The rifle:
The specs:
- Surgeon 591/R, .308 Win
- 24" Krieger MTU 1/10
- 5/8x24 Badger FTE
- Jewell trigger set at 2.5 lbs
- McMillan A5, sand cammo, adjustable checkpiece, LHS and RHS flush cups, adjustable LOP
- Surgeon bottom metal w/ AICS mag
- B&T Industries BT15 rail mounted on forearm
- Atlas BT-10 LW17 bipod
- Triad tactical stock pack
- Vortex Razor HD EBR-3 5-20X50 scope with 1" high Vortex 35mm rings
- Overall weight (unloaded): 16.25 pounds
Build rationale:
I realize that .308 Win isn't as sexy these days as .260 Rem or 6.5 CM, but it suits my purposes just fine; and since my wife shoots .308 from her rig, I can use the same reloading components for both rifles (http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...803#Post3331803). Since I wanted the rifle without wait, I had to choose between the A5 or an AICS 2.0. I used to own a Manners T4A, which is very similar to the A5, and I very much liked it. Also, I don't like the AICS aesthetics. I had the choice between a heavy palma and an MTU contour. Since the weight difference between these two contours is only ~ 1/2 pound, I opted for the MTU. I like the feel of a Jewell trigger shoe and its nice crisp break. I already had the Badger FTE and Atlas on hand; both are great products. The stock pack provides a nice check weld, and allows my eye to sit right where it needs for a great sight picture; the nice large pocket fits a spare 5 round AICS mag nicely.
The feel:
Overall - If I had to compare this rifle to a vehicle, it would be either a Cadillac Escalade or a Lincoln Navigator. It's big and beefy, yet loaded with features and extremely comfortable.
Recoil - The combination of the heavy barrel, the Badger brake, and the decelerator pad give the shooter only a token amount of recoil on the order of a .223. It is no problem at all to keep eyes on target downrange after firing.
The stock - The McMillan adjustable checkpiece is nice because no tools are required; just turn a knob to raise to the proper height and you're done. The hand and forearm gripping have a very nice texture, and the offhand grip provides plenty of room for a rear bag or a large hand, even with the stock pack. The LOP system is nice to customize the size of the stock to the shooter. Of course, the barrel is free floated and the action and bottom metal are bedded.
The bottom metal - The Surgeon bottom metal is outstanding. It holds the mags nice and securely, yet they fit and feed effortlessly. The mag detach lever is cleverly located almost flush with the forward section of the trigger guard, improving aesthetics as well as allowing for easier access to the lever.
The action - The 591/R action, the heart of the rifle, has extremely smooth cycling, a handy side bolt release, and a rugged oversize tactical knob. If you take the bolt out of battery and raise the muzzle up, the bolt will glide back as if it's riding on ice. Rapid bolt cycling under time is no problem. After firing 225 rounds, I have not had a single misfeed or extraction issue. Another nice feature with having a boutique shop like Surgeon chambering the rifle is that the barrel will be set close enough that one can seat the bullet within 0.010" from the lands and still use standard AICS or accurate-mags, which I find very reliable. The integrated rail and lug are also very nice features to this action as well.
The load:
168gr Hornady AMAX or BTHP (easy to get)
43.6 gr Varget (best from OCW procedure; doesn't push max charge)
Black Hills brass (essentially the same as Winchester)
Remington 9 1/2 or CCI #200 primers
Seated 0.010" from lands (2.217" OAL) (the sweet spot)
Performance:
What matters most, in my mind, is performance. Here is my first 5 shot group this afternoon:
100 yd sight in w/ cold bore shot;
Here are 5 shots that my wife made using this rifle after bringing the scope right 0.2 mils under a 60 second time limit at 100 yds:
Here is a 5 shot group at 400 yds:
Kneeling behind a barrier, both my wife and I were able to hit a chest sized steel plate at 400 yds 5/5.
Overall, I'm pleased with the rifle Stephen and Wade built for me. Although I acknowledge that I haven't dragged it through anything like the Thunderbeast Steel Safari, I'm pretty sure that it would serve its shooter well, and I recommend this rifle or a similar build to anyone in the market for a custom bolt action rifle.
The specs:
- Surgeon 591/R, .308 Win
- 24" Krieger MTU 1/10
- 5/8x24 Badger FTE
- Jewell trigger set at 2.5 lbs
- McMillan A5, sand cammo, adjustable checkpiece, LHS and RHS flush cups, adjustable LOP
- Surgeon bottom metal w/ AICS mag
- B&T Industries BT15 rail mounted on forearm
- Atlas BT-10 LW17 bipod
- Triad tactical stock pack
- Vortex Razor HD EBR-3 5-20X50 scope with 1" high Vortex 35mm rings
- Overall weight (unloaded): 16.25 pounds
Build rationale:
I realize that .308 Win isn't as sexy these days as .260 Rem or 6.5 CM, but it suits my purposes just fine; and since my wife shoots .308 from her rig, I can use the same reloading components for both rifles (http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...803#Post3331803). Since I wanted the rifle without wait, I had to choose between the A5 or an AICS 2.0. I used to own a Manners T4A, which is very similar to the A5, and I very much liked it. Also, I don't like the AICS aesthetics. I had the choice between a heavy palma and an MTU contour. Since the weight difference between these two contours is only ~ 1/2 pound, I opted for the MTU. I like the feel of a Jewell trigger shoe and its nice crisp break. I already had the Badger FTE and Atlas on hand; both are great products. The stock pack provides a nice check weld, and allows my eye to sit right where it needs for a great sight picture; the nice large pocket fits a spare 5 round AICS mag nicely.
The feel:
Overall - If I had to compare this rifle to a vehicle, it would be either a Cadillac Escalade or a Lincoln Navigator. It's big and beefy, yet loaded with features and extremely comfortable.
Recoil - The combination of the heavy barrel, the Badger brake, and the decelerator pad give the shooter only a token amount of recoil on the order of a .223. It is no problem at all to keep eyes on target downrange after firing.
The stock - The McMillan adjustable checkpiece is nice because no tools are required; just turn a knob to raise to the proper height and you're done. The hand and forearm gripping have a very nice texture, and the offhand grip provides plenty of room for a rear bag or a large hand, even with the stock pack. The LOP system is nice to customize the size of the stock to the shooter. Of course, the barrel is free floated and the action and bottom metal are bedded.
The bottom metal - The Surgeon bottom metal is outstanding. It holds the mags nice and securely, yet they fit and feed effortlessly. The mag detach lever is cleverly located almost flush with the forward section of the trigger guard, improving aesthetics as well as allowing for easier access to the lever.
The action - The 591/R action, the heart of the rifle, has extremely smooth cycling, a handy side bolt release, and a rugged oversize tactical knob. If you take the bolt out of battery and raise the muzzle up, the bolt will glide back as if it's riding on ice. Rapid bolt cycling under time is no problem. After firing 225 rounds, I have not had a single misfeed or extraction issue. Another nice feature with having a boutique shop like Surgeon chambering the rifle is that the barrel will be set close enough that one can seat the bullet within 0.010" from the lands and still use standard AICS or accurate-mags, which I find very reliable. The integrated rail and lug are also very nice features to this action as well.
The load:
168gr Hornady AMAX or BTHP (easy to get)
43.6 gr Varget (best from OCW procedure; doesn't push max charge)
Black Hills brass (essentially the same as Winchester)
Remington 9 1/2 or CCI #200 primers
Seated 0.010" from lands (2.217" OAL) (the sweet spot)
Performance:
What matters most, in my mind, is performance. Here is my first 5 shot group this afternoon:
100 yd sight in w/ cold bore shot;
Here are 5 shots that my wife made using this rifle after bringing the scope right 0.2 mils under a 60 second time limit at 100 yds:
Here is a 5 shot group at 400 yds:
Kneeling behind a barrier, both my wife and I were able to hit a chest sized steel plate at 400 yds 5/5.
Overall, I'm pleased with the rifle Stephen and Wade built for me. Although I acknowledge that I haven't dragged it through anything like the Thunderbeast Steel Safari, I'm pretty sure that it would serve its shooter well, and I recommend this rifle or a similar build to anyone in the market for a custom bolt action rifle.
