AZ Precision Rifle Pictures

[Keith Johns]

This thread will be to present to you the rifles I build in the next few months.
As some of you know, AZ Precision has offered nothing but bolt knob installs for the past 2 years. We will soon be offering a full range of gunsmithing services, and will have parts on hand to do complete builds.

I have been in gunsmithing school for the past 2 years. I graduate in a couple months. The pictures I show here will be from my school; pictures of rifles I am building. I barreled a few actions last sememster, but these are my first complete, real, builds.



This first rifle is my version of the M40A1...

700SA with ejection port lengthened, action and bolt fully trued.
Polished feed ramp.
Sako extractor, bolt nose bushed to remove clip extractor slot.
1-10 twist, 24" #7 Stainless Select Match Shilen barrel, Chambered .308 Match.
PTG .250" lug.
NF rail, opened to 8-40.
Action base holes opened to 8-40 and centered to centerline of raceway.
Mcmillan A1 with adjustable cheek piece. I was told it has Sniper fill; it feels like it. I got the stock used, but in good condition.
Marksman knob.

It will be getting a Badger M5 DBM bottom metal
It will be pillar bedded.
Barreled action will get black Cerakote, Stock OD green Cerakote.

This rifle may be sold after testing and break-in.



I have started the next rifle while I'm waiting on Stencils for barrel labeling.
Many more pics to come.

 

[Kevlars]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Tag ..

Good Luck

 

[MoMopacksa45]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Keith: Looking great so far. Good luck with everything.

Mike

 

[silverstang]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Good luck. That is exactly the type of rifle I want my next build to be.

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Good luck Keith, hope it goes well for you.

 

[Furtaker_.223]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Keith,
Looks great. I wish the best for you. I know the bolt knobs, and I am sure all the best will go into your rifles.

Look forward to seeing more from you.

Keep up the hard work, it will pay off for you.

 

[Bruiser_Joe]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

yeah very nice bro. i know you've been bustin your ass.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Thanks guys!

 

[Al Rick]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Good luck!

 

[Widowmaker0001]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Nice stuff,look forward to this thread,Goodshootin'

~Reagan

 

[crashandburn]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Great looking rifle bud! Can't wait to test fire it

 

[Hawk45]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Great stuff brother.. we can never have enough qulified gunsmiths! I just wish I had one local :-(

 

[LOBO]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Looks great Keith! Hope to have a rifle with your mark on it one day

 

[LRTshooting-PJL08]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

What school are you going to?

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Yavapai in Arizona

 

[Captramrod01]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

We're finally going to have a smith close to home! Sending you 4 bolts later this week Keith. Rifle looks great btw.

 

[18Echo]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Captramrod01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">We're finally going to have a smith close to home! Sending you 4 bolts later this week Keith. Rifle looks great btw. </div></div>

Good news indeed! Are you going to stay up in the Prescott area or come down to the valley where all the work is?!

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

We'll be in Tempe, AZ. Off Apache(main) and McClintock.




Here are a few pics of the 10/22 I made. I posted it in rimfire but not everyone reads that forum.

Made the receiver from a block of steel. Barreled it and put it in a Hogue 10/22 stock. I have on hand a 10twist barrel for it to shoot subsonics better. It holds good groups out to about 40 yards with CCI subsonics, but opens up at 75 and 100. Havent shot groups with full velocity ammo. I believe the 10twist will shoot better at 100 with the subs.


Thanks for lookin!

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

 

[Dagsta]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Great work brother!! Keep that fire burning!!

 

[Dangerousdan]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Best of luck. Any recommendations on classes you have taken?
I understand Yavapai JC has a great gunsmith course.

 

[2brothers641]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

AZPrecision,
Are you going to be customizing savage rifles? If you look at recent threads, looks like it could be a million dollar job!

 

[Dave]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

I can't wait to see more pics and read some range reports. I love the thread/crown job on that 10/22!

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Yavapai has been a good school. It has been a very educational 2 years.

We will be rebarreling Savages and losing the barrel nut when we do. I'll still be offering Savage bolt knob installs.
There wont be a large list of services offered for Savages but we will cater to the needs of as many precision rifles shooters as we can.
We will barrel most Remingtons, Savages, Winchesters, Howas, Mausers, and of course, the custom "700 clones".

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Cerakoted the "M40A1" 308 Win today.
Got the Badger M5 inletted too.

Should have a couple pics up tomorrow or Thursday of it before bedding.

 

[neo223]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Its about time we got a gunsmith for our remingtons in Phoenix.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Badger M5:

Barrel labeled "AZ Precision 308 Win"
The AZ Precision didnt get etched deep enough. Tried again, didnt line it up perfect. Not happy with it. We're still figuring out the best setting for our labeler.
The "AZ Precision" isnt visible after Cerakote because its not deep enough. "308 Win" looks fine.

Cerakote done to stock(OD Green) and barreled action(Military black)
Like I said, AZ Precision isnt visble. 308 Win is and looks good.

The thumbwheel for the cheek piece is black too.
The bolt I'm coating today. It will be getting my shroud modification.


Finished pics will be up Monday or Tuesday!!!

 

[LOBO]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Looking good!

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Im bedding it today

I'll take a few pics of it together before bedding to show what it will look like when its done.

 

[DieTrying310]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

That's looking really good man.

 

[FALex]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

good on you for putting yourself out there...I always tell my wife, "I wish I would have went to a gunsmithing school." Instead, I wasted a boatload of money on a shitty Political "Science" degree. If there is any "science" involved in politics, I have yet to find it.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Im waiting until tomorrow to bed it.
It should be cleaned up and ready for firing this weekend. Need to order some Black Hills still. This rifle will be sold within a month or so with a test target, and it will be broken in of course.
The asking price will be around $2500 shipped to your nearest FFL.
This rifle, with parts and labor come to around $2800. In 5 months we'll be charging around that.

Thanks!

 

[Northland]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Lookings good! Glad to see another smith around

 

[LOBO]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Sweet!

 

[Bruiser_Joe]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

looking good man

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

 

[Captramrod01]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Just got my 3 bolts back from you Keith, they look great! Sent you an email about getting some additional work done.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Good to hear.

Thanks guys!

 

[crashandburn]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Keith is good to go. I Just came back from a trip up to his school to watch him work on one of my personal rifles and after witnessing his performance, I have no doubt that his rifles will shoot. Soon I will have pictures of both the rifle and some groups to speek for themselves.

Thanks again Keith for the opportunity to sit in.

 

[KE5MUJ]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Looks good Keith. Bolt knob I got from you still rocks!!

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

I've got the 308 bedded and should have pics up in a few days. It will be finished.

I started on the 7mag, but am waiting for a reamer. Its getting a Remington Varminter contour barrel, bedded in an HS precision stock.

I've moved forward on the 6.5 Creed. The barrel is contoured, the action is trued. I will mount/chamber the barrel next week. It will be Cerakoted and bedded probably the week after. Its getting an AICS stock and will be my buddies comp rifle.

My 243 comp rifle will be stripped down after the March 6th match to be rebuilt.


So, there should be lots of pics up in the next few weeks and about 4 or 5 rifles done.


Thanks for lookin!

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

The M40-ish is done and I will have pics up this weekend.

The 7mag is ready for cerakote and bedding. It will be done in about one week.


I am going to get the 6.5 creed barrel tenon cut and counter-bored today. The action is trued and ready for it. I will be chambering the barrel next week and Cerakoting it shortly after. So about 2 weeks for this bad boy. Might be going in a Mcmillan A4 now instead of the AICS. I sure hope so.


I will be starting on my 243 after this Sundays comp.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Took the .308 Palma tight bore I built out to shoot/break in.
Cleaned the barrel after every shot and got all the copper out before the next shot(for about 5 rounds). I did notice the barrel was fouling less as we "broke it in". It was fouling pretty bad on the first few shots(compared to the Shilen Select Match we were shooting that day too)

Its a Krieger 1-12" .298/.306 Palma tight bore @ 28"

After 5 shots of "break in", we shot 155s out of it. Shot one group only. It was barely under minute(5 shots). Nothing to brag about(yet). It's a half MOA rifle in a half MOA shooters hands. My buddy and I def arent half MOA shooters all the time.


Shilens select match barrels are smooth as glass on the inside. Theyre lapped and guaranteed to within .0001" down the bore. Lapping causes them to be a bit oversized. Again, the Seclect Match barrel we had out there that day cleaned up fast. I really liked it.

We're going out with the Palma to shoot a couple groups with factory match Palma loads. We'll probably each shoot a 10 shot group. Id like to do one of the groups in under a minute so we can see what that barrel does when its hot.


Will have rifle pictures and group pics as soon as we can. Been pretty busy.



Thanks guys!

 

[Oddball Six]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Keith, are you enjoying the craft as much as you thought you would?

I am curious if might share how your perspective of what you expected 'smithing to be and entail differs from what you have discovered it is.

 

[Iggy]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Keith,

Great looking work! It's coming along really nice.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Here are a few pics of the M40A1 style rifle. Put my scope on it for testing. You'll notice the knob is worn. Its my knob off my rifle. I like that knob the best and it goes with the rifle. I call it my "practical" knob. Its small, does its job, and stays out of the way.
I'll be recoating the bolt the way we normally do, before it goes out.

Here is the M40A1 group. 7 shots in about .8" at 100 yards. Shot with Black Hills factory match 168s

Here's the DBM going in the 6.5 Creed
I didnt finish inletting it today. Almost done though.

And 2 pics of the barreled action sitting in the stock...

It has a Shilen Select Match barrel as well.
As soon as the recoil lug gets here I'll chamber it and finish the barreled action.



The colors in that stock are Gray50, Black25, and Tan25. I like those colors a lot and have always wanted them to be our signature colors. Maybe not that ratio, but those colors for sure.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Oddball-Six</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Keith, are you enjoying the craft as much as you thought you would?

I am curious if might share how your perspective of what you expected 'smithing to be and entail differs from what you have discovered it is. </div></div>


Yes, I am enjoying it as much as I thought I would. Maybe more now that its becoming a reality and not so much an uncertainty.

I see there's a lot more to being a gunsmith than just building guns. Which I already knew, but not to this extent. I mean that in many ways.
Getting the chance to do bolt work on here for 2 years before trying to start up a full fledged gunsmithing business has been very educational for me.

 

[dt00083]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Nice work Keith! You better hurry up and get my barrel so you can start on my rifle. LOL

Nice work as always!

 

[c1steve]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

Nice work, looks great for a student of any sort.

Can you explain how you use stencils for barrel labeling? Must be an acid based system of some sort.

 

[pawprint]

Re: AZ Precision Rifles

You were born with a true God Given Talent, it shows in your work! I'd like to make one suggestion, a request, I enjoy seeing the stages of build, how you turn a piece of steel into art! In short, MORE PHOTOs! God Bless!