The firearm thread

[jono035]

Let me know what they say. Suppressed barrels have to be minimum order of 2. May be worth getting my Weatherby\Howa rechambered for 300 Whisper. Definitely would be fun.

I think that is a barrel for use with a suppressor (fast twist) rather than a suppressed barrel.

"Premium Suppressor (PS). Available in .30 calibre 1-8" twist and .338 calibre 1-9" twist in lengths 15" to 17" only. Accuracy from these barrels with suppressors fitted has been outstanding, equalling match standards. Needless to say, best results are achieved with heavy bullets."

Given that it says the barrel is a minimum order of 2, I'm guessing you could get and on-sell the other as unchambered or get it chambered differently and fitted to a different action...

[jono035]

Up to 34" according to the site

Sorry wbks, didn't see that additional question. The 'Premium Suppressed' barrels are listed as 15" to 17" although you only need enough length to get the bullet up to 1000fps so even a 15" would do it. The longer the barrel the lower the pressure as the bullet exits, so a 17" barrel should be quieter...

[wbks]

Well that price was including fitting so I assume they'll fit it to damn near anything you provide them (possibly with more cost if it turns out to be difficult).

Hell, there is a Norinco .223 bolt action for $500 on TM at the moment, it'd be a weird one but hey, if you're on a budget *shrug*

Ok, I wasn't really sure if it had to be an easy throw together kind of thing or if most things can be machined. Finding a cheap .223 bolt action & stock should be easy assuming they can work well with those barrels, or do you think a norinco would be pretty rough shot?...

@ The last quotes from you: I guess those prices are in USD, because that seems like a pretty good price for two custom barrels

[Mr Merde]

....
@ The last quotes from you: I guess those prices are in USD, because that seems like a pretty good price for two custom barrels

These prices are in NZ dollars

[jono035]

It's up to you what action you'd want to use, really. Just tally up the total cost to figure out if spending the extra is worth it. A $500 second hand Norinco with the new barrel and scope etc. might run you $1500 whereas using a 2nd hand Remington 700 action might work out to $2k... That isn't really that much of a difference in the grand scheme of things.

As to how the barrels are mounted to the actions, all I know is that it varies. Apparently with the 700 the barrel is threaded into the action so that will require them to thread the end of the barrel and use special tooling to grip the action and barrel to assemble them.

Prices from True-Flite are in NZD because they're an NZ company! http://www.truefliteriflebarrels.co.nz/5166.html

Apparently they're pretty well regarded and ship their stuff worldwide, pretty cool to have in our back yard!

Edit: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=1...n_700___Part_I has a good description of how to monkey with a Remington 700...

[wbks]

It's up to you what action you'd want to use, really. Just tally up the total cost to figure out if spending the extra is worth it. A $500 second hand Norinco with the new barrel and scope etc. might run you $1500 whereas using a 2nd hand Remington 700 action might work out to $2k... That isn't really that much of a difference in the grand scheme of things.

As to how the barrels are mounted to the actions, all I know is that it varies. Apparently with the 700 the barrel is threaded into the action so that will require them to thread the end of the barrel and use special tooling to grip the action and barrel to assemble them.

Prices from True-Flite are in NZD because they're an NZ company! http://www.truefliteriflebarrels.co.nz/5166.html

Apparently they're pretty well regarded and ship their stuff worldwide, pretty cool to have in our back yard!

Edit: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=1...n_700___Part_I has a good description of how to monkey with a Remington 700...

So you could get a norinco for $500 or a little less, get it ready to go with one of the two tru-flite barrels for 532, and be left with a ready to go base for $1032. Anything else I'm missing besides a supressor/scope & rings and stock? Seems pretty affordable. With any luck I can find a better action floating around for the same price

[jono035]

Well the scope mount is the only addition to that list. The Norinco listed on TM for $500 already has all of that bar the suppressor, so (assuming it's an easy action to rebarrel) then you could be all done and dusted for $1100 + $300 suppressor...

I still think I'd go for a better action if I was going to spend around 1k on it for barrel+suppressor.

[jono035]

It didn't occur to me until I was browsing through the bullet casting forums but that cartridge being subsonic makes it a brilliant candidate for running cast bullets through. I've found quite a few people talking about using 180-250 grain bullets with a 200 grain lee mold being available off the shelf. Everyone seems to be using gas checks although this could be simply because all .30 cal molds are made assuming you'll be using them in quick loads. There are a few people who have speculated that a plain base bullet could work very well but no-one seems to have tried it.

This idea is starting to look more and more interesting all the time...

Edit: I've also found load data going all over the map from a few grains of Red Dot (Shotgun powder!) to 4 grains of Unique (AP70N, same as my current jug). Also the pressures should be relatively low so the brass should last nicely. Ignoring the cost of brass (.223 is cheap and then the time to cut to size, run through a sizing die and then trim) the cartridge should be damn cheap to shoot using a fast powder. 9c primer, 6c of powder, a few cents for the lead...

[Swoop]

I too have been slacking off at work. Reading up on the Mini 14 and 300 Whisper combination. Most septics are using the AR platform for the conversion rather than the Mini 14. They also seem to be using the Remington 700 as a base for a bolt action.

8 or 9 years ago a mate of mine had one built here. I cannot remember what action it was built on (possibly R-700) and the work was done locally. PES did the suppressor can, the reamer dies were brought in and he had the barrel reamed & worked on in Hamilton.
I was very impressed at the range. The noise that it didn't make was amazing.
I'll try and catch up with him at the range and see what he ended up doing with it.

[sAsLEX]

Right, need to suppress the .22, or maybe a flash suppressor to make it more E catty.......


Any local suppressor company/gunsmith around Auckland who can supply/fit, or are gunworks the best bet?

[wbks]

Right, need to suppress the .22, or maybe a flash suppressor to make it more E catty.......


Any local suppressor company/gunsmith around Auckland who can supply/fit, or are gunworks the best bet?

Easy there, Mr. Molenar...

[Mr Merde]

It didn't occur to me until I was browsing through the bullet casting forums but that cartridge being subsonic makes it a brilliant candidate for running cast bullets through. I've found quite a few people talking about using 180-250 grain bullets with a 200 grain lee mold being available off the shelf. Everyone seems to be using gas checks although this could be simply because all .30 cal molds are made assuming you'll be using them in quick loads. There are a few people who have speculated that a plain base bullet could work very well but no-one seems to have tried it.

This idea is starting to look more and more interesting all the time...

Edit: I've also found load data going all over the map from a few grains of Red Dot (Shotgun powder!) to 4 grains of Unique (AP70N, same as my current jug). Also the pressures should be relatively low so the brass should last nicely. Ignoring the cost of brass (.223 is cheap and then the time to cut to size, run through a sizing die and then trim) the cartridge should be damn cheap to shoot using a fast powder. 9c primer, 6c of powder, a few cents for the lead...

Boat tail bullets come into their own at longer distances. 500 metres plus. Plain base bullets are good up to there. Sub sonic rounds would be good for casting. Linotype would be best. Gas checks only really necessary at velocitities in the high "teens" but I do have the gas check making tool for .30 calibres.

.223 cases need more work than .221, may be worth looking for this brass. Dont forget you will need the case foirming dies and the loading dies. Can get them from SSK.

I agree that this would be an interesting project. The fun in developing accurate rounds both sub and super sonic would be very gratifying.

Accuracy to 300 metres would fill the .223 gap in my collection.

20 cents a round is not out of the question.

I was watching some vids on youtube and that round with a bolt action is very quiet. Recoil looked very light also.

A subsonic shooting club? Could be fun.

[sAsLEX]

Suppressors.....

[jono035]

A bunch of the guys are casting with straight WW and water dropping so it could be WW with a GC or lino without, worth trying. Perhaps it would be worth getting a Lee mold and trying some way of reaming out the gas check groove slightly to make a plain base, they molds are cheap enough anyway...

I figured .223 was a good idea because you wouldn't need forming dies because you're only necking down, hence my enthusiasm. It really does depend on .221 availability really, which I have absolutely no idea of. No reason you can't do both and compare, anyway!

I don't think this thing will really be a hunting round beyond 100-150 metres though, targets to 300m maybe.

Was looking at those bolt action vids too, incredibly quiet, very interesting.

[Mr Merde]

A bunch of the guys are casting with straight WW and water dropping so it could be WW with a GC or lino without, worth trying. Perhaps it would be worth getting a Lee mold and trying some way of reaming out the gas check groove slightly to make a plain base, they molds are cheap enough anyway...

I figured .223 was a good idea because you wouldn't need forming dies because you're only necking down, hence my enthusiasm. It really does depend on .221 availability really, which I have absolutely no idea of. No reason you can't do both and compare, anyway!

I don't think this thing will really be a hunting round beyond 100-150 metres though, targets to 300m maybe.

Was looking at those bolt action vids too, incredibly quiet, very interesting.

I am sure you can get .30 calibre bullet moulds with plain bases. I'll have a look online tomorrow.

100-200 metres, that is ok for most hunting in the bush here in NZ

300 metres target would be fun

Necking down and expanding the mouth. Used to do this when forming the 7 mm TCU from .223 brass. Fireformed the result. Shot about 20 times before needing replacement.