my .450 rigby

[paulab]

Greetings...Here is my .450 Rigby-30 inch G.M. full oct. barrel with 1:18 twist-ebony tip-L&R lock- and my first attempt at gunstock checkering. The load for this rifle is the Lyman 500 gr. govt. bullet cast at 30:1, sized down to .450 then lubed with alox. The powder charge is 80 grains of Swiss 1 1/2F set off with an RWS mag cap. It is sighted in to be 1 inch high at 50 yards. Bullet drop at 100 yds. is 6 inches. Muzzle velocity is about 1250 FPS. The rear sight is a T.C. peep. with a bead front sight. cheers Paul http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz94/paulbehe/Picture012.jpg

 

[larry wv]

Good job on the checkering. Larry

 

[grey8833]

Paul:

Great to see that done!!! Was that the Pectonica kit? Looks like it (looks line mine, except for the checkering and the nose cap - I did my cap in pewter and have yet to tackle the checkering).

I am deeply into practicing my checkering > so I can do up my Rigby. I like how yours goes to the nose cap line and the narrow outlining on the key. Like the simple grip too. I printed the photo out - thanks. Did you dive in or did you checker an e-bay stock first? Me, I am doing an e-bayer first (chicken). Learning the tools is the hard part.

I take it that the gun rack in the photo is not a gun rack :grin:

How does it shoot. You thinking of mounting tang and globe sights?

Mike F

 

[longcruise]

Paulab, Very nice! Tell us more about the kit and the various parts supplied with it. I have been wanting to build on of these for fun.

I think yours deserves a sight upgrade for sure!

 

[grey8833]

Marmotslayer:

Try this:
http://www.longrifles-pr.com/english.shtml

Built one. The hooked breach tang is not easy, like a Hawken - but the tang is double bolted, once from the top to the trigger boss, then under from the trigger plate up to the bottom of the tang. Have to mount the drip plate on the barrel too. I did a poured nosecap, which is easy with no ram rod (I did a target gun). Kit is fun.

Thing is a hoot to shoot. Hard lead, 535 grain freight train of a bullet, grease grooved, no patch, accurate as the dickens.

Mike F.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Paul, That is a BEAUTIFUL rifle. I would like to hear more about using it for hunting. I have the same barrel on my Renegade. Ron

 

[longcruise]

MikeF, is Pecatonica cutting the BP cartridge barrels at the tulip and cutting threads for the breech? I had thought of doing just that but if Pecatonica is doing it for me then that's all the better!

 

[grey8833]

marmotslayer:

As I understand it, the fast twist (1-18) barrel is a GM cartridge barrel that has had an English Breach mounted to it.

On mine - I pulled the breach to polish the powder cup smooth and make a breach plug scraper that was sized to the cup in the breach. From what I saw, Pecatonica did a nice job of breaching the barrel and mounting the plug.

You really have to have an English breach on this rifle because of the pressures that develop using a large hard lead bullet that upsets to the rifling when you fire. Should use a platnium lined nipple for the same reasons - very high breach pressure in these guns. Also why the are so accurate, big bullets, high spin.

Mike F

 

[zrifleman]

Paul--I was so busy looking at the rifle that I looked at it three times before I saw what it was resting on.Beautiful rifle!!! You have inspired me to do one like it as my next project. Where do you find a 45 cal 1-18 twist 1" dia barrel?

 

[paulab]

Mike and Z....The rifle kit was from Track of the Wolf. It was a little harder than the "usual" kit to put together. It is REALLY accurate. I built it strictly as my hunting rifle since I didn't want to lug my Gibbs around in the woods. You have to carry the ramrod separately but if you hunt from a ground blind as I do it's not a big deal. I put on the TC peep because my old eyes just fuzz out on a rear barrel sight. It isn't correct for the type of rifle it is but it works very well in the woods.It is small and with windage and elevation too. A mid-range tang sight would be correct but not in the woods. Don't be afraid to try checkering! If you have the patience to put this kit together, you have what it takes to checker a gun stock. The best piece of advice I can give you is to PRACTICE on some scrap wood first! I bought the DEM-BART checkering tools and like them a lot. Got them from the Log Cabin shop. Once you can keep your lines straight and parallel with no overruns at the edges, go for it. Your first project could be the oldest gun in your gun safe....one you can afford to make a minor boo boo on. Mike, I have to tell you, when you cut the borders in on the wood [especially on a rifle as nice as yours] you will think "WHAT ON EARTH HAVE I DONE!!!!!" Don't worry. IT'll turn out just fine. Mine took about 20 hours to do, not including several coats of tru-oil. GOOD LUCK! Paul

 

[longcruise]

Mike f, Was the installation of the patent breech part of the Pecatonica base price or did you opt to have it done?

With everything pre-inlet and positioned it worrys me that the trigger geometry might not be at it's optimum. How did you like yours?

 

[grey8833]

marmotslayer:

Patent Breach:
The kit came with the breach mounted (or I paid 25$ for that, I forget). In anycase, they did it. I looked for the barrel seperate and could not find it. I guess they buy a general GM octogon cartridge barrel (1", 1-18 twist) cut it to length and mount an english breach on it, turning it into a muzzleloading barrel.

Trigger:
Like any kit with the lock panel and trigger roughed in, there is not a lot of flexibility. You kinda work back from the trigger, instead of forward from the barrel. Worked out fine, however.

Paul:
Checkering. I am working on a .22 Savage stock I got on e-bay for $25. I like the Gun Line spacers (one blank, one cutter) and the Dem Bart finishing tools. The Brownell see through handles are also a help. Half way through the first panel. Coming along nicely - you are correct, anyone who can build these "parts collection" guns can checker - you just have to practice. An yea, that first cut in, even on an e-bayer, is scarey.

Mike F

 

[grey8833]

Marmotslayer

Ooops, just looked at the Pecatonica site. Under "Services" they install a breach plug for $20. Worth every penny in my book.

Mike F

 

[Skychief]

Is it just me or are these English rifles simply the most gorgeous rifles EVER made?

 

[grey8833]

Skychief:

Now you are just egging me on.... :grin:

Link

Mike F.

 

[pchwcf50110]

Is it just me or are these English rifles simply the most gorgeous rifles EVER made?

i couldn't agree more. the English style just speaks to me unlike any Kentucky or plains/Hawken. not only do they look fabulous the stock geometry and balance is so user friendly they are conducive to good shooting. nice checkering by the way.

 

[Skychief]

Skychief:

Now you are just egging me on.... :grin:

Link

Mike F.

Posted with all sincerity sir. If I egged you on Mike, that's just icing on the cake! :haha:

 

[longcruise]

Ooops, just looked at the Pecatonica site. Under "Services" they install a breach plug for $20. Worth every penny in my book.

Yeah, thanks. I'd already been there and seen that. The track kit does not seem to offer the 1:18 barrel. Maybe it is a special request. I'm sure they can do any of the cutting and breeching that Pecatonica does. Looking at both sites, it looks as though they offer the same exact parts set. Track seems to be about $100 higher though. :shocked2:

I'm really a round ball shooter, but this would be great fun to play with at the range. I have the opportunity to shoot silhouettes out to 500 meters at my club. Just seems like a lot of fun.

It would make a legal hunting weapon here in CO except for elk and moose. Can see it on an antelope hunt.

 

[grey8833]

Marmotslayer:

I believe that Pecatonica provides Track with stocks. I looked at the Track kit too. But I just had to have the fast twist barrel with those monster bullets. No fear on Pecatonica - or at least they were great with my order. Not a single problem.

Mike

 

[longcruise]

Mifef, thanks for all the great info. If and when, it will be looking like Pecatonica!