After a few more months (quality takes time... and lots of shops are very backed up...) I got back my barreled Tikka Action from Pac Nor barreling. Part of the delay was waiting for the dies, the chamber reamer and the go/no gauges and making sure they all went to Pac-Nor as a package... that way we know everything will be compatible!!!
By way of background, this whole project started about 2 years ago with a stock from KRG research and a plan to do something "Different." Since I've been fascinated by sub-caliber guns for ages, I decided to build my first wildcat sub-caliber in .14/221 Fireball. I wanted to make it as close to my Duty TRG as possible... sort of a mini-TRG project.
I got the barrel from, I think, Reed's but had to send it back to Pac-Nor (who made it) for fitting and profiling. They did a semi-heavy/Sendero profile with a muzzle cut for a brake/suppressor. Not that I can get a suppressor here... but at least it's prepared for it. I'll stick on a brake in the interim.
This morning, I mounted up the KRG Chassis and stock... a beautiful fit after shortening one Allen screw at the front action mount.
Next, I need to get the optics mounts and a few other goodies lined up and installed. And make some ammunition! I have a ton of Fireball cases now and ordered a neck-resizing plate last week. I still predict it will be Christmas before I am shooting it. But, hey, this is a want, not a need!
Some pictures:
Absolutely lovely barrel work by Pac-Nor. Can't thank them enough for great communications, lots of (the right) questions and a phenomenal attention to detail. Took a while, but utterly worth the wait. Doing the chamberings and other work on these tiny wildcats is not for the feint of heart and they took on the project gladly and simply did an amazing job.
Here is the chamber reamer and the go/no go gauges that I ordered/had made specially. That was a big chunk of the wait as the company that makes the chamber reamer did not have one in stock, so waited for a run. Note the size of the chamber reamer's pilot... More below!
Dies from, I think, REEDS ammo and loading supplies. Again, bit of a wait. Also made sure that the folks doing the chambering had dies, reamer, gauges... everything. We wanted to make sure everything was compatible before cutting chips. Maybe not necessary to do everything in serial... and certainly takes longer. But safer in the world of Wildcats!
Chamber reamer/forcing cone reamer and pilot next to a .308 bullet. Just gives an idea of the scale of these things....
Muzzle threading next to the same .308 bullet. I'll likely use a .22 brake, mainly to protect the threads. Otherwise, I'll just make a screw-on thread protector.
Stock Tikka Trigger reinstalled on the action. I can put on a TRG trigger... bolts in place. That gets true 'two-stage' but the pull on this stock Tikka trigger is just wonderful. I'll save the $400+ that the TRG trigger group would cost and put it into optics/mounts instead.
I mentioned one screw that was about .080" long for the front action. This is the screw. Getting at it meant simply removing the fore end from the chassis and turning it back a bit. It was just barely interfering with the bolt closing. Check this as part of installing a W3 Chassis. On the subject of which... the stock is just simply superb. Fit is outstanding... built like a brick outhouse. The adjustment is first rate. I was privileged to work with Massoud and the KRG folks in their prototype TRG chassis a couple of years ago, so could not wait to try building something around one of their production stocks. Not only am I not disappointed, but think this is one of the coolest accessories out there. Support your fellow 'Hide members!!! They share freely of their knowledge and info... thank them with your support!
As she sits this morning. As I may have mentioned early in the process, part of the fun of this project has been building a rifle using everything I can from 'Hide vendors and folks who have given me a lot of good info and support over the years. Next on the list will be an Atlas Bipod and I plan on going Sphur mount and using a USO scope. I have been debating putting on a tactical bolt knob (TRG style) but have not decided whether it is needed. The factory knob is nicely done. Last, I'll probably not Krylon this myself... but send it out for a cool finishing job. But that will come after I get ammo made and get it dialed in on the range.
More to follow... but don't expect speed. I'll be back to working on school stuff next week... and so rifles will likely wait until my November break! But thought folks would like to see the current status of a neat project.
Cheers,
Sirhr
