tuners and gunsmiths

G

g n brezinski

Member
first off who would you send a action to buid a 22 rimfire rifle today?i am thinking of getting in on the bottle cap shoots at a local range.they also are on some rifles using a tuner on the barrel.how does this help ?
what would be the barrel make that is the choice of the shooters and why is this so?
thank you for your imput.
gary b
 
Most likely the best bottle cap gunsmith currently alive is Jim Peightal. He knows more about bottle cap winning rifles than any one I know. A chat with Jim will get you all the information you need even if you were to choose someone else to build your rifle. PM me if you want his telephone number. Bottle cap rifles are specialized contraptions. Few outside the NE would even know the rules. I sure don't. bob
 
thank you

I know jim was aware of his knowge on this shooting.but was looking for other people fro other areas that know about rim fire custom builbs.
gary b
 
It would help to know where you are at as you may wish to work with someone within a few hundred miles.
 
Let me try this again.

The OP asked; "they also are on some rifles using a tuner on the barrel.how does this help ?
what would be the barrel make that is the choice of the shooters and why is this so?"

Not really a "tuner" but more accurately a muzzle device or MD. Its one and only job is to dampen out barrel vibration so the bullet exit point is almost the same for every shot. Nothing more, nothing less.

The major players in BR barrels today seem to be Shilen Ratchet and Rock Creek Mueller 4 groove. Both are what we call minimally invasive or MI barrels. We use them because we can win with them. I don't run with the bottle cap crowd so I have no idea what barrel(s) is/are favored today.

The interesting thing about bottle caps is the first shot out of a cold barrel is the one that counts. In BR we typically run anywhere from 2 to 10 or more fouling shots down the bore before getting started on a card. making a good bottle cap rifle is far different than making a BR gun.

Well as the old saying goes "you can lead a horse to water but cannot make it drink" seems to apply here.

Jim Peightal is about a six hour drive for me. I've made the trip to have Jim do work for me. He KNOWS how to build a winning bottle cap rifle and has done so. I have no financial interest. Yes, I consider Jim a good friend. He does fantastic work. Again he knows bottle cap shooting. He also does competitive BR work.

Bottle cap shooting is kind of a PA thing. Most areas of the country have never heard of it, much less built a competitive rifle for it. If you want a BR rifle built then there a great many good smiths out there. Richard Gorham in OK, Tim Miller,in GA Mark Penrod in IN, Gordon Eck in NY and Tom Wilkinson in NC come quickly to mind. I've personally used all but Mark to build for me, but that is my fault not his. bob
 
Forgive my inexperience.. If one were to purchase a currently competitive action, barrel, and trigger and send it off to one of these wizards, how long does it take to get a finished product and what sort of expense mght be involved. I understand that there are many variables and I understand there are no guarantees but...
Does it take months? years?
Does the machine work cost hundereds? 1,000s? More?
Thanks for your patience.
>Thom
 
Olythom said:
Forgive my inexperience.. If one were to purchase a currently competitive action, barrel, and trigger and send it off to one of these wizards, how long does it take to get a finished product and what sort of expense mght be involved. I understand that there are many variables and I understand there are no guarantees but...
Does it take months? years?
Does the machine work cost hundereds? 1,000s? More?
Thanks for your patience.
>Thom
Click to expand...

Most of the good ones take months once you've sourced componants which can take a while depending on what you want.
Machine work, again, based on what your componants require, will be from several hundred to a grand plus.
For instance, many turbo clones need stuff done, a Stiller 2500X ...pretty much good to go right out of the box.
Remember machine work on these is not super involved, the best guys will know, not only HOW to do stuff but WHAT to do which is even more important and why you want somebody with an established record of accomplishment.
 
What's the current cost of building a custom rimfire Benchrest rifle these days - no scope involved?

Stiller 2500
Shilen barrel
Average stock
Fancy trigger
Average paint job
Tuner
Average successful gunsmith
 
Wilbur said:
What's the current cost of building a custom rimfire Benchrest rifle these days - no scope involved?

Stiller 2500
Shilen barrel
Average stock
Fancy trigger
Average paint job
Tuner
Average successful gunsmith
Click to expand...

Around $3500 with a few notations:
That would be B&A trigger
I used Metedith stock, pillar bedded, trigger guard/ buttplate unpainted (these days not much reason to paint unless you love paint, the current gelcoat finishes polish up very well ).

Wood stock by somebody like Jim Peightal....all in probably add $500.
 
Only have one assembled now and Richard Gorham chambered the Shilen ratchet barrel. The one that I'm building now was chambered by Gene Davis. This barrel is an 8 groove, LH twist, gain twist barrel. Both of mine are 40X wood stock walk around Tincan and Turtle killers.
If I build another I will call Gordon Eck.
I think you would need to look na long way to beat these guys.
 
Wilbur, I am selling my X3L with Muller 8 groove and Lidgard Stock. I believe we are both in Franklin. Would be glad to let you try it if you would like. Was Smithed by Dan Muller. It's listed in the classifieds right now if you want to see it.
 
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I'm not looking to buy a rimfire rifle but rather to gather what a good one costs these days.
 
No worries. I agree with Tim, $3500 is probably a good number give or take a couple hundred depending on trigger, stock, etc.
 
g n brezinski said:
first off who would you send a action to buid a 22 rimfire rifle today?i am thinking of getting in on the bottle cap shoots at a local range.they also are on some rifles using a tuner on the barrel.how does this help ?
what would be the barrel make that is the choice of the shooters and why is this so?
thank you for your imput.
gary b
Click to expand...

Give me a call I can help you out
Joe Chacon
830-796-0815
 
Need a 40X 22 lr rebarrel

Hello, I am looking for a gunsmith to fit a new barrel to my 40X 22 lr rifle. I would like to purchase a quality barrel and refit .
Please let me know a builder. I have heard the famous names like Davis, Gorham, etc. but have been having trouble finding their phones numbers or emails.

Thank you,
Dale Keith
 
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