A Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle

[guns_and_labs]

Re-posted by Len
----------------------


Introducing my latest and greatest long range hunting tool. I'm not sure what to call it: Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle or Spartan Precision Carbon Ti Featherweight rifle package or The Peregrine. I'm waiting for the gunsmith to name the line... in the meantime I'll just call it the coolest hunting rifle I've ever handled.

Some details on the build:

Extreme Shooting Products titanium receiver, scope base and lug
Proof Research carbon fiber wrapped barrel, 8 twist, finished at 26"
Manners MCS-TA carbon fiber lightweight stock
Huber Concepts trigger, set to .826 lbs (yikes!)
PT&G aluminum hinged floorplate
Vais aluminum muzzle break
Badger Ordnance alloy 30mm rings

It was built by Marc Soulie of Spartan Arms.

Some initial thoughts on handling:

It weighs out at 10 lbs. 8 oz. with a relatively heavy S&B PH 4-16x scope, and 8 lbs something without. But it really doesn't feel that heavy at all. It balances perfectly for me, with the balance point right at the magazine.

The Huber trigger is obscenely good. I hate it. It has made all my Jewell and Timney triggers seem cheap and gritty.

I've got a box of factory rounds to start the barrel break-in, and I have the first fifty rounds for load development. I'll be headed to a range on Thursday to start shooting this beauty.

 

[.284]

Re: Spartan Arms Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle

I'd love to know the weight of the barrelled action.
Hope it shoots as good as it looks

 

[MudRunner2005]

Re: Spartan Arms Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle

Will they sell just the barrels?

Also, how much does a gun like that cost (minus scope)?

 

[MarcS]

Re: Spartan Arms Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle

Unless you are a paid Sponsor you may not do anything on the site designed primarily to promote your own business.

You may not link to any commercial non-Sponsor website in your signature. You may not include the name of any non-Sponsor business in your Username, Signature or in your Public Profile including the Home Page found there. This rule applies whether or not you are the owner of the business. You may not have a User Name that promotes your business (Bill's Accurate Guns). You may not post a message that is for the purpose of promoting your business with either text or pictures. Non-Sponsors may post replies of a helpful nature that involve topics related to their trade or type of business in response to requests for such general information from other members. Non-Sponsor forum members engaged in a profit making enterprise who receive a direct request for their services or products in a thread may post "PM Sent" or "email sent" and the conduct their business off line.

Sponsors are allowed to post anywhere in the forums.

 

[guns_and_labs]

Re: Spartan Arms Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle

I'd love to know the weight of the barrelled action.
Hope it shoots as good as it looks

When I take it apart for a detailed clean I'll weigh the barreled action.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Re: Spartan Arms Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle

edited by Len

 

[guns_and_labs]

Re: Spartan Arms Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle

I don't believe my original post violated the rules. I was just bragging.

 

[Len Backus]

Re: Spartan Arms Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle

Tom

Yes, you can post gun brag topics, including who built it even if they aren't a Sponsor. That's all important to the site and I encourage it.

But...you openly encouraged a non-Sponsor to come on and promote himself. That's not fair to the paying Sponsors and some of them get upset with me if I tolerate it. If you want to start over, you can send me an edited post and I will insert it into the first post spot.

Len

 

[guns_and_labs]

Re: Spartan Arms Precision Ultralight Hunting Rifle

Tom

Yes, you can post gun brag topics, including who built it even if they aren't a Sponsor. That's all important to the site and I encourage it.

But...you openly encouraged a non-Sponsor to come on and promote himself. That's not fair to the paying Sponsors and some of them get upset with me if I tolerate it. If you want to start over, you can send me an edited post and I will insert it into the first post spot.

Len

On its way. Thank you, Len.

 

[guns_and_labs]

First Range Report

After six rounds of factory to zero the scope (that's really the extent of my "break in"), I settled in with some test loads with H4831SC and H4350. All were with 140gr Berger Hunting VLD, virgin Lapua brass, and CCI BR-2 primers. COAL was 0.004" off the lands, for a 3.132" OAL and 2.458" length to ogive.

Unfortunately, I think I started too low.

The best load with the H4350 was the top load I had, and it was progressively improving as I pushed the bullet more. At 47.3 grains of H4350, I was showing my best group at 5/16", and 2754 fps. The best load with H4831SC was 51.5 grains, 0.25" and 2817 fps.

Qualitatively, I love this rifle. Its balance and manners were perfect. It shot everything well, when I did my part, recoil was mild, and the barrel just wouldn't heat up. The last fifteen rounds I shot one right after another, and there was no drift and the barrel stayed warm. Those rounds also included the best group of the day (the 1/4" one).

I'm going to clean it up and load up another set, starting at the most accurate and working up a bit. I really think I should be able to find something closer to 3000 fps. Then I'll start playing with OAL.

I suppose I should be finding a decent hunting load and then just preserving barrel life, but this rifle is too much fun to shoot.

 

[MarcS]

I'm glad to see the rifle lives up to your expectations Tom. It was definitely a hammer once you got into the hotter loads that it liked. It will be interesting to see if it does any better as you push it harder.

I'm very impressed with those carbon wrapped barrels from Proof and they are the only carbon barrels I'll use. I can't say too much about their manufacturing process, but I can say that they use thin carbon ribbons that are spun on in a helical pattern to a large diameter, rough turned down to an approximate dimension, then finished ground to final contour. They also make their own blanks in house so they have total control from start to finish. No other carbon barrel maker comes close. Now you can have a light weight barrel without having your groups open up after the third round

Marc Soulie
Spartan Precision Rifles
Concord, CA
https://www.facebook.com/SpartanPrecisionRifles?ref=hl

 

[guns_and_labs]

After some load testing, I'm now seeing H4831SC giving excellent results, 1/4" to 1/3" at 100 yards. I'm going to move out now to longer distances with the same loads.

Given the terminal ballistics reputation of the 140 gr Berger VLD, I'm betting that this can be my do-everything rifle.

 

[sp6x6]

Nice rig.I built mine for packing.338 Norma 7-2 oz. bare.Dressed 9-14oz.sling,scope,atlas,aci

 

[guns_and_labs]

I definitely traded some portability to get the adjustable stock. I'm sure that, with an ultralight stock, this would be a featherweight in the high 6s or low 7s.

But when it gets to anything beyond 300 yards, I just shoot much better with an adjustable stock.