Sorry for the self indulgent thread, but I can't help sharing my excitement about my new rifle from Robert Gradous. Specs are as follows:
-.338 Warthog (Gradous' proprietary .338 Norma Mag IMP)
-Surgeon XL Repeater
-Surgeon bottom metal
-Bartlein modified MTU: 1.35" x 4", straight taper to 0.95", 5R, SS, 1-9.3" twist, 27.8" finish length
-McMillan A5 w/ KMW ACP (my custom camo pattern)
-Combat grey Cerakote
-Jewell Trigger @ 1.0lb
-TBAC 338BA brake (338 Ultra can still in jail)
-S&B 5-25 Gen 2 XR
-Nightforce high Ultralite rings (6-screw)
-Atlas 5-H bipod
300 yard 5-shot group with 300 grain Berger Hybrid, RL33, fireforming load (~0.2 MOA)
I have a few custom rifles in my collection now, but my experience with Robert Gradous really stands apart. The rifle is absolutely immaculate, and the attention to detail is up there with the best I have seen. Little things like including three pieces of fireformed brass threaded for a Hornady OAL gauge were unexpected and appreciated. And as you can see from the target above, I am blown away by the accuracy out of the box. 0.2 MOA with FIREFORMING LOADS. No load development whatsoever. I guess that is pretty standard for a Gradous rifle; he designs his chambers to be super easy to tune. From what I gather, Robert is an innovator when it comes to chamber design and lathe work, and it shows on paper. But what really made this experience stand out was the level of personal engagement Robert gave me. He spent a ton of time with me on the phone to understand what I wanted to do with my build, and he provided expert advice. I went into this project thinking .338 Lapua, but ultimately settled on the Norma case based on Robert's detailed justification. He provided me multiple status updates along the way, including pictures of my gun in various stages of assembly. We have had multiple conversations about reloading, cleaning, load development, and just random rifle stuff. What an awesome experience! I can't tell you how great it feels to have the name of such a kickass smith show up on my caller ID.
I know some people on this forum have had issues with Robert as a builder, but that just wasn't my experience. He was highly communicative and (believe it or not) way ahead of schedule. I think maybe I can attribute my experience to listening to his suggestions and trusting that he knows way the hell more than I ever will about building rifles.
Anyway, I can't speak highly enough of my experience with Robert. He is a master American craftsman and I feel lucky to know this patriot.
-.338 Warthog (Gradous' proprietary .338 Norma Mag IMP)
-Surgeon XL Repeater
-Surgeon bottom metal
-Bartlein modified MTU: 1.35" x 4", straight taper to 0.95", 5R, SS, 1-9.3" twist, 27.8" finish length
-McMillan A5 w/ KMW ACP (my custom camo pattern)
-Combat grey Cerakote
-Jewell Trigger @ 1.0lb
-TBAC 338BA brake (338 Ultra can still in jail)
-S&B 5-25 Gen 2 XR
-Nightforce high Ultralite rings (6-screw)
-Atlas 5-H bipod
300 yard 5-shot group with 300 grain Berger Hybrid, RL33, fireforming load (~0.2 MOA)
I have a few custom rifles in my collection now, but my experience with Robert Gradous really stands apart. The rifle is absolutely immaculate, and the attention to detail is up there with the best I have seen. Little things like including three pieces of fireformed brass threaded for a Hornady OAL gauge were unexpected and appreciated. And as you can see from the target above, I am blown away by the accuracy out of the box. 0.2 MOA with FIREFORMING LOADS. No load development whatsoever. I guess that is pretty standard for a Gradous rifle; he designs his chambers to be super easy to tune. From what I gather, Robert is an innovator when it comes to chamber design and lathe work, and it shows on paper. But what really made this experience stand out was the level of personal engagement Robert gave me. He spent a ton of time with me on the phone to understand what I wanted to do with my build, and he provided expert advice. I went into this project thinking .338 Lapua, but ultimately settled on the Norma case based on Robert's detailed justification. He provided me multiple status updates along the way, including pictures of my gun in various stages of assembly. We have had multiple conversations about reloading, cleaning, load development, and just random rifle stuff. What an awesome experience! I can't tell you how great it feels to have the name of such a kickass smith show up on my caller ID.
I know some people on this forum have had issues with Robert as a builder, but that just wasn't my experience. He was highly communicative and (believe it or not) way ahead of schedule. I think maybe I can attribute my experience to listening to his suggestions and trusting that he knows way the hell more than I ever will about building rifles.
Anyway, I can't speak highly enough of my experience with Robert. He is a master American craftsman and I feel lucky to know this patriot.
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