[K.Lee]

Well, I've been shooting my 7wsm for about a full year now. We are gearing up for this shooting season and getting ready for some upcoming events.

We are building two identical 7wsm for the Wind Dummies to use this season. They are being built on different actions, but other set up is pretty much the same. This build is my partner's rifle and mine will be the number 2 build. They will both be using the following goods:

.284 Rock Creek Barrel, Light palma taper, 1:8.7 twist, 20-24'' threaded for suppressor
chambered in 7WSM
Custom action (Defiance and Surgeon)
AICS for stock

Today I finished some work on the shorty 308 project I needed to get done and we started working on the twin 7's

First we dialed in the barrel blank

Then we cut the barrel tenon

Then we thread the tenon for the action

 

[K.Lee]

Then we trim the threads and time the action to fit as we desire

Next, we make the recess for the bolt

Then we can start to chamber!

Chambering takes a long time. We cut about .050 with each cut before pulling the reamer out and cleaning it, then reset, cut .050 more, pull out, clean, etc...

 

[K.Lee]

Still cutting the chamber

Almost there, chamber has been cut. Just check headspace and go slow, cut .001-.002 and use the micrometer stop you see attached to the reamer to make the final cuts. It's a lot easier to use it than rely on just the readout on the lathe.

Finished w/ the chamber

Now to chamfer some sharp corners down

We mocked it up in the stock, everything fit great together, it headspaces .001 over min SAAMI spec and should be a hammer with some 162AMAX bullets.

Next time we'll cut the crown and thread it for a suppressor

 

[BurnedOutGeek]

Awesome work and writeup!

We'll have to get all 3 out there to compare and play. I'm very happy with the 162's thus far. Once the new extractor is in I'll be ready to play

 

[K.Lee]

Awesome work and writeup!

We'll have to get all 3 out there to compare and play. I'm very happy with the 162's thus far. Once the new extractor is in I'll be ready to play

I'm really happy with the 162's so far. I do prefer the 180 hybrids, but.... the hornady bullet is 1/2 the cost and only 1/10th mil difference in 10mph wind at 1000yds vs the 180.

I'm pushing them 3050 in my current rifle and will try to shorten the barrel and push them around 3000 with a shorter barrel. I'm currently using Reloader 17, however I have some H4831SC and H4350 to play with as well.

 

[Jon]

This may seem like a stupid question, but what type of chuck are you using?

It almost looks like a modified collet chuck.

Also, for work like what is being shown, is there an advantage to using the setup pictured above over using a collet setup?

 

[K.Lee]

We use this over the 3 or 4 jaw because it's a lot easier to adjust and get the barrel to true. With the 4 jaw chuck the threads are so coarse that getting fine adjustments (few ten thousandths) is hard to dial. we have a 6 jaw on order which is what we will be using in the future.

The chuck we are using is just a 4 fine thread screw chuck, it has brass tips on the screws so we don't gouge the barrel or other workpiece. Using the finer threads we are able to adjust more precisely than with the standard 4 jaw.

As far as using a collet, I honestly don't know. The collet would have to be clamped in and then you would have to move the entire setup trying to get the barrel dialed in.

All the barrels I've seen in a lathe are a little 'out of round' they are drilling a 30+inch hole down them and the drill bits walk. You have to set up the lathe to make cuts concentric to the bore. We pushed the reamer & pilot in about four inches so we usually stick the range rod in that depth and a little more so we are cutting concentric to that specific part of the bore. When we thread the muzzle end we usually go two to three inches deep.

We also make sure the high portion of the muzzle end is timed to face up. Picture a banana. We want the curve to be facing up so we are using as little of our windage adjustment as possible.

 

[K.Lee]

Well, she got finished up today: crowned the barrel & threaded the muzzle end for suppressor. Now we just need to see how she shoots.

 

[BurnedOutGeek]

Which can is that? Same one you had on the other 7?

 

[K.Lee]

That's an SAS 762 can, its about 1.5" shorter and a little smaller diameter, however its heavier too.

 

[Jon]

K.Lee,

Thanks for the details!
That all works for me.
Set-Tru/Adjust-Tru chucks are a marvel, just wish I could afford one (even though I couldn't justify the expense for every-now-and-then-hobby stuff).
The six jaws with longer surface engagement will add a LOT of rigidity/stability to your setup.
Not to mention speeding things up by being able to take fewer, heavier cuts.

I can't tell from the pics, were you threading in reverse (bit facing down)?
That is my preferred method, whenever possible.

Your work looks impressive, keep the pics coming, I enjoy witnessing good, precise, clean work being done.

 

[K.Lee]

Thanks for all the kind words, I can't take credit for the machines, as they are not mine. We are doing the work together and are learning as we go along. We are not machinists by trade, but really enjoy hobbyist gunsmithing. We are hoping there may be a future in it, but for now just hobbyist and learning.

Yes, we are threading in reverse, it seems much easier that way.

 

[Beef_Supreme]

Reverse threading is safer, makes a cleaner start, and you don't have to worry with any relief. It's a nice way to go, there is a tool out there that actually makes it even easier, but the inserts are an enormous amount of money so care is definetly the rule. Nice job.

 

[Remshooter]

Impressive, Thanks for sharing. I always admire good machine work. I was not blessed in the mechanical skills area, so I am always amazed at what some of the people on this site are capable of.

 

[Beef_Supreme]

AWWWWWWWWWWWW. I'm tetched

 

[K.Lee]

Thanks guys, should get to see how it shoots soon, spent today grill shopping and breaking that in.

 

[Revolverman567]

kyle,

this looks awesome, a 7 wsm was on my to do/buy list for a long time but now i dont think it will be moving forward soon, but id love to find out how this one shoots and performs at range,

my 5r 308 is getting very boring these days so I need to do something new... wizzum would be fun!