URSA Event Recaps for March 2018 + 3K Update + Q2 Schedule

[ELR researcher]

18 Mar 2018 - Recap of the NorCal Mar ‘18 event (by RD, Lynn Dragoman and Facilitator); recap of the SoCal Mar ’18 event (by Fred, SoCal MD, and Facilitator)

NorCal – no match, “snowed out”, again. Much more snow, and ice, this time, hazardous driving conditions (up and down the mountain), and even a crash (a slide into trees). They are looking forward to April when their event will be a week early on Sunday, April 8th. More of the gruesome details and pics at http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1431467 – sorry you need to register to see the pics.

SoCal – it was an A-Game Day! There were 8 shooters, 6 qualified for record round at 2080 yards (had 3 or more hits in 10 consecutive shots), and 5 of them (Bill, Carlos, Robert, Scott, and Tu) shot well enough at 2080 (4 or more hits in 10 consecutive shots) to proceed to the 2630 yard target. The event Winner was Scott, the only one to get a hit at 2630. Congratulations, Scott! [A Runner-Up will be decided after the April monthly SoCal event.] And, 3 of our shooters qualified for the 3K Challenge (April 18th), Robert, Scott, and Tu – who all, since that required 5 in 10 or better at 2080, also scored their first Achievement targets – Scott scored a 6 in 10 and a 5 in10, Tu scored a 6 in 10, and Robert scored a 5 in 10 AND SoCals’ first 7 in 10 target. Winds were switchy (+/- 5 mph during strings) and the temps were very cold.

Scott was shooting his self-smithed Armalite AR50A1 rifle in .416 Barrett Improved with K&P barrel, Vortex Razor Gen II 4.5-27x56 scope, homemade integrated rings and base (70 MOA), and homemade 478 gr. turned copper-alloy solids. Robert was shooting his Vestal’s Custom Rifles-smithed custom build in .375 CT with Stiller TAC 408 action, Rock Creek barrel, Mirage ULR chassis, Schmidt & Bender 5-25x56 scope, Ivey adjustable rings/mount over a 35 MOA rail, and Cutting Edge 377 gr. MTACs. Tu was shooting his Desert Tech HTI in .416 Barrett with NF ATACR 5-25x56 scope, Ivey adjustable rings/base over zero MOA rail, and 446 gr. Cutting Edge MTACs.

A great shooting day, for sure, none too late for our SoCal crew! Sweet dreams, qualies!

The regular monthly shoot in April will be a day early (Saturday the 14th) to provide one very, very last chance to qualify for the 3K, especially for shooters coming from a long distance. Then our 2nd “URSA 3000 Yard Challenge” on Sunday the 15th. We now have 9 shooters qualified. That weekend will conclude three years of URSA events – how time flys.

The second quarter 2018 Activity/Events Schedule has also been updated. See http://www.unlimitedrange.org/activity event schedule.html

 

[TripleBull]

Scott was shooting his self-smithed Armalite AR50A1 rifle in .416 Barrett Improved with K&P barrel, Vortex Razor Gen II 4.5-27x56 scope, homemade integrated rings and base (70 MOA), and homemade 478 gr. turned copper-alloy solids.

Awesome! It would be cool to see pics and get more details. I've wondered if the Armalite AR50A1 was a viable starting point for a wildcatted ELR rifle and would be interested to hear about any accurizing work done on the action, etc.

 

[ScottYo308]

here she is...

and here is what I did to her...
Blueprinted action (just like a rem 700)
Pinned the recoil lug
Tig welded up the bolt, made it a 2 peace with a floating face/ locking lugs
Modified the cocking ramps, took about .100 out of the takeup
K&P SS match barrel 32" 1:10, polished chamber, 11 degree crown
Salt nitrite treated the bore
Blueprinted break (it was .060 out of round from Armalite) and took about 2 lbs off it
New Barrett "Match" chamber, cut and threaded on CNC Lathe (by "Improved" I ran it short by about .05 to tighten up the body and decrease the capacity, technically that would be de-improved???).
Timney trigger set at 12-14 OZ
Titanium firing pin guide rod (the stock one was a heavy bitch, lock time feels faster)
Vortex Bronze Cerakote,
------------------------------------------
here are some pics from the match...
All of the qualifiers, Ill let them speak and ID themselves.

lots of hits at 2080

and I was the lucky one at 2630

 

[ScottYo308]

here are some of the recovered projectiles

 

[ELR researcher]

For anyone wondering why the ammo looks like they are different lengths, they are not, simply in the wrong tray. I just e-mailed Scott to pick up some of the 10 gauge trays (the one shown appears to be a 12 gauge tray). See ST-10-40 at http://www.mtmcase-gard.com/products/shotgun/shotshell-boxes-st.html Fits in the ammo box (MTM - http://www.mtmcase-gard.com/products/shotgun/shotshell-boxes-sf100.html ) just the same but has larger diameter "sockets" to accept the .50 BMG-based cases perfectly.

 

[northern50]

I like the idea of the TI firing pin guide rod, when I find time I'll have to turn one out. Making the bolt a 2 piece is a great idea too, too many parts flopping around otherwise. You are not the only one seeing the off-center bore of the Armalite brake, I run a K&P brake on mine, that solved that problem. If the Armalite wasn't so heavy I'd be chambering it for the 416 reamer I designed, since KO2M is going to 45, then 40lbs I'll using my light weight shell holder action. I'll keep the Armalite I built in 50 form.

Nice work Scott!

 

[TripleBull]

Excellent photos. Thank you for the details and great shooting!

 

[ScottYo308]

For anyone wondering why the ammo looks like they are different lengths, they are not, simply in the wrong tray. I just e-mailed Scott to pick up some of the 10 gauge trays (the one shown appears to be a 12 gauge tray). See ST-10-40 at http://www.mtmcase-gard.com/products/shotgun/shotshell-boxes-st.html Fits in the ammo box (MTM - http://www.mtmcase-gard.com/products/shotgun/shotshell-boxes-sf100.html ) just the same but has larger diameter "sockets" to accept the .50 BMG-based cases perfectly.

Thanks Oscar, every time I reload, I think about doing something else with the tray, then 100 other things occupy my thoughts. I'm going to order them now.

 

[ScottYo308]

I like the idea of the TI firing pin guide rod, when I find time I'll have to turn one out. Making the bolt a 2 piece is a great idea too, too many parts flopping around otherwise. You are not the only one seeing the off-center bore of the Armalite brake, I run a K&P brake on mine, that solved that problem. If the Armalite wasn't so heavy I'd be chambering it for the 416 reamer I designed, since KO2M is going to 45, then 40lbs I'll using my light weight shell holder action. I'll keep the Armalite I built in 50 form.

Nice work Scott!

Thanks!

The safety mechanism also seems heavy and way over done, I was thinking about gutting it or making out of TI. Welding up the bolt made a huge difference with extraction, totally agree too many parts flopping around. The action was very strait and true, you would not have thought that based on the rough finish, but it was on the money. The rest of it... needed a little love.

Did not get in KO2M this year, hopefully next year! I believe you can get it down to 40 lbs, take a little off the end of the chassis, make a new butt-pad adapter to the chassis and go to a more traditional brake. But at that point... not much Armalite left.

I would like to hear more about your custom .416 reamer, I'm working on another build now and need to get back in the machine shop to test a few ideas to increase the case pressure before I commit.