Thread: Short barrel F-PR rifle build in .308

With current 6.5 projectile scarcity, I wanted to build a new short barrelled 308 to use in F-PR shooting to give my 6.5 PRC a break... shortly after it was finished I managed to find a couple of thousand 6.5 projectiles but such is life, I guess I'll keep the new one as well...

I have always like the Howa stainless heavy barrel actions that be be acquired for under a grand, so that's the direction I went. The bonus is that the factory 2 stage trigger can be modified easily to break under a pound beautifully.

I had a bunch of stuff sitting around, including a MFT AR stock, MDT vertical grip (change from ergo grip pictured), SSRNZ 308 suppressor, and a couple of 308 p-mags so they got donated to the cause as well



I'm a fan of the MDT LSS chassis systems, so grabbed one of them, and I picked up a Bushnell XRS2 4.5-30x 50 new, but at an insanely good price (given they were moving them before the XRS3 was released)... Amazingly good glass and all round scope.

The cheek weld on an MFT stock on a precision rifle is far too low, and whatever cheek riser MFT used to make doesn't exist anymore so I took the adjustable cheek piece from an MDT Skeleton stock and milled the top of the MFT stock flat to accept it, a bit of JB weld and Bob's your aunty. All that was left to do was chuck it all together...



Came out rather well I think... but far far too pointy, loud, and long for my liking... A trip over to see my mate Scott and we had the barrel OD turned down to fit inside the suppressor, and shortened to 13.5 inches because it seems like a good round number.

So, the final product is what I'll be using this coming season, with first hand loads using a 150 SST, VV N530, Lapua small rifle primer brass I managed 2650fps and the groups at 200m.. well they speak for themselves...





Now waiting for a drop in levels to refine the load a little more and just get out to shoot generally...Cheers all, have a good weekend

If anybody is curious, the entire little project including optics came in at 3.5k

C

Very nice.
Them Howas sure can shoot.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Very nice.
Them Howas sure can shoot.

They sure can, up with match grade barrels if you get a good one.

A great result. At what range do you think it will drop below supersonic?

What powder you running?

Originally Posted by May BE

A great result. At what range do you think it will drop below supersonic?

Drops transonic at just over 900 yards.

Originally Posted by Hunty1

What powder you running?

VV N530

Oh easy, I get my 4 year old to shoot it

13" Barrel?????? Wow not bad ballistics at all if the case!

Yeah it's going well with fast powder, I have a 10 inch one as well but you loose just a bit much velocity to get past about 700m 12-14inch is about the limit for bringing speed back up to near "normal" levels.