Many of you have read about me having Kevin Weaver building a 1917 Enfield chambered for .358U/M.

He has an agreement with neighbors not to shoot on Sunday. So I only fired twice. Once with a plinker load: cast 38 pistol bullet w/10gr Red Dot. and a 250gr Speer SP, 90gr 7828. Which is still a light loading for this gun. Towesley came up with 97gr in his.

I had this rifle built just for a cull shoot in the NT next year. I'll be amazed if I can make it, especially next year. Need a shoulder replaced and back surgery in 8 days yet. Will take a bunch of healing to get ready.

Anyway, the rifle, this is a test of my own theories of taming the kickers: wt 13#, length 26" .750" at muzzle, fit, balanced under mag well, mercury in both butt 13oz and 8oz in forearm, decelerator pad. Far as I know that's the only things we can do to tame these things other than a blaster on the muzzle which I'd never have if they gave me the whole factory.

Nice concrete bench, but, metal folding chair too low to get in good position. Recoil is just about like a 12ga 3" mag in my 1100, or the other Enfield in .300Win/m. More than enough without being brutal. Once I get where I can I'll build up some loads and go test them over a chronograph and inspect the brass.

I do know down there, I'll be stuck with 4831sc. I don't have any yet, and don't seem like anyone has any for sale either. Soon as I can I'll snag a can and build some loads with it. Then I'll be set for loads on your side of the world.

I've gotten a couple hundred of these cheaper Speers for practice and have at least 60lbs of cast slugs just sitting there that I don't load. So there will be a bunch of those used for practice in getting used to this new rifle.

I had it changed to: Timney trigger set at 3#, cock on opening, which is a new deal for me with this action. My other two are spring loaded closings. I just may change both of those over before I'm done too.

To save some cash I didn't have him finish the stock, just down to 220grit, so I've got bare wood to polish out and finish yet. I've done quite a few and have lots of time to get it done in. The metal work was finished in a matte black. I think it's beautiful. My first rifle not polished n blued. No reflection on these two. I also had him refinish a half done job on the .300 I did back in high school 55yrs ago.

This makes three '17's nearly alike: '06, .300WIn/m and now the .358U/M. I have a P-14 action yet, and he has a nearly matching stock cheap I can get. Am thinking I'd like to have a matched set of four, that one would be something on the order of a .243. I really like the cartridge and it's plenty for our antelope.

Like all of us, at times our desires for new toys overwhelms our financial means so it might be awhile before that's started. Especially if I heal up good enough to make the long flight to Darwin.

So far, I'm tickled the way this rifle has turned out. That's the main thing, right? Had my camera stolen and haven't replaced it in case the new one would be too. So I can't share any pictures. Maybe someone local will show up that can.

Thanks for listening,
George

Sounds pretty good, George.

BTW the OT of finishing the stock ,ay be just what is needed for the shoulder after the op.

Bren:
First thing the 30th is back surgery. Once that's far enough along then the R shoulder.
Had the L one replaced in Feb. Doing swell with that.
Thanks,
George

Sounds good mate, any pics?

All the pics you'd ever want., BUT, no camera!
Had three stolen along with a dozen big cards full of pics while I was down that winter.
Same company, so I've put off replacing any. Don't want to temp it again. Gets expensive after while.

Take care,
George

Bugger mate, that's no good.

Steve:
Tried to send you a pm here the other night. puter problems again. Check on the other board.

Shot that rifle again yesterday. Didn't get to the chronograph yet. Something changed as it was hitting way to the left. By the time I got that sorted out, stuck a case in the chamber and no range rod along. Was in the other gun case! Made a new one just for this gun now. 5/16" brass rod 30" long. Works slick!!

Ok, big new concrete picnic tables around the range. Bench is too close to the top for me. Ended up with a sandbag on my range box, standing one leg, other kneeled on the bench. Both hands under the wrist. Recoil was nice, about like a decent '06. I can see where shooting this thing is not going to be too bad.

Put it on the postal scales the other night. A full pound heavier than hoped for: 13# 7.9oz
Hey, weight helps reduce recoil, right?

Picked up a pound of CHEAP? H4831sc, $35. Haven't opened it yet, been working with other stuff and too many things in the fire right now for the time I've had since getting the gun in hand.

George

George, I am not sure if this is a case of Great minds think alike or fools never differ:-) I have a Rem M17 action I am going to build a 35RUM on basing it on the 338RUM case.

At the momentmy hold up is no 338RUM brass. Always interested in any pit falls you found.

Hope the physical side of things is fixed and you do get to do your buff cull next year.

Rule:

Two major things I learned so far is new RCBS dies cost $168, had to wait two months on mine. NBD since the gun wasn't ready.

I got stung on one batch of brass that had been loaded a bunch of times. Lost 47 out of 100 at a buck each.

I could only find 7mm and 300u/m cases. Five sources. Everyone a buck each. Make damned sure you anneal them FIRST. AND let them air cool, do not quench in cold water. The test run I made that way I lost 7 of 10, air cooled I never lost another one.

Held in bare finger tips, heated with propane torch til the color change ring got to the shoulder/neck joint then dropped into a can to cool. Before they cooled the color ring was 1/2" below the shoulder, just about right.

I used Imperial wax on each case full length and inside the mouths. Necking them out shortened the case about .030". No need to trim them. They're the same original length as .300H&H. Then I champhered both sides of the necks and was done.

I plan to fire form them all with 10.0gr Red Dot and cast 180-200gr cast .38 bullets. That way they'll fit my chamber just right. Kevin Weaver has the reamer on hand.

He had quite a time making the magazine box work, stretched it some, had to use two box's and reweld them. I haven't had the gun apart so don't know what he did to it but, he had quite a handful with that. I plan to load 300gr bullets so they'll be longer. I'll have to load them to fit the mag box.

I'd suggest if you can get .,375U/M brass to go that way, but, don't sweat it any, just get .300u.m and you'll be fine with those by annealing as I explained. IF you don't do that, you'll split lots of necks.

Towsley shows some loads for his 24". One I settled on max is: 97gr 7828 around 3114fps. He says I won't have any problem getting 3200fps with the 26" mine is. I haven't run any over the chronograph yet. Knowing I can't get this powder in Australia, I'll develop a load for H4831sc here and get powder on hand ahead of time over there. I got a pound of it but

, haven't loaded any of it yet. Still some minor things to touch up n finish on the rifle yet and I'm a long way from getting healed up anyway.

You want to know more etc let's take it to e'mail: gldwight1@yahoo.com

Glad to share what we've learned with others. I think this will make one hell of a hunting round for bigger stuff.

George

Computer has changed on me, don't see where the edit button is so I'll add this as an extra.

Rule: ALL U/M cases are the same except the cal dia. Don't worry about the .338 case. Just get any U/M and you'll be fine. Lot's of .300's around I found. Just let folks know you want ONCE fired! I got a new bag of 7mmU/m for the same price and used them too.

The only trouble I had was not annealing at first and splitting too many necks. That happened to be the batch that was fired quite a few times judging from the markings. Of course the guy never replied again and dropped off the board too. SO he knew he put the screws to me. But, I also made the mistake of not saying I wanted Once fired brass.

I'm sure if I'd annealed 'em all first I wouldn't have split near as many. At a buck each it hurt to trash 47 of 'em.

George