For this Saturday Video Showcase we are featuring products and operations of Kelbly’s Inc. We are doing this to help help honor the memory of George E. Kelbly Sr., the man who founded Kelbly’s Inc. producers of superb actions, stocks, and complete rifles. In addition, George Kelbly Sr. created the impressive range where the annual Super Shoot benchrest competition was held for many decades. Sadly, George passed away on May 14, 2024. He will be missed — George Kelbly Sr. was a great leader in the shooting community.
Kelbly’s Product and Gun-Building Videos
Want to see new-born Pandas? No, not the furry kind — rather Stolle Panda actions produced with state-of-the-art CNC machinery. If you’ve ever wondered how precision benchrest, long-range, and tactical rifles are built, check out this first video from Kelbly’s. You’ll see actions finished, barrels chambered and crowned, pillars installed in stocks, barreled actions bedded, plus a host of other services performed by Kelbly’s gunsmiths and machinists.
Click Volume Control to Activate Sound for Kelbly’s Video:
If you’re a fan of fine machine-work, this video should be both informative and entertaining. You can see how precision gun work is done with 21st-Century technology. Tip of the hat to Ian Kelbly and crew for producing this excellent video visit to the Kelbly’s production center. CLICK HERE to watch this video full-screen with full sound and no auto-start. That will make it easier to see production details.
Kelbly’s Super Shoot — Group-Shooting Benchrest Action
Here is a video from the 2022 Kelbly’s Super Shoot, the last-ever Super Shoot event held at the impressive Kelbly’s range in Ohio. The Super Shoot is a 100- and 200-yard benchrest competition with the world’s top group shooters. The Super Shoot, in the post-Kelbly’s phase, is now run by Super Shoot Sports with major sponsorship from Shilen. The 50th Super Shoot will be held May 20-23, 2024 (this coming week) at the St Louis Benchrest Club.
Above is another Kelbly’s Range video from a decade earlier at the 2012 Super Shoot. This has excellent footage showing the firing line and the forest of wind-flags.
Kelbly’s Nanook Lightweight LR Hunting Rifle
Kelbly’s impressive Nanook MG rifle features a magnesium chassis, with a 26″ carbon-wrapped barrel and folding stock. Strong yet light, the 7.9-lb Nanook MG is a long-range hunting rifle that’s easy to carry, yet can effectively shoot big-caliber cartridges capable of taking large game.
Guide to Kelbly’s Hunting and Tactical Actions
This video by Preferred Barrels features four modern hunting/tactical actions: Atlas Lite, Nanook, Atlas Tactical, and Prometheus. These actions stand out for their precision engineering, making them a top choice for both hunters and competitive shooters. The unique TG ejector system ensures reliable mechanical ejection, reducing reliance on chamber pressure and maintaining shot alignment. These actions are a good choice for PRS/NRL shooters as well as traditional hunters looking for lightweight precision.
Kelbly’s F-Class Panda Action
Here is a short third-party review of the impressive F-Class Panda Action from Kelbly’s. This is popular with competitors because the action has a wide, flat bottom that beds securely, plus the action has a built-in +20 MOA rail. These actions have a smooth movement and can deliver great accuracy. The F-Class Panda action is offered in both short and long versions, starting at $1600.00.
Firing Pin Maintenance — Kelbly’s Tutorial
The last video in today’s Saturday showcase offers some very important tips on maintaining your firing pin. While this features Kelbly’s action components, many of the observations apply to other modern actions as well. You definitely want to keep your firing pin in good order as pin problems can lead to unexpected fliers, or decreased accuracy on target.
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Kelbly makes outstanding actions, including the Stolle Pandas. In the past 20 years, Pandas have probably won more benchrest matches than any other action (though BATs and Bordens are increasingly in the winning circle). Recently gunsmith Alex Wheeler of Wheeler Accuracy worked his magic on an aluminum Panda, optimizing the “ignition timing” of the action. This involves many small mods to bolt, camming surfaces, trigger, and firing pin: “The whole cam helix and detent shelf is re-cut. The firing pin and cocking piece are modified as well.” When executed properly, Ignition Timing has a number of benefits, including a smoother bolt opening/closing, improved firing pin fall, and enhanced accuracy (though the accuracy improvements can be subtle).
BEFORE Action Timing — Stiff and Clunky
Alex reports: “Normally Panda actions have plenty of firing pin fall. For one reason or another this one was very low. Before timing, firing pin fall was .210 with a Bix’N Andy (BNA) trigger. After trigger timing firing pin fall is .244 with zero cock on close.” Here is how the action functioned before timing work:
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Alex notes: “As you can see, after the cocking piece rides out of the detent notch it thenfalls to the trigger and is then re-cocked. This is normal on most un-timed actions.”
AFTER Action Timing — Smooth and Refined
Alex explains the modifications he made for this Panda action: “Moving the trigger back adds cock on close. The whole cam helix and detent shelf is re-cut. The firing pin and cocking piece are modified as well. I do love a timed Panda. In fact, I like aluminum actions, I think there is something to them. But yes, I also recommend Borden as my first choice.’
CLICK Photo to start VIDEO
Fix for Right-Bolt Actions Only
After seeing these videos on Facebook, one poster asked: “I do like my Panda but this is exactly why I bought a Borden action and I love it. It’s good to know you can make a Panda better. Alex, can you time a left bolt Panda?”
Alex replied: “No, the tooling I built is all for right hand actions sorry….”
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Forum member Keith W. (aka “Cigarcop”) of KW Precision LLC is a talented riflesmith whose projects display outstanding finish work and attention to detail. Keith does some of the best bedding work we’ve ever seen. Here is one of his latest creations. Keith recently completed a stunning F-Class rig for a shooter in Delaware. It’s a beauty, that’s for sure. Keith has posted more details about this rifle in a Shooters’ Forum Thread.
This handsome rifle features a polished Stolle (Kelbly) Panda Action, and two (2) Brux barrels, both chambered for the .284 Winchester cartridge. The real eye-catching component of this rifle is the stunning Cerus F-Open stock. This features multiple laminations with highly-figured Walnut on the sides. This certainly ain’t your “off-the-shelf” laminated stock. This just shows the beauty that can be achieved with carefully-chosen lamination layers (plus 12 coats of clear).
This beautiful F-Open rig features a laminated wood stock with stunning figured walnut on the outside.
Keith of KW Precision LLC is renowned for his bedding work, and this rifle shows why. Keith takes great pride in his work, and his attention to detail is second to none. This bedding job is as good as it gets.
Bringing out the figure in the wood requires multiple finish coats (and careful sanding between coats). But the results are worth it. Shown below is the Cerus stock, BEFORE the finish coats were applied. It took time and effort to transform the “naked” Cerus stock into a true stunner. Keith applied twelve (12) coats of PPG Automotive Clear with wet sanding between each coat.
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Chuck’s Pair of Pennsylvania Dashers
There’s been a lot of interest in the 6mm Dasher cartridge lately, so we thought we’d showcase a matched pair of Dasher rifles belonging to a Forum member. The 6mm Dasher began as a wildcat improved version of the 6mmBR Norma cartridge. The 6mm Dasher has been very successful in competition, and now factory Norma-made Dasher cartridge brass is available from Bullets.com.
Forum Member Chuck L. (aka “Ridgeway”) has created a handsome duo of 6mm Dashers for competitive benchrest and varmint matches in Pennsylvania. Both guns are built on Kelbly Panda RBLP actions, with Bartlein 8-twist barrels, and Shehane Laminated Tracker Stocks. However, the two rifles are not exact twins, as you can see. One, which we’ll call the Big Dasher, is built on a Shehane ST1000 Tracker stock. The other gun, the Small Dasher, sports Shehane’s “Baby Tracker” stock — a design used with great success by Richard Schatz. The Big Dasher, optimized for 1000-yard competition, also has a slightly longer freebore — 0.136″ vs. 0.104″ for the Small Dasher.
Specifications for the Dasher Duo:
Small Dasher (13.5-pounder): Chambered for 6mm Dasher with approximately .104 freebore and a .264 NK. (No way of knowing exactly since it freebore was done in a separate operation by Kelbly.) Components are: Shehane Baby Tracker stock, Kelbly Panda RPLB action, Bartlein 1:8″ LV barrel at 26 ¾”, Kelbly Rings, Weaver T36, Jewell trigger. The barrel was chambered by Kelblys and the stock was bedded, glued and balanced by a shooting buddy (Forum Member johara1). I clear-coated the stock with auto urethane. Total weight is 13 lbs., 4 ounces.
Big Dasher (1K Light Gun, 17-pounder): Chambered for 6mm Dasher with a .136 freebore and .264 neck (PTG Reamer). Components are: Shehane ST-1000 stock, Kelbly Panda RPLB action, Bartlein 1:8″ HV 5R barrel at 28″, Shehane +20-MOA rings, Nightforce NXS 12-42x56mm, Jewell trigger. The barrel work, pillar installation, and bedding was done by Dave Bruno. The stock was clear-coated by Chuck with auto urethane. Chuck also made the rear butt plate and balanced the rifle. Total weight: 16 lbs., 13 ounces.
Chuck tells us: “I don’t get out shooting competition as much as I want due to time and family, but when I do compete, I shoot a Groundhog match at Southfork Rifle Club in Beaverdale, PA. Info on Southfork Club events can be found at Southforkrifleclub.com. The Southfork match is basically a 100-, 300- and 500-yard match with one sighter the entire match and 5 shots at each yardage for score. The Small Dasher, with the shorter ‘Baby Tracker’ stock, was set up for the Southfork Rifle Club’s ‘Light Unlimited’ class which has a 13.5-lb max weight.” (Editor: ‘unlimited’ is a misnomer for a weight-limited category.)
Chuck adds: “The Big Dasher with the heavy ST-1000 stock is set up for 1000-yard benchrest matches in Light Gun class. I hope to shoot a couple 1K matches with it at Reade Range in southwest Pennsylvania. I am still in load development for this rifle since it was just finished in January. One ironic thing is, it shoots the same load I’m shooting out of the lighter gun rather well. The only difference between the two chambers is the freebore is roughly thirty thousandths longer on the 1K gun (Large Dasher). I will also shoot this at Southfork in the ‘Heavy Unlimited’ class.”
Dasher Case-Forming: Neck-Turn then Fire-form with Bullets Hard in Lands
To fireform, I turn my cases down to fit the chamber and stop where the false shoulder makes snug contact with the chamber. Fire-forming rounds are loaded up with a 29-grain charge of H4895 or Varget and a 108gr Berger bullet seated hard into the lands about 0.020″ past initial contact with the rifling. It takes about three firings to make a nice clean Dasher case with a sharp shoulder. I anneal about every 3-4 firings. I have many cases that have about 10+ firings on them and they are still shooting well. The primer pockets are a little looser, but still hold a primer.
Both Dashers Group in the Ones at 100 Yards
My main bullet for both rifles is the 107gr Sierra MK, loaded with Reloder 15 powder, Lapua cases and CCI 450 primers. My main load for the Small Dasher is 33.0 grains of Reloder 15. This load shoots in the ones at 100 yards. For the Big Dasher, I’m still working on a load, although the same 33.0 grain load shoots in the ones in the heavier gun as well. I’m still looking for more velocity and my ‘max’ node. So far, I’ve gone well above 33.0 grains of RL 15 without pressure signs, but that load produces vertical at 100 yards, so I’m going to tinker with the load until I see pressure or it starts to shoot.
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New March 3-24x42mm FFP Tactical Scope
Every year, a visit to the Kelbly’s booth is one of the highlights of our SHOT Show experience. This year, Jim Kelbly showed off an impressive new First-Focal-Plane 3-24x42mm March Tactical Scope. We were impressed with this new scope. It offers a wide range of magnification in a compact design. As first glance you think you’re looking at a 4-12X optic, not a scope with 24-power on tap. The scope is intelligently laid out — with mil clicks to match the mil reticle. Notably, the elevation turret delivers a full TEN mils per revolution. That is the same as Nightforce’s “high-speed” mil turret, and the ten mils of “up” should get you all the way to 1000 yards with most popular cartridges. If you’re a tactical shooter looking for a mil-mil scope you should check out the new 3-24X March. We think it is very competitive with anything out there, and it is a lot more compact than many scopes in the 20-24X power range.
Kelbly’s Also Builds Complete Rifles
Along with March scopes and Kelbly/Stolle Actions, the Kelbly booth had a stunning F-Class rifle on display, with a 10-60X March scope on top. This red and black beauty belongs to Jim’s son, Ian Kelbly. It features a polished Stolle Panda F-Class action, pillar bedded to a Precision Rifle & Tool laminated F-Class stock. This was the stock design Charles Ballard used to win back-to-back U.S. F-Class Championships. Jim noted that Kelbly’s continues to offer a full range of gunsmithing services, from barrel chambering to building complete rifles — with your choice of Kelbly stocks or third-party stocks.
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For this Saturday Video Showcase we are featuring products and operations of Kelbly’s Inc. We are doing this to help help honor the memory of George E. Kelbly Sr., the man who founded Kelbly’s Inc. producers of superb actions, stocks, and complete rifles. In addition, George Kelbly Sr. created the impressive range where the annual Super Shoot benchrest competition was held for many decades. Sadly, George passed away on May 14, 2024. He will be missed — George Kelbly Sr. was a great leader in the shooting community.
