Not knowing where to post this, I guess this will work.
Long about 1983 I had the idea of a light rifle based on a Remington short action. I
was thirty-nine at the time. The next year I made up a dummie round. That saves
four ounces over the long action. I think that was before the short fat case became
popular and I didn’t sue anyone for my idea. I had a friend with a .243 so I
purchased the same caliber with the idea if my new rifle was more accurate that
his, we would trade. His was more accurate. Somewhere along the line, I talked
with Jack Lott who cost me money. Or maybe I misunderstood him. I thought he
told me the .348 Winchester used strong cases. I drew up a reamer with that case
necked to 7mm and using a 45* shoulder. I ordered a very light contour 26” barrel
from a now defunct company, Siskiyou Barrel Works in Murphy, Oregon. The bolt
was opened up to handle the large case rim. It didn’t work out. Fireforming split
most cases.
Bob, of Bob’s Accuracy Shop, made a hydro-forming die; which solved the problem.
After I worked up to pressure, I discovered one full throttle load and the brass
wouldn’t hold a primer. Again I contacted Manson Reamers and described my
problem. He suggested the .378 Weatherby would be just enough larger to clean
up the chamber. I ordered a reamer according to his design since he knew what
was necessary to clean up the chamber from the first reamer. The .378 Weatherby
was shortened to 2 ¼”. Being a little lazy or creative, I turned the necks so after
firing a bullet, I didn’t have to size the neck to hold the next bullet. To my delight it
had the same volume as the .300 Weatherby case. You know, if a little is good, a lot
is better. I got about ten loads per case before the primer pockets wouldn’t hold a
primer. In those day I had more money than later. Later when a case would not
hold a primer I painted fingernail polish over the primer and then wipe off the
excess. I mark them and then throw them away after the next firing.
I chose the Barnes X 150 grain bullet because the 7mm Weatherby loved them. The
modified Remington was a guaranteed two MOA rifle right out of the gate. I
installed my favorite scope of that time: A Tasco World Class trajectory model 4-
16X. It had some stadia lines in there that corresponded with some animal sizes on
the magnification ring. To Bob’s surprise, it was as repeatable as any scope he tried
in his fixture.
I took it elk hunting. I encounter a herd of elk about 200 yards
distance, I thought. Being totally unable to judge distance I aimed at the heart of
one and fired. Nothing happened. They just milled around. I looked around and
saw a berm I could lay on and have the rifle as steady as a bench rest. I took the
time to range one with the stadia lines. Can you believe they were 400 yards away?
That bullet fell harmlessly a couple feet short. I knew it was a two MOA shooter so I
also knew the bullet would hit within four inches of aiming point. I aimed center of
the lungs and squeezed of a perfect hold shot. This time the herd scattered. All
except the one I shot. It stepped behind a big bush so I could not take a follow up
shot. I just watched it. Finally I put its head down like it was go to start grazing and
then fell over dead. I killed elk, bear, and a pile of deer with it.
Bob didn’t like the rifle being a two MOA rifle so he made an adjustable muzzle
brake for it. Bob instructed me, “If it does not put two close together it won’t do it
with three.” I dialed it right down to ½” -1” at 300 yards. Two inches at 300 yards
was a bad day at the range.
After a few years I took it to Bob’s for something, I don’t remember what. A few
days later I went to pick it up. He told me, “I did you a favorite. That big case was
going to set the locking lugs back and destroy that action. I cut it into right in front
of the trigger.” “You owe me!” I excitedly exclaimed, “and not money. I don’t know
what! How often does a guy get a rifle that accurate!?”
Long about 1983 I had the idea of a light rifle based on a Remington short action. I
was thirty-nine at the time. The next year I made up a dummie round. That saves
four ounces over the long action. I think that was before the short fat case became
popular and I didn’t sue anyone for my idea. I had a friend with a .243 so I
purchased the same caliber with the idea if my new rifle was more accurate that
his, we would trade. His was more accurate. Somewhere along the line, I talked
with Jack Lott who cost me money. Or maybe I misunderstood him. I thought he
told me the .348 Winchester used strong cases. I drew up a reamer with that case
necked to 7mm and using a 45* shoulder. I ordered a very light contour 26” barrel
from a now defunct company, Siskiyou Barrel Works in Murphy, Oregon. The bolt
was opened up to handle the large case rim. It didn’t work out. Fireforming split
most cases.
Bob, of Bob’s Accuracy Shop, made a hydro-forming die; which solved the problem.
After I worked up to pressure, I discovered one full throttle load and the brass
wouldn’t hold a primer. Again I contacted Manson Reamers and described my
problem. He suggested the .378 Weatherby would be just enough larger to clean
up the chamber. I ordered a reamer according to his design since he knew what
was necessary to clean up the chamber from the first reamer. The .378 Weatherby
was shortened to 2 ¼”. Being a little lazy or creative, I turned the necks so after
firing a bullet, I didn’t have to size the neck to hold the next bullet. To my delight it
had the same volume as the .300 Weatherby case. You know, if a little is good, a lot
is better. I got about ten loads per case before the primer pockets wouldn’t hold a
primer. In those day I had more money than later. Later when a case would not
hold a primer I painted fingernail polish over the primer and then wipe off the
excess. I mark them and then throw them away after the next firing.
I chose the Barnes X 150 grain bullet because the 7mm Weatherby loved them. The
modified Remington was a guaranteed two MOA rifle right out of the gate. I
installed my favorite scope of that time: A Tasco World Class trajectory model 4-
16X. It had some stadia lines in there that corresponded with some animal sizes on
the magnification ring. To Bob’s surprise, it was as repeatable as any scope he tried
in his fixture.
I took it elk hunting. I encounter a herd of elk about 200 yards
distance, I thought. Being totally unable to judge distance I aimed at the heart of
one and fired. Nothing happened. They just milled around. I looked around and
saw a berm I could lay on and have the rifle as steady as a bench rest. I took the
time to range one with the stadia lines. Can you believe they were 400 yards away?
That bullet fell harmlessly a couple feet short. I knew it was a two MOA shooter so I
also knew the bullet would hit within four inches of aiming point. I aimed center of
the lungs and squeezed of a perfect hold shot. This time the herd scattered. All
except the one I shot. It stepped behind a big bush so I could not take a follow up
shot. I just watched it. Finally I put its head down like it was go to start grazing and
then fell over dead. I killed elk, bear, and a pile of deer with it.
Bob didn’t like the rifle being a two MOA rifle so he made an adjustable muzzle
brake for it. Bob instructed me, “If it does not put two close together it won’t do it
with three.” I dialed it right down to ½” -1” at 300 yards. Two inches at 300 yards
was a bad day at the range.
After a few years I took it to Bob’s for something, I don’t remember what. A few
days later I went to pick it up. He told me, “I did you a favorite. That big case was
going to set the locking lugs back and destroy that action. I cut it into right in front
of the trigger.” “You owe me!” I excitedly exclaimed, “and not money. I don’t know
what! How often does a guy get a rifle that accurate!?”
