First I want to say hey to all of you that I don't already know from other forums. Awesome forum you all have here.

I am a general gunsmith for about 2.5 years now. I am toying with the idea of building myself a big bore/ DG rifle. Not because I need it or can afford a trip to Africa any time soon but rather just becasue and this is part of my future plans in my career. The only way to get good is to do it.

This is going to be a bit of a "budget" rifle and I will be doing most all of the work myslef. As funds become available I will be purchasing the necessary action, barrel, walnut blank, etc...

So, I would like to know which one of the Standard/ commercially made actions you guys would prefer to use. Winchester, Montana, Ruger, Mausers, etc... The work I can do but DG rifles is a bit out of my realm I am use to and you guys are the "experts" and know what works best.

Would also like opinions on what cartridge you would base a first DG rifle around. My three serous considerations are the .416 Rigby, 458 Lott, and 470 Capstick. It absolutely will not be a .375 H&H, I want to build around an over 40 caliber cartridge.

Any other advise or pointers you can give would be much appreciated.


If it helps the cartridges I have now are a .270, 308, 30-06, 300wsm, 338 Ultra, and 444 Marlin.

ACTION: Mauser only. And I mean Mauser, not CZ550, MRC or Ruger. M70 CRF if you insist. But better go the classy route and use a Mauser. A re-hardened 1909 would be fine.

CALIBER: 458 Lott. Better get good at making this one feed because it is what your customers will want.

FEATURES: See some of the classy rifles for African hunting at the SCI or ACGG conventions for the best ideas in sights, quarter rib, bolt handle, bottom metal, stock design, etc.

where can you get a rehardened 1909? and how much do they run?

You buy a 1909 and send it out for re-hardenening after the basic metal work is done.

Since this will be a rifle on somewhat of a budget. I think that a model 70 would be a good point to start. It has most of the features you need and doesn't require the big cash outlay needed to properly customize a military mauser. As far as calibers. the various .404 and .416's offer the combination of versatility, manageable recoil, and more than enough power to dispatch any animal on earth. When you get into the 45+ calibers they become more specialized/less versatile. One of these perhaps, would be a better choice for your second DGR. There WILL be a second DGR, trust me.

Geronimo

If you want a nice smiple big bore to start with.

I think a 416 taylor is the way to go any standard length mag action well work fine. Take any 338 7mm 300wm ant put a 416 barrel on it any you have a fine big bore.

I did mine on a Ruger stainless MKII worked well.

quote:

Originally posted by bigbulls:
This is going to be a bit of a "budget" rifle and I will be doing most all of the work myslef. As funds become available I will be purchasing the necessary action, barrel, walnut blank, etc...
.

couple choices...
cz 550 in 458 lott, 800
send to their custom shop for bedding and xbolts


or

cz action - 300
416 AB barrel - 90
stock - whatever

..

or rebarrel your 338 ultra to 470 capstick

jeffe

Since I'm guessing your doing this as a project to learn, I'd say 458 Lott on a mauser 98. It'll require a fair bit of metalwork, but done properly, you'll learn what you need to learn about making a reliably feeding big bore, and you'll have enough recoil to require you to properly stock the action.

Mines built with a take off Ruger #1 458 barrel, and it shoots quite well. Saved signifigant coin over a factory tube, and I had the barrel band sling swivel and front sight already installed.

Thank you for everyones insight.

RIP,

You're busy building bigbores on Ruger 77 II 7mmRemMag actions.

Would that work for something 458 Lott/470 Capstick length cartridge? If so, then CRF, cheap, available, etc. etc.

I'm going to take a contrarian view. First I would not suggest you build a .458 lott on a M98 unless you use a VZ24 action or a post war M98 Clone that has been made out of metal that has been correctly heat treated. While there are those who claim they can re-heat treat M98's who knows how well they actually hold up. The M98 was designed for a 48Kpsi cartridge and we all know about the legions of people who have had action locking lug set back
when they have tried to magnumize a mauser of questionable history/metalurgy. I suggest you give some thought to Starting out with a CZ550 action in .375H&H and convert it to a Lott. Learn to do your own machine work if you don't know how already. Don't farm out the stockwork and checkering either. You'll learn a great deal from the project and as your skills increase you can start making( from a block of steel of course) and fitting quarter ribs, barrel mounted recoil lugs,front sight ramps,rear leaf sights, barrel bands etc. I'm not a professional gunsmith and have no wish to become one, but have learned to do all of the above with a fair degree of skill. When you see ol Mbogo through the sights of a gun you have built yourself its a great feeling of accomplishment, it had also better feed reliably or that great feeling maybe rather shortlived. -Rob

quote:

Originally posted by ELKampMaster:
RIP,

You're busy building bigbores on Ruger 77 II 7mmRemMag actions.

Would that work for something 458 Lott/470 Capstick length cartridge? If so, then CRF, cheap, available, etc. etc.

\

I think you meant Jeffe, right?

It could... there's not real reason why not ... adjusting the bolt throw is the same on a ruger mkII as it is on a mauser, more or less

jeffe

Ok, After some thought to this here is my plan..... I think.

Full on converting a mauser is a bit more than what I want to get into for my first DGR. That will come at a later date as I get more proficient with this.

So I will likely place an order for a Montana professional hunter action in CM steel. While they will cost a little more than say a used Ruger or Winchester they aren't all that expensive at just over $500 and they have many features I think one would want on a DGR. Planned production date is December so this will allow me time to aquire the barrel, stock blank, sights, etc... with out forking out all the money at one time.

Stock work is no problem and I will be doing all the inletting, shaping, finishing, etc... but checkering??????? It's not that I can't checker I just haven't had enough practice as of yet to make it absolutely count the first time. I may just leave it uncheckered for a little while and do it at a later date. I haven't decided what species of walnut I want to use yet. I would like English but IMO it is so Plain Jane unless you fork out some cash. Maybe I will come across a good deal.

I am thinking I will do a 1/2 octagon and 1/2 round barrel finished at 23 or 24 inches. Haven't decided on how I want to finish the metal.

I am not going to engrave anything but any other touches of class you guys can think of feel free to post them.

bigbulls,

What are you thinking for secondary recoil lug?

Iron sights?
Rear: Express or Ghost Ring or Other?
Front: NECG red?

Barrel Band front swivel?

What type of stock profile? Someone on here has a "stock duplicator" (I think.)

Secondary recoil lug... Not sure what to do there yet. Gotta look into it some more.

Sights... probably express with an island base rather than the quarter rib and a single folding leaf for the rear and a hooded and banded front sight. Don't know yet if I want a fiber optic bead or silver bead. The see thru rear sight that Krieghoff makes is interesting as well.

Stock profile will be something along the lines of a straight classic but 100% made to fit me so that I instantly look right down the sights with out having to think about it one bit. The only thing I plan of letting someone else do with the stock is semi inletting the blank to save a bunch of time. All of the shaping and finishing I will do myself.

Front and rear swivels I am leaning toward the European style from Talley rather than the barrel band unless there is a reason other than personal asthetic preferance to choose a barrel band.

If your going to have to build one on the cheap and by the way, your not the first person to ever attemp to build a rifle on the cheap..........

I'd start with a VZ24, harder than Jeffe Smiths head............. and I wouldnt start with a rehardened 09. I would probably do a lott if you can aford the bottom metal. Might be able to find a cheap commercial mauser 375 lenght if you can get by with 3 down.

Probably the cheap and easy way is to buy a CZ in a lott and restock it.

I wish I had all the money back I dropped on building cheap guns