wow Im loving this one already...... even more so as its .30 cal and not an imitation 7mm the .284 lads have been crowing too much lately.
so I guess its pretty close/similar to a .30/06 Ackley improoved???
what projectiles were you using at that extreme range????

Mate, your story bought a tear to my eye for more reasons than one. I planned on taking my Dad on a rabbit hunt, but he passed away about a week or more before the planned trip.

By the way, outstanding shooting to bag both those deer, and even better with a calibre designed by yourself in honour of your Dad.

The first 2 deer were shot with Hornady's 168 gr. A-MAX...

My furthest shot was with Hornady's 178 gr. A-MAX...

Thank you Vince!

I'm sorry you missed out on that rabbit hunt with your dad.

It is my belief that Hornady are currently producing the best “standard everyday” projectile on the market today. Both my Weatherby .243 and Savage Axis .223 shoot the V-Max and Z-Max with good authority.

The A-MAX is an even better projectile, but they are expensive over here and the V-Max meets my needs brilliantly.

I'll post more pictures of the build as it progresses...

I finished cutting the chamber today, and started blue printing the action. I'll get back on it Monday, and try to post a couple more pictures that night...


Vince - those two guns and my 30-284 are the only guns I have shot, that shot Hornady bullets accurately. At the time, I knew that those A-MAX bullets were the only bullets on the market that would expand on deer at those ranges...

Deer Sniper wrote:

Thank you Vince! I'm sorry you missed out on that rabbit hunt with your dad.

Thanks mate...it happens, and I know that there was one thing my Dad enjoyed more than a good feed of fresh caught ocean fish, and that is a nice succulent rabbit backstrap on the BBQ. I really miss him and it’s been near enough 10 years now.

I’ll be following your build closely mate...the love and workmanship you will instill in this rifle will make it something really special.

Vince...they are eggzachary the same,just the tip is different depending on calibre the zmax are either v max or a max and some are even closer to a sst.
dont let price fool you. I use the zmax 50 grn in my .223...naaasty.

THIS is why I come here.

Real shooter and a Real Gun Maker.

No Bullonee!

D-Dub, as always, you are truly such a grounded and heart-felt genuine person.

And, a Tier 1 "Chips Maker".

I love how, why and what you have done with your life, and how many other's life's have been enriched through/by you.

NEVER STOP!

Thanks, man.

-k.

Very cool indeed.

I love reading build threads like this, and the backstory with your father makes it all the more meaningful.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Oh, and a quick question if you don't mind.

What exactly does "blue printing an action" entail?

I am on a late lunch break, so I though I would stop by for a minute or two...

I appreciate the kind words from you guy, and I am very humbled by them. Thank you again...

Blue printing basically makes a $400 mass produced action comparable to a $1,200 custom action. With factory actions being mass produced, they need a lot of attention to make them like what they should have had in the first place.

The face of the action is trued to the centerline of the action, so when a barrel is installed, the chamber will be in perfect alignment with bolt face, and the barrel will sit centered in a stock, instead of being cocked to one side or another...

The bolt face is cut true, so there will be 100% contact with the cartridge case head...

The circumference of the bolt nose is trued, as well as the outer diameter and front of the locking lugs. This all allows for a more precise fit of the barrel when it is screwed onto the action...

The back of the barrel lugs are recut then lapped to there is a minimum of 80% contact between the bolt and the action. This keeps the bolt from being cocker off to one side when the gun is fired...

All of these improvements help the gun to achieve it's highest accuracy potential. Of course this is also dependent upon the shooters skills and his ability at the loading bench...

No matter how precise I build a gun, if the one behind the trigger does not know what he is doing, then nothing I can do is going to help...

On the other hand though, put one of my rifles in the hands of a man that knows how to shoot, reload and is very dedicated, then things get very interesting very fast. An accurate rifle with a man that knows to use it, is a sight to behold!

Elvis wrote:

Vince...they are eggzachary the same,just the tip is different depending on calibre the zmax are either v max or a max and some are even closer to a sst. dont let price fool you. I use the zmax 50 grn in my .223...naaasty.

Yes mate. I checked with Hornady on the difference between the VMax and ZMax and they openly said the only difference is the colour to cater to the “zombie fad”.

My Savage Axis performs very well with the 55gr V/ZMax bullets.