I must be crazy!

[taylorce1]

I’ve decided to go off and order a new barrel for a rifle I haven’t even shot yet. I won a NIB Stevens 200 chambered in .223 at auction on Tuesday night for $243 delivered and just ordered a 6x47 barrel for it. The 6x47 I’m going with is based off of the .222 Remington Mag case not the Lapua or Swiss Match cartridge. I guess it was quite the popular bench rest round before the advent of the PPC and then BR rounds in 6mm.

I went with a 20” #3 Douglas contour, 1:12 twist, 11 degree recessed crown, Chrome Moly pre-fit barrel. Thought about using a longer and heavier barrel, but my main purpose for this rifle is going to be coyotes and prairie dogs on the hoof. I wanted to lighten it up a bit if this is going to be a walking rifle. Thought I’d push 55 to 70 grain bullets down the tube and see how they do.

I’m sure I’ll wind up replacing the stock as well as the trigger in the near future. I’m thinking the B&C Duramax and either a Rifle Basic or SSS trigger. For glass right now I’m just going to top it with a Nikon Monarch 2-7 power I have laying around later on I might go with more magnification but I’m sure that will get me to 300 yards on a coyote anyway.

I'm gone the next three weeks for Annual Training with the Reserves and my new barrel will not be in until two weeks after that. I'm hopin to have this rifle shooting by the end of August! Sure a fast way to turn a cheap rifle into an expensive one fast and I haven't even bought brass and dies yet either!

 

[Scorch]

Oh, yeah! That's how us men keep our free rifles from being cheap!

BTW, have you thought about a 6mm TCU? That is very similar to what you are looking at, but is based on the 223 Rem instead of 222 Rem Mag. The 6X47 is a good wildcat round, but brass for 223 is more available. Just a thought.

my main purpose for this rifle is going to be coyotes and prairie dogs on the hoof.

Coyotes and prairie dogs have hooves?

 

[taylorce1]

Couldn't resist the hoof comment now could you! My hooves will be humpin this rifle around for several miles chasin yotes not so much on the pasture poodles.

I have a couple hundred pieces of .222 Mag brass laying around that I was going to use for my .204 Ruger but then I wound up with enough properly headstamped Ruger brass that I don't need to use it. Had to do something with the brass right? So I figured I needed a new rifle, logical I know.

I probably should have went 6mm TCU or 6x45 however 6x47 works as well. Still it will fun to use anyway. Besides Midway had the dies in stock and that was what made the difference to go with the 6x47 anyway. I can always add another barrel latter if I want, but since I can put a .223 barrel back on this one I figured I'd save the brass for it and my two other .223's.

 

[Scorch]

I have a couple hundred pieces of .222 Mag brass laying around

OK, that makes sense. Remember to take pictures so we can ooooh and aaaaah!

 

[taylorce1]

Well Scorch it is near picture taking time! I got my barrel in last Friday, looks pretty sweet. I've got the remainder of the parts due in this week. Some of the other parts going into my Stevens build are:

Sharp Shooter Supply Competition trigger and recoil lug as well as one of their tactical bolt handles. Leupold PRW rings and Weaver bases as well as a used Nikon Monarch 2-7 power scope. Wanted to use QRW rings but got a great deal on the PRW rings. I picked up a set of Hornady New Dimension dies at Midway on clearence.

Going to prime the stock sometime this week before Friday. On Friday I'm going over to use my friends shop to install the new barrel, bolt handle, and trigger. Then after I bed the action I'll go ahead and finish painting the stock. Don't know if I'll get to shoot it this weekend as I'm just trying to get my rifles put back together.

 

[Scorch]

I just love it when a project comes together!! And you remembered I want pictures!!

 

[taylorce1]

Just for you Scorch some pictures. I had to paint the stock once I got started with the sanding and the priming! Still need to finish the metal with some sort of GunKote or the like.

 

[taylorce1]

BTW I think it looks much better than this!

 

[Scorch]

Cool! That looks very nice so far! What finish did you use for the stock?

If I can make a request, next we need some test target pictures. It's just not fair to make us wait! Maybe by Monday??

 

[taylorce1]

Cool! That looks very nice so far! What finish did you use for the stock?

If I can make a request, next we need some test target pictures. It's just not fair to make us wait! Maybe by Monday??

The stock I just sanded down the mold lines with 200 grit sand paper. I then cleaned the stock with some Acetone, and primed it with an automotive plastic primer. The paint is a textured Rustoleum in Forrest Green, couldn't find any plastic paint I liked the color of, so that is why I had to prime the stock first.

I'm doing my best to get it shot this weekend, however I have a .25-06 I'm hoping to have going by Oct 3rd for pronghorn. I'll be working on that today have to finish inletting the new stock, and I hope to have both rifles bedded by the end of the day. Not enough days in the weekend sometimes!

 

[ranger dave]

wow

thats a great rifle i just ordered an ar upper in 6x45 the bolt action will be next if looks as nice as your 6x47 i will be happy

 

[Moloch]

Maybe ist jsut me but that rifle just screams for a scout-like scope mount.

 

[ranger dave]

what

its just you why would you put a scout scope on a 6mm bench gun. and by the way that scout bs was thought up by a guy who fought in ww 2.

 

[Moloch]

and by the way that scout bs was thought up by a guy who fought in ww 2..

Could you be any more disrespectful to a war veteran?

 

[taylorce1]

Maybe ist jsut me but that rifle just screams for a scout-like scope mount.

A scout rifle would be nice but I haven't decided if I want to keep this rifle functional as a switch barrel. I did keep the .223 barrel so I could put it back on if I want. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out but mounting forward optics really was never in the plan. Having that mount would just be a PITA trying to get it lined back up if I ever took the barrel off.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[ranger dave]

molunch

i have 22 years in the army i served in the first gulf war and 4 years in afghastan. im disrespectful because i thing mounting a pistol scope on a bolt action fifle is a dumb idea

 

[taylorce1]

Feeling a little rushed since I just didn't have the time I wanted today to mess with the rifle. Since I spent all day yesterday bedding my .25-06 in a new stock. Anyway I got about three hours today to load up some rounds and take my rifle out to shoot. Loaded everything with 55 gr Nosler BT, H335, CCI 400, and RP Brass, loaded to Mag length. I did all my shooting off of a portable bench at 50 yards, and was fighting a 15mph wind at about 75 degrees. I think when I get to spend more time with the rifle I'll be able to improve these groups especially when I can get to a good bench with sandbags.

 

[Scorch]

That looks pretty nice for first loads fired! She's a keeper!

 

[Moloch]

im disrespectful because i thing mounting a pistol scope on a bolt action fifle is a dumb idea

Care to explain why? No?
A foward mounted scope gives you faster targeting and is as accurate as a rear mounted scope.

 

[GLK]

Great looking "free" rifle you got there Taylorce1. Maybe I missed it so forgive me if so, what scope did or are you going to mount on it?

Ranger Dave wrote;

i have 22 years in the army i served in the first gulf war and 4 years in afghastan. im disrespectful because i thing mounting a pistol scope on a bolt action fifle is a dumb idea

BTW I would not put a pistol scope on a bolt action fifle either, then again I don't know what a fifle is. However depending on the rifle I would put a scout scope on it in a heart beat.

Perhaps it is just me, but I would tend to think that a man who supposedly spent 22 years in the ARMY and four years in Afghanistan would at least know how to spell Afghanistan.

Here is something you may or may not want to think about Ranger Dave, it is because of WW-II veterans such as Col. Cooper that you have to right to act like such a pin-head. You have lost any credibility you may have had.

P.S. I am far from a expert when it comes to spelling grammar punctuation and what not, but spellcheck and the edit button are your friends.