My first rifle build on my Grizzly GO709 (50 BMG)

Booshwayman

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I've always wanted to build rifles, so I finally dived in with both feet and bought a Grizzly GO709 14"x40". After youtubing, and practicing, I ordered a barrel and got started. I purchased a BAT EX action, a 37" Bartlein Stainless Steel barrel, a Jewel trigger, and a birch laminate 40"x 15" x 5" blank in colors; green, gray, and brown. (Mountain camo). The scope is a Vortex Razor Gen II, HD 4.5x27x34mm. Scope base is a BAT Stainless Steel in 50MOA. Scope rings are Seekins matched set in 6061 billet aluminum. The 1/2" rubber recoil pad is from farm canvas. The rifle's LOP is 16.5. The stock is finished with dozens of coats of Permalyn. Action is bedded with Marine Tex, & JB Weld. Barrel is free floated. Weight of firearm is 40.8 lbs. I am presently fabricating a 25lb bi-pod, spring cushioned, lead filled feet. Chamber reamer is a Dave Kiff. I ordered once fired 50 BMG brass from Brass Bombers (California), 660 grain API pulled projos from American Reloading. Primers are CCI #35. Brass was resized with a full length resizer CH4D. Projos were sized with a bullet sizer CH4D, .510". Brass was trimmed to length with a Garaud case trimmer. Brass was neck-turned on my lathe with a home-made I.D. pilot. Military crimp also removed on my lathe. I loaded 230 grains of Vihtavouri 20N29. This rifle shoots better than I expected. (My eyes have been opened to what real long distance shooting should be). I am hitting baseballs at 1,000 yards. Can't wait to walk this round out to a mile. I am really pleased with the Vortex Razor Gen II scope in (MOA). Rex Reviews had 4 scopes listed as best on the planet. U.S. Optics, Schmidt & Bender, Vortex Razor, and Night Force. (Not necessarily in that order). I have decided not to install a muzzle break. I don't like the blast coming back., and I love recoil.

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Very good job, thanks for sharing. How much does the rifle weigh ready to go? Good thing you like recoil.
Nice work!
 
You are a brave man in more than one respect. Not only doing a 50 for your first gun, but shooting it with no brake in a stock like that. This is what makes this so cool, everyone gets to do what they like.

I am on the opposite end up the spectrum. I compete in Rimfire BR. No recoil and very low noise :)
 
Very nice! Thanks for sharing.
 
Very good job, thanks for sharing. How much does the rifle weigh ready to go? Good thing you like recoil.
Nice work!
The Bi-pod weighs approx. 25lbs, so total weight is 66lbs. The first bi-pod was much less, and still was manageable. After an afternoon firing 20 rnds I was a little happy it was over, but couldn't wait till I saddled her up again. lol. This new bi-pod should tame her a little.
 
Fantastic work! I'm guessing the whitetails must be 600+ lbs. in Minnesota as compared to our 125 - 175 lbs. ones in MI, hence the 0.50 cal as opposed to a 30.06!

Bruce
 
Very nice! I chuckled at the "I love recoil" comment. I used to consider my Sendero in 300WM to be nice range rifle/plinker. And according to some of my friends I'm the only person they know that likes to shoot a 454 Casul off-hand, with either hand, and actually enjoy it.

The only weapon I've ever fired that was chambered for that round was a real BMG. Had it on a tripod with the micrometer stops and was punching holes in the side of a old APC that was sitting out about 1200 yds. or so IIRC. Had to sand-bag the tripod to keep that beast from jumping all over the place.

Have fun with that thing! :)
 
Fantastic work! I'm guessing the whitetails must be 600+ lbs. in Minnesota as compared to our 125 - 175 lbs. ones in MI, hence the 0.50 cal as opposed to a 30.06!

Bruce
Not quite 600lbs Bruce, but some 300 plus. I harvested some dandy's up here in north western Mn. A good mature field dressed buck averages 200-220 pounds. My brother runs a white tailed deer farm and has one that weighs close to 400lbs. You can watch a advertising video soon to be on his FB site labeled "Mn monster buck classic". His website is "Steve Porter's trophy whitetails". I provide the rifle range and firearms for the hunts and this year the Shifty Fifty IS on the menu! That is, if they can find any customers that are man enough. lol
 
Wow talk about "go big or go home" I like it. Im with you on the muzzle brake, shot my brothers fifty quite a bit its kinda like getting swatted in the face with a corn broom every time you touch of a round. Im curios how the API projo shoot, I bought a can of them to try in a 50 cal subsonic project but have not fired it yet. I also cast some 600 ish grain bullets from pure linotype to try out as well
 
Wow talk about "go big or go home" I like it. Im with you on the muzzle brake, shot my brothers fifty quite a bit its kinda like getting swatted in the face with a corn broom every time you touch of a round. Im curios how the API projo shoot, I bought a can of them to try in a 50 cal subsonic project but have not fired it yet. I also cast some 600 ish grain bullets from pure linotype to try out as well

The API's are shooting amazingly accurate with 250 grains of Vihtavouri 20N29. I believe with the combination of brass prep to chamber, Bullet sizing, OAL, and neck tension, are all contributing factors in the rifles accuracy. The API's vary a little in weight though, I am seeing 654-660 grains. I'm sure at further distances this will become a factor that I will want to eliminate. I have thought to cold file the back of the projos to even them in weight. Any thoughts, concerns there? There are a few pulldown marks on the projos but it doesn't seem to be effecting my accuracy at 1,100 yds yet. I mentioned before my bullet sizer was a .510 but I believe it is a .5095. I will be taking this round out to 1,700 yards soon. I found a gravel pit mound with adjacent private-owned land that accommodates this distance. According to my load data, I should be very close to 3,000 FPS with this round. Tell me more about your pure linotype projos. I happen to have 110 lbs in ingots I could mold. How fast are you pushing them? What mold? Gas checks?
 
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