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bull pup

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18 September 2020, 23:24
gwahir
bull pup


This is my long range hunting rifle; a 'one off' bull pup in 300 wsm.
19 September 2020, 05:08
cdsx
quote:
Originally posted by gwahir:


This is my long range hunting rifle; a 'one off' bull pup in 300 wsm.



Very interesting! The workmanship certainly looks quite tidy. I have questions:

Your own design and construction?

Is the barrel free-floating?

Is the loading/ejection port on the bottom?

Are you a right-handed shooter? Please tell me there are no gas vents on the left side where your cheek rests (presumably)!
19 September 2020, 07:10
gwahir
Made a mistake on a full length action so settled for this!

Barrel mostly floats.

No ports. The bolt extracts for loading. Makes a unique mark when dropped in snow!

Left vent is plugged. I shoot rt. handed.
19 September 2020, 23:19
boom stick
cool!
Would be cool with a can for subsonic work in a small overall length.


577 BME 3"500 KILL ALL 358 GREMLIN 404-375

*we band of 45-70ers* (Founder)
Single Shot Shooters Society S.S.S.S. (Founder)
20 September 2020, 18:33
jpl
Very nice! How does it shoot? I'd be interested in more details if you're willing to share. How did you make the receiver, bolt, trigger, etc.? It looks like an AR grip.

There are definitely some skilled people on the forum.
20 September 2020, 22:18
gwahir
Thanks for the complement. The barrel is a Lilja with no taper and it shoots like a bench gun with 210 Berger or Match King. The action is a 'shell holder' like used on some 50 cal. and is rather basic. 17-4 stainless for the receiver and 4140 for the bolt. The biggie is the trigger. It is a Dewey designed for an xp100 competition. I spent a lot of time building up triggers of my own design before finding this one! Yes, the grip and the butt plate are easy after market. No reason to look a gift horse in the mouth! The scope is a 12 power, 30mm, SWFA, with very repeatable graduations to 1200M. The rings are built to accommodate height and offset requirements. The round for end is epoxied to the barrel with a 20 minute long range consideration.
The whole package fits well in my jeep.
21 September 2020, 04:42
cdsx
Most impressive! What's it like having a magnum going off next to your ear? Is there any kind of cheek-piece on the other side of the rifle?
21 September 2020, 05:43
gwahir
One time I asked an elderly mechanic about the safety of an electric fuel pump in a gas tank. He told me "try to not think about it"!
There is no cheek piece.
21 September 2020, 05:48
cdsx
quote:
Originally posted by gwahir:
One time I asked an elderly mechanic about the safety of an electric fuel pump in a gas tank. He told me "try to not think about it"!
There is no cheek piece.



Good one! tu2
21 September 2020, 09:43
Peter Connan
Very interesting.

Would love to take the concept to the next level by using a K31 action...

That would however need to be several inches longer.
21 September 2020, 15:09
cdsx
quote:
Originally posted by Peter Connan:
Very interesting.

Would love to take the concept to the next level by using a K31 action...

That would however need to be several inches longer.



That would be different, for sure, but then you would lose the two principal features of this concept: the beauty of its' simplicity, and the fact that the action was made from scratch by the shooter himself. And you're one man who can certainly relate to the satisfaction of creating something with your own hands!

If you're interested in a straight-pull short rifle, there's a pump-action Ross semi-bullpup in .257 Roberts currently residing in Germany that you should check out.

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=65912
22 September 2020, 09:37
Peter Connan
Indeed, you are correct, one would lose that satisfaction, unless he re-designed the action and built it himself, but the simplicity would certainly be lost. It would also result in a rfle for an entirely different purpose than yours.

I apologise if you read my post as negative critique, that was certainly not my intention.

On the other hand, I think a straight-pull action like the Ross and/or Schmit-Rubens would be the only way to make a repeating bolt-action bullpup that is worth while building.

I have seen them built on K98's and as far as I am concerned that is just stupid. My feeling is that a repeating rifle should be workable off the shoulder, else a single-shot can be nearly as fast.
22 September 2020, 18:01
cdsx
quote:
Originally posted by Peter Connan:
Indeed, you are correct, one would lose that satisfaction, unless he re-designed the action and built it himself, but the simplicity would certainly be lost. It would also result in a rfle for an entirely different purpose than yours.

I apologise if you read my post as negative critique, that was certainly not my intention.

On the other hand, I think a straight-pull action like the Ross and/or Schmit-Rubens would be the only way to make a repeating bolt-action bullpup that is worth while building.

I have seen them built on K98's and as far as I am concerned that is just stupid. My feeling is that a repeating rifle should be workable off the shoulder, else a single-shot can be nearly as fast.



Not at all Peter! I can't speak for the OP, but I didn't interpret your comment as negative in any way. You were inspired by gwahir's creation to envision one of your own; I was merely contrasting the two.

I agree completely with your point about repeaters. A bolt action repeater in a bullpup would make no sense at all, having to be taken off the shoulder to cycle the action. That completely undermines the specific advantage of a repeater. A pump or semi-auto is the only sensible system for a repeating bullpup. Gwahir's rifle works because, being an extracting-bolt single shot, it has to be dropped from the shoulder each time to load, so he's taken advantage of that to incorporate a very compact design.
23 September 2020, 11:53
Peter Connan
Indeed cdsx, except that the Schmidt-Ruben specifically (and I think also the Ross) would be pretty easy to modify in such a way that the bolt handle could be right above the trigger in a bull-pup rifle without making any difference to the smoothness (or lack thereof) of the action, and thus making a bolt-action bull-pup a workable solution.

Of course, it's still a less-than-ideal rifle to stick a new mag into...
23 September 2020, 23:36
cdsx
quote:
Originally posted by Peter Connan:
Indeed cdsx, except that the Schmidt-Ruben specifically (and I think also the Ross) would be pretty easy to modify in such a way that the bolt handle could be right above the trigger in a bull-pup rifle without making any difference to the smoothness (or lack thereof) of the action, and thus making a bolt-action bull-pup a workable solution.

Of course, it's still a less-than-ideal rifle to stick a new mag into...



That I look at it that way, you're quite right. I have no experience with K31's, but I know the Ross would be easy to modify as you say. The Ross layout makes it very easy to adapt to other configurations. For example, I've recently seen a Mk.III advertised that was professionally converted to left-hand operation. You couldn't tell that it wasn't factory, it was that well done. A couple of people (Ross owners, yet!) had to have it pointed out, it looked so natural.
24 September 2020, 09:15
Peter Connan
I must admit to never having held in my own hands any straight-pull action other than a Blaser. Here in SA, such things are unobtanium.

I am purely going on what I have seen in Youtube videos (primarily Forgotten Weapons and C&Rsenal), but it appears that it would be quite easy to extend the operating rod on any of the Swiss straight-pulls.

A left-handed Ross sounds like a lot more work!
25 September 2020, 02:24
cdsx
quote:
Originally posted by Peter Connan:
I must admit to never having held in my own hands any straight-pull action other than a Blaser. Here in SA, such things are unobtanium.

I am purely going on what I have seen in Youtube videos (primarily Forgotten Weapons and C&Rsenal), but it appears that it would be quite easy to extend the operating rod on any of the Swiss straight-pulls.

A left-handed Ross sounds like a lot more work!



It's actually easy, in theory. Of course, doing a quality modification still requires craftsmanship. The bolt handle is at the very rear of the bolt, which extends out the rear of the receiver. It needs only to be cut and reshaped so that it sticks out the left side, rather than the right. Unfortunately, I can't post the pictures, but if you're interested, PM me and I'll manage to get them to you.
25 September 2020, 02:28
cdsx
Gwahir, I'm still unclear: Is the action your own design, or did you get plans from somewhere?
25 September 2020, 06:46
gwahir
It is my own design.
25 September 2020, 10:42
cdsx
quote:
Originally posted by gwahir:
It is my own design.


Excellent! Perhaps when you get the chance you might want to show us some detail pictures. I'd love to see what makes it tick.
25 September 2020, 19:57
gwahir
I will keep that in mind. I am a long way from home now due to wildfire smoke so have to chance to take pictures. When I get home..
25 September 2020, 20:06
cdsx
quote:
Originally posted by gwahir:
I will keep that in mind. I am a long way from home now due to wildfire smoke so have to chance to take pictures. When I get home..



Understood. Stay safe!
02 October 2020, 10:25
Nordic2
The repeating rifle to rebuild as a bullpup must be Heym sr30 a straightpull with ball bearing lock and straight operating handle with cock-decock safety.

https://heym-fabrik.de/

The Finnish straightpull Lynx lock with a bar through the action.

http://lynxrifles.fi/
03 October 2020, 00:06
Brian Canada
Very good! Nifty rifle. Thanks for the photo/post.

Years ago folks were experimenting with an electric trigger for bull pups. Do they still use them.

I have cooper 223 angle shot that I would like to do this with, but in a 7mm-TCU.

Do you mind me asking where the stock/receiver came from? Thanks, Brian


IHMSA BC Provincial Champion and Perfect 40 Score, Unlimited Category, AAA Class.
03 October 2020, 22:05
gwahir
Pup pictures. Bolt and loaded round.
03 October 2020, 22:11
gwahir
the back of the receiver.

03 October 2020, 22:16
gwahir
The transmission, the drive shaft and the rear end. I wonder why these pictures are blue?


04 October 2020, 00:02
gwahir


Transmission, drive line and rear end!
04 October 2020, 00:05
gwahir


A better bolt picture.
05 October 2020, 09:42
Peter Connan
This looks nice and solid! What caliber, and how much does the rifle weigh?

Re the blue photo: by placing the rifle on a white background, you have fooled the camera's auto white balance measurement system.
Depending on what camera you are using, it is usually possible to adjust the white balance to suit the light source you are using, which will solve the problem.
06 October 2020, 22:38
gwahir
quote:
gwahir

Peter, the whole package weighs 14.4 lbs. The barrel is 1.25 x 25" with no taper, so quite heavy. .300 short mag.
08 October 2020, 09:05
Peter Connan
Thanks Gwahir
09 October 2020, 05:07
boom stick
I’m curious about what you think about converting a Browning BLR into a bull pup style rifle since it is a lever actuated bolt that could be reloaded from a shouldered position



577 BME 3"500 KILL ALL 358 GREMLIN 404-375

*we band of 45-70ers* (Founder)
Single Shot Shooters Society S.S.S.S. (Founder)
09 October 2020, 14:30
Peter Connan
On a purely technical level, I think it would be possible but not necessarily easy due to the way the trigger is attached to the lever.

It would also be a right-hand-only proposition, something that is growing increasingly unpopular in the market. If you were just doing a one-off for yourself, that would only matter if you sometimes need to shoot left-handed.

However, I also think that a lever-gun is easier to operate if the point of balance is forward of the lever pivot, which it wouldn't be in a bulpup.
09 October 2020, 22:15
Bill Leeper
The action looks almost like the Wichita mini. I used those for some great shooting BR rifles. Neat concept. Regards, Bill