That was hard.
I've been shooting F-TR with a Longshot Rifles 308 for the last yr. As is often said here, it is a hammer. I can shoot .34 to .5 with it off of a Harris pod, and unlike many the pics are out there to prove it, and no "don't count the flyer" caveats (in fact if you "discount the flyer" in my last 5 shot .34 group it was more like .25) Three groups, three ragged holes in the target.
The problem is that it has a 24" Rock Creek #8 barrel, the heaviest contour other than a straight that Rock makes. That means it's too short to really rev it up for 1000 yds and too damned heavy to lug anywhere. I had a 30" Kreiger sitting in the corner waiting for the build parts I have on order, but Defiance says the action will be here in April, and I speak "gunsmith" pretty well so that means June, I don't have the stock from Precision yet and even after it all gets here I'll still have to get it screwed together and do load workups so I figure late summer at the earliest.
It hit me when checked ogive/lands measurements on my rifle this week and I realized that I really didn't want to shoot another match with this tube and reworking my loads for this rifle was going to be a waste of time.
SO, I dropped my rifle and my new barrel off today to get it mounted up. Since Chris Mathews trued and bedded the action and nothing but the barrel is changing I'll get it back in about 2 weeks, but telling someone to pull the barrel on the most accurate rifle I've ever owned was pretty hard.
Anyone want a threaded 24" Rock Creek #8 with a .339 neck that shoots light out. ~2500 rounds .
Now I need to order another blank and I'll end up with 2 match rifles. I guess I'll just get the heavy Palma lopped off to 22 or so after I get the new build up and running later this year.
I've been shooting F-TR with a Longshot Rifles 308 for the last yr. As is often said here, it is a hammer. I can shoot .34 to .5 with it off of a Harris pod, and unlike many the pics are out there to prove it, and no "don't count the flyer" caveats (in fact if you "discount the flyer" in my last 5 shot .34 group it was more like .25) Three groups, three ragged holes in the target.
The problem is that it has a 24" Rock Creek #8 barrel, the heaviest contour other than a straight that Rock makes. That means it's too short to really rev it up for 1000 yds and too damned heavy to lug anywhere. I had a 30" Kreiger sitting in the corner waiting for the build parts I have on order, but Defiance says the action will be here in April, and I speak "gunsmith" pretty well so that means June, I don't have the stock from Precision yet and even after it all gets here I'll still have to get it screwed together and do load workups so I figure late summer at the earliest.
It hit me when checked ogive/lands measurements on my rifle this week and I realized that I really didn't want to shoot another match with this tube and reworking my loads for this rifle was going to be a waste of time.
SO, I dropped my rifle and my new barrel off today to get it mounted up. Since Chris Mathews trued and bedded the action and nothing but the barrel is changing I'll get it back in about 2 weeks, but telling someone to pull the barrel on the most accurate rifle I've ever owned was pretty hard.
Anyone want a threaded 24" Rock Creek #8 with a .339 neck that shoots light out. ~2500 rounds .
Now I need to order another blank and I'll end up with 2 match rifles. I guess I'll just get the heavy Palma lopped off to 22 or so after I get the new build up and running later this year.
