Thread: The CURSE

A good mate of mine had a 243 Sako 75 that I really liked. It was light and portable and killed as well as anything. We discuss the merits of a versatile 243 with a bit of length and faster twist to sling bigger pills.
I bought a 6BR earlier built on a semi tricked Rem700. It was fun but impractical. It did have a new Trueflight barrel on it with a fast twist and plenty of length @ 26" I decided that with the 1:8 barrel I could rechamber to 243AI, flog off the Varmint stock and scope and put it on a bit of a diet.
Thats where it all started to go south.
The new barrel should have been the first omen. It was only new because the original barrel I had fluted in an attempt to get some weight down walked in the mill and was toast. Grant at Trueflight was awesome. A new barrel off the shelf was fitted and for the cost of the fluting I was back to scratch with the tube.
Jason from Senator was next on the hit list. A LH carbon stock was ordered. The hoodoo extended to Tauranga and it took a few goes and quite a few months before a usable stock was in my mitts.
Whilst waiting for a stock the barreled action went to Trueflite for re-chamber to 243AI. The bad luck did not want to spread itself around too much so that thankfully went to plan.
Once finally assembled I had ordered a Z5 Swaro for glass to sit in Talley rings. I think we went through 3 different pairs of rings and a lot of sweat before we finally found the reason it was such a bitch to lap. The receiver was on the piss with the scope holes drilled out of line.
Gunsmith number one (may or may not have) re-drilled the holes true but they were too close to accept any rings. Aaaagh. So being a good mate I decided to flick off some bad luck to poor ol Abe. No sweat we figured. On a jig and in the mill it can't go wrong. Now the poor old receiver was looking a bit like swiss cheese so a quick pass over with the tig and off to the electroplater for a pretty nickel finish will tidy up all sins. No. Denied.
My action was a funny one and would not accept the nickel other than a hot rod bright and shiny finish. Oh well, it will look original anyway I suppose.
One courier to the NI and another set of rings only to find it was still on the piss. So more courier work off down south again and more machining. This needed further nickel work and this turned to shit as well with backlogs and other issues. I was starting to really feel for poor old Abe. I told him it was cursed, but he was not one to turn away from a challenge.
We finally fixed the CURSE by throwing away the receiver and swapping it out for another! Can't go wrong from there eh!
Now the only thing left from the original rifle was the bolt, and that even had been modified far beyond its factory guise.
Even once back in my hands and back together the Curse tried to give more grief with a small headspace problem. Fired brass chambered before fitting but would not after? A quick trip to Trueflight and that was sorted.

So after 14 months it has finally come together.

THE CURSE





Big thanks to
Jason @ Senator Stocks. We certainly learnt a lot and thanks for everything Jason. Would definitely recommend Jason as a straight up guy to deal with who stands behind his product. Its good stuff too
Abe tuiman. You poor bastard. Thanks man for all your efforts and hassle.
Grant @ Trueflight barrel making good guy
Ginga You cunt. This was a dumb idea!
Sneeze Thanks for the hook up and advise
Proudkiwi, baldbob and The Claw reloading data (baldbob for what not to do haha).
I'm sure Ive missed a bunch of you but this has been a rather arduous exercise.
Think twice about making guns as a T3 sounds like not a bad idea from here!

It is finally shooting well with a few powder dilemmas but as of Easter I have yet to shake the curse proper. Went for a walk, April Fools day of all the days. It seamed a fitting day to blood the CURSE. Managed to drop my newly acquired Geovids down a scree slip and scratch every lens as well as pull a muscle in my back and end up walking ½ speed off the tops looking like the hunchback of Notre Dame.
Ces't la Vie!

So if you see a guy, all hunched up roaming the Kawekas, cursing and mumbling to himself, holding a black LH rifle I suggest you stay well away or you too may catch………..
THE CURSE!

Sad news about the geovids, man. I'm really enjoying the CRF.

Definitely cursed, lemme know if you need to dispose of it

That's the best rifle build story I've ever read. Thanks for sharing.

Arrr i seen it again

least things are going well ......now
You will be happy to know the action has been a dream on the other project so that part is broken

Well that has settled it then. I will stick with waking up, deciding I need a rifle, walking into a shop and buying one. Sorted!

I can see your problem...the bolt handle has been fitted to the wrong side.

Originally Posted by Spook

I can see your problem...the bolt handle has been fitted to the wrong side.

That'll be it Spook. It was on the cack from the get go.

Originally Posted by Spook

I can see your problem...the bolt handle has been fitted to the wrong side.

Bugger bet me to it, I was reading down hoping nobody had said it yet

Sounds like a frustrating mission James.

Originally Posted by Rushy

Well that has settled it then. I will stick with waking up, deciding I need a rifle, walking into a shop and buying one. Sorted!

That doesnt work all the time either Rushy even the "high end" factory rifles have "issues"

Another reason why I run-in/accuracy test/load develop all my builds before they go out to clients.

Jeeze KJ, i would have started crying and curled up in a ball in a dark corner a 'long time' ago.....can only get better from now on!......(Tui ad)

Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

That doesnt work all the time either Rushy even the "high end" factory rifles have "issues"

Another reason why I run-in/accuracy test/load develop all my builds before they go out to clients.

Ah so how many rounds does it take to run in a termainator on a rem 700?

thank fuck after talking to you i went 260ai!!!!its a nice looking rig KJ go the 243eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze!!.

Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

That doesnt work all the time either Rushy even the "high end" factory rifles have "issues"

Another reason why I run-in/accuracy test/load develop all my builds before they go out to clients.

Makes them worth double the build then.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. So please forgive my sausage fingers!!!

Righto James now tell the truth about how your flash harry reloads (the first batch) were shite and outshot by straight 243 factory 95 sst's! 1.5 inch groups to well under 1/2 inch. Man that gave me a LOT of pleasure when that happened!