Prepare for a range session report and pics.
The barrel was chambered by Pac-nor using my new reamer.Then it was sent to my smith in BC for final fitting and the installation of Recnagel open sights.A little trigger work too.I am really looking forward to shooting it.

Good for you, George

Thanks Jeff.
I just emailed my smith and asked him if he could send the original barrel back to me.

Keep us posted. I have a model 70 300 RUM I am going to send them to be rebarreled to 458 Lott.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Thanks Jeff.
I just emailed my smith and asked him if he could send the original barrel back to me.

I had nearly forgotten about that!

According to tracking,the rifle should get here this Friday.It cost an arm and a leg to rebarrel with new sights, regulate,reblue etc...I will post pics and give my first impression as soon as it arrives,

Hi shootaway,

Have you retained the original bedding system of a Ruger RSM .458 Lott with a Pac-Nor rebarrel?
Or has it been modified?
Are there integral features on the barrel by Pac-Nor
(quarter rib and/or recoil lug)?
Your pictures will be interesting to see.
Thanks in advance.

This has got me thinking that I could re-barrel a 1998-vintage (Gen-2) Ruger RSM .416 Rigby to 500 Jeffery.
The stock is fat enough for sure.
I would probably use a washer-style, primary recoil lug at the action/barrel joint (like on the Kimbers and Remingtons),
with a secondary recoil lug on the barrel, Wisner M70-African rear sight,
and barrel-banded sling base and front sight.

Rip ...

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Hi shootaway,

Have you retained the original bedding system of a Ruger RSM .458 Lott with a Pac-Nor rebarrel?
Or has it been modified?
Are there integral features on the barrel by Pac-Nor
(quarter rib and/or recoil lug)?
Your pictures will be interesting to see.
Thanks in advance.

This has got me thinking that I could re-barrel a 1998-vintage (Gen-2) Ruger RSM .416 Rigby to 500 Jeffery.
The stock is fat enough for sure.
I would probably use a washer-style, primary recoil lug at the action/barrel joint (like on the Kimbers and Remingtons),
with a secondary recoil lug on the barrel, Wisner M70-African rear sight,
and barrel-banded sling base and front sight.

Rip ...

The Recknagel rear sight band is supposed to have an integral recoil lug.The Ruger action/lug screw system should remain the same.I believe the Ruger stock forearm to barrel anchoring screw was removed.I asked for some trigger work also.I kept the original recoil pad.No integral features on the barrel.The work and parts will cost more than a third of what I paid for my Searcy double.That said I just had to rebarrel my Rugers.I just really trust them.

George- How many Lotts does a guy need?

If a barrel for a Ruger cost 1/3 as much as a double rifle then you need to find a new "smith".

[URL= ]fixed shallow V blade set to 100yds [/URL]
[URL= ]stainless bead[/URL]
[URL= ]crossbolt installed[/URL]
[URL= ]4[/URL]
[URL= ]6[/URL]
[URL= ]barrel support[/URL]
[URL= ]round muzzle[/URL] [URL= ]swivel band[/URL]
[URL= ]Dressel's grip cap[/URL]
[URL= ]cone breech[/URL]
[URL= ]12[/URL]

Excellent, hope you enjoy it. Let us know how it shoots.

Hope you love it, George --

Nice one George

By the looks of the marks on the ramp, it looks like it feeds very well. Now for some targets...have fun.

I really love the looks of the Ruger big bore rifles. Yours certainly is a looker.
I would love to find one in Left hand to go with my 375 Ruger Hawkeye African.

I will try to get out and shoot it today.

shootaway,

Thanks for the photos showing how it was re-barreled, retaining the original bedding:
A bolster on the action, cantilever-anchored in the forearm by the "recoil plate."
Somehow that is a very accurate method of bedding, proved to me by my rifle, Ol'Purple, a Gen II RSM .416 Rigby Ruger.
My rifle is heavy for caliber and a gentle kicker compared to your .458 Lott.




After my first three shots with the GSC FN .416/380-grainer at just over 2500 fps MV,



I stopped all load development and zeroed the scope dead-on at 100 yards,
and took it to Botswana,
where it did not disappoint.
May your Pac-Nor serve you as well.

Rip ...

I was out shooting it today.
The first shot fired from a clean barrel shot to the far left.Then a perfect three shot group forming a triangle just left of the bullseye.For all of the above shot I used 550gr Woodleighs RNSP.Then a single round using the 500gr Swift-A-Frame strikes the target above the three shot group.
[URL= ]50yds off the bench[/URL]

My shoulder is really sore.
I am very happy with the results.The bore is super smooth and cleans up very easily.I am sure the next time out the group will be tighter.
I really like this rifle.Next time I will ask for a sight blade with a vertical white line.
I had asked for a very shallow blade-no deep V.
Shallow is better.It lets you see what you are aiming at.

Here are some old pics I took when I was bedding the recoil plate of one of my Rugers.As you can see it was still in place on the rebuilt Ruger.
[URL= ]1[/URL]
[URL= ]2[/URL]
[URL= ]3[/URL]

quote:

Originally posted by Pegleg:
George- How many Lotts does a guy need?

Rebuilding them is more of a current past time.The Lott being a cartridge which I am familiar with too.

George,
Thanks for the extra pics.
Did you hide some allthread in the forearm under that epoxy?
Did you have the second visible crossbolt added or did it come like that?

Rip ...

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
George,
Thanks for the extra pics.
Did you hide some allthread in the forearm under that epoxy?
Did you have the second visible crossbolt added or did it come like that?

Rip ...

Ron,I don't understand what you mean by all thread.I just used glassbed in the lug recess.That glued the steel in place, filled in the space and prevented any movement of the action.I sent the cross bolt to my smith and told him to use it if he thought necessary.At first he said that he wouldn't use it then I guess he changed his mind.That could be after he fired it.I had forgotten to tell him beforehand to tighten the action mounting screw extremely tight with a wrench before firing it or else it would crack the stock behind the tang.It got the tang a bit and I guess he used the cross bolt.IMO if it is bedded and tighten really tight-with lactite too it will not crack

OK,
I thought the recoil plate was still loose, but
you glued the recoil plate into the forearm.
No need for a hidden bit of steel allthread then.

Rip ...

Yes exactly.If you fill in the lug recess to the top,some of the glassbed will make its way under the metal and help glue it.

I will try to get out and turn it loose at 100yds tomorrow.

I was at the range today.First shot at 100yds was not on paper.I moved the windage to the right a bit thinking it was off to the left(it was shown to be off a bit to the left at 50yds on the target posted above).I fired a second shot and still not on paper.I then fired at 50yds to verify and it was still to the left by 3 inches.I moved the windage to the right again and fired at 100yds.This time I got on paper but still to the left.I moved the windage again to the right and fired again.This time it hit centre.I went to collect my target as I could not stand the recoil from another shot.I saw where the first two shots hit and they were close together but a foot to the left.I might go and shoot it again next week to check accuracy.

The rifle is going back to my smith.His range was closed temporarily and he sent it out for sight regulation.All the 308 open sight rifles he made for me were all regulated well.This is a real bummer.

[URL= ]a[/URL]

Most disappointing!!!!
They are so far off its incredible!!

Not sure how you can be close to the bull at 50 and so far off at 100???

Good luck with getting it sorted.

Cheers

Nick

quote:

Originally posted by nickh:
Most disappointing!!!!
They are so far off its incredible!!

Not sure how you can be close to the bull at 50 and so far off at 100???

Good luck with getting it sorted.

Cheers

Nick

I had already moved the sights to the right when I shot at 50yds.The sights were 3-4 inches off to the left at 50yds and over a 1ft off to the 1eft at 100yds.This is why I always ask for the sights on my Lotts to be regulated at 100yds and not 50yds.If they are dead on at 100 they will also be dead on at 50 and 25.If they are regulated at 25 or 50 they stand a good chance at being really of at 100 and even extremely off at 200yds.From what I understand the rifle was bore sighted at a short distance.This IMO caused the problem.IMO it is difficult and inaccurate to bore sight a rifle with a large bore diameter using an object at such a close distance.It is best to use an object at a greater distance and at night, like a light or lamp...or other tricks that I may not be aware off.It is a pity that this happened.Hopefully it can be fixed.This is a very accurate rifle and I am convinced that Pac-nor barrels are tops.

I have had best luck with PacNor barrels -- and consistently got beaten by them in mid-range matches.

Damn!!! I would guess the front ramp is canted, the rear sight island is canted, or a combination of both.

How do we put the sights on square to the bottom of the receiver? After several years of frustration I made up a jig. I silver solder the front band and the barrel band lug and the rear sight island.












A target from one of my Lotts below. Pac Nor No. 5 barrel. 22 inches. 14 inch twist. Iron sights, no scope. I had fired about 10 "proving" rounds before this group, I was a little recoil shy. 510 grain Hornady. Light rifle, about 8-1/4 pounds. I later adjusted the front sight height to give a lower impact point.

That is very interesting,Woodhunter!
I thought that the islands or ramps may be canted but what do I know.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
That is very interesting,Woodhunter!
I thought that the islands or ramps may be canted but what do I know.

The bottom flat of the receiver is the reference point. Sights, and scope mounts, must be square to the bottom of the receiver.

I can use the jig for drilling and tapping, or just set up the barreled action in the milling machine as shown below. Drilling and tapping in a milling machine is much more accurate than using the drill press. Note the Pac Nor sticker on the tool chest.

Woodhunter
What do you do with round bottom receivers? Indicate off the rails or?

quote:

Originally posted by 375sunrise:
Woodhunter
What do you do with round bottom receivers? Indicate off the rails or?

Flat bar machined to a snug fit in the bolt raceways. Long enough to extend out the rear of the receiver for indicating.

Most of my work is with flat bottom Mausers and the like. So I have not made up any special jigs for the Remington M700 and similar. Besides, a true iron sighted bolt action rifle must use a Mauser receiver, right?

Although the receiver shown below is a Mauser, this jig will also take a round bottom M700. I shim the M700 front & back so it is level, tightening the socket head screws will pull the flat bar down and align the receiver in the X axis.

That’s pretty neat, thanks WoodHunter

Iron sight adjustment has worried the hell out of me.Custom rifle work is expensive.It is a nightmare to have spent so much money on a high end custom rifle or any rifle and for the windage to be off even a little so as to prevent the rifle from pointing and aiming easily.I feel like it all went to waste.

just a correction, George - keep the faith

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Iron sight adjustment has worried the hell out of me.Custom rifle work is expensive.It is a nightmare to have spent so much money on a high end custom rifle or any rifle and for the windage to be off even a little so as to prevent the rifle from pointing and aiming easily.I feel like it all went to waste.

The responsibility of the gun builder is to test the rifle, both for feeding and ejection and for accuracy. Shipping a rifle with unknown target performance is a big no-no in the custom world.

Making the iron sighted rifle shoot is easy, but takes some time. Take it to the range, shoot a few targets, back to the shop for sighting corrections, then off to the range for another test. It helps if the sights are installed correctly during the gun build!

One of my deceased friends worked with building benchrest rifles. He proved the rifle on the range prior to shipping and furnished the target to the customer along with load data. I asked him why he included the targets. His response: "Most benchrest guys cannot shoot to the performance of the rifles I build!" He included the targets to show the new owner what the rifle was capable of.