Thunderstruck rifle series

Black Diamond 408

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Sep 6, 2003
Messages
810
Location
Nebraska
Here is a new rifle i have just completed for a good friend. I am calling this the "Thunderstruck" its chambered in my 338 snipe-tac, 338-408 Imp for those not familiar with it. I spent a few hours with the mill on this one.

Lawton 8000 single shot action
I milled the receiver to take a 5 round magazine, bead blasted and KG Gunkote black finish. Jewell trigger installed.

The stock is all aluminum with adjustable LOP and cheek rest. Weight 5#
I custom built the bottom metal to match up with the magazine.

The barrel is a ABS/Mike Rock carbon wrapped, 10 twist, 32" with brake.
1.400 breech tapered to 1.100" at the muzzle. 6.5# weight.

The whole rifle is finished in Duracoat, my own camo pattern and colors i mixed from leftovers.






Testing will start later this week and then its off to Wyoming for Antelope and Elk hunts. The goal is an Antelope past a mile. He will be using the 300 SMK bullet for these hunts, later on the Alum tipped wildcat bullets will be load tested.
Total weight for this rifle as is 15#

It will have a Nightforce 2DD redical 5.5-22x56mm scope and 40moa base.
I will post some shooting info later this week.

Dave
 
hahaha, yeah thats where the name came from, the song. I know you allready have the Thunder. I shot it today just to check the extraction and magazine function, hardly no recoil. Hope the base shows up soon so i can put it on paper.

Dave
 
Nice

Thats a fantastic looking rifle , very NICE , like the 5rd mag , the only thing I would change would be calibre ( 375/408 ) and std barrel ,

Later Chris
 
Absolutely Beautiful!
With that stock design it would be easy to modify it into a rear grip SP:D
Not in that cartridge mind you, but none the less a awesom looking rig.
 
Dave,
Is that your own brake design?

Ernie,
I am thinking about shooting it with out the stock to see what it is like, two screws and the rear section comes off.

I patterned the brake from Barney Lawton's chey-tac break. I only changed the port sizes for easy machining. The brake works fantastic, very low recoil in this monster.

Dave
 
Thats a fantastic looking rifle , very NICE , like the 5rd mag , the only thing I would change would be calibre ( 375/408 ) and std barrel ,

Later Chris

Chris,
I have some 375-408's in the works, personally with what bullets are available the 338 is a hands down winner over the 375 version. When more 375 long range bullets are available, then there will be a slight advantage.

I have a 375 Snipe-tac just waiting to be put together, i am designing a new stock system just for that rifle. It will be similar to this one only an internal magazine system will be used. The action will be shorter and still feed the 408 cases. Look for that in the coming months.

Dave
 
Ernie,
I am thinking about shooting it with out the stock to see what it is like, two screws and the rear section comes off.

I patterned the brake from Barney Lawton's chey-tac break. I only changed the port sizes for easy machining. The brake works fantastic, very low recoil in this monster.

Dave

Let me know what it is like:D
 
Dave,
What's your opinion of the 375 vs the 338 at this time?I'm having a 338 edge built right now,but want to build an ultra long range rig later this year.So far,I haven't seen anyone say how the Sierra 375's are shooting out past 2000yds,and I'm curious if I go with a 375, will be able to get good bullets for it?You mentioned the 338 having similar capabilities to the 375.Do you think a 338CT with the 300gr Sierra's,or possibly one of the Wildcat aluminum tipped bullets should be to do what the 375 SHOULD be capable of?Thanks,Jack
 
Big Jake,

At this time the new run of 375cal SMK's have not arrived, don't know whats going on. This is what has transpired in the last few days with three different customers with 338snipe-tacs. One in Montana, one in Tennesee, and one here i was testing for this post. Montana guy is just getting his bbl broken in, but the rifle is shooting lights out he said. The Tenn guy called today and said at 560 he fired three shots that a quarter covered the group, 140grns of BMG50 just under 3400fps. The rifle i just got through testing i fired the smallest group that wasn't a BR gun, three shots at 100 was .077, hard to measure that. At 705yds it was just over an 1.55" group. This is just the accuracy side of the round, at speeds over the 3300fps your energy is way up there. The alum tipped wildcat bullets will make this chamber even more impressive at longer distances, 2500 and out. But you will need a faster twist barrel. These rifles had three different twists, 10, 11 and 11.5"
All shot great using the same loads.

At this time you are limited on bullets for the 375cal, early SMK's have thin jackets and cant take speeds over 3100fps. The new ones are supose to be .100 longer and heavier jackets. Or you got the monolithic LRB bullets in 350grn. I supose the alum tipped wildcats will be the ticket, when they become available.

The 375 will have a little bit longer barrel life over the 338cal, but it depends on the desired use of the rifle. I was going to build a 375snipe-tac for myself, but i like the idea of cheaper bullets the 338 has. Its not a heavy use rifle in the first place.

Dave
 
Ernie,

I fired one shot with out the buttstock, the recoil was not that bad, but even then the "pistol" weight is 15#. 32" pistol, 338 snipe-tac, extra long range!!!! I hit the 550yd gong with no trouble. I would of done more and pics but it was 50deg and started to rain. Maybe later on i can try it again when the rifle returns from its hunts in Wyo.

I dont know if a 20" barrel in this round would be worth the waisted powder, it sure would be a conversation piece! :)

Dave
 
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