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January 17th, 2009
Stiller’s Precision Firearms showcased a variety of NEW custom rifle actions at the 2009 SHOT Show. Trust us, this is BIG News for builders of precision rifles, both rimfire and centerfire. Jerry Stiller has released no less than four (count ‘em FOUR) new stainless actions this year. They are all impressive, and we predict the new rimfire actions will sell like hotcakes.
New Custom 40X-Clone Rimfire Action
Stiller Precision’s show-stopper is a new 22 rimfire action based on 40X Remington design. Called the Predator 25X, this 40X-clone will be offered both as a single-shot AND a repeater. This is a much-awaited product. We predict huge demand for Stiller’s rimfire actions. There is nothing else like it on the market. The repeater will be perfect as the basis of a rimfire silhouette action or a “tactical rimfire” gun. Stiller’s rimfire actions cost $800.00 and should be available by mid-2009.
Predator V — RBLP Ejectorless Action
The second offering, sure to be popular, is the new “Predator V” action, described by Jerry as “an affordable BR-style action aimed at the varminter.” It is offered in right bolt, left port only, with a cone bolt and no ejector. It’s optimized for bench use for precision varminting, though it certainly could be used in a 600-yard BR comp gun or F-Class rifle. Jerry tells us: “The Predator V is a RBLP version of our Predator line with a few special features. It has a Sako extractor on a coned bolt with no ejector. There is about a .003″ fit on the bolt with a pinned trigger. The main market is high-performance varminting or benchrest. Shown below is our new ‘full bling’ polished Predator V model featuring a blue-accented Picatinny rail, knob and shroud. It is also available in matte or black finish without rails.” The Predator V is IN STOCK NOW and costs $850.00 with rail.
P-1000 Long Range Action
The third new action unveiled by Jerry Stiller is the strong and versatile new P-1000 long range action. This is a RBLP, right-eject only unit with a beefy a 1.55″ diameter. The stainless P-1000 is offered in both short and long actions, with either .308 or magum bolts. The P-1000 is a very rigid action aimed at the long-range benchrest market. NOTE: the P-1000 short action will eject 284s and the long action will eject magnums such as the 300 RUM. The price for a P-1000 (with rail) is $850.00, and P-1000s should start to ship in late February, 2009.
New .408 Cheytac Action
Last but certainly not least is Stiller’s new TAC 408 action. This is a new long action with a .408 bolt-face. It is optimized for the .408 CheyTac and similar high-capacity, big-rim super-sized cartridges. This action should prove popular with ultra-long-range shooters. Call Jerry Stiller at (972) 429-5000 for price and availability of the TAC 408 action.
Spec, features, and options for Jerry Stiller’s other stainless and aluminum actions can be found on ViperActions.com.
January 12th, 2009
Virginia’s Bill Myers is recognized as one of the top rimfire smiths in the country. We featured one of his “Spec Rifles” in a recent Gun of the Week story. Built on a blue-printed Suhl 150-1 action, Bill’s Bubinga-stocked benchrest rig proved to be a winner right from the start.
Bill is a creative thinker, and his own exhaustive testing has convinced him that barrel indexing can enhance accuracy in rimfire benchrest guns. Myers does acknowledge that, particularly with a very good barrel, the advantages of indexing may be subtle, and extensive testing may be required. Nonetheless, Myers believes indexing can improve rimfire accuracy.
The Challenge of Barrel Indexing
With a conventional barrel installation, employing a shoulder with a threaded tenon, it is difficult to index the barrel. Even with a cone breech that eliminates the problem of extractor cuts, you’d have to use shims to alter the barrel index position, or otherwise re-set the shoulder each time you screwed the barrel in further.
Bill has come up with a masterful solution to barrel indexing. He designed and built his own prototype custom action that clamps the barrel rather than holding it with threads. The front section of the action is sliced lengthways, and then clamped down with three bolts. A special bushing (the gold piece in photos) fits between the barrel and the action. By using bushings of different inside diameters, Bill can fit any barrel up to an inch or so diameter, so long as it has a straight contour at the breech end. To mount the barrel, Bill simply places the fitted bushing over the barrel end-shank, then slips the “sleeved” barrel into the front end of the action. Tighten three bolts, and the barrel is secure.
Indexing with the Myers’ Clamping Action
To index the barrel, Myers simply loosens the three clamping-bolts and rotates the barrel in the action. Because there is no thread to pull the barrel in or out, the headspace stays the same no matter how much the barrel is rotated. In other words you can rotate the barrel to any position on the clockface and the headspace remains unchanged.
Right now Bill has no plans to start building his own indexable rimfire actions for sale. However, he is involved in serious experimentation with barrel indexing, in cooperation with Gene Beggs and others. Over the course of the next year we may see a “semi-production” action offered that incorporates aspects of Bill Myers’ indexable, barrel-clamping receiver. For more information, contact Bill Myers, wzmyers [at] comcast.net, (540) 778-1782.
January 11th, 2009
Some months ago, Forum member Corbin S. told us he was putting together a new, full-custom 1000-yard rifle. When he sent some photos of the maple-stocked masterpiece, our collective jaws dropped. This is one handsome rifle, built with all-premium components and a stunning Curly Maple thumbhole stock with adjustable cheekpiece. The rifle is chambered in .243 Winchester. It features a custom stainless RBRP action Nesika R action, with keycuts in the bottom instead of recoil lug. A Grünig & Elmiger trigger has been specially modified (milled and pinned) to work with the Nesika action. The barrel is a 30″ Broughton 5R Palma-contour tube, and there is another 30″ Broughton 6BR barrel that Corbin uses at shorter ranges. The trigger guard, fore-arm rail, cheek adjuster, and 4-way adjustable butt assembly are all custom metal, designed by Dan Gleason. The stock is cut from exhibition-grade fiddleback maple (from Cecil Fredi Gunstocks in Las Vegas) with a Gaboon Ebony tip wood and butt-plate spacer.
Fast and Accurate
Corbin tells us the gun will put five shots into the size of a quarter at 300 yards “when he does his part.” Corbin shoots pointed Berger 105gr VLDs and 45.5 grains of H4831SC. That load runs 3180 fps. He can push it faster, but “that’s where the node was and where it shoots best”, according to Corbin.
Forum member Jim Hardy has seen (and shot against) this beautiful rifle. He reports:
“A casual observer might think that the trigger guard, cheek plate and butt plate hardware are Anschutz — as the stock takes on the Anschutz prone pattern. However, this is ALL custom metal. The G&E trigger breaks like a glass rod and will makes my BR triggers feel inferior at best. I had the pleasure of holding, shouldering, and lusting over this gun at Camp Perry last year, and it is even more impressive in person. The killer is that there is yet ANOTHER one in a beautiful, dark figured walnut owned by Corbin’s shooting partner. BTW, both guns will hammer at 1000 yards prone.”
January 7th, 2009
Here’s an innovative and handsome piece of workmanship by Cayle Davis, whose company, C&J Machine, builds advanced rests for precision pistols. Shown below is a brand new barrel-block pistol on one of Cayle’s rests. Cayle tells us: “Here’s another project I just finished today. It’s a barrel clamp pistol, built on an XP-100 action, with a Hart 2 oz. trigger. The action is completely floated. The gun is chambered as a 22-250 Ackley Improved with a .250″ neck. Fitted is a 1:7″ twist, 1.2″-diameter, straight-contour, 18″ Douglas barrel. I think this may be a first… I hope it shoots!”
To learn more about this gun, or if you’re interested in the one-piece rest, contact Cayle via email: xpfuzz [at] consolidated.net, or you can write to the address below:
Cayle Davis — C & J Machine
Box 18
Palmer, IL 62556
Phone: (217) 827-0588
December 28th, 2008
 Jeff Madison, a Michigan gunsmith, has created a new stock for Anschütz 2000-series actions. This action uses a separate forward barrel block so the entire action floats. The barrel block allows easy barrel indexing (so long as the barrel is fitted with a cone breech.) Interestingly, Madison has fitted his stock with an integral tuner. Jeff wanted to be able to tune his rimfire rifles for improved accuracy. However, he found that the typical large, heavy, rotary tuner at the end of the barrel was not practical for a prone rifle.
So, Jeff came up with an innovative “tuner-in-stock” design. Jeff explains: “The tuner is the ‘knob’ just in front of the trigger guard. With the barrel mounted, the action (receiver) is fully floated. The tuner itself is fixed in the stock and attaches to the Anschütz action. The tuner is a harmonic balancer of sorts and can be adjusted to change the vibration characteristics of the rifle. At first glance the tuner appears to simply be a screw that exerts pressure to the receiver. In actuality it is an eight-piece assembly that incorporates a matched pair of elastomers that can be pre-loaded as a means of vibration control. The ‘in-stock’ tuner accomplishes the same thing as a muzzle tuner, but by using the action (receiver) for tuning, this set-up provides better balance for a prone or 3P shooter.”
Developing a New King of Rimfire Tuner
Madison was inspired by the successful muzzle-mounted tuners used by rimfire benchrest shooters. However, Jeff felt a muzzle-mount design was not optimal for a prone or position rifle. Jeff told us:
“The use of a heavy weight on the muzzle didn’t fit with shooting from the prone position. Putting extra weight so far out caused early fatigue and the balance of the rifle was compromised. After several meetings with Mike Ross of Ross Precision, I learned about ‘barrel indexing’, and came to the conclusion that a properly-indexed barrel could be tuned in a barrel-mounted stock from the receiver end.
Mike graciously donated one of his Ross stocks for me to use for tuner testing and development. After a year of testing with different prototypes, I completed a tuner that could successfully control the vibration. I built two rifles with wood stocks converted to barrel-block mounts with tuners and also adapted the tuner to my ‘loaner’ Ross stock. With all three stocks, the tuners worked and enhanced rifle performance using a variety of ammunition.
It was time to design my own prone stock specifically for the Anschütz 2013 barreled action. I used 6061-T6 aluminum to make the new stock stronger than the original, cast Anschütz 2000-series stock. However, my new design still accommodates the butt, grip, cheek-piece and side panel hardware from the original Anschütz stock. Four stocks were created. One is at my shop for continued tested by me. The second was sent to a national-level competitive shooter who has access to lab testing facilities. The third was sent to Mike Ross for his experiments. The fourth is warming the bench.
Tuned Stock Works with a Variety of Ammo and Barrels
In testing the integral ‘in-stock’ tuner’s ability to improve accuracy, I used a variety of mid-grade ammunition from Eley, Lapua, SK, and Wolf. My tests confirmed enhanced accuracy from all brands and lots of ammunition used. This is not to say the tuner will make cheap ammunition shoot like match grade, but it will extract the best potential from all levels. I have also tested the performance of the stock with several barrels: a modified Anschütz barrel, a 17-twist, 2-groove Benchmark, and a Bartlein 1:16.5″ to 1:16″ gain twist barrel (currently mounted). All barrels and ammunition tested by me were able to shoot quarter-inch (or better) groups at 50 yards. The .250″ criteria is very competitive for a prone shooter, and a number of groups fired were in the mid to high ‘Ones’.
Stock Proves Successful in Competition
The stock that is being tested by a competent, national-level shooter (name intentionally withheld) is undefeated in seven matches to date. Seven matches, seven wins. That shooter has also achieved many ‘personal bests’ with the tuned rifle.
What does the future hold? I plan to build a second design specifically for the 1900 series Anschütz action. The target price for the complete stock, ready to accept a barreled action, is $1,500.00. The stock stem only is targeted at $875.00. The details of the butt and cheek piece hardware along the select wood portions will be finalized shortly.”
Jeffrey Madison is the sole proprietor of M. Werks, LLC located in Traverse City, Michigan. M. Werks, LLC manufactures a limited selection of specialized shooting products. Jeff can be contacted by e-mail at jeff [at] mwerksllc.com.
December 27th, 2008
 The technical staff of MidwayUSA has created a series of useful “how-to” articles for the NRA’s Guns and Hunting website. These stories cover many basic operations that can be done in a home workshop without expensive tools. The articles available online include:
 Fitting a Recoil Pad
Scope Mounting Made Easy
Glass-Bedding a Rifle Stock (Part 1) | (Part 2)
Applying a Baked-On Gun Finish
How to Shorten and Crown a .22 LR Barrel
How to Install Sling Swivel Studs
Working with Polishing Stones
December 20th, 2008
 Minnesotan Stan Ware is an extremely knowledgeable gunsmith, known for his precise machine work and attention to detail. When you have work done by Stan, you know he will “sweat the details” to ensure that everything is assembled to the correct, precise tolerances. Stan is also a successful benchrest competitor, shooting in score matches, and Hunter Benchrest matches using his innovative short-neck Wolf Pup wildcat.
Stan recently received a Remington 40X receiver from a customer on the West Coast. Supposedly, the action had been “trued” by a California gunsmith (who shall remain nameless), who also fitted (using the term loosely) a PT&G replacement bolt. To be brutally honest, the California gunsmith butchered the job, and Stan Ware was called in to “save the day.”
Stan looked over the 40X action carefully and was able to determine flaws in the truing work and serious problems with the way the replacement bolt was fitted and the bolt handle attached. Faulty work by the California smith resulted in a myriad of problems — the bolt timing was off, the bolt was headspacing on the handle (not the lugs), the bolt was not camming correctly, the lugs were lapped improperly and they were not bearing correctly inside the action. All in all, this action needed major surgery. In the videos below, Stan explains how he diagnosed the problems, and he illustrates the work he did to restore the 40X to a safe, functioning condition.
Moral of the story? When you have action work to do, go to a respected smith like Stan Ware (SGR Custom Rifles), rather than some local “gun plumber” who may mess up the action big-time, leaving it downright dangerous. Watch the videos below, and you’ll be amazed at the problems that Stan had to correct.
Part 1 — Diagnosing the Problems
Stan explains: “We recently received this action to be fixed. Because the bolt is such a good example of what the things you want to avoid, I put together this video. It’s a great example of what happens when the bolt is out of time or not in the correct position.”
Part 2 — Fixing the Lugs
According to Stan, “We encountered some more problems after machining the bolt handle off and installing the new Kiff bolt. We found that the lugs were lapped at a angle and that we were loosing cam as we rotated the bolt. So, we decided to go back in and re-cut the integral lugs and true the bolt lugs.”
Part 3 — Final Bolt Installation
Stan notes: “Here we show you what was done to correct the bolt that was not installed correctly. The Kiff bolt (Pacific Tool & Gauge) is a good system and laid out well. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to accurize his 700 Action.”
December 18th, 2008
 The Tooley offset stock has been around since mid-2007, but custom gun-builders may not know it’s available. This radical rig employs an offset design to counter the torque associated with large-caliber benchrest guns. Dave Tooley tells us, “the wide, flat fore-end and offset design really tames the big 30s.” The stock is 4″ wide along the fore-end with the barreled action offset 1.5″ from center. From the trigger guard rearward the stock is pretty much the same as a Tooley MBR, with a bottom flat and slight drop from grip to buttplate. In American walnut laminate or maple laminate the stock weighs 3 lbs., 12 oz., the same as a fiberglass Tooley MBR from McMillan. There is also a lighter “Butternut” wood version that weighs 2 lbs., 12 ounces. So making weight in Light Gun Class should not be an issue.
The stock is legal for NBRSA and IBS 600- and 1000-yard benchrest competition. Dave has shipped many offset stocks to Australia, where they are very popular for the big calibers used in “Fly Shoots” and long-range competitions. For clubs (or disciplines) that may limit fore-end width to 3″, Dave notes that you can simply saw 1″ off the left side (looking from the breech foreward), to make the stock 3″ wide and legal. Dave tells us “the stock still works really well at 3″, it just doesn’t cancel as much torque as it does in a 4″ configuration.” Tests have shown that the 4″-wide stock will effectively soak up 45 inch-pounds of torque, enough to cancel the twisting effect of a 30-caliber rifle shooting 240-grainers at 3100 fps. Dave tells us: “With the offset stock, in competition, you can shoot a 30-caliber the same way you shoot a 6.5-284.” Scott Fletcher, who shot the prototype version with a 338 Lapua Improved, reports the stock “works fantastic. It’s like night and day with a heavy recoiling caliber. It makes a 30-caliber feel like a 6.5. And with a 6.5-284, you can easily shoot the gun free recoil.”
The Tooley offset stock, un-inletted but ready to finish, costs about $350 in walnut or “butternut” laminate. In maple, the un-inletted price starts at $400 and goes up for highly figured wood. Dave notes: “there is no conventional barrel channel so inletting is very easy.” For roughly $800.00 Dave will deliver the stock fully inletted and pillar-bedded for your action, complete with recoil pad. Dave currently has about a half-dozen offset stocks in inventory. Once they sell out, Dave can normally deliver walnut laminates in 2-3 weeks plus shipping time. Upgraded wood stocks will take 3-4 weeks plus shipping time. For more info, email Tooleyrifles[at]carolina.rr.com or call Dave at (704) 864-7525.
December 17th, 2008
Greg Tannel, owner/operator of Gre-Tan Rifles and GTR Tooling, is a renowned gunsmith and one of the most respected machinists in the business. He invented, and now builds, many of the advanced tools used by other gunsmiths, such as the GTR high pressure pump for chamber flushing systems.
CLICK HERE for Gre-Tan Gunsmithing DVD Order Page. Call (970) 878-5421 for more info.
Greg has created a series of high-quality DVD videos sharing his knowledge of advanced gunsmithing topics. These DVDs range in length from 50 minutes (Tailstock Alignment) to a full 4 hours for the 2-disc Action Blueprinting DVD. All the videos are available from Greg in modern DVD format that can be played through either your television set or your home computer. Here are the gunsmithing DVDs currently offered:
• Action Blueprinting: 2 DVDs / 4 Hrs. $58.00 delivered.
Greg notes: “No other video ever made comes close to this Hi-tech, in-depth look at what is involved to blueprint an action. This video is not candy-coated. It reveals the inherent gross misconceptions of action truing with facts and dial indicators. All machining is single point, including the recutting of the threads. This includes an in-depth instruction section on setup of the threading tool bit and how to pickup the internal thread in an action for recutting for professional truing of threads.”
• Bolt Sleeving Video: 2 DVDs / 2 Hrs. 30 mins. $55.00 delivered.
This video starts by showing bolt lug deflection off of the receiver lug. This will open your eyes. Next the use of the action bolt bore reamer/mandrel is shown and demonstrated on an action that is being blueprinted. Then the nitty gritty of sleeving a bolt body is presented. All setups for machining are shown from the start to finish on the bolt.
• Tailstock Alignment For Reaming: 1 DVD / 50 mins. $41.00 delivered.
This video shows how to dial in the tailstock and explains why the turning of a shaft for alignment may be fighting and ruining all your chamber reaming efforts.To achieve repeatability when moving the tailstock for depth of cut, like head space readings, the tailstock has to come back into axial alignment when slide back up the barrel for resuming the reaming operations.
• Sako Extractor Install: 1 DVD / 1 Hr. 59 mins. $25.00 delivered.
This video covers installation of all styles of Sako extractors. It also covers set up and machining of the bolt for the SAKO extractors.
• G.T.R. High Pressure Pump: 1 DVD / 2 Hrs. $31.00 delivered.
Whether you purchased a flushing system from G.T.R. or built your own. You will want this full information video, which will save you time & money. All important matters concerning chamber flushing are covered in detail.
December 1st, 2008
This ain’t your grandpa’s Savage… that’s for sure. Gary Eliseo, innovative designer/builder of the B1, R1, R5, and RT10 tubegun kits, has been working on a top-secret, single-shot prone rifle based on the Savage Target Action. The prototype has been finished and tested. Eliseo tells us: “Here’s the S1 prototype stock for the new Savage LR Target action I’m now currently testing. It’s chambered in 6BRX, so far it’s performing very well.”
 The new Eliseo S1 features a drop-in Savage Target Action that bolts to a milled aluminum sub-chassis. The prototype retains the factory Savage Accutrigger, and Savage bolt handle. There is a +20 MOA extended scope rail fitted to the top of the receiver, while a fully adjustable CSS (Competition Shooting Stuff) stock with cheekpiece is attached at the rear. Because the mounting socket for the buttstock is part of the chassis, the S1 will allow very short length of pull, so this rifle would be ideal for juniors as well as adults. The S1 prototype uses a conventional barrel with a shoulder, but Gary says the kit will work with a barrel nut system. This means S1 owners can install “pre-fit” barrels using a barrel nut.
Interested? Better tell Santa soon. Eliseo says he expects to have the first S1 production models ready for delivery “by Christmas time”. The full S1 kit, with CSS buttstock, will cost $925.00 not including action, barrel, or scope. To place an order, call (714) 630-5734, or email order.info [at] competitionshootingstuff.com .
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