The Sourdough Survivor in 350 Remington Magnum

[Float Pilot]

This is a modified Ruger M77MKII All Weather in 350 Rem Mag. I was not very happy with it as it came out of the box. It was rather flashy and not very accurate.
SO... I changed a few things.

1. New muzzle crown
2. Polished feed ramp and bolt rails.
3. Installed front sight base.
4. Installed fiber optic front sight bead.
5. Bought a NEGC rear emergency peep sight.
6. Used Warne quick detach scope rings and a 2x7 Leupold.
7. Glass bed action and barrel channel ( It needed it with my warm hand-loads)
To include extra re-enforcement behind main action screw.
8. Install water tight storage area in butt stock.
9. Visually subdue stock and action
10. Store peep sight in stock compartment.
11. Cleaning cable, brush and patch eye in butt stock
12. Lube bottle in butt stock.
13. Add second sling attach points on left side so rifle can be slung like a pack while climbing using two slings.
14. Fill remaining stock voids with dense foam.

As it is now, it will fire the following at 0.50 to 1.00 MOA:

200 Grain Rem Spitzers at 3,000 fps
200 grain Barnes Triple Shocks at 2,890 fps

225 Sierra Game King at 2,800 fps
220 Speer semi sires at 2,800 fps
225 grain Kodiak Bonded at 2,800 fps.

250 Hornady Round and spitzer at 2,560 fps
250 Grain Nosler partitions at 2,500 fps

275 grain Barnes and Kodiak Bonded at 2,450 fps

 

[Float Pilot]

Here is the NEGC rear sight installed and the fiber optic rod style front sight. I modified the hood to allow light.

 

[philpost]

Nice!

 

[fireman 9731]

Sweet setup!

 

[KodiakBeer]

All business! I'm a great fan of the .350 Rem Mag and think it's the perfect Alaska rifle. I had mine built by the Remington custom shop using a Model Seven with laminated wood (like the original 600). It looks nice, but it will still take a beating. Warne detachable mount with a 1x5 Burris scope

The legend is that cartridge and rifle (Model 600) were designed with input from Alaskan bear guides. I don't know how true that is, but it's a very popular cartridge in those circles.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Float Pilot,

NOW THAT IS MY KIND OF RIG!! Awesome set up in a very usable AK caliber. I had never seen or heard of the double sling thing for climbing and I like it, wow what a cool idea!

I've got a .375H&H that I put together when I was living and flying in AK and it's pretty darn cool but if I had it to do over again I'd put some additions on it based on your rifle. In fact I might just do it anyway.

Thanks for the ideas....

 

[earlthegoat2]

Very nice working rifle in a very useful and much underappreciated cartridge.

Like the storage compartment and backup sight choice.

Unfortunately, I still like KodiakBeer's rifle better.

 

[Float Pilot]

Originally I wanted a M98 or P17 action in 35 Whelen when I started thinking about this project. But I only found one a day after I bought this rifle.

For this project I wanted:

1. Controlled Feed.
2. A safety that would lock the firing pin. (which the MKII does in the last position)
3. Stainless if possible.
4. A longer magazine box than the short action Remington's.
5. A rifling twist that will handle heavy bullets.

 

[Cosmoline]

That's a very good, practical setup. Worthy of a magazine article.

13. Add second sling attach points on left side so rifle can be slung like a pack while climbing using two slings.

As with the Finnish bicycle sling, this could be used for across-the-front carry as well. Add a quick release to the front swivel and you have instant bear medicine even while wearing a backpack.

 

[Float Pilot]

The interior compartment is circular so nothing will get stuck in there.
I cut the bottom off a plastic 1 pound powder can and used that glued into place.

The screw cap for the compartment is smaller than the interior size. It was all I could find. It is a modified deck drain from a fishing boat.

I would like to find an old European style brass bead pull through chain. The screw cap has a connection for one... For now the cable pull through will do.

As you can see I use old MRE Tabasco sauce bottles for carrying lube and solvent into the field.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Great and good looking set up!

 

[Float Pilot]

To answer the e-mails I had regarding the name SOURDOUGH. While it does denote a type of bread, or rather a type of self sustaining dough culture.
In the old days, and even now, folks have a small portion of what they call sourdough starter and their bread yeast (starter) is grown from that.

Here in Alaska, Sourdough is a term used to denote and experienced old timer, senior explorer, seasoned prospectors,, old original homesteaders and lone self-sufficient hunters / guides.

 

[dagger dog]

Ceechakos = is the tenderfoot

My old man was in the Aluetians in the feild artillery, during the beach landing on Attu? or was it Kiska?, he would use some Alaskanese from time to time.

 

[SaxonPig]

I knew that sourdough meant a grizzled veteran. But then, I am old...

Nice job on the custom modifications. A rifle that is handsome as well as practical. The 350RM is a substantial caliber and sounds good for your needs.

 

[Molasses]

That is a really nice rig. I'm curious, what's the package weight for the whole works as currently set up?

 

[KodiakBeer]

According to Michener, the origin of Cheechako is a mispronunciation of Chicago by Alaska Natives. Apparently, somebody found a dead or dying miner (or several) from Chicago unprepared for conditions. So Cheechako first meant somebody from Chicago, then anybody unable to survive on his own, then eventually just became "newcomer".

To keep sourdough starter alive all winter means you have a pretty snug cabin and enough wits to feed yourself all winter.

 

[Float Pilot]

In Chinook Jargon, cheechako means "new come," the two parts of the word deriving from Lower Chinook and Nootka, respectively.

Chinook Jargon was spread by trappers, miners, Army Troops, con-men, preachers and shop keepers up through the interior and other parts of the territory. Along with a mixture of Scot-Irish-French-English terms which were introduced by members of the Hudson Bay Co and Great Northwest trading Co.
Which of course you then have to mix with words of Russian or semi-Russian derivation from the coastal areas.

Plus you can add the input from Robert Service and Jack London, who would make things up occasionally, but who were both so well read that anything they wrote became part of the lexicon.

But what the heck do I know... I have only been here since Eisenhower was the president.

 

[Cosmoline]

In jargon, that's a skookum rifle.

Re. "cheechako", according to Holton's "Chinook Jargon" (Wawa Press, 2004):

Chiy means new
Chaku means come

Sourdough= sour on Alaska without the dough to leave

 

[Float Pilot]

Molasses

That is a really nice rig. I'm curious, what's the package weight for the whole works as currently set up?

I just weighed it. It came in at 8.9 pounds loaded, with everything in the compartment and both slings attached.

It used to weigh less, (7.9 without the compartment or gear) but I added a bunch of resin into the fore-stock area and around the action. The flimsy Ruger plastic stock had all sorts of voids inside it. It made it light, but the heavy recoil made it flex and was thus not very accurate. It now points better and has less felt recoil.

 

[TheGrimReaper]

I too really like your set up!

 

[Molasses]

I just weighed it. It came in at 8.9 pounds loaded, with everything in the compartment and both slings attached.

It used to weigh less, (7.9 without the compartment or gear) but I added a bunch of resin into the fore-stock area and around the action. The flimsy Ruger plastic stock had all sorts of voids inside it. It made it light, but the heavy recoil made it flex and was thus not very accurate. It now points better and has less felt recoil.

Float Pilot
Thank you for checking into it. I understand about the weight going up w. the changes you've made and "get it" regarding the why and wherefor part. Your rig is pretty darned slick and the way you've got 'er set up doesn't leave much to chance.

 

[KodiakBeer]

That's a pretty neat set up. If Jeff Cooper had lived in a 907 area code, I'm sure he'd have approved!

Have you considered some sort of integral cartridge holder - perhaps along the right side of the stock, or under the butt pad?

 

[Dionysusigma]

Never pass up the opportunity to make a tool fit your needs better. Nice job.

 

[Float Pilot]

Have you considered some sort of integral cartridge holder - perhaps along the right side of the stock, or under the butt pad?

I have been playing with that idea. There is not enough room left under the recoil pad since the compartment comes within half an inch or so.

I thought about a line or three or four holes coming up from the bottom just forward of the compartment. I am still looking for some sort of plastic trap door that is the right size and shape. BUT... I am not sure that it would not weaken the stock right where it needs to be fairly strong. Plus I need to figure out how to keep them from rattling and making noise.

I made a PVC tube with rubber padding inside to store the rifle scope when not in use. I attached to to may pack frame. I am still working on a better hatch set up for that one...

According to various recoil calculators it is only developing 31 foot pounds of recoil and a recoil velocity of 15 fps, (with the 276 grain bullets at 2,450) but for some reason it feels like more. It must be the crappy design of the stock comb drop...

A 180 grain from a 30-06 of similar weight develops about 20 ft lbs of recoil at 12 fps.

 

[KodiakBeer]

If the compartment leaves any room at all under the recoil pad (top or bottom), you could simply drill holes into the foam with a .350 reamer and insert the shells. You wouldn't need a compartment, just enough room to insert individual cartridges along the edges. ?