Here's some of the tang process...in the last photo, I'm making sure the extension is somewhere close to center.

Integral barrel work…I hope these are in the right order. I pick up the taper with a dial indicator. The junction of the rib and barrel is a steeper taper...which makes life interesting! Cutting dovetail, then lots of hand work...using carbide scrapers and pieces of file epoxied to a "handle".

How big of blank do you start with?
Is this where your DRO gave up?

Kreiger is really accomodating...I have them turn the blank to whatever I specify..i.e. .650 muzzle a 24", sporter contour, stop 9" from the breech end and leave cylinderical I usually specify a 1.4-5" blank...costs an extra $50.00 or so, but can you turn down 20" of barrel for $50.00?

Gunmaker: Sorry I missed the last question. No, DRO gave up about 10 yrs ago..took me this long to figure that out! HA!

Duane,
Beautifull work. I really love how it looks.

With due respect, gunsmith in Argentina do not reccomend to lenghed the 1909 action to the front because sometimes the lower lung set back.

A friend of mine have this problem on a .375 H&H Mag comercial barreled action (do not remember the maker)

Thanks
Martin

Matin: That's a fair comment...thanks! I've never experienced that problem, though I've seen some conversions that are pretty scary. The lower lug having been cut to a severe angle, leaving a thin wedge for a lower lug.

I notice you said "open to the front" Some believe the action can be opened to the rear...maybe so with a complete re-design, but the limiting factor is the bolt stop...it can be thinned only so far...maybe .075 in. or so. Now the bolt face doesn't line up with the front of the rear magazine wall, causing loading problems...etc etc Of course these "issues" have been discussed before.. Duane

I like the integrel features on a barrel like that, so much so i have signed up for a class this summer with Mr. Nelson. Thanks for the pictures, i had some questions and figured as such, just wish the class started next week and not in July!

Mr.Wiebe,
Thanks for sharing.
You are a great inspiration.
So when altering the magazine, you set back the rear wall in the mag., but does not lengthen the mag well to the rear?

In these cases, I used Blackburn bottom metal, did not alter. I could be wrong, but I remember Ted telling me that he designed the box slightly to the rear.

Amazing work.

Duane,

I dont write alot, but I just keep coming back to the thought that it is extra special for you to take the time to educate a bunch of us.

I kind of feel like the kid that lives next door and is welcome to vist your shop. I am just a basment hack but between this thread and some stuff I picked up from the Scholarship build you have helped me with a pattern stock I am working on. Thanks for the help.

Many Thanks

HBH

HBH: You're welcome! anything to swell the ranks of millionaire gunsmiths!

Any updates??

Keith

No updates...I'm awaiting some 48 mm rings from Recknagel. I like to get all the metal work done before moving on to the stock.

Keith, maybe this will satiate you while we’re waiting for more photos from Duane:
Duane sent me these photos of some stock work he’s currently doing on rifles for a friend of mine and me. Thanks to the Recknagel delay, we got to jump ahead in line.

James’ action with bolt on custom mounts for Talley rings



Stock layout for James’ rifle



More layout



Bandsaw work



Ready to start inletting



Two more blanks cut and ready for inletting; the top one is mine and the bottom one is for Duane’s own rifle.

Client 8,

Thanks for the fix!

HBH

Duane,

Are those front banded ramps NECG ? They look as though the could be, but dont look just like the masterpice banded ramps I have from them, and dont look like the H&H sight from them either.

Many Thanks

HBH

They are modified Recknagel front ramps...though not the ones imported by NECG..purchased direct, though NECG is very accomodating and will usually special order. My e mail is cgrs@earthlink.net if I can be of help

Duane,

I'll try and not be to much of a pest.

Many Thanks

HBH

Duane

I have a question for you.
What brand/composition of welding rod do you use to weld on the tang extensions? Thanks

James

Duane

Any updates on these beauties?
Thanks.

James

quote:

Originally posted by J Bennett:
Duane

Any updates on these beauties?
Thanks.
James

If I failed to answer you, please accept my apologies Radnor ER 70S2..I use the 1/16" The metal is off to Scrollcutter...(who knows when)....HAR!

Duane

Apologies are not necessary, but I do thank you for your reply. I don't want to be a pest but I love to see your work.

James

quote:

Originally posted by mufasa:
Duane: The metal work is fabulous and it is very interesting to have you explain how it's done. Please finish so I can shoot them! M

Mufasa,

Congratulation's on a classic matched pair!!!

Forrest,
Can you tell us where you got those Custom screw on Talley's. They look interesting.

michaelj,
Duane made those bases.

Thank you Forrest. Duane's work does nothing but impress me more and more each time I see it. Great project you have going.

That rifle project wasn't for me. It belongs to another one of Duanes customers from Houston (who doesn't post on AR). I just thought it was worth sharing with everyone here.

Hi Duane
I must admitt that you are extremly skilled and a tru craftsman, my deepest respect.

I just wondered, have you made some tests or calculations of how mutch the lengthening of the magazine forward, reduces the overall lockingstrength. And what safetyfactor is left after reducing strengh and increasing preasurearea inside the cartridge, and increase the workpreasure

The short answer is "no" I'm relying on about 80 years of opening actions by H&H, Rigby, Weatherby.., etc. I've never heard or one that failed or has anyone come forward that says HE heard of a failure. A review of Ackley's experiments are pretty eye opening. For instance, he removed the locking lugs of a M-94 Win, fired the rifle and know what happened....NOTHING! He concluded that at the moment of firing, the case seized the chamber walls, resulting in negligable bolt thrust

Duane,
Do you make those scew on bases avaiable for sale for 98 mausers? They look great and I would love to have a few sets if you do.
Thank you and great work and many thanks for all your posts they are very inspiring.
P.S. You have been a millionare gunsmith for quite sometime shouldn't you be approaching billionaire status soon?

Duane!

It is an enjoyment to follow details of your work. Its always perfect, when one have a good classical architecture combined with best materials and best quality craft. Take one of them out and everything falls apart.
If I were the lucky fellow who have ordered the .300 H&H and .375H&H, I wouldn`t sleep for a minut.
Thank you for sharing.

quote:

Originally posted by michaelj:
Duane,
Do you make those scew on bases avaiable for sale for 98 mausers? They look great and I would love to have a few sets if you do.
Thank you and great work and many thanks for all your posts they are very inspiring.
P.S. You have been a millionare gunsmith for quite sometime shouldn't you be approaching billionaire status soon?

....Glad you like them...life is full of experiences and I:
've had the experience of making these mounts...so...don't have to do that again...seriously, they;re just too damn much work. Welding on a square bridge is easier

I'll bet fitting that scope base to the rear of the charger hump was just a hoot.

lol...nice work Duane.

Thank you Duane for your reply and I was afraid that would be your answer but I do understand. Thank you once again for all your posts and your graciousness with us posters. Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend.
Mchael J

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
The short answer is "no" I'm relying on about 80 years of opening actions by H&H, Rigby, Weatherby.., etc. I've never heard or one that failed or has anyone come forward that says HE heard of a failure. A review of Ackley's experiments are pretty eye opening. For instance, he removed the locking lugs of a M-94 Win, fired the rifle and know what happened....NOTHING! He concluded that at the moment of firing, the case seized the chamber walls, resulting in negligable bolt thrust

Not to scare the shit out of you, but there are several old incidence with both HH and early weatherby.(There was a reason he went for stronger actions.)The thypical was setback on the lower lug, resulting in ½ or total loss of the upper split lug.

We have performed a series of Blowup tests indicating that a 6,5x55 loadet to 6500 bar destroyed the lugs of a m98 action, if there is oil on the chamberwalls. The same load in a modern under same conditions didnt even provide heavy boltlift

The Ackley 94 test might be correct if: the chamberpresure is lower than 1800 bar, and the chamber and case is completly dry.

After one of our rifles had a misfire because of a firingpin breaking in the springloaded area. We performed many tests of phe potential danger of a misfire when the bolt was not enough closes.
Most situations was rather harmless, resulting in fireformed brass, and a limmited boltmovement.
But in the situations where the locking was strong enoug to keep the case in plase till the presure has gone up so the brass stuck to the chamber, but the lock was not enough closed to withstand the rest presure. THIS BOLT WOULD FLY MORE THAN 50 yd high. In those cases the front 70% of the brass stayed in the chamber, while the rest was pulled of and whent flying with the bolt.

I would estimate that by opening the action forward to accept a 375HH you reduce the strength of the action from 25% to 35%, this combined with the fact that a 375HH deliveres a Thrust about 4 ton compared to the thrust from a 8x57 about 2.5 ton.
This with a lubricated chamber.

I dont doubt that it works , but with a highly reduced safetyfactor

Well...if you had all your proven data in front of you, why ask the question?. Please provide me and the rest of the observers with demonstrable proof in the form of scientific data that would be court admissable.

We can go from there...really have to see a movie of a bolt flying as high as a 15 story building for starters!

Duane,

Thank you for your generosity..
That's HUGE!!!

Don

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
Well...if you had all your proven data in front of you, why ask the question?. Please provide me and the rest of the observers with demonstrable proof in the form of scientific data that would be court admissable.

We can go from there...really have to see a movie of a bolt flying as high as a 15 story building for starters!

When Jim WIsner was still making bottom metal, I asked him how his differed from the Blackburn stuff for the 375. He told me his was made longer in the back and the front so not as much material had to be taken from the.front.