25-06 A.I. Finially

[41mag]

Well after a couple of years talking about it I finially managed to get everything for the most part together for my new 25-06 A.I. Funds have been snug around here to say the least, so it took most of last year to save up for this that and the other. Even after getting the action, barrel, trigger, and recoil lug I still needed a set of mounts and rings and a stock. Well I managed to pick up the base and rings for about half price so that helped, but the stock was something that was going to have to wait it seemed. I picked a local smith that I had heard some very good things about and is also a BR shooter. Figured since he was close and known in the area to do fine work might as well try him out. Called Broughton up and ordered the barrel in their 5C 4.1 Magnum Sporter with a 1-9 twist, for a finished length of 28" and while talking with the rep mentioned the smith's name and was somewhat enlightened that he knew a lot about him and I was assured that he would do a first class job. I spoke to the smith around the first part of Dec. and he said to drop things off anytime, but that he would not be building anything until after the first. So just before New Years I dropped everything off at his shop and the wait began.

Since there was no waiting on orders and such he managed to get things done up from drop off to pick up in about a month. Figureing that there were half a dozen rifles in ahead of me that wasn't bad.

Here's the lowdown on the finished work,

Broughton 5C 4.1 Magnum Sporter 28"
Rem 700 action - accurized
Jewel trigger set to a very crisp 2#
Holland Recoil Lug
Callahan Speedlock Aluminum Firing Pin Assembly
Burris Signature Rings and base
Weaver Tactical 4.5 x 14

So after the month or so wait I had Tim swing by and pick the thing up last week. I was really itching to just bust a cap if for no other reason to see how well the cases formed. So I loaded up 40 rounds of new Win 30-06 brass which was neck sized down to allow for a crush fit, 51grs of H-4831, and some 120gr Hornady FBHP's. Figured they would work fine for forming and barrel break in. So now cam the delimma what to use for a stock, I had already envisioned just holding the barreled action and tripping the trigger but decided to do it more correctly. So I got out the calipers and did a little comparrison on three rifles that I thought had promise for a donor stock, at least for the time being. After the dust settled, I had pulled the A.M. from the H.S. Precision and found that everything was almost an exact fit. The barrel contour is a bit shorter on the new rig than on the A.M. but after measureing the other deminsion on the receiver and recoil lug it seemed it would drop right in. Well for those who know how well Kirby beds the lug area and action "drop right in" is a pretty loose term. Anyway I carefully slipped it in until it was down all the way and then the moment of truth, and both screws started with no effort other than a slight twist with the end of a finger.

So for now it might not be the most cosher thing on the block but it fits and even with the smaller taper on this barrel the stock fit looks very decent. It has plenty of air space around the tube for cooling and the action is firmly supported even with out the screws being tight.

I had wanted to do some shooting this past weekend but we had just purchased some property the week before and last week had a report of some uninvited guest stopping by for a look see. After getting up there we figure it was a survey crew who were working on the place next to us. They didn't bother anything, but since we had no fence up we had to build the entrance and put up a gate and fence just to keep looky loo's out and not have to worry to much about showing up to find a dump site.

So hopefully this weekend I will make it out to the range and at least drop the hammer on a few more cases and get the barrel worked in. All I had time for last weekend was to shoot two rounds before the weather hit.

I had the barrel made with the 9 twist to satisfy my own mind that I could shoot any bullet within reason I wanted to. I figured that the smallest I would use would be the 110gr AB anyway so that left everything from there up to the 142gr Wildcats should I want to go there. I have a few on hand and will at least run enough through to get a top end load and accuracy check with them. Other than that it will more than likly be 115's, 120.s and 125gr bullets. Just have to see which one runs the best for me. I also still plan on having Joel build me a stock foespecially for it once I get some funds set aside. However with the notes we dolling out on several items now I just might end up yanking one of my Sendero's out and bedding it to fit.

I will definatley report back on it as time allows.

 

[redbone]

41 mag

That is an nice rifle .

Can you show us some Pic of the Rifle an the Group you shoot .

Can you give an list of the Cost to Bult an Great Rifle Like you have did here .?

Redbone

 

[wildcat]

Your rifle sounds nice, let us know how she shoots.

W.

 

[Flybuster]

Well, I can assure you that your wait was worth it. I really like mine, infact I might have my throat lengthened to shoot the longer bullets, too.

I don't own a Russo stock, but that would be my first choice for a laminated wood stock if I were to buy one. From all the great feedback from people on this site, and awesome looking rifles stocked by Russo, I think that would be a great choice.

I have an H-S on my 25-06 A.I, its done good for me. I don't even have it skim bedded as some suggest. It holds its point of aim, and groups fine.

I haven't shot my new Broughton barrel 5-C barrel yet, I still have a project out on work now. But I am real curious about how your barrel does. Report back and let us know!

 

[ol mike]

I did my first true longrange shooting w/ Flybusters 25-06AI -i like it to.

Seeing him smack a light colored spot on a 1000+ yard rock was amazing.
I hit tha spot once out of four and came real close w/ the other three shots.
You're gonna love that AI.

That's the same barrel -length and contour i chose for my 280 AI.

 

[41mag]

Here are a few pics of the new rig. If you click on them they should open up bigger for you. Might be easier to right click on them and open them in seperate tabs.







I realize that dropping one barreled action into a stock which has been bedded for another isn't the optimum thing to do. As you can see in the following pic's the action and recoil lug are in good and snug, and the difference between the barrel of the A. M. and the new one is the only free space. This barrel is fully floated.



AS mentioned above, I had planned on having Joel build the stock for this rig, however as plans go, I have to work around it for the time being.

I had the polished SS barrel blasted dark to drop some of the shine from it. I wasn't sure how well it would turn out but I really like it a lot.

 

[41mag]

Here are the first shots to hit paper. The only other two shots from through it were out into my back pasture to make sure the load would form the cases properly.

I managed to get out to the range yesterday for a little while and get a few things accomplished. First I needed to bore sight and at least make sure I was on paper. The first shot was high and to the left. Not bad for just looking through the barrel and adjusting the scope with the rifle sitting on bags. The barrel was cleaned and oiled before the first and between each of the following shots. It was very easily done by the 5th of this series, and took very little time and effort.


This is the first 5 shot group fired through the barrel. The flyer was called as sometimes the fingers and brain seem to loose something in the process. I was also impressed with how little fouling presented itself and how fast the barrel cleaned.


Overall I am very pleased with things. The load was not one that had been studied. I simply grabbed some H-4831 off the shelf, picking the load off the lable, dropping it one grain. The load I used was 51grs that once the Uniflow measure had been set, was thrown. The Winchester 30-06 cases were not prepped in any way other than neck sized to a crush fit in the chamber. The bullets I had chosen for barrel break in and fire form load simply due to the fact I got 200 of them for only $20. They were Hornady 120gr FBHP, and I had shot some them well from my standard 25-06 when I first got it. I figured that they should work for my intended purpose. The primers were Win-WLR. The OAL was determined by simply seating the bullet until it would chamber and nothing else.

Might sound like shoddy loading and I admit I didn't put much into it. However I still ended up with a decent group. If I had done my part it would have been just under 1" easily as the 4 shot cluster is right at it. At this point I wasn't really looking for BR accuracy anyway just to work the barrel and form a few csaes. I am looking very forward to getting the dies and Lapua cases in so that I CAN do some serious development. I am only working with the Win cases to use them as a comparison to what I had previously loaded in my standard rifle.

The only thing I might still need to do is take it back and have it throated a bit deeper for the longer bullets. I know that the 142gr Wildcats will be sitting fairly deep in the neck once I get them formed but do not know at this time how much this will effect the velocity or accuracy. I am hoping that everything I have heard about the Broughton barrels will come out in this one and it will be a tad faster and very accurate. Only time and testing will tell. Next time to the range I will take my small press and see if a little deeper seating will improve or degrade the groups. If it improves, I might just have to drop in a little more powder as well. Hopefully I can find a fireform load which will shoot nearly as well as a full tilt load. Sure would make things a lot easier.