Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

ZLBubba

ZLBubba

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Minuteman
Jan 15, 2009
925
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Maryland
#1
I've been working on putting this build together for a while. Robert Gradous and I talked long and hard over this little gun and came up with an absolute awesome rig. Here are the specs:

- Surgeon 591 SA repeater
- Bartlein #3, 1:10" 308 Winchester, 5/8x24 threaded, finished at 16.5"
- Manners MCS-T3 in Coyote Tan
- Timney trigger
- Surgeon bottom metal
- Atlas rail, bipod
- USO 1.8-10x37mm mil/mil JNG reticle scope

Here it is:
2nio3th.jpg


And with my Thunderbeast suppressor:
15s6f6q.jpg


It's the handiest gun I own. I'll be using this for most of my everyday shooting. All four of the deer I've taken in the last four years have been under 100 yards so this will also double as my deer rifle for the foreseeable future.

How does she shoot, you ask? I haven't done load development yet, but the preliminary results are outstanding. <span style="font-weight: bold">Forgive the 3-shot groups</span> as I was zeroing multiple rifles today and trying to get as much done as possible.

175 SMKs
35d88xl.jpg


168 SMKs
2sb8x9l.jpg


SW Ammo 175 SMKs
b5r8eq.jpg


155 Scenars over 45.7gr RL-15:
34q21wg.jpg


Shots 1 and 2 (the highest) were the last two rounds of a mag so I adjusted .1 lower and loaded another 3 rounds. Those are shots 3-5 on that target. Seeing that the load was working, moved to steel thereafter.

I love this gun. It weight probably about 8.5lbs with the scope and bipod and shoots in .2s and .3s. I have a feeling this little rig will be putting many of my other rigs out of business in short order. I can't speak highly enough of Robert Gradous' skills or professionalism. If there's anyone who could get a short, lightweight truck gun to shoot bugholes, it's Robert.

I'll update this thread after my next range day with 5-shot groups and steel work at 300 yards.
 
#5
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

Im doing something similar, scary similar...

Bighorn, HTG, Light Palma. Everything else basically identical, only in 260.

This thread is like looking into a crystal ball. Good to see proof of concept before my parts are even in!
 
#6
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

Thanks for the kind words. I'm really pleased with how the rifle came out. What I failed to tell you was that I had Robert chamber a 260 barrel as well so the truck gun is actually a switchbarrel rig. I haven't shot the 260 barrel yet so I don't have much to report.

I love shooting this gun. The build just made sense to me as a practical, versatile gun that's a pleasure to shoot. I'm already looking for a mid-Atlantic tactical comp to run this little rig. It's very steady on the shoulder and feels great sitting, kneeling, and on barriers. Now I want to test it out with more 155 Scenars at longer ranges.
 
#13
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 6brshooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like it, nice parts and awesome build. One question though, ur last group measure is .508", is that the last 3 rds? </div></div>

Yeah, I actually ran out of one magazine, stopped, got up, loaded three more rounds, stretched, rebuilt my position with my bipod and rear bag (the tactical pillow is awesome!) and then got down and shot the last three rounds. You're seeing me run out of one mag and begin another. I didn't feel right counting it as a five-shot group since there was about 10 minutes and a whole lot of movement between shot 1 and 5. Truthfully though, it's not a horrible 5-shot group either, but those five shots weren't from the same mag and shooting stream.

The load there is with the 155 Scenar comp load I used in my old 308. I'm actually surprised that load shot so well in this gun. For now, I'm just going to get new chrono data the next time I'm out and use that load for damn near everything except deer hunting.

One thing I didn't expect was how solid the rifle would be because of the lack of weight and short barrel. Frankly though, in the prone or off sandbags, it was very stable. That may be due to the weight being centered just in front of the trigger guard but I'm not sure. Nonetheless, it's still pretty new and I need to spend many many more rounds at various ranges it to give a fuller picture.
 
#17
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

That's fantastic, great build. Robert's work is exceptional, I'd like to own a rifle from him someday as well.

I've been dickering through a build list for something like this myself but with a 30-06.

HTG, Light Palma barrel, Rem action and Rem BDL, finished up @ 18" long and threaded just in case. It's going to be somewhat of a rat-rifle, but for dragging up trees and throwing in a pack on hikes it should make a very handy rifle with lots of oomph coming from the 30-06.
 
#18
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

Looks great, congrats. On a side note, you must be one short dude to have that scope that far back. One false move and you'll catch a case of the scope eye STAT..
 
#19
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

To answer your questions:

I am 5'8" with a short (read "no") neck, short arms, and built pretty solid. So far so good with the eye relief, but I may have to re-visit it for extensive shooting outside of prone. This was my first range session so adjustments will likely be made.

I think a 30-06 could work really well in this configuration, though the long action would naturally add some weight and length. I think the practical impact of those differences would be negligible, plus you would have a bit more versatility with the 308.

Now, my 260 Rem barrel is finished at 22" and not threaded, same Bart #3 contour. I'm going to run 140 VLDs and the new 136.5 Scenars to see what's best, but I've got a number of projects higher on my priority list.

On the bathroom scale, it's 8.5 lbs (scope, mag, sling, no bipod).
 
#21
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: flounderv2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Looks great, congrats. On a side note, you must be one short dude to have that scope that far back. One false move and you'll catch a case of the scope eye STAT.. </div></div>

Wow that scope is way back, still if it fits you ...
 
#22
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jedi</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: flounderv2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Looks great, congrats. On a side note, you must be one short dude to have that scope that far back. One false move and you'll catch a case of the scope eye STAT.. </div></div>

Wow that scope is way back, still if it fits you ... </div></div>

I got a chance to do some positional shooting yesterday and the eye relief was perfect. I shoot about 75% prone, and then practice kneeling, barriers, and offhand for the other 25%. So far the scope positioning/alignment has been just right.

I just got my Quickload/Quicktarget program yesterday so I'm going to fiddle around a couple loads I have and hopefully shoot the Truck Gun out to 600 in about a month. Nonetheless, the weight, handiness, and accuracy turned out exactly as I had hoped.
 
#23
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

Nice gun! Looks like that pig farmer guy has done it again with a good build. Not realy surprised though
smirk.gif
 
#24
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

ZL if you went into the GAP pending folder you would find that exact gun on a new templar in there for me lol
 
#25
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

See, brilliant minds think alike! I'm telling you BigJoe, that little gun there is spoiling me. It's so much lighter and handier than most of my other rigs. Add to that it's my ideal eastern whitetail woods gun, and I'm on the verge of naming my firstborn after Robert Gradous.

I look forward to seeing what GAP makes for you. You know it's going to be a laser!
 
#26
Re: Latest Gradous masterpiece: The Ultimate Truck Gun

yep t3 with 17" #4 fluted 308 w/ timney, for the exact same reasons as you stated great combo of a gun that won't heat up in 3 rounds and robust enough for hard use.
 
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