I just want to show you guys some pictures of my rifle which I picked up from the gunsmith yesterday. It is a BRNO 602 .375 which I purchased new back in '96 for $825.00.
The work was done by Kudu Services and includes:

-shortening of the stock by 1/2 inch(it was always a bit too big for me)

-2 cross-bolts through the stock

-a red Decelerator recoil pad fitted

-action and barrel bedded into stock

I also purchased a set of Warne QD mounts(almost a 3 month wait!!) from Clayton Firearms to mount my Leupold VX-3 2.5-8.







I can't wait to let off a few rounds at the range and I'm already planning a trip to the Top End to hunt some Buffalo and pigs.

Looks like it cleaned up very well.

Most people put the QR levers on the left side so as not to interfere with loading or ejection.

Bob does some great work. Pity his turn-around time is getting longer and longer. Be lucky to get a rifle out of him in the next year.

He told me my .404 should be finished around Xmas He reckons I do not put to much pressure on him, maybe thats a problem on my behalf

Safarai Hunter, nice rifle, just the right medicine for sambar. The cross bolts are madatory for those 602'S, had a couple and they both split at the tang.Yes the screws were tight ect.

cheers 338w

Nice looking rifle, is that a standard trigger?



3 months for mounts, you should have rung Pro-Cal he carries stock of Warne mounts. I know someone else on this forum who puts the QD levers on the bolt side, hee PC.

Stu,
The trick is to always have at least one job at Bob's, it's sort of like pre-booking, as one finishes you roll onto the next.

PC: You reckon your easy on Bob? I told him to finish the Capstick at his leisure! Taking dummy rounds to him this week and will then press him for a finish around the middle of the year, at which point I'll slip a Win M70 his way for rebarreling and maybe my Zastava as well.
Cheers...
Con

416SW,

Pro-Cal is the importer of Warne mounts. When I did order the mounts there were none in the country and they weren't sure when they were coming in.
The trigger is standard, it has a little creep but is excelent when "set".

Also, would you guys know of any gunsmiths (preferably in Victoria) that build Varmint rifles. I'm interested in having a super accurate 222 Rem and factory rifles don't really take my fancy.

.416 they just look right on the other side to my eye

Con what have you got Bob on to next ??

He's already got two actions of mine ready to barrel, plus two more on the way. Figure That'll be enough for a few years or more.

SH.

One of the 'Must Do's' on my list was changing the operation of the safety catch - the original was 'pull' to fire. This being the exact opposite of every other rifle I have ever fired, it had to go!

Luckily, I have a friend who is a gifted smith who was able to design, then file from blank, a replacement. He also breathed on the trigger which is now a gorgeous 2.5lb with no creep. Well worthwhile!

Needless to say - this one is a keeper. Groups into .75 inch and with a Pachmyr Decelerator installed is soft enough to shoot all day!

Rgds from over the pond.

Ian

PC,
I'm not quite sure what Bob will build me next. I've picked up a short action .243 Win M70 (push-feed ) that I'm debating whether to turn into a 250Savage, a 358Winchester or if I can find a reamer a 375/350RemMag. Other project I'd like to seriously look at is to rebarrel my 458 Zastava into a 358 Norma Magnum. Living up at Benalla I'm just over an hour away from good Sambar country so I reckon whatever I build needs to be Sambar legal, that makes it most likely I'll go down the 358 Norma way. Either way, priority at the moment is to get the 470 Capstick finished...and paid for!!
Cheers...
Con

Safari Hunter
You could try Pro-Cal (Peter) for a varmint rifle. Peter set a new world record for fly shooting - sub half inch at 500m, 4 of the shots were in less than .4"(fly shoot target is a blowfly inside a "v" and is shot at 500m). Unsure how long it would take. He is situated at Bannockburn which is near Geelong.

Just an update:

Went yesterday to the "Little River"(near Geelong) rifle range. I shot my 602 for the first time since getting it back from the gunsmith. The rifle now dosen't kick as much due to the Decelerator pad and the rifle fitting me better.
I shot this group below at 200 yards with my last 3 shots. I was using 300 grain RN SN Taipans, 76 grains WIN 760,CCI Magnum primer in a Winchester case.
The first 2 shots are 1/2 inch apart and the third shot opened the group to 1 3/4 inches.

Safari Hunter

That 375 looks goood - happy hunting with it.

It would seem that here in Aus there is a shortage of good gunsmiths and that there is no chance of the situation improving in the near future.

My 416 Rem Mag is being worked over by a local Queensland gunsmith and he does a wonderful job but he is snowed under with work and he has said on several occasions that there is no-one else to do the work. As a result I am still waiting for my 416...

Seems there are still qite a few blokes whow want a little better than the standard factory rifle that is produced today!