The 400 Lee Speed project rifle (and friend)

[Von Gruff]

I wasn't sure where to post this thread as it could have gone in a couple of sections but being a project in cartridge and rifle I thought it might be best placed here.

I had been wanting a big brother for the 303 Lee Speed styled sporting rifle http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Sporting-rifle for some time and with conversations with a couple of LE enthusiasts it seemed there were to main contenders with one being the 375-303 and the other on being a 40 cal of some sort. After quite a bit of discussion it came down to my preference for the 40 cal as I had not long sold on the 404 Jeffery I built and was feeling the gap at that end of the gun rack.

It all hinged on hearing about a short chambered 405 Winchester barrel that was a take-off from a marlin LA project so my preference was backed up by the availability of the barrel and the offer of a nice BSA commercial MK l action from a forum member (another forum) who had also voiced an interest in a 40 cal LE

More on the cartridge later---

So the action turned up and it all started in earnest (maybe a bit slower than earnest but underway nevertheless)


This was the action as received


I had a few bits to add to it so am just looking for an early magazine and a dust cover now. I am not going to use the magazine cut off so will stock it without the recess cut out.

[Von Gruff]

As the action has the lobbing site recess and I don't want it to show so will fit a fill in plate to hide it, but possibly am going use it to base an aperture sight off it like I did for the 303 Lee Speed

To that end I have made a start with a small square of steel

and spent a couple of hours with files so have nearly got the base shaped up

[Von Gruff]

Then it was a case of changing the rear lines of the socket to give me a nice rounded edge to the top for the slim Lee Speed socket look and feel. My camera (just a cell ph) is not capable of taking clear close-ups but you can get the idea.

[Von Gruff]

Spent a little time and made the aperture sight. Nothing as fancy (or spendy) but similar to the one I made for the 303 which was a success so this is just more of the same.

It is about as low over the dust cover as possible which keeps the cheek weld right on the butt and makes for a front sight that is not abnormaly high. What it does require is that the rear lug for the dust cover has some of the height ground off but I found that out when one of the bolts I got had the lug treated like that and it does not negatively effect the visual or the holdability of the single remaining lug that is not ground.

[Von Gruff]

The next step was to look at stock blanks and I had semi selected 3 from a plain but well grained one to a nicely marked 1/4 sawn one to a flat sawn one with more grain but no colour so after a conversation with Brian (from NZ Walnut Supplies) I bought this blank..


The other side is not as well figured but I think that if I set the stock well to the right side of the blank I will cut back into a bit more figure.


This is the walnut supply outlet http://www.nzwalnut.co.nz/
As it turned out the other ones I was looking at came in the same parcel as a friend had decided to go ahead with the 375-303

[Von Gruff]

Laying out the pattern



Because I have a few more Lee speeds to do after this one I decided to make a framed pattern so I could lay it on the blank and actually see the grain rather than drawing around the pattern then seeing I needed to shift it a bit. This way I can shift the framed pattern round to the most advantageous position, mark two location spots on it and then mark out the pattern from the pattern board. It meant I did shift it from where I originally thought it would go but it will be better for the finished stock.



One of the chaps I had been talking to about the cartridge choice had wanted another 375-303 (he had had one years ago) so he sent down an action and we chose one of the extra blanks so I could do his inlet and shape in tandem with mine. Having the guides set up for drilling the stock bolt hole I did mine in the mornig then got the second one done in the afternoon so they were both at the same stage.

[Von Gruff]

After marking out the action lines, I use the hack saw (fine teeth + fine cut) and cut down to within cooee of the mark and only forward to the rear of the receiver ring.





and a few minutes with a sharp chisel gets the inletting started.

[Von Gruff]

Next step was to find the dimensions of the mag wall and start an undersized hole though the wood.



One hole at 24mm and the front three at 20mm had it started.


Finding out the back of the trigger group recess came next and again all cut undersize.




and a little chisel work had it opened up to where I would just get clearance vertically

[Von Gruff]

Turning the forestocks over again I could then mark down the action lines and gradually take out the bulk of the wood with the grannies tooth hand router. The depth had been marked in earlier

Note the small mallet It is one I made and is just 6" long and weighs 6 oz. Sometimes it is better to tap lightly and trying to do that with the heavier mallet can cause an oops moment.



The action is stripped of the trigger and spring but the mag release bar stays in place. The top of the trigger housing is opened up with a rat tail file till the mag release bar on the action will just slip over it so the action can start into its first fitting at the rear of the inlet.



The recoil lug can be marked into place and chiselled down to the action flat





And with a little gouge work the start of the receiver ring can be taken out.

After this stage it will be all smoke and scrape work, so things will slow down a bit.

[Von Gruff]

Next up I took the lowered portion off the rear of the top side on the planer and filed a radius from the rear action flat onto the socket face. A quick look at this part of the action will show the need for the radius.



Then with a careful measurement I marked out to remove the majority of the wood to clear for the mag release lever anchor point which is the major "draw" that needs to fit tight so it was left proud and worried back as the smoked action was lowered into place by scraping with the bent file scraper.


With the draw roughed into place it was time to work on getting the action down into place. This bent and sharpened file (I ground off the teeth on both flats and edges befoe bending and sharpening) is almost indispensable for the job and far and away the most usefull way of working on the sides of the action inlet. I have previously used chisels etc to scrape but the bent file it the easiest to direct and use.

[Von Gruff]

So at 10 3/4 hours both actions are snuggled into the wood

[RustyReel]

Nice. I really enjoy your posts. Wish I had skills!!

[swheeler]

VG: you are a talented and patient man, looks good and waiting to see the finished product.

[cold1]

Nice work and thanks for showing how its done.

[enfield]

Very impressive, looking forward to the whole process. thanks.

[leebuilder]

Wicked workmanship, cant wait to see it ready for the line.

[Von Gruff]

Rechecking the inlet and getting the reinforce done across the rear of the socket face rather than through the rear of the stock as is done on the ex mil stocks. To get the position that will be at the centre of the triangle of wood that is left it is a simple matter to measure down to the centre of the through reinforce and transfer it to the new forestocks



Drill a series of holes and clean it out to take the end of a 3/16 machine screw



Set into place with Devcon steel, then with the action face given some Vaseline for mould release, the action can be set into place to make the rear flat against the socket face and to force it down against the main draw. It wil sit overnight and I can get back to it tomorrow.

--------------------

[Von Gruff]

Next effort saw the trigger guard inlet on them both and the magazine well on one finished but 5 1/2 hours bent over the bench in the heat was enough for the day.

Worrying the t/g into place



Almost all the tricky stuff done now.



Then a little time in the shed gets the buttstock wrist into the socket and having an add up I see that I am 27 1/4 hours in to get them both to this stage. The top one (for the 375) has the mag cut-off while I didn't want to use one for my 400 but they are both ready for the barrels now although I can shape up the butts when I get the plates. Havent decided on the grip cap yet.

[Von Gruff]

Possibly a lessor move but I needed a pair of grip caps so made them from a nice straight grained walnut that should give a little contrast in colour but more importantly will protect the end grain




With that taken care of, I returned my attention to the top of the socket wrist. I had done a bit of filing to take away from the square top but after spending a bit of time looking at some Lee Speeds and having one in hand, I decided to take a bit more off it. and have ended up with what should give a nice slim topped stock wrist

[W.R.Buchanan]

Garry: Thanks for posting this over here. I hope to see the rest of it as it gets done.

This is an excellent tutorial on gun building that is relevant to many other projects on this board.

Randy