Well, perhaps more like kissin' cousins. Thought you guys might like to see a couple pictures of the rifles I just finished working on. I wanted the rifles to be nearly identical, but for the caliber. The first is a 223ai, with the second a 6x45. I'll be heading back to Wyoming this year, so I wanted to make sure I was taking enough gun for the antelope...grin
The 223ai started life as a Varmint-contoured gun sitting in an A5 stock. Here's a pic of it before it's transformation
After shooting it for a while, I determined that I really dislike A5s for bench work due to the hand hook. Also, I really wanted the rifle to be more functional as a hunting rifle. So, I sold the stock and sent the action away to have the barrel turned down. I had the barrel recontoured to a Lilja #2 contour.
Meanwhile I stumbled upon another 223 rifle for sale at a price I couldn't pass up. After selling the factory stock, barrel and trigger I had less than $200 into the action. I also found a new #2 Benchmark 6mm 1:9 SS blank on Gunbroker for $200, as well as a reamer and go gauge for a 6x45. Within a couple weeks, I had a 6x45 barreled action as well, nearly identical to the 223ai.
I considered buying Edge stocks for them, but being the tightwad that I am, I instead opted to go for a pair of Bansner Sheep Hunter stocks. I was able to get both stocks and the recoil pads for less than what 1 Edge would have cost me.
The 223ai had a Badger bolt knob installed already, so I had a PTG knob attached to the 6x45 handle. I much prefer the overall size of the PTG knob.
I bedded the stocks, installed the recoil pads, prepped and painted them both in matte Colt Grey with a black splatter. The actions, bottom metals and bolts were blasted and coated with matte black Moly Resin.
Finally, both rifles were topped off with Leupold 3.5-10x40 scopes that I had sitting here, nestled in Talley Lightweight Lows.
Well, I'm sure you would like to see a couple pics instead of all this jabbering on, so here you are.
223ai with 21" Pacnor 1:8 twist barrel throated for 75 AMAXs
Here is what it did it's first time out (while still a chunk, but I shot it a few weeks back post recontour ant it is still shooting great
6x45 with 21" Benchmark 1:9
And here's a close-up of the stock. I really like the color
The 223ai started life as a Varmint-contoured gun sitting in an A5 stock. Here's a pic of it before it's transformation
After shooting it for a while, I determined that I really dislike A5s for bench work due to the hand hook. Also, I really wanted the rifle to be more functional as a hunting rifle. So, I sold the stock and sent the action away to have the barrel turned down. I had the barrel recontoured to a Lilja #2 contour.
Meanwhile I stumbled upon another 223 rifle for sale at a price I couldn't pass up. After selling the factory stock, barrel and trigger I had less than $200 into the action. I also found a new #2 Benchmark 6mm 1:9 SS blank on Gunbroker for $200, as well as a reamer and go gauge for a 6x45. Within a couple weeks, I had a 6x45 barreled action as well, nearly identical to the 223ai.
I considered buying Edge stocks for them, but being the tightwad that I am, I instead opted to go for a pair of Bansner Sheep Hunter stocks. I was able to get both stocks and the recoil pads for less than what 1 Edge would have cost me.
The 223ai had a Badger bolt knob installed already, so I had a PTG knob attached to the 6x45 handle. I much prefer the overall size of the PTG knob.
I bedded the stocks, installed the recoil pads, prepped and painted them both in matte Colt Grey with a black splatter. The actions, bottom metals and bolts were blasted and coated with matte black Moly Resin.
Finally, both rifles were topped off with Leupold 3.5-10x40 scopes that I had sitting here, nestled in Talley Lightweight Lows.
Well, I'm sure you would like to see a couple pics instead of all this jabbering on, so here you are.
223ai with 21" Pacnor 1:8 twist barrel throated for 75 AMAXs
Here is what it did it's first time out (while still a chunk, but I shot it a few weeks back post recontour ant it is still shooting great
6x45 with 21" Benchmark 1:9
And here's a close-up of the stock. I really like the color
