Comments on: Jim Crofts’ New Savage F-Class Rig with PR&T Walnut Stock

By: DougMH

DougMH — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 14:01:01 +0000

And just to re-inforce a positive, that Phoenix bipod is the cat’s meow. I got one after talking to Jim and it to has made a huge difference… mostly in comfort and ease of setup. To adjust the “ship’s wheel” elevator, I use a 1/2″ diameter dowel rod, tapered and with a hole drilled in one end… about 8″ long. It let’s me do EVERYTHING from behind the gun. And the rails track wonderfully.

By: DougMH

DougMH — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 13:56:57 +0000

Another thing I’ve experimented with that has made a huge difference in my accuracy is soft seating… first learned about from John Whidden in an accurate shooter article.

I do it as follows. I too anneal after every firing. I size the brass, then use an K & M .308 expand iron. There’s enough “spring back” remaining after the the expansion to grab the bullet sufficiently. To the feel, every round seats with the same force. I use Berger 175/185 and set them with what would be about a .010″ jam… but I think they’re probably pushed back OTL with the soft-seating.

By: DougMH

DougMH — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:21:02 +0000

Jim says: “The Brux barrels shoot great… they clean up well, I get very little copper out of the Brux barrel.”

I just reread this article and feel like I ought to second the quote above.

I have a BRUX barrel also. I put a very wet patch of Butch’s Bore shine though it. About 20 back and forth strokes of a brush soaked with Butch’s. Then another very wet patch of Butch’s. The next dry patch is always clean as a whistle.

Even the first first wet patch is not terribly dirty… I use Varget.

I broke the barrel in using Dan Lilja’s method…

http://www.riflebarrels.com/support/centerfire_maintenance.htm

EDITOR: Glad you’re having good luck with your brush. You may find that you can do just as well with a LOT less brushing. TWENTY back and forth strokes is a lot. With some of our best barrels, 3-4 soaking wet patches, followed by 3-5 ONE-way strokes with a brush is all it takes (clean brush with solvent after each outward pass). You might experiment (and potentially save yourself time and energy!).

By: Jeff Rorer

Jeff Rorer — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 01:47:28 +0000

Cool rifle Jim! Ray makes super accurate rifles that look great. You have proven yourself a winner and tough competitor. All of the X-Men are a joy to hang out with and I’m proud to be your friend.

By: JimC

JimC — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 00:24:38 +0000

None of this would be possible without the help of XMEN teamates Mike Hardy, Jeff Rorer, Joe Conley and Phil Kelley. Thanx Guys.

By: keith trapp

keith trapp — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:31:12 +0000

Good looking rifle Jim. See you at Butner in a few weeks.

By: Darrell Buell

Darrell Buell — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:03:18 +0000

Nice looking rig Jim!

By: Mark H

Mark H — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:20:46 +0000

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I wouldn’t go anywhere else than PR&T to have a rifle built.

It’s a pleasure to shoot against Jim and attempt……To out shoot him.

By: DougMH

DougMH — Thu, 31 May 2012 13:16:20 +0000

I wish Jim could shoot it somewhere else but Quantico. At Remembering the Brave (May 25, 2012), he shot a 197-8X at the 1,000. But I don’t believe he was using this rifle.

My question is, if you’re shooting 197-8X, why do you need a different rifle.

Jim, See you in July for the Regionals.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:23:01 +0000

That is sexay. I have a blue PR&T F-Open stock with a Savage action all polished up too, and thinks it looks good, but that walnut beats it by a mile.