In 2005 when I bought a Bastogne blank here from a Member I sure didn't expect that it would be 6 years later before it was in use.

In 2006 I stopped by Ed Shulin's in Trinidad and he shaped the blank for me while we were in CO for a week vacation.
The stock was probably the most dense and heavy Bastogne I had ever used. It sat waiting for the right chambering.

Then in 2007 I decided to give my old 416PDK a new lease on life this time as a 411 and using 06 cylinder brass not necked up 280Rem brass. There are a number of post concerning it and resulting velocities. 400gr hunting loads at 2250 300gr at over 2600. Hecking even 210gr pistol bullets. But being is a hurry to play with it I stuck it in a Hogue stock and there it sat between 2007 and 2011.

During my move from Houston to CO last year it and many of my other rifles got wet. I wanted to get it fitted to the Bastogne but almost every piece of wood furniture we owned needed to be repaired and refinished so time to work on rifles was hard to come by. I did find enough time to get my Dakota safety installed.

Back in Feb I was chatting with John Farner (he had done the blueing and feed work) and he offered to finish it for me. So I boxed it up and off it went. He returned it last week. I was like a kid in a candy store on Christmas morning when I opened it.

He had moved the ebony tip backwards, installed a metal grip cap, cut a shadowline and installed a .8" pad. Not to mention fit, glass bed, finish and checker.

My poor photos do not do his work justice.


Only thing left to do is install the Tasco Titan and QR mounts.

I'd be proud to own that rifle!

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
I'd be proud to own that rifle!

I would too!

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
I'd be proud to own that rifle!

I would too!

I would three! I am strongly considering a 400 Whelen for my next rifle project, but it will be sometime down the road.

Tell us more about the 400 PDK....bullet weight and diameter, velocity, where to buy bullets!....load data.

That's one helluva cartridge!

quote:

I'd be proud to own that rifle!

Great comment! Yes, tell us more about that cartridge.
Peter.

A very nice rifle, indeed! John does nice work.

Classy!
The stock looks awesome!
I love the look of the long neck on the 400 PDK. Looks classic.

What an absolutely complete looking rifle.
That's something anyone would be proud to own.

However, I would recommend using primers in the loaded rounds!
Peter.

quote:

However, I would recommend using primers in the loaded rounds

Now you tell me.

Paul,
That is a very nice rifle. John Farner is a very good smith.
Butch

quote:

Tell us more about the 400 PDK....bullet weight and diameter, velocity, where to buy bullets

First thanks to everyone for the nice comments. I couldn't be happier with it's performance and now it's finished quality.

Hey Vapodog didn't I include the 400 when I sent you the rounds to look at?

Back in the 80s I designed a 280PDK wildcat. I moved the shoulder foward to 2.17" blew it out to .46 with a 40 deg shoulder. I then used that same design from 243 up to 416. In 2007 Bent Fossdal, Boom Stick and others started talking about .411 wildcats. Hornady had made several 300 and 400gr 410&411 bullets so I decided to build a 411 using my reamer.

When I built the 416 years ago taking 280 brass up to 416 was a royal PAIN plus loss of around 25-30%. so I started looking for cylinder brass. Found 06 at z-hat and AHR had Howell basic. The cylinder brass is just over 2.65". I found if I left it at 2.65 then 400gr Hornady in the cannelure were 3.34". A 3-4 times fired case after resizing measures .46 at the shoulder and just shy of 87grs of capacity.

QL says a 416 Taylor at 3.34" with a 400gr Hornady has a net capacity of 73.4 mine is 66.7
.

This picture is left to right 338-06, 400PDK with a 300gr@3.24" a 375-06, 400PDK with what looks to be a drawn 416 400gr loaded to 3.38" and a 375H&H.

Most of my shooting and testing is with the 400gr DGX. IMR 4895 allows around 2351 with 65grs I normally shoot 65grs of RL15 for 2256fps. Numerous double hog kills from that bullet. Loads are about 105% so a fill tube then very minor compression. I have a number of cases that are over 7 loading and doing fine.

A number of shooters have fired it at the Houston Bigbore shoots and found it very tame. I thing Jeffe and Hog Killer used to their "BigBores" found it boring in the recoil area.

RL15, IMR 4895 and Varget will all move the 300gr FP Hornady over 2600 but they turn to grey mist on impact. I have taken hogs with them. I've done some very limited work with drawn 350 416 Speer mag tips. My buddy who has the 416 used 340 Woodleighs in it.

Hornady has the dies on file, John made my MKX feed these cases like grease. MY MKX will hold 4.8 cases down. Based on experience with the 380 version a little file work would allow 5 down.

quote:

Hey Vapodog didn't I include the 400 when I sent you the rounds to look at?

You sure did.....and it's an impressive cartridge.....looks like a dead cape buffalo just sitting there!

Wow, what a change. I'll take wood over plastic any day...looks good.
Enjoy!!!

Fabulous Rifle
You have an eye for the classics.
I think your 400PDK is worthy of the rifle. A very well thought out and brilliantly executed wildcat.

Very Very Well done
Cheers, John

That is a gorgeous rifle. very well done. I would bet that was a dense little sob to work on.

quote:

I would bet that was a dense little sob to work on.

That is an understatemnt. Here is what John had to say about it.

" It is the densest wood I've ever worked with. I'd like all the blanks I work on be like that one."

It looks great. A keeper for sure.

Absolutely lovely ....Great job!!!!!! Has anyone warned the pigs???

fantastic!

quote:

Absolutely lovely ....Great job!!!!!! Has anyone warned the pigs???

They've known about it upfront and personal since 2008.

What ever you do don't tell them that now that I'm in Colorado they will only be seeing it a few times a year not several times a month.

Hey Paul,
The last time I was there, the area around Castlewood Canyon State Park was just stupid loaded with Elk.
Just bail off of any dirt road on 83 and you would see them. Hell we had them walking down the streets in Franktown.
But that was 1992 and a lot has changed I imagine.

Cheers, John

The only thing I see wrong is the bottoms screws need indexing. ONLY THING.

quote:

Originally posted by JohnPaul Harris:
The only thing I see wrong is the bottoms crews need indexing. ONLY THING.

Your very first post and you register a backhanded compliment in the form of a complaint!

Welcome to AR.....I think!

quote:

he only thing I see wrong is the bottoms crews need indexing. ONLY THING

I didn't even notice. Actually the rifle had the allen head screws when it was in the Hogue. I'll have to look and see if the current screws are tight. Indexed screws are not a high worry of mine. But do agree they do look better. Heck the electrician in my house indexed all the outlet and switch cover screws.

Just noticed "snowcat" has some more of the bastogne blanks for sale. Seeing his name and the blanks helped my poor memory to recover.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...2711043/m/3931099851

No dog in this other than knowing the wood (tipping the trees!!) and the seller. He's a master stockmaker, period.

Here's some fun pics of the wood from the vault...hard to believe it's been almost 10 years.