17-twist barrel that would work nicely and I had a Jewell trigger on a rifle that I wasn’t using at the time. I also decided to use my Leupold 36X (locked-up by Jackie Schmidt) with the Jewell/Foster adjustable rings.
Building the Tube Fore-Arm and Brackets
I took a wild guess as to tubing thickness and settled on .035″ for the 1″ left fore-arm tube and .058″ for the 5/8″ right fore-arm tube. All of the flat stock and tubes are 6061 Aluminum. I did the lathe work and the mill work and every evening I’d put the parts together and think about the proper way to proceed.
When the parts were mostly made, I started thinking that this was a truly ugly rifle. I thought about painting it but that wasn’t a good option as many of the parts are designed to slide over others and glue together. Anodizing was the best answer so while looking on the Internet for local anodizing shops I Googled “Home Anodizing”. Sure enough there were a few sites that told about how to anodize at home. I picked up some battery acid from NAPA Auto Supply, some Rit Clothes Dye from Wal-Mart, and a bunch of distilled water from the grocery store. Using an old battery charger as my dc power supply I started anodizing and dying the eighteen parts that went into the stock. Although I had to strip and re-anodize some of the parts, the work turned out acceptable.
Putting it All Together–Lug-Mounting the Fore-Arm and Lots of Epoxy
The barrel contour had to be modified to work with the stock which attaches by way of a rear plate which mounts like a recoil lug and a plate that ties the barrel and the stock tubes together 4″ forward of the bolt face. The four-inch maximum distance is a NBRSA rule concerning barrel blocks.
The recoil lug-style stock mount is probably the only truly innovative thing I did other than the opposing-magnet tuner. Basically, the rear bracket is sandwiched between the receiver face and the barrel shoulder–positioned where a conventional recoil lug would go. I also added a brass ring (visible in photo) between the anodized bracket and the barrel. This was done to distribute loads over a wider surface area. (I was concerned that the bracket material was fairly soft and I didn’t want to crush it as I torqued the barrel in place.) After fitting the barrel and plates I glued the entire gun together using epoxy and various LocTite adhesives. The rest of the parts were assembled but I did not Loctite the scope bases since I thought I’d be disassembling the rifle for re-work after the first trials. That came back to bite me during later testing when the gun started shooting erratically and I went down a couple of blind alleys before finding the loose bases.
Range Testing–Results Are Very Positive
The first range session was a real shocker. Even though the wind was up to 10mph and twitchy, the rifle showed promise from the very first shot. I really didn’t expect that kind of performance without, at least, some rework. After sighting in, I shot five, 5-shot groups that, when averaged together, measured .223″. That’s good enough to win some benchrest group matches. But I wasn’t finished with the gun yet–I still wanted to try out my magnetic tuner concept.
The Magnetic Tuner
Next, I built the magnetic tuner. The tuner consists of one rare earth magnet attached to the stock and another attached to a barrel sleeve with the magnets oriented so the magnetic forces repel each other. In order to test the magnets and to determine if the rifle really shot as well as it seemed to, I took it to Gene Beggs’s shooting tunnel in Odessa, Texas. I spent two days at the tunnel testing loads and then installed the magnetic tuner. The gun shoots well with the magnets and shoots well without them. I suppose I can’t make any claims as to how much, if any, improvement the magnets make. Gene said that my gun was the most accurate rifle to be tested at his one-year-old shooting facility: “Shelley Davidson brought one of the most unusual rifles I had ever seen; he called it his ‘Tube Gun.’ And boy, did it ever shoot! It still holds the record in the tunnel as the rifle that shot more zeros than any other to date.” I definitely recommend Gene’s facility for testing and refining shooting techniques and loads.
Competition — Tinker Toy Won Both Score and Group Matches
Finally the big day arrived when I’d shoot the first match with my new gun. The North Texas Shooters Association was holding its first club match of the 2007 season. At the Denton, Texas matches we shoot a Score Match in the morning and a Group Match in the afternoon. The March event was at 100 yards and the April match will be at 200 yards and so on alternating throughout the benchrest season.
Match One–Tinker Toy Wins Score with a 250 – 17X
Since the gun is chambered in 30BR and that chambering is almost immune to tuning woes, I preloaded 130 rounds with H4198 powder and 118gr Cheek bullets. I used my SEB front rest and rear bag which are made by Sebastian Lambang in Indonesia. Everything came together, and Tinker Toy demonstrated that the accuracy it showed in the tunnel was no fluke. The gun shot great and I won the morning match with a 250, 17X. The day was quite windy and the next best shooter scored a 250, 15X. So I’d chalked up my first win.
Match Two–Tinker Toy Wins Group with a .2282″ Agg Tinker Toy won the afternoon group match I entered with a five-group Aggregate of .2282″. (The second place score was .2568″.) My groups were .149″, .197″, .243″, .302″ (oops), and .250″. You know how some folks say a 30BR can’t be competitive with a PPC? Well that .2282″ Agg won’t break any records, but it is good enough to win some regional registered BR matches. So this rifle has demonstrated an ability to win in both Score and Group matches. Obviously I have a very good Shilen barrel, great Cheek bullets and the rest of the components are doing their jobs as well. But, the stock is also working well.
Score Shooting vs. Group Shooting–The Rules
In a score match, the shooter shoots one bullet at each of five record targets, which are clustered on one target sheet. The Aggregate score of five of these targets determines the winner. If the shooter touches the 10 ring on all of his 25 targets he can score a “clean” 250 score. Usually there will be more than one shooter who scores a 250 so the winner is determined by the X-count. The 1/2″ 10-point ring has a 1/16″ dot in its center. Touching the X dot adds to the shooters X count. In short-range group matches, the shooter must try to put five bullets through the same hole. At each distance (100 or 200), five, 5-shot matches are scored, the group sizes are added together (MOA equivalent at 200) and the total is divided by five to arrive at an Aggregate score.
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The recoil lug-style stock mount is probably the only truly innovative thing I did other than the opposing-magnet tuner. Basically, the rear bracket is sandwiched between the receiver face and the barrel shoulder–positioned where a conventional recoil lug would go. I also added a brass ring (visible in photo) between the anodized bracket and the barrel. This was done to distribute loads over a wider surface area. (I was concerned that the bracket material was fairly soft and I didn’t want to crush it as I torqued the barrel in place.) After fitting the barrel and plates I glued the entire gun together using epoxy and various LocTite adhesives. The rest of the parts were assembled but I did not Loctite the scope bases since I thought I’d be disassembling the rifle for re-work after the first trials. That came back to bite me during later testing when the gun started shooting erratically and I went down a couple of blind alleys before finding the loose bases.
Match One–Tinker Toy Wins Score with a 250 – 17X
