Jason’s 338-375 Ruger Build

[Jason]

Life started out as a stainless Savage 116 30.06 in JeffRaines gun safe until February 2019, then I bought it. Not sure what I wanted to do with it at first because I’m not a fan of the 30.06 cartridge. Then after talking Yorke and Jasnt I decided I wanted to build a 338-375 Ruger for my upcoming Moose hunt. Rifle looked something like this.
(Not my photos because I forgot to take one).

[Jason]

Being on a budget I decided to try sourcing all the parts online through all the various resources for gun parts. I sold the Barrel, mag and stock to a fellow member in Vancouver for $100.
The first thing I found for my build was a HS Precision stock of long range shooting, bonus was the 3.850 bottom metal that was on the stock.

[Jason]

I found a X-Caliber 338 1-9 twist 28” barrel on another forum. At this point I’m quickly realizing that I’m going away from building a lighter weight hunting rifle 

After doing lots of googling about the 338-375 I found a guy selling a PTG reamer and go gauge for $100 I couldn’t pass that up even knowing Yorke was going to lend me his.

After the barrel sat on my bench for three months I sent it to a gun builder in the Midwest who threaded it for my Savage small shank, chambered it and threaded the muzzle 5/8x24. And back to my door in less than two weeks. Barrel finished at 27” and .790 at the muzzle.

[jasnt]

Looking forward to your results

[Jason]

One issue I had to deal with is this action was factory built as a bottom bolt release. I wasn’t a fan of this. I was able to source online the sear that is used in the top bolt release actions. Everything else was identical. My biggest issue was that this action did not have the milled flat area to use this sear. So after more google searching I found that other guys would just bend the new sear to fit in between the action and the stock. I’m the type of person who doesn’t like to do things half ash. Picture of stock action.

[Jason]

I enlisted the help of a friend to mill out the action to use the new sear/bolt release.

[Jason]

I built a barrel vise and an action wrench. I used my friends lathe to get the holes close to the right size.
The bolt lugs were matched up with action lugs pretty well from the factory. I didn't have much lapping to do to them. After the lapping I polished the lugs.
Next was to assemble and set the head spacing. That was pretty easy for the most part, other than second guessing myself a few times.

[Jason]

As parts continued coming in I was left with the toughest decision of the build, what color to Duracoat the action and barrel? After weeks of adding and subtracting items from my Duracoat cart I settled on Vortex Stealth Shadow. Warne steel scope base, Badger USMC Rings 34mm, MBM Beast 4 port brake.

[Jason]

In order to Duracoat stainless and have it stick well Duracoat advised me to blast it with 120 grit or finer. Off to harbor freight I went and picked up a blast cabinet.
Now how the heck am I going to fit a 36” long barreled action in a 30” wide cabinet? (Not my picture but same cabinet).

[Jason]

After spending an hour in Home Depot I left with some plumbing parts and an idea I was hoping would work (you won’t find this on google, until now).

[Alchase]

Awesome, Thanks for all the pics and details!

How do you like that Steiner?

[Jason]

Awesome, Thanks for all the pics and details!

How do you like that Steiner?

Glass is nice, but I have yet to get out and really use it.

[Jason]

Sand blasting went very well.

[Jason]

I picked up a threaded bolt handle a tactical knob from. Glades Armory.

[Jason]

After blasting everything that was to be duracoated now time for the painting. I have never ever painted anything that required spray gun. So I watched a lot of YouTube videos. The Duracoat went on really good. I even surprised myself.