It has been a long time to get my .300 H&H into shooting shape but it is finally done. I orginaly found the rifle setting in a used rack at a local gunshop for $99, already had the guard straightened, speed lock kit, rails modified, and chambered in .300 H&H. First thing I did was install the scope you see pictured below.
Went from this modified military stock with military trigger and B&L 2-7X35 Elite 3000 scope:
Never did shoot it in that configuration however as I had plenty of other stuff ready to hunt last year. So I took it to this next, a roughed out Richard's Microfit stock, and replaced trigger with a Timney. Stock had more problems than I was comfortable fixing so took it to Kevin Weaver and he shaped and bedded the stock for me, but left the rest for me to finish up later:
Finally to this Minwax antique oil finish, Minwax polyeurthane sealer, Leupold VXIII 2.5-8X36. I has been cold and miserable lately and gave me plenty of time to finish the stock:
I have finally shot this rifle. Picked up some factory Winchester or so I thought off the forum here, but the rifle wouldn't group better than 4". Pulled all the bullets and powder from the ammunition. Boxes were labled 180 grain but the bullets actually weighed in at 148.8-151.5 grains and the powder charge ranged from 0 grains in once case but the rest were 69-72 grains. Probably why my groups were all over the place and probably not factory.
I reused the bullets and powder but now every thing has a 70 grain charge. And since most of the bullets were within .5 grains of 150 I just took out the extreme ones. I'm going back to the range today to see if I can get it to group better. I got a good deal on the ammo so I'm not too upset it not being factory, brass looked brand new and unfired inside. Couldn't touch new factory brass for what I bought the loaded ammunition for.
I'm going to load this rifle up for hunting elk. I will be more than likely using 200 grain Nosler Partitions come hunting season. Since this rifle has a long 26" barrel I'll be looking at those slow burning powders to get the most I can out of the barrel.
Went from this modified military stock with military trigger and B&L 2-7X35 Elite 3000 scope:
Never did shoot it in that configuration however as I had plenty of other stuff ready to hunt last year. So I took it to this next, a roughed out Richard's Microfit stock, and replaced trigger with a Timney. Stock had more problems than I was comfortable fixing so took it to Kevin Weaver and he shaped and bedded the stock for me, but left the rest for me to finish up later:
Finally to this Minwax antique oil finish, Minwax polyeurthane sealer, Leupold VXIII 2.5-8X36. I has been cold and miserable lately and gave me plenty of time to finish the stock:
I have finally shot this rifle. Picked up some factory Winchester or so I thought off the forum here, but the rifle wouldn't group better than 4". Pulled all the bullets and powder from the ammunition. Boxes were labled 180 grain but the bullets actually weighed in at 148.8-151.5 grains and the powder charge ranged from 0 grains in once case but the rest were 69-72 grains. Probably why my groups were all over the place and probably not factory.
I reused the bullets and powder but now every thing has a 70 grain charge. And since most of the bullets were within .5 grains of 150 I just took out the extreme ones. I'm going back to the range today to see if I can get it to group better. I got a good deal on the ammo so I'm not too upset it not being factory, brass looked brand new and unfired inside. Couldn't touch new factory brass for what I bought the loaded ammunition for.
I'm going to load this rifle up for hunting elk. I will be more than likely using 200 grain Nosler Partitions come hunting season. Since this rifle has a long 26" barrel I'll be looking at those slow burning powders to get the most I can out of the barrel.
thats very nice, you scored.
The rest of the work added up to a little over $1K which includes the scope and a little over two years to complete. Really don't know how many times this little gem got looked over at the store before I bought it. For me it was a no brainer as I've rarely been interested in production rifles, give me the odd ball stuff any day.