Letters: Missing Rifle Stock

The lack of a replacement stock for a Savage rifle disappoints a reader.

I’m writing to try and get help from Bell and Carlson. I won a Savage 112FVSS 7mm Remington Magnum, and, frankly, the factory stock is not what I expected. But the rifle does perform well, shooting 3/4-inch groups at a 100 yards with factory loads. I was even more impressed with the rifle after reading your article on Long Range Deer Rifles (November 1996). You gave the Savage a best buy rating. Still, I didn’t like the stock, particularly the thin forend.

To find a replacement, I made a call to Bell and Carlson and tried to get a premier varmint-style stock with an aluminum bedding block. They told me they were going to make one, and they were also investigating if Savage might use the B&C stock on Savage production guns. In their 1996 gun-stock catalog, I saw the stock style I wanted on a 110FP. However, when I tried to order it, a company representative said to call back in six weeks. When I called back, they said they scrubbed the production of the stock. Why did Bell and Carlson advertise the stock in their catalog but then fail to produce or sell it? I’m disappointed in Bell and Carlson.

-James A. Hill
Fostoria, OH

Ah, life is full of disappointments. Bell and Carlson told us that technical problems with manufacturing the stock as a production item, combined with what they perceived to be a small demand, caused them to rethink offering the varmint-style item you describe. We can’t fault B&C for making a business decision, but it’s too bad they reversed field on you. As an alternative, you might want to look at a stock by H-S Precision, Inc., Dept. PS, 1301 Turbine Dr., Rushmore Industrial Park, Rapid City, SD 57701, telephone (605) 341-3006, fax (605) 342-8964.

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Load Data Is Wrong
In Bryce Towsley’s article on reloading for the .223 Remington in the October 1996 issue of Performance Shooter, he wrote about the capacity differences of military cases. He wrote that he measured an 18-percent difference in water cabpacity. I suggest someone has made an error.

I measured the water capacity of one brand of primed cases I had. Using the unit weight of water, an 18-percent change in the water capacity (by weight), up or down, would have to show up in a similar change in volume of brass. Such a change in brass volume would be a 40 to 46 percent change in cartridge case weight. I weighed cartridge cases (deprimed) from about eight different commercial brands, and at most found a 16 percent change in case weight. A 16-percent change in brass volume translates into only a 3-percent change in water capacity (by weight).

This further translates to about 1.2 grains of powder in the .223, which depending on the powder used and the load’s proximity to maximum levels, is still serious, but no where near the problem one would gather from the data in the article.

-Theodore J. Albrecht Jr.
San Ramon, CA

Mr. Albrecht is correct. We regret the error.

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Right On
Last year I purchased a Browning A-Bolt II .22-250 varmint rifle, and after a lot of research on my own, I installed a Burris Signature Series 6x24 scope on it. Your February 1997 article about variable scopes was right on.

This year I purchased a Olympic Arms Matchmaster (a compensated version from the speciality shop) after reading your May and June 1996 issues on IPSC pistols. I was ready to buy the Colt before I read the article. Again, you were right on. Olympic Arms promised a two-week shipping date on a custom gun and came through.

Now, I would like to set my new Matchmaster up with an alternate .22 LR conversion and need your help. How about checking out the various 1911A1 .22 LR conversion units that are on the market? There are three manufacturers I am aware of: Wilson Combat, J. A. Ciener, and Jarvis. How about it?

Thanks for all the good info, and keep up the good work!

-Harvey Pierman
via Compuserve

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Mini-14 Tricks
I own a Mini-14 that has been rebarreled and had a trigger job performed, and which now shoots 2 MOA. I am looking for information on glass bedding these guns. I have successfully glass-bedded numerous bolt-action rifles, but never a semi-auto, which locks up differently. Is this something you plan to cover?

Also, since you disseminate gun information, I would like to provide you with some insight on what mistakes I made with my Mini-14, and one pitfall which I am at a loss to resolve. Other Mini-14 owners who are contemplating rebarreling may be helped by my experience.

1. Unless you only shoot off a sandbag, keep the barrel short. True, you lose velocity, but the long, heavy barrel makes the rifle muzzle heavy, making it difficult to shoot offhand, especially if you are using a 10-plus magazine.

2. Don’t install iron sights. The Williams rear sight has limited elevation adjustment range due to the scope. (You will have to sight in after removing the scope.) Second, you can see the front sight when sighting through the scope, which is distracting.

3. Scope magnification with the hand guard installed is limited. The hand guard will not allow a scope with an objective lens of more than 40 mm to fit. There are few scopes over 9 power that have an objective lens that small. In my opinion, Ruger and scope-mount manufacturers are missing the boat not providing a higher mount, which would allow for more magnification and eliminate the open-sight problem.

4. Quite by accident, I discovered that when you are shooting from a rest with your non-shooting hand draped across your chest (i.e., under the butt) the muzzle will jump when the hammer hits the firing pin. With my 7X scope, I estimate the shift to be 1 MOA. This could account for the random fliers that the NRA reported in its report on the Mini-14. The solution is to hold the forend when shooting. I attribute this problem to the rifle’s heavy hammer, and I don’t know how to solve it.

-David Barlin
Marlboro, N.J.

Perhaps we can convince Mini-14 expert Tim Lewis to tackle the subject of bedding these rifles.

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BOSS Fan
I am a new subscriber to your magazine and have been impressed with the thoroughness and extensive documentation of testing that you do. I was delighted to see that your magazine ran a test on long-range .300 WM rifles, including one with the BOSS system, as I am in the market to replace the Ruger M77 in .300 WM that I have with a more accurate model (average groups with handloads, 0.75 inch).

However, I was disappointed to see that you did not attempt to tune the Winchester rifle’s BOSS system to the specific types of ammo that you were using In your test. I thought the whole purpose of the BOSS system was to be able to tune the rifle to each specific type of ammo to achieve the best groups. I would be very interested to know if the groups that you shot were the best that the rifle could produce, or if further tuning would have helped? You state the “accuracy potential is excellent,” but without more complete testing I do not know if I would be willing to spend the extra $400 for the Winchester over the Savage, since your accuracy test results were so similar.

I would like to see you retest the Winchester using the BOSS tuning to see what the true potential of this rifle is.

-Shannon McClellan
Katy, TX

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Products Available
At the Pistol Silhouette Nationals, I had the pleasure of seeing a copy of your magazine for the first time. I had been hearing good things about it for months. I liked what I saw—good, objective testing of a wide range of useful products.

Since 1989 I have run a retail supply house for benchrest and varmint shooters. As is customary in this corner of the industry, the bulk of my business is mail order. Enclosed is a copy of my complete product list. I have introduced several product-design variations of my own, including the double-handled scope lap kit and my pocket uniformer. Because your magazine carries no advertising, I assume that you do not accept product samples from manufacturers or suppliers. However, I wanted to make you aware of my business in case you wish to obtain any of the items I carry for future product review.

-Russell S. Haydon
Russ Haydon’s Shooters’ Supply
Gig Harbor, Washington

Mr. Haydon carries several products of interest to Performance Shooters. Contact him at Dept. PS, 15018 Goodrich Dr., Gig Harbor, WA 98329, telephone (206) 857-7557, fax (206) 857-7884.

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Airgun Anyone?
I would like to let you know that a Ripley AR-5 pre-charged air rifle w/connector is for sale. This is one of the first few that came to the United States, and is the only two-tone one that I know of. It is half blue and half stainless. It’s number is 006. I’m an avid field-target shooter and have shot very well with this air rifle. These air rifles are the Rolls Royce of pre-charged air guns. This one took two years to get. It’s in excellent shape and is ready for a new home. I’m asking $1,750 for the action only with the quick connector.

-Thomas Itterly
Millington, Tennessee

If any Performance Shooter readers are interested, contact Thomas Itterly at Dept. PS, 7784 Bill Knight Ct., Millington, TN 38053, telephone (901) 872-0751.