What would you do with a 408 Chey-Tac sized action?

[yorketransport]

A buddy is trying to convince me to buy a Stiller Tac 408 action that he found for sale. I'm not sure what I'd do with it, so let's hear some suggestions.

My first thought was a "pistol" of some kind, but it's a repeater action. I was considering a shortened and improved 408 case necked down to 375 with a long neck. Sort of like a 6mm BR on steroids.  A full length Chey Tac case would just be pointless in a 19" barrel. I have no interest in a 408 and my 375 BME is already nipping at the heels of the 375 Chey-Tac. I'm thinking that this would end up being a wildcat project of some kind.

Andrew

[kentrek]

So what would you want your "375 br" to achieve ? It's intriguing but what would be the difference between that an you bme ? Beings that your a pistol fan this is tricky...

Why not go down to 338 call with the br idea ? That could be fun on yotes 

[Skillet]

.17 Chey-Tac?  By my calc's, a 44" tube should get you about 5410 fps, but with a barrel life that might be a bit on the short side.

[yorketransport]

So what would you want your "375 br" to achieve ? It's intriguing but what would be the difference between that an you bme ? Beings that your a pistol fan this is tricky...

The only real goal is to turn money in to noise.

My biggest issue with the BME is the short neck on my case. A longer neck would be useful with the 350gr and heavier solids. Plus the BR style short/fat cases have proven to be more efficient in general than a long/skinny case of similar capacity. It seems like a Chey-Tac case that's been cut to 2.700" (the length of the 338 Lapua) and improved would give the same case capacity as my BME in addition to a longer neck. I'm happy with the velocities that I get from my BME, so the only real change I want to make is a longer neck.

A while back I suggested to the same guy who found the action, a shortened 408 case necked down to 7mm. He started complaining about barrel life, inefficiencies, impracticality, blah, blah, blah. I think he's just afraid to admit what a great idea it was.

Andrew

[kentrek]

I like where your heads at 

If you could still get 200 grain 7mm bullets (maybe you can ?)  That would be awesome

200 grain wildcat @ 3800 Fps 

[Biggerhammer]

Hmmmmmm, something in a .416 flavor may be interesting.

[yorketransport]

I like where your heads at 

If you could still get 200 grain 7mm bullets (maybe you can ?)  That would be awesome

200 grain wildcat @ 3800 Fps 

I still have 964 of these in my garage.  I'm running them in my 7mm RUM at 3150 fps. The 190gr Matrix VLD is no slouch either! I haven't played with those yet.

Andrew

[kentrek]

I like where your heads at 

If you could still get 200 grain 7mm bullets (maybe you can ?)  That would be awesome

200 grain wildcat @ 3800 Fps 

I still have 964 of these in my garage. 

Andrew

Somebody has there head on there shoulders 

I have no experience with matrix either....but I know where a few 175 270 cals are....you'd be changing barrels like underwear....better stick with 7mm an up 

Anything 7mm to 338 with an awesome bc would be cool..might be a flop but it definitely would not be a waste of time in my opinion

[Biggerhammer]

Ha! Yorke has the heavies covered in the .277 diameter also, with plety of case behind them.

[kentrek]

Ha! Yorke has the heavies covered in the .277 diameter also, with plety of case behind them.

But does he have THAT much case behind them 

 

[yorketransport]

Ha! Yorke has the heavies covered in the .277 diameter also, with plety of case behind them.

But does he have THAT much case behind them 

 

Not that much, just a RUM case. One of these days I'll have time to actually play with the stuff I have. Between the 160 grain Matrix bullets in the 6.5 Badger, the 165s in the 270 RUM, and the 200gr Wildcats in the 7mm RUM, I think I have the heavy VLDs covered.

Now If I could just get my hands on some of the 425gr 375 caliber Rocky Mountain bullets, I'd be good to go for the 375 Bench Rest project. I think I need to buy this action!

Andrew

[kentrek]

That's alot of cool toys 

I really really really wana build a 8ish pound 270 ultra ......


Good luck on the build 

[jay.sharkbait]

A buddy is trying to convince me to buy a Stiller Tac 408 action that he found for sale. I'm not sure what I'd do with it, so let's hear some suggestions.

My first thought was a "pistol" of some kind, but it's a repeater action. I was considering a shortened and improved 408 case necked down to 375 with a long neck. Sort of like a 6mm BR on steroids.  A full length Chey Tac case would just be pointless in a 19" barrel. I have no interest in a 408 and my 375 BME is already nipping at the heels of the 375 Chey-Tac. I'm thinking that this would end up being a wildcat project of some kind.

Andrew

I'd like to put that action on the granite at work..

For hysterical reasons only

[yorketransport]

That's alot of cool toys 

I really really really wana build a 8ish pound 270 ultra ......


Good luck on the build 

I have the 270 RUM reamer any time you want it. 

I'd like to put that action on the granite at work..

For hysterical reasons only

If I actually follow through with this, we can make that happen. 

Andrew

[kentrek]

Definitely keep that in mind 

Thanks !

[rbros]

I have a 375 snipe tac reamer if you want to borrow it

[WoodlandShooter]

That's alot of cool toys 

I really really really wana build a 8ish pound 270 ultra ......


Good luck on the build 

I have the 270 RUM reamer any time you want it. 

I'd like to put that action on the granite at work..

For hysterical reasons only

If I actually follow through with this, we can make that happen. 

Andrew

270 RUM??? Holy Smokes....with a 165 Matrix? Holy smokes batman....how fast is that? how accurate was it??? How many rounds till it was toast???

[Biggerhammer]

Let's just say when your .270 Win is in 5th. The .270 RUM is still in first and the Winnie is already sucking RUM fumes.

[yorketransport]

I have a 375 snipe tac reamer if you want to borrow it

Do you have much experience with the Snipe Tac? It's one of the rounds I've considered. I just found out that Bartlein is doing a run of .375 bore gain twist barrels soon (end of February I think) and this seems like the perfect reason to order one. A 1-14"-1-7.5" transition rifled barrel would be the perfect barrel for a Snipe Tac shooting the 400+ grain solids.

I just with the Snipe Tac had a less annoying name!

270 RUM??? Holy Smokes....with a 165 Matrix? Holy smokes batman....how fast is that? how accurate was it??? How many rounds till it was toast???

I haven't had much time to play with the 270 RUM yet. The only work I've done so far has been with the 140gr Ballistic Tips at about 3550 fps. The 165s should hit just about 3400 when I get a chance to play with them. The 140s are shooting under .5 MOA while doing pressure testing. In fact 10 shots with 10 different powder  charges went into a 100 yard group that measured about .75". To be fair though, the rifle (a switch barrel in 270 RUM, 7mm RUM, and 338 Edge) was built by Jim Borden on one of his BRM actions using Krieger barrels. If that rifle isn't shooting well then it's all my fault, not the gun's! Barrel life is probably going to be in the 900-1000 round range. I'm not too worried about it though. I only shoot about 15 shot per trip out of each barrel. It's usually 3 shots, swap barrels, 3 shots, then swap again. I have enough projects going that it will take me 2 life times to shoot out most of the barrels I have.

Let's just say when your .270 Win is in 5th. The .270 RUM is still in first and the Winnie is already sucking RUM fumes.

Andrew

[Biggerhammer]

Ooooooh! You totally scored on that rifle barrel combo set up! Worth every penny. Does the .270 RUM have a  40 degree shoulder?

[yorketransport]

Ooooooh! You totally scored on that rifle barrel combo set up! Worth every penny. Does the .270 RUM have a  40 degree shoulder?

Nope. It's just a 7 RUM necked down. I bet an improved version would add 75-100 fps with each bullet weight.

This rifle is still the best deal I ever got in all my years of hustling and shuffling guns. That's not even including the 270 RUM reamer, the 1000 200gr Wildcat 7mm bullets or the 500 brand new 7mm RUM cases. That's $1500 worth of components right there! It makes up for all the times I paid too much for something that I thought I needed!

Andrew

[b23]

Kirby Allen (APS Rifles) has a 270AM (Allen Magnum) that uses the 300 RUM parent case with his signature 35 degree shoulder.  There's a couple guys on LRH that have them and really like them.  I think they're shooting the 169.5 Wildcat bullets that they stock piled when they were still available.  I guess they shoot really well. 

[rbros]

I wasn't wild about the name either and the customer wanted it something different so it was marked a 375 cheytac imp.   If I remember right the 350 smk's were running at 3300 in a 30" barrel. Wasn't a top end load but shot well. 

[Hornseeker]

350s at 3300... 

[Biggerhammer]

350s at 3300... 

That's a heavy hitter!

[b23]

I wasn't wild about the name either and the customer wanted it something different so it was marked a 375 cheytac imp.   If I remember right the 350 smk's were running at 3300 in a 30" barrel. Wasn't a top end load but shot well.

Travis, what did you think of the brass quality for the 408 based stuff?  I've heard the old stuff is best and it gradually went down hill from there.  Also was told buy a pretty good gunsmith, that had a 338-408 Imp. they were really hard on barrels, as in 600rnds and done.  I'd bet the 375 cal would be a lot better though.

[rbros]

Jamison brass was hit or miss in quality. Not sure if the new 408 stuff is any better.  The 338 version is hard on barrels. The 375 is a little better but not much. Barrel life shouldn't be a huge concern when building rifles of this size. 

[yorketransport]

I wasn't wild about the name either and the customer wanted it something different so it was marked a 375 cheytac imp.   If I remember right the 350 smk's were running at 3300 in a 30" barrel. Wasn't a top end load but shot well.

It's hard to argue with the velocities that the Snipe Tac can put out there. 3300 with a 350 makes my 375 BME seem a little on the lame side!

I managed to trade my way into a few new, unfired Chey Tac cases just to give me a little motivation for this project. I think I have an idea what I want to do with the case now. I just needed to have one in my hand to inspire me. I'll start drawing up a few different reamer prints this weekend.

Now all I need to do is buy an action. The one I originally was looking at was a repeater and I'd rather run off of a single shot.

Andrew

[Biggerhammer]

With cartridges that size and with the distace their used at, I would go with a solid single shot action also.

[elkslayer069]

408 necked down to 338 338 snipe tec I believe it's called guy here in town just finished building his