[Bamban]

Finally we completed Project 8888

Project Manager : Ripsaw
Contributor: Blademaker, for drilling and tapping the screw hole in the rear lug; Geeck to keep Rip entertained; and Dan, my FFL
Supplier: 7.62MM, Chris

This M14 project started with the intent to have a truck and carry rifle whenever I make the trip to SoTex, but I wanted a special serial number to commemorate my expat days in China. The number 8 is the lucky number is Chinese custom. Do you remember the last Olympics, 2008, 8th day of the 8th month and lighting ceremony at 8 past 8? That was by design.

I contacted Ripsaw to see if he can use his relationship with Chris to get me 8888 in rear lug configuration. Chris and Rip made it happen. I had been hoarding my all TRW, bolt, op rod, and TG for this built. Though walnut would have been fine for stock, but I wanted something stable and strong enough to handle sling shooting. McM is out for the weight, thus the laminated stock. For barrel I was hoping J Wolfe will have a fluted 22 inches, but I can't wait, I had to use an old SAI standard weight barrel stamped "NM" (I too can stamp anything NM so I really do not know what the barrel is) I wanted to keep the weight as light as I can since this will be my walk-around-the-sendero rifle.

The bedding is Ripsaw's proprietary, if you are interested in getting the details on his bedding technique contact him. My impression on the receiver is more than satisfactory, everything lined up, barrel indexed properly, no unnecessary adjustment on anything.

I had to fit the rear sight to the receiver. Currently the rear sight system is the standard base and windage, and for me to use my normal + 2.0 lens I bedded a hooded .0520 aperture to the base for slop free operation.. 8888 will eventualy wear ball and detent.

The front end is all NM prepped, FH and gas system.

Here are some pics I snapped with my Droid, not the best clarity, too lazy to use my other cameras.

Range time maybe tomorrow or early next week.

My big THANK YOU to Ripsaw, Chris, and Blademaker for helping me on this project.

 

[Al Mack]

Nice, I'll be waiting for the range report. Congratulations!

 

[brycom1]

Looks mighty purdy. I need to start saving for another m14. I getting the itch again

 

[GoingDeaf]

Good looking rifle, Nez. Sure it will shoot as well as your other ones.

Hope to make it to Austin and Houston in September, to get some trigger time in before Camp Swift, if my eye isn't causing problems. See you out there.

 

[Bamban]

Good looking rifle, Nez. Sure it will shoot as well as your other ones.

Hope to make it to Austin and Houston in September, to get some trigger time in before Camp Swift, if my eye isn't causing problems. See you out there.

There are a few of us from our club planning on shooting in a 3-day match at Camp Robinson in Arkansas including a LEG match the weekend before Swift. Please join us.

 

[bd111]

That laminated furniture will give you all the stiffness you need for a tight sling. Those Wilson copies of the early SA (MA) NM chrome-moly GI-contour barrel were good shooters and surprisingly durable for wear. I've still got one pretty much box-stock in standard SAI walnut from early'80's except it's glass-bedded with a real good trigger (Paul L) and a screwed/glued front end and 1/2 min rear sight. Easiest-handling M1A that I own. Barrel draw keeps the bullet impact within a click b/t standing (parade) or sitting (tight sling). I used to nail some good scores with it. You're welcome to shoot it while my eye's under bionic reconstruction.

 

[Bamban]

That laminated furniture will give you all the stiffness you need for a tight sling. Those Wilson copies of the early SA (MA) NM chrome-moly GI-contour barrel were good shooters and surprisingly durable for wear. I've still got one pretty much box-stock in standard SAI walnut from early'80's except it's glass-bedded with a real good trigger (Paul L) and a screwed/glued front end and 1/2 min rear sight. Easiest-handling M1A that I own. Barrel draw keeps the bullet impact within a click b/t standing (parade) or sitting (tight sling). I used to nail some good scores with it. You're welcome to shoot it while my eye's under bionic reconstruction.

I might take you up on it. Thanks.

 

[JD Russell]

The current offerings from 7.62 are some of the nicest commerical receivers I've seen, i didn't know they did lugged receivers - Looks like you have a keeper!!

 

[Bamban]

The current offerings from 7.62 are some of the nicest commerical receivers I've seen, i didn't know they did lugged receivers - Looks like you have a keeper!!

JD,

Thank you. I think this may be the first lugged one they produced. I certainly appreciate their willingness to accommodate a special serial number though went through Ripsaw for the request. Maybe he talked Chris into it, nonetheless I got my 8888.

 

[spy 2551]

Rear luged receivers

jd,

thank you. I think this may be the first lugged one they produced. I certainly appreciate their willingness to accommodate a special serial number though went through ripsaw for the request. Maybe he talked chris into it, nonetheless i got my 8888.

we now have avil rear luged units for 849.00
they will be on web site soon unit bthen call 440-655-8572
thanks for you support
semper fi di5

 

[BlunderDog]

The current offerings from 7.62 are some of the nicest commerical receivers I've seen, i didn't know they did lugged receivers - Looks like you have a keeper!!

I have a collection of every manufacturer that ever made m14's and my 762MM Firearms made ones are my favorite. The early SEI is a close second, but true hammer forged is a no brainer over billet. No disrespect meant Ron or Andy. I am lucky though, I even got a good Entreprise rifle built by Ted Brown, and a good Fed. Ord. Even a blind hog finds an acorn ever now and then.

Congratulations Bamban ! That is one awesome looking rifle. I can not wait to see what you can do with it. Please post pics of targets when U can. Tell us more about this proprietary bedding process, or do you have any pictures? Or does proprietary mean secret ? I apologize if I am asking your secrets from a champion. If you don't want to say, I understand. Give no ammo to competitors to beat you with. BTW, congratulations on your Camp Perry showing too !! Excellent shooting to place where you did and considering the worldwide class competition against you. You make this forum proud.

 

[Bamban]

Congratulations Bamban ! That is one awesome looking rifle. I can not wait to see what you can do with it. Please post pics of targets when U can. Tell us more about this proprietary bedding process, or do you have any pictures? Or does proprietary mean secret ? .

BD,

I did not do the bedding, Ripsaw did. He does something different, maybe unconventional, more reason for me to try out. I retired form the semiconductor industry where continuous improvement, innovation, and challenging the conventional mind is the norm. If you have been doing the same thing over and over, that is good reason in itself to challenge the process, just like my straight through reamed FH. Unfortunately the bedding is Ripsaw's, not mine to tell since I really do not know enough to articulate the process.

My four match prepped 14s were bedded or re-bedded by the Comet. One more is heading his way once I get it back from re-barreling.

 

[Bamban]

I have a collection of every manufacturer that ever made m14's and my 762MM Firearms made ones are my favorite. The early SEI is a close second, but true hammer forged is a no brainer over billet. No disrespect meant Ron or Andy. I am lucky though, I even got a good Entreprise rifle built by Ted Brown, and a good Fed. Ord. Even a blind hog finds an acorn ever now and then.

Congratulations Bamban ! That is one awesome looking rifle. I can not wait to see what you can do with it. Please post pics of targets when U can. Tell us more about this proprietary bedding process, or do you have any pictures? Or does proprietary mean secret ? .

BlunderDog,


As a follow up to your question on the bedding, I asked Rip for his comment. Here is his response unedited for your reading pleasure. Just got it.


"Hello Mr. Rongero,
In response to your questions about my bedding process, it is as usual, an unconvential approach to problems, as I have always been prone to do. A thinking outside of the box type thing. The thought occurred to me that the standard method of bedding used by most armorers would or could cause weekness in the liner aspect of it all. Notwithstanding the ones that remove the liner all together and bed the entire area. I also thought that the removal of said liner would make it weaker because steel is always harder than bedding. This got me thinking as to which way could I use steel and bedding in harmony to create the strongest and most durable system that showed longivity of bedding compounds.

As most builders will cut the front and back down on the liner to relieve it enough to get substantial bedding material between the liner and wood of the stock, I opted for what I call my Sharktooth & Tower Ledge System. ( Fancy name for...Let's try something different: had to get "Different's" name in there in case you shared this with others and he sees it...heh heh...Being he is the worlds foremost authority on the M14's history and developements, I figured he would want to know this system developement and where it originated. To my knowledge, I am the only one that uses it, and it came directly out of my head and ideas.....dangerous ! Me thinking ,that is.) Basically it is just what it sounds like. Where the front and back are usually cut down on the liner, I leave all the existing steel from the factory as designed, on the forward and rear of the liner, and increase the overall bearing surfaces of bedding material by cutting a series of triangles in the liner that resemble the shape of a sharks mouth full of teeth that you see when looking at boiled heads leaving only the jaws. I then relieve the wood itself to gain wider purchase and grip on the stock.

The "Tower" part of it is the angled and beveled 3/8" wide or so, relief cuts, just above the liner bottom, that extend all the way up to the top of the stock and support the bottom of the receiver. Also in the rear liner area doing the same thing for the center of the receiver. These are filled with steel bedding compound and continue to the stock ledge at the very top of where the receiver sits, and stop a little short of where the glass compound will be when finished. In essence creating what others call pillars. If you look into the glass at the top, you will see the steel towers in there on your rifle. Strictly to support the glass and give me a foundation to start my five "lift" bedding process with the glass. More about that later. Other armorers cut all the wood out from liner front to the front of the receiver, and fill with bedding compound, like Kuhnhausen's book shows, but the thought also occurred to me that your requirements listed and projected use of the rifle would indicate that my system should work well in the environment for which it was intended. In other words, I felt the wood left between the towers would add strength over and above doing solid bedding in this area.

The "Ledge" part of it in my nomenclature of the systems name is the lift system I use and designed. Where most guys cut away or route varying degrees of wood from the top of the stock to accept bedding material, and drill what I call footing holes, I leave very little original wood ledge for the receiver to sit on. Just enough to hold it in place, and for the pilot or footing holes, I use what is known in the construction trade as bell footings. This is where the bottom of the drilled pilot hole is wallowed out , or wider in the bottom than the top to make a cross section picture of it look like a bell, in essence creating more bearing surface, and making it stronger. I learned this from working many years with concrete and have seen some amazing things. Such as, every last stilted house blown away by a hurricane, except the one with bell footings in the foundation. hence my use of it applied to the M14.

Now to the lifts. I really like using Acraglass but most prefer the gel for this type product, for ease of use in these oddball angles and areas on an M14. It just won't sit still and runs everywhere. So I go back to the support towers I installed earlier, and build aluminum shim bridges or "ledges" to hold the runny acraglass from spilling out, and commence bedding lifts. Because Acraglass has a tendency to shrink, I use very slight lifts in height at a time, to minimize shrinkage and air bubbles. This is a royal pain in the butt and is work intensive. As you know, it took six weeks on yours, and if you look closely on it, out of a total of 20 mixing sessions and countless curing days, I ended up with only six tiny bubbles on the right side of the receiver, and six on the left. All were in the last lift, which is good, because when it comes time for a refresh, if ever, they can be drilled or pricked to hollow, and filled before skimming it. Like magic, they will be gone. Just lucky they came in the last lift ? Yes ! I was. They should have no adverse effect on the rifles function or accuracy. They are too small to do so, and too spread out on the ledge to amount to anything. Was I upset upon seeing them ? Yes, I am somewhat of a perfectionist. I almost drilled them out and refilled, but I shot it first and it shot too well to mess with it anymore. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Only the very last lift did I use the receiver locked in place to bed it, and the last two lifts on the rear lug area because it was so thick. I like lots of steel and glass around my lugs for support. Another part of my system that I haven't named or discussed yet, is the bridge or blocked area forward of the rear lug and above the trigger group actuation area. This is for strength and longivity also, but may best be left like crime scene info. from the investigators trying to catch the culprit. Not released or talked about. Upon disassembly about 2-4 seasons down the road, you will see the relationship it shares with the aforementioned center receiver support. I know, I know....unconventional. I would say to others, don't knock it till you try it. As for this last aspect of the system...Shhh

Best Regards,.....Rip."

 

[BlunderDog]

Thank you Mr. Bamban. That is what I wanted to know. I do not fully understand all the technicalities of it, but it sounds reasonable that it would work as well as any other method. Again, congratulations on your rifle and good luck with your competition shooting. You make us all proud here to be associated with you.

 

[Bamban]

Range Time with 8888

First up shows 3 SR1 targets. I normally do not shoot at 100 yards but with the heavy mirage and not knowing how the sights on this one run, I tested it at 100 from the bench just to eliminate the wooble factor of the trigger jerker. First shot on paper was the on at 2. clicked over and down netted the shot at 1030, clicked down and got the 9 o'clock shot, one more right and I was centered. Fired the group.

Here is a close up of the group. There are five shots in the X ring

I let the rifle cool down while I shot my number 1 gun at the 200 yard range. This picture shows the group fired slung up and jacket to see if the system can take the sling tension. Did not do any mag changes, just filled up the magasine with 19 rounds and went to town on the same target I used to center up.

I am totally satisfied with the rig considering it was designed as a walk around rifle when I make the trip down by the border, the accuracy is more than sufficient for the purpose considering the skinny standard barrel is unproven commodity with unknown quality, a used one I picked up on the web.

The ammo used was LC 89 M852s.

At this point there is no need for further testing, just load the mags with the same ammo.

Thanks to Rip for the bedding job and stock work, and Thank you 7.62MM Firearms for manufacturing 8888 for me. An excellent product.

 

[geeck]

I got to see that rifle up close and personal, and true Rip did a great job, on the finish and the bedding. And it's cool to own the FIRST rear lug 762mm receiver with a special SN# no less.

But it sure doesn't hurt that the "nut behind the stock" knows how to use his tools. GI6

 

[tonyben]

Congrats Bamban! It's a nice rifle and I'm happy it all came together for you.

Tony.

 

[M14xman]

have been reading about this 762 company and sound like soon i will see about one. very nice stock, where did you get it.good shooting for 200. i can not do that god at 100. congratulations.

 

[Bamban]

have been reading about this 762 company and sound like soon i will see about one. very nice stock, where did you get it.good shooting for 200. i can not do that god at 100. congratulations.

I bought the stock on eBay about 4 years ago. Thank you, sorry the target was at 100. I really like the stiffness of the laminated stock yet it is light.

On the 7.62MM Firearms receiver I don't think you can go wrong. No affiliation with them just giving my observation judging on 8888.

 

[250Keith]

Nice shooter!! I like the stock also.