A good Canadian Rifle Smith

[mikekelly]

I posted a couple of days ago about a rifle I had built that I couldn't get to shoot. A Rem 700 with a Mike Rock Barrel and an A5 MacMillan stock in .308 cal. I have over $3000 invested and I am not very impressed with the results. In order to get the scope to zero I had to shim the rear mount about .100 thou and then lap the scope rings in order to prevent the scope from bending. The barrel is definitely pointing downward, it is not true to the action. I also think the bedding needs to be redone. The only time the rifle shot very well was just after it was built, before the new glass stock arrived. It had rained on the rifle for a couple hours, the rifle was outside in the old BDL wood stock and it shot 3/8" groups @ 100m. After that day it shot about 1" or a little bigger @100m. A couple of days later my Macmillan stock arrived, I Installed it, shot the same. I then sent the rifle, and the stock to my gunsmith to be bedded. It doesn't shoot 1" consistently. I am not impressed to say the least. I am posting this because I want to know who does competent work in Canada. I want to send the rifle to someone who can say it is just the bedding or how the chamber is cut or what ever and fix it for a reasonable fee. My gunsmith says I am not able to shoot that well. I fired over 3000 rifle rounds last year and won the Atlantic Canadian 3-Gun event. I feel I am not the problem. I would like to send it to GA precision but I don't want to get into shipping over boarders. Does anyone know of a Competent Gunsmith in Canada who will give a guarantee? There are lots of people who claim they are the best smiths in the country, but give no guarantees. Talk is cheap, rifle building is not. If I had my day over I would have bought a H-S Precision.
-Not Happy

 

[albert]

Which province do you live?

 

[sullijr]

Paul Reibin in Kamloops 250 372-7030 call and ask.I don't think any gunsmith would guarantee a repair on someone elses product but you will never know if you don't ask.Paul is well known for his long range target rifles.

 

[mikekelly]

I live in Nova Scotia. I will send my rifle anywhere in the country to get quality work. I know out west there are some good Gunsmiths, I know some but they only work on pistols. Here in the east, there is not one gunsmith I would trust with any of my guns. I have been to 4 different smiths in 4 years and have given up. If I can't do it myself it is not getting done. I know that might sound a little strong, but I am getting stuff wrecked. This year, I had my rifle built. I checked the guy(smith) out, with several people, he was supposed to be the best in the country. He built sniper rifles for some of the local police departments. I hope they shoot better than my rifle. Last year, I had the barrel on my Rem. 1100 shotgun chopped, choke tubes added and rifle sights put on, another recomended gunsmith did the work. On the third shot the rear rifle sight fell off. I sent the barrel back, waited another three months, and got the barrel back. I went to the range and fired 2 more shots, on the third shot the end of the barrel split back 4" and the choke tube went fling out the side of the barrel. I am not sure where the front sight went. I am a hunter, a skeet shooter and I shoot IPSC, my favorite part of that sport is the anual 3-Gun match. I decided about 4 years ago to spend some money and get some quality firearms and have them tuned to perfection. I have spent almost $5000 dollars on shotgun and rifle progects that were total flops because of the level of gunsmithing in N.S. I have given up on this area for smiths.

 

[Mysticplayer]

I can recommend Dennis Sorenson on Vanc Island. He has built several rifles for me and all have been shooting to my expectations.250-652-5610. Just tell him Jerry Teo sent you.

I have also used Bevan King. Ron Smith, Corlane Sports, Nobby Uno, Ellwood Epps are also talented smiths.

Two things you can quickly check is runout and throat length. If a fired case has more then a few thou runout, the chamber was cut crooked. If the throat is so long that the bullet has to leave the neck inorder to engrave in the lands, the reamer used is toast.

These are the only things that a smith will check. Beyond that will require testing through shooting which almost no one is interested in doing.

Make sure that the bullet you use FITS the bore. Rock barrels, and many BR barrels, are on the tight side. Some bullets simply will not shoot in these bores. I would look at the 155gr Amax and Nosler Comp 155/168gr bullets.

These tend to shoot well in tight bores.

I can appreciate your frustration with the immediate results but without properly diagnosing the problem, no one can help you.

Also, check the runout of your finished ammo. There are bad dies and high runout ammo will never shoot. Once all has been tested systematically, you will be able to know wear the problem lies.

Have you checked the bedding of the rifle and if it is under any stress?

Jerry

 

[elkfirst]

Mickey, holly smokes do I feel sorry for you, sounds like an off the shelf rifle like a cheap Savage with an Accutrigger would probably have been a lesser investment with greater returns. I normally would ask for this smith's name but I live in Alberta, so I have no fear of running into this fine craftsman. Anyhow, we have a huge gun show here in the Stampede City coming up in March. There are many custom gun makers that have a table and advertise their goods. I've seen some pretty fine looking stuff but out of my price range if I want to stay married. Would you like me to pass on your contact information to some of these guys, at least you can talk to them directly>

 

[Shufisher]

Mickey,

I would also recommend Dennis Sorenson,though I'm not sure it possible to be any further away. He is very active on the Bechrest Central forums.

Best of luck,

Shu