jtallen83 Posted October 19, 2019 Report Share Posted October 19, 2019 The Buffalo gun came about after a phone conversation with my youngest grandson to date, 8 years old and 100 MPH. He was telling me about a school field trip they took to see some Buffalo, he stated "You can't shoot a Buffalo can you Grandpa" so I explained there are places you can hunt a buffalo. Next he asks "Can you build me a gun to shoot buffalo?" Done deal, had to happen, has to happen! The Wilson Combat 14.7 inch 338 Federal fluted barrel is the heart and start of the build, pin and welded a modified SLR two chamber brake to get 16.1 inch overall length. It has Wilson's intermediate gas system, 13 3/16 inch gas tube, .073ish in. gas port in a .750 journal with an SLR non adjustable titanium gas block, I doubt the little weight savings is really noticeable but it was on sale for about the same price as a Geissele so I felt justified spending on fancy metal. Used Aero M5 receivers and a Wilson Combat 12 inch TRIM rail, not the best fitting Aero receivers I have gotten but perfectly capable of the job. Aero upper and lower parts kits, my go to Sig 716 bolt catch would have needed thinned a bit to work smoothly so I just went with the Aero part. The carrier is Toolcraft but due to headspace issues ended up using a Brownell's bolt, replaced the extractor springs with the Armalite kit to solve some extraction issues. Used a rifle length extension with a used factory Armalite spring and buffer to start. The stock is marked Sig but I am pretty sure these were made by Lancer, it is A1 length. Of course it has the obligatory LaRue MBT for a trigger. It's taking some patience to get it running 100%, first ten rounds no lock back, most didn't even move the bolt back. I noticed some ring marks on the brass from some rough areas in the chamber so did a little polishing with some green jewelers rouge on a chamber mop. Next trip out I had lock back on 8 of 10 rounds, except the case was left in the chamber every time, lift the rifle up a bit and it fell right out. Swapped the two spring Brownell's extractor springs for the Armalite plug, spring, and a ring extractor spring kit. Next twenty rounds were better, no cases left in the chamber, still only getting lock back about half the time when loading a single round, picked up the next round every time I asked it to. Polished just a little bit more on the chamber and swapped the buffer and spring to an Aero rifle buffer and a Tubbs flatwire spring, odd the Aero buffer is about 1/8 inch longer than the Armalite buffer is, 5 3/16" vs. 5 and a real strong 1/4 inch. Ran five rounds and got lock back 4 times. Swapped back to the Armalite set and only got one lockback in 5 rounds, the Armalite spring has nearly 4,000 rounds on it so maybe it's shot. Swapped back to the flat wire spring and got ten lockbacks in a row. I am going to leave it alone for a bit, used 185's up to this point but plan on getting some 200 grain stuff next so the little extra oomph may help a bit as well. I will let the grandson continue with shooting the rifle so he can get in on any further tweaks if needed. It shoots so soft I may see if he wants to shoot it next time he is here. About the same time I start collecting a pension my Grandson will turn 16 so I hope I can introduce him to reloading then. Hopefully he still wants to whack a buffalo, always wanted to try a Bison ribeye. Here is the last twenty rounds on a 12 inch steel plate at 100 yds. Anxious to see what kind of groups it will do when the Vortex 1-8 gets put on it and accuracy becomes the focus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue109 Posted October 19, 2019 Report Share Posted October 19, 2019 Best grandpa ever. Ive wanted to try that stock for a long time. the fall shoot showed me my beloved A1 stocks have a crappy cheek weld for the long range stuff so I swapped my VLTOR A1 stocks on. They feel great but they look funky. I think that lancer might be a good compromise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtallen83 Posted October 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2019 1 hour ago, blue109 said: I think that lancer might be a good compromise. It isn't as light as I was thinking it would be but it is lighter than many. The fixtures at each end of the tube are very heavy for a plastic. Part of me wants to epoxy the tube to the ends for extra rigidity and the other wants to leave the back open for storage. A CDNN special; https://www.cdnnsports.com/ar15-a1-carbon-fiber-stock-sig-sauer.html?___SID=U Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue109 Posted October 19, 2019 Report Share Posted October 19, 2019 Not bad for a kit but I just need the stock. I looked at brownells for the original MAGS EFX stock and its discontinued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted October 20, 2019 Report Share Posted October 20, 2019 Jim, nice to see another .338 Fed here - for SMASHER loads, I'm running Hornady 225gr SSTs now. They really make a plate swing - smaller plates flip all the way over and twist up the chain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunuckgaucho Posted October 20, 2019 Report Share Posted October 20, 2019 If I was a curator of an art gallery that's the type of artwork I would display, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted October 20, 2019 Report Share Posted October 20, 2019 I like the setup brother 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikedaddyH Posted October 29, 2019 Report Share Posted October 29, 2019 Nice gun JT , I like the way you described how you got the gun running. Troubleshooting problems seems to be a lost art and you have done it a service here ! 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.338fedfan Posted November 2, 2019 Report Share Posted November 2, 2019 (edited) Just ordered a .338 20 inch barrel for my lmt308mws I'm calling it my tactical big game rifle. Any thoughts? I'm asking because you guys seem quite familiar with this kind of setup. Edited November 2, 2019 by .338fedfan This is my first reply and I wanted to clarify Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtallen83 Posted November 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2019 59 minutes ago, .338fedfan said: Any thoughts? I like shorter barrels on these big frame builds. They get heavy fast and a lighter front end makes them more maneuverable. I have some heavy barrel beasts but they are relegated to the bench and don't tend to get as much shooting as the shorter rifles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted November 2, 2019 Report Share Posted November 2, 2019 13 hours ago, .338fedfan said: Just ordered a .338 20 inch barrel for my lmt308mws I'm calling it my tactical big game rifle. Any thoughts? I'm asking because you guys seem quite familiar with this kind of setup. I went 16" on my .338 Fed build. Details are in here: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtallen83 Posted May 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2020 Might be sorted out on this rifle, It has just enough gas to go but with everything tight from the start, just needed some operating passes for the machinery to break in. Stuck a Vortex 1x8 on it and got some 200 gr. Federal Fusion. First ten one at a time, lock back every time. Load ten in a new ten round P-mag, loads from bolt catch but has a little clunky sound, next round loads on delay, saw the bolt go close as I turned the rifle to look. Next round hung up loading until the butt hit the bench then went home. Emptied and broke down the rifle, wiped down the parts and lubed up the BCG, buffer and spring were a bit dry, might have not lubed them 😕. Everything has lube now, ten rounds and no glitches. Another 18 rounds of the 200 grain and then ten of the 185 to finish the trip and no more issues. Super fun to shoot with that short, light barrel, the brake barks, it might not have anything to do with the break but the 338 Fed is a nice soft shooting round in this rig. Now I'll see what Mr. Shenanigans has to say about shooting it this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted May 10, 2020 Report Share Posted May 10, 2020 5 minutes ago, jtallen83 said: it might not have anything to do with the break but the 338 Fed is a nice soft shooting round in this rig. Weird, isn't it... I have two that are setup almost identical, even the same brake on both. 16" .308 Winchester, and 16" .338 Fed. I SWEAR that .338 is a softer shooting gun than the .308 Win gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtallen83 Posted May 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2020 40 minutes ago, 98Z5V said: I SWEAR that .338 is a softer shooting gun than the .308 Win gun. I'm thinking the kid can handle a few shots This has made me even curiouser about the .358 Win, does the trend continue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted May 10, 2020 Report Share Posted May 10, 2020 (edited) 2 minutes ago, jtallen83 said: I'm thinking the kid can handle a few shots This has made me even curiouser about the .358 Win, does the trend continue? I'm doing one, on a WC barrel. That .243 Win was the tipping point. Why not build a 7mm-08 and a .358 Win, and have every cartridge that the .308 Win is the parent cartridge of... .308 Win, .338 Fed and .260 were already in the stable. 1/2 way there. The damn .243 did it. Can't stop with only two to go... Edited May 10, 2020 by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warriorone Posted August 31, 2021 Report Share Posted August 31, 2021 Thanks for summary of problems with your 338 build. Hoping some of your methods help me in addressing mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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