Brithunter
12-30-2010, 07:25 AM
Hi All,
I am in the process of building a rifle up with the .280AI chambering and am awaiting it's return from the Birmingham Proof house. The dealer who got the BSA CF2 7x64 barrel for it cannot put the rifle on my ticket until it's proofed. Required by law here.
Here is what it looked like before I took that old stock off and sent it to proof:-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PA300062.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PA300053.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PA300051.jpg
The receiver is a 68 vintage BSA 1st Pattern Monarch that was originally a .270 but the barrel was quite worn. The idea behind the .280AI was to have a modern version to the old .280 Ross. Anyway it was worked out that using a later CF2 barrel that has a heavier breech section in 7x64 it could be fitted to the Monarch action and reamed to 280AI.
No one seemed to know that the Monarch and CF2 have different barrel tenons even if the thread is the same, the BSA barrel was chambered and threaded in the white, so I had to lenghten the tenon and deepen the bolts counter bore then work out the depth for remaing and ream the chamber. It all worked out and this is the first cartridge fired in the new improved chamber:-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PC080087.jpg
I fired Six in all and used three to make up dummies to check feeding and chambering and and the other three were cleaned and sized for the proof house to use to make up their proof rounds.
Barrel has turned out at 23" in length and the muzzle has a 1/2" UNF thread to accept a Sound Moderator or Muzzle Brake should one so wish to use one:-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PA300054.jpg
Sound Mods, often called silencers, are commonly used here now for deer stalking (hunting) so it seemed a good idea to adapt the barrel while it was set up in the lathe. Now I cleaned the bore of all jacket fouling before it went to proof, the barrel is hammer forged and the rifling 1 in 10" twist and is very smooth with 5 grooves and a left hand twist.
Now until I read through the 7mm-06 thread the idea of cast bullet use in this had not occured to me :oops: but perhaps with the price of jacket bullets here in the UK now cast bullets would be an excellent idea. Now I also have a BSA CF2 in 7x57 which has the same barrel/rifling specs so a cast bullet suitable for both would be just ticket.
Although it's not set up due to lack of space right now I have a electric lead pot and also have an old Lyman 450 plus a Saeco sizer but no dies for them. Which would be best to use? .............. I do have some lead both soft in the form of water pipe and building flashing and also some hard lead alloy. Oh yes and some mould handles that fit Lyman double cavity moulds and are currently attached to a pair of .35cal Lyman rifle moulds I picked up.
Now would the Lee 7mm 130Gr mould #90360 be suitable? Or would this be better;-
Lyman 2-Cavity Bullet Mold #287346 284 Caliber, 7mm (285 Diameter) 135 Grain Round Nose Gas Check.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
I am in the process of building a rifle up with the .280AI chambering and am awaiting it's return from the Birmingham Proof house. The dealer who got the BSA CF2 7x64 barrel for it cannot put the rifle on my ticket until it's proofed. Required by law here.
Here is what it looked like before I took that old stock off and sent it to proof:-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PA300062.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PA300053.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PA300051.jpg
The receiver is a 68 vintage BSA 1st Pattern Monarch that was originally a .270 but the barrel was quite worn. The idea behind the .280AI was to have a modern version to the old .280 Ross. Anyway it was worked out that using a later CF2 barrel that has a heavier breech section in 7x64 it could be fitted to the Monarch action and reamed to 280AI.
No one seemed to know that the Monarch and CF2 have different barrel tenons even if the thread is the same, the BSA barrel was chambered and threaded in the white, so I had to lenghten the tenon and deepen the bolts counter bore then work out the depth for remaing and ream the chamber. It all worked out and this is the first cartridge fired in the new improved chamber:-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PC080087.jpg
I fired Six in all and used three to make up dummies to check feeding and chambering and and the other three were cleaned and sized for the proof house to use to make up their proof rounds.
Barrel has turned out at 23" in length and the muzzle has a 1/2" UNF thread to accept a Sound Moderator or Muzzle Brake should one so wish to use one:-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/280%20AI%20build/PA300054.jpg
Sound Mods, often called silencers, are commonly used here now for deer stalking (hunting) so it seemed a good idea to adapt the barrel while it was set up in the lathe. Now I cleaned the bore of all jacket fouling before it went to proof, the barrel is hammer forged and the rifling 1 in 10" twist and is very smooth with 5 grooves and a left hand twist.
Now until I read through the 7mm-06 thread the idea of cast bullet use in this had not occured to me :oops: but perhaps with the price of jacket bullets here in the UK now cast bullets would be an excellent idea. Now I also have a BSA CF2 in 7x57 which has the same barrel/rifling specs so a cast bullet suitable for both would be just ticket.
Although it's not set up due to lack of space right now I have a electric lead pot and also have an old Lyman 450 plus a Saeco sizer but no dies for them. Which would be best to use? .............. I do have some lead both soft in the form of water pipe and building flashing and also some hard lead alloy. Oh yes and some mould handles that fit Lyman double cavity moulds and are currently attached to a pair of .35cal Lyman rifle moulds I picked up.
Now would the Lee 7mm 130Gr mould #90360 be suitable? Or would this be better;-
Lyman 2-Cavity Bullet Mold #287346 284 Caliber, 7mm (285 Diameter) 135 Grain Round Nose Gas Check.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.