[ChopperGuy]

I've finally got my 6.8 LEFTY bolt gun project together (at least all the parts to the gun smith.) This rifle is intended to be the one I carry with me all the time in my pick up truck. It'll do duty as one of my deer rifles for local hunting and possibly traveling a bit. I wanted the magazine fed feature to stay in legal as fire arms here can not have loaded magazines even when cased in a vehicle.

I started with a CZ 527 lefty .223. Acquired CZ527 7.62x39 bottom metal, magazines, and a take off Remington 270 stainless barrel.

Discussions with the smith doing the work have us planning on a different scope mounting set up (preferably some form of low mount Weaver style bases for a better quality QD scope attachment) and possibly a set of high visibility sights to make it easy for my poor near vision to see them enough to make them a useful item.

When it all comes back to me, I'll shoot it a bit to see if there's any tweeking needed. Then it'll possibly go some where for refinishing and I'll consider some synthetic stock options even though left handed options for this rifle are limited.

I'll post some pictures when she comes home to me.

Now for the waiting....

Well the wait is over -

The 6.8 came home today and I'm pleased to say the least!

Barrel is at 19", bottom metal and mags from 7.62x39 (feed well, may need a bit of tweeking), glass beded, iron sights are the Williams Fire Eyes (for my tired near vision eyes , and nicely recrowned.

It goes to the range tomorrow with several types of ammo to test. It may go to Montana on thursday for my prong horn hunt. I'll use my other rifle for the buck tag. May use this one for the additional doe after that.

I'll let you know how it shoots.

A couple more pics:

 

[ChopperGuy]

Cold:

I wondered if you would notice the Blaser calendar in the background. :lol:

Actually the 6.7x57R is in a Krieghoff Hubertus. I owned the K95, but it was very left handed shooter unfriendly with placement of extractor and shroud over the cartridge so I traded it for the Hubertus which now has 6.5x57R, .30-06 (came with rifle) and 9.3x74R barrels for it. Pretty good battery for most any hunting.

The R93 barrels also cover a wide range of left hand friendly calibers from .223 to 9.3x64 Br (and soon to have a 400 H&H when they become available) in my safe, just figured the first prong horn hunt had to be with a single shot rifle.

Also, forgot to add that I'd like to thank RealTeacher for his great technical advice on the 6.8 project rifle.

One thing I need to figure out is how to find a lower scope mounting system for this 6.8. The stock CZ rings are WAY too high for the rifle. Warne does list some med high rings, but every one that carries them that I've been able to locate have them back ordered or not available.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[ChopperGuy]

Well i took it to the range today since I had to re-zero my R93 any how and had pretty good success.

It really liked the Silver State loads of the Barnes TSX & Triple Shock bullets.

I fired 60 plus rounds through it today. Cleaning and cooling it all along.

These were the last 15 out of it. 10 TSX fired fairly quickly, barrel let cool, and then shooting 5 Triple shocks.

They both shot to same point when I did my part.

Found out one thing, I can't use any lower scope mounts as the bolt lift just clears the scope eye piece as it sits now. Just looks like the scope should be sitting lower to me. Guess I'll get used to it and as long as it shoots this well, I'll keep it for what it is.

The 200 yard targets were more than acceptable. I didn't keep one as it had too many holes in it from more than one rifle. Very acceptable, about 1 MOA group at 200.

A few feeding glitches that seem to be more of a break in problem than anything else as they got to be less of a problem as the afternoon progressed.

Nice utility rifle, in a great little caliber that should serve it's niche well.

WHAT NEXT???

 

[ChopperGuy]

Never been much of a Barnes fan - German hard steel guns get so badly copper fouled with them it drives me crazy.

However, I have a buck and doe tag so the new 6.8 stuffed with the TSX bullets will come out after the buck tag is filled.

I'll report back next week when I return.

 

[ChopperGuy]

Well, I tagged up on a nice buck (Still not as big as the others in our group with buck tags), but it was my first pronghorn hunt and I'm happy with it.

Waited until F224 tagged his buck to search for the doe with the 6.8. Hunted until the last possible moment, but never got one in range.

Probably the most fun big game hunting I've ever done in the USA. Love the spot & stalk. Put on 20 miles a day. GREAT FUN. Got close to many, shots in the 35 mph wind were challenging, and the numbers of nice animals was impressive.

Next year I'm after the 16" + that got away!!

Well, the 6.8 CZ will be the first one out of the safe in 2 weeks for deer hunting here. they changed us from a intensive harvest (5 deer limit) to a management zone (2 deer limit). Even though there are as many deer her as I've ever seen. At least one has not run into my assigned car this fall yet. (That's another story.)

 

[ChopperGuy]

They'll all be on

http://www.blaserpro.com

as soon as F224 finishes writing up his account of the hunt.

I'll post a link to where I post pics as soon asI have time to down size them and put them there.

It was a great hunt. For me, the best big game hunting in the USA. Love that spot & stalk.

 

[ChopperGuy]

Got a big doe white tail with the 6.8 today.

Barnes bullets (TSX or Triple Shock) at 50 yards are WAY TOO MUCH BULLET on white tails.

First one hit perfectly and passed through like a solid. Big doe just stood there looking at me, even though well hit. She turned quartering away so I hit her again, dropped in her tracks. Very little meat damage - Good thing. Tiny entry and exit holes - Bad Thing.

Too bad my bolt gun does not like the Silver State 110 Sierra Pro hunter loads very well. I'll have to work up a load for this rifle using those bullets for deer hunting. The Barnes TSX & Triple Shock are better suited for long range or anti personnel/vehicle rounds through the AR. IMHO

Figures, My lefty Stag Arms 6.8 AR likes the Silver State Sierra loads better.

Well, now for the 12 point (6x6) that's been hanging around. Got the rest of the weekend and a buck tag that needs filling.