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March 15th, 2009
The Roto-Stand is a handy, innovative product that’s great for gunsmiths and anyone who needs to work on pistols or action and trigger assemblies. The product consists of two elements, a large, stable round base, plus a rotating, swivel head that can be locked in position. There are two different head assemblies available: 1) a general-purpose hobby vise with padded jaws; and 2) an adjustable, internal magazine post used to hold pistols. In the photo below you can see the Hobby Vise securing a Ruger 10/22 action. The Vise is not limited to gun applications — it will also secure electronics, fishing lures, RC motors, and other hobby items.
The video below shows the Roto-Stand with Mag Post holding a 1911 pistol. The Mag Post secures your pistol from inside the magwell. The Mag Post has an adjustable internal wedge so you can adjust the amount of “grip”. Three different Mag Posts are offered — one for 1911s, a second for Sig P220s, and a third for most Glock models. Watch the video below to see the Roto-Stand and Mag Post used with a 1911 pistol.
The Roto-Stand and related components are sold by BAT Industries, LLC of California (no connection to BAT Machine in Idaho). The base assembly, by itself, costs $69.95. The Hobby Vise is $39.95, and the Mag Post is $19.95. BAT Industries offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Roto-Stand Base
$69.95 |
Hobby Vise
$39.95 |
Mag Post
$19.95 |
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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
May 19th, 2008
Gunsmith Nat Lambeth, nlambeth [at] embarqmail.com, recently had a client bring in a Custom-Shop Remington that wouldn’t even hold one Minute of Angle (MOA) at 100 yards. Nat was able to correct flaws in the factory action and then fit a new barrel. Remarkably, after action truing and barrel replacement, the gun shot like a house on fire. After working his magic, Nat shot a 0.111″ 5-shot group with the gun.
Nat tells us: “I had a customer bring in a Remington 700. This rifle was supposed to have been from the custom shop. It was a stainless model 700 with a 5R Mil Spec barrel in a HS Precision stock. The customer paid a premium price for this rifle. The customer complained the rifle ‘won’t shoot groups under 1.5″ at 100 yards’, and he wanted a new barrel. He had 400 rounds down the tube. The barrel looked to be in good shape with maybe a scratch 8 inches from the muzzle.
Blue-Printing the Receiver
I removed the barrel from the receiver and looked at the internal bolt lug engagement surfaces. Only one lug seemed to be contacting. I put the bolt in a V-Block and measured the rearward bolt lug surfaces. The right or bottom lug had .019″ more reaward surface than the left or upper lug. This would have taken me two days to lap out so I set up the bolt in a truing jig and turned the bolt .020. I then put the action in a action truing jig and machined the inside lug surfaces until I got one even surface. I lapped the lugs until I had 80% bi-lateral contact, then re-faced the bolt and action face.
New Broughton Barrel
I dialed in a new 26″ Broughton 1:10, 5C barrel. It was indicated on both ends until a .0001″ indicator needle was not moving. The barrel was turned, threaded, and chambered in the same setup using thinbit tooling, a PT&G 95 Palma reamer with a .3004 bushing. The chamber was cut within .0015″ with a Lambeth/Kiff Micrometer Adjustable Reamer Stop. The factory recoil lug was replaced with a precision-ground lug.
The barrel was removed from the lathe and the muzzle was cut 1.250 shorter in a bandsaw. The barrel was re-mounted in the lathe and the muzzle dialed in the steady rest. The crown was faced with a piloted, PT&G facing tool then faced with a piloted, 79° counter bore .100″.
Stock Work
The rifle stock was re-inletted and glassed in for two inches. Then the barrel free-floated.
A Tack-Driver is Born
I thoroughly prepped 22 pieces of used 308 Federal Gold match brass, which were then loaded with 42.5 grains of H4895, CCI BR2 primers, and Hornady 168 HPBT bullets. After cleaning the barrel, I fired one test round with no problems and cleaned the barrel again. I then installed a Leupold 6.5-20AO scope in Farrell bases and rings. I bore-sighted the rifle by eye with the bolt removed at 50 yards.
After some sighters to set Point of Aim, I sat down and did 5 shots for record at 100 yards. Those five shots went into one ragged hole. (See Target Below — this editor measures the group as 0.111″ center to center using OnTarget Software.) Another customer who was there at the range, then shot a 5-shot group that went into 0.312″. That’s an 0.2115″ average for the two groups. I then was able to shoot a couple more groups in the ‘teens.”
Conclusion
Nat proved that attention to detail DOES make a difference, and that truing an action, improving the bedding, and fitting a superior barrel can make a HUGE difference in accuracy. Now, mind you, we’re not suggesting that you can take a factory .308 and make it into a gun that will win the Super Shoot. Nat’s 0.111″ group was exceptional. Still this demonstrates that major gains can be had by action blue-printing combined with bedding work and a new barrel.
February 11th, 2008
At SHOT Show, Jerry Stiller of Stiller Precision Firearms noted that his business grew rapidly in 2007, driven by the success of his Predator and Tac actions. These offer a Rem 700 style design, with improved tolerances and component quality. Jerry has doubled the square footage of his shop and added new machines and personnel to meet increased demand.
CLICK HERE to VIEW STILLER INTERVIEW
Jerry announced his plans to develop new actions in the months ahead. The first will be a specialized, single-shot, varmint action similar to the Predator, but “a little tighter” according to Jerry. It will be a Right-Bolt, Left-Port with a cone breach. Price should be comparable with the Predator action. “Hoped-for” release date will be mid-summer 2008. Later in 2008, Stiller Precision will introduce an all-new rimfire action similar to a Remington 40X. This will be followed by a Black Powder action.
Viper and Cobra Special–$50.00 off
If you call (972) 429-5000, and mention 6mmBR.com, Jerry has promised to offer $50.00 off existing Right-Bolt, Left-Port, Drop-Port, PPC-boltface Viper or Cobra actions. This discount is limited to the first TEN (10) Viper or Cobra orders. The discount is for this EXACT configuration only: PPC, Drop-Port, RBLP Viper or Cobra. The discounted price will be $900.00 including rings and trigger guard.
January 21st, 2008
Here’s a remarkable video clip demonstrating state-of-the art CNC production of precision gun parts. In the video, created by STAMA America, an HK pistol gun breech is crafted from bar stock through a totally automated drilling/milling procedure. The breech is made by STAMA’s Model MC 726 MT, a unique five-axis, CNC milling/turning center. The five-axis machine is designed for continuous production of complex parts from bar stock and multiple different parts, including weapon components.
The process shown in the 5-minute video actually takes 50 minutes to craft the breech, starting with a 60mm diameter section of 42 CrMo 4 steel. Amazingly, the 5-axis machine employs 25 separate tools in the operation!
STAMA states that its milling/turning machines “can produce even short runs of complex weapon parts in one operation with superior quality, finish and cost efficiencies. Typically, Model MC 726 MT can result in up to 70% reductions in part processing time, according to current customers.”
CLICK HERE to PLAY 5-minute YouTube VIDEO
January 2nd, 2008
 So what does a “worn-out” barrel really look like? Tom Myers answered that question when he removed a 6.5-284 barrel and cut it down the middle to reveal throat wear. As you can see, there is a gap of about 5mm before the lands begin and you can see how the lands have thinned at the ends. (Note: even in a new barrel, there would be a section of freebore, so not all the 5mm gap represents wear.) There is actually just about 2mm of lands worn away. Tom notes: “Since I started out, I’ve chased the lands, moving out the seating depth .086″ (2.18 mm). I always seat to touch. My final touch dimension was 2.440″ with a Stoney Point .26 cal collet.”
Except for the 2mm of wear, the rifling otherwise looks decent, suggesting that setting back and rechambering this barrel could extend its useful life. Tom reports: “This was something I just thought I’d share if anyone was interested. I recently had to re-barrel my favorite prone rifle after its scores at 1,000 started to slip. I only ever shot Sierra 142gr MatchKings with VV N165 out of this barrel. It is a Hart and of course is button-rifled. I documented every round through the gun and got 2,300 over 4 years. Since I have the facilities, I used wire EDM (Electro Discharge Machining) to section the shot-out barrel in half. It was in amazingly good shape upon close inspection.”
Tom could have had this barrel set back, but he observed, “Lately I have had to increase powder charge to maintain 2,950 fps muzzle velocity. So to set it back would have only increased that problem. [And] I had a brand new 30″ Krieger all ready to screw on. I figured it was unlikely I’d get another full season on the old barrel, so I took it off.”
December 24th, 2007
A slim, compact, falling block rifle belongs in every rifle enthusiast’s collection. Falling blocks, such as the Ruger No.1, look spectacular when fitted with premium highly-figured wood “furniture”. Check out this No. 1 with a gorgeous piece of Turkish Walnut crafted by stockmaker Paul Dressels.
 If you have been thinking about a falling block project, all you need is a nice stock blank and a barreled action. As for the latter, now’s the time to buy. Brownells currently has Ruger No. 1 barreled actions on sale for $527.57, marked down from $775.83. Barreled actions are available in four different calibers: .220 Swift, 22-250, .223 Remington, and .416 Rigby. Barrel lengths on the sale units are either 22″ or 24″. Of course you can always pull the barrel and substitute a custom match-grade barrel. The sale actions have a blued finish. FFL Required for Purchase.
The Ruger No. 1 is a single shot rifle, with Farquharson-style internal hammer falling block action. It was introduced in 1966. An underlever lowers the block allowing loading and cocks the rifle. Ruger No. 1 actions are rugged. Lenard Brownell once said: “There was never any question about the strength of the [No. 1] action….I never did manage to blow one apart.”
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