BSA 1944 Shirley 47C T

[CINDERS]

Thought I would try the wifes camera took some pics it is a bog standard T its only 2 claims are;
A) It is mentioned in Peters book page 48 as being used for Doweled bush and screw trials when they had issues with the pads working loose.
B) It still has its original scope with it, even if there are a few crows on the wire I can live with that as not many people left now who know these scopes inside & out to repair them correctly.
I think the scope tin is a repro that I purchased from a friend along with a scout scope for $200/AU

Information

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[brnom2]

Very nice - Does it get to the range much?

[CINDERS]

Nope not much brnom2 not much happening at present on the range having a break when I first brought it the draws were absolutely stuffed and the action was rocking on the front trigger guard screw so I had Ken Davis a master stock maker of some 35 years experience fix the draws with a method he devised and the groups went from @20moa at 100m to 1 moa @100m as a friend shot it and produced a 3 shot clover leaf group with 174gn SMK's infront of AR 2209.

I will dig out some pics of a stock that Ken made for one of his 303's from lumps of tree that he scrounged he also did up the metal work I liked the way he has the 4 screws align on the back sight.

[CINDERS]

Ken and his hand made custom stock he does not use a panto-graph all by eye and hand pity I cannot remember the type of tree he said it was from
(The chamber was checked and empty)

[brnom2]

I think i remember you posting those pics of that beautiful hand made stock some time ago - true craftsmanship - which is unfortunately something sadly often missing in this modern world

[henry r]

beautiful on both counts.

[Ridolpho]

Cinders: Very nice T! Can you say more about the method your stock maker devised for repairing the draws? I'm all in favour of attempting to replicate standard armourer procedures (to the best of my limited ability) but we all run into forends that are beyond what would have been salvaged in sevice or, maybe, have a dedicated target rifle where originality is no longer important. Regards.

Ridolpho

[Peter Laidler]

Ridolpho, we Armourers would also machine out the barrel bearing and insert a new one (there was even an EMER for it....), replace really battered drawers. I don't ever remember seeing a battered front trigger guard screw hole area being repaired - but I bet they were! The sole criteria was not whether it was economic but simply whether it beyond repair or not. Economics really didn't come into it as we were all there anyway

[browningautorifle]

Ken and his hand made custom stock

Is that not a piece of Teak?

[CINDERS]

The process may upset the real purist but here is what Ken did after we discussed at length a course of action;
Ken made out of aircraft grade material a copy of the draws area the block sorta looks like a U with the item is then held in place by as Peter says aircraft grade epoxy (I asked for it) also where the rear pin went through this now has threaded into the block bolts from both sides picking up the rear tab.
The block was milled to the exact angles as per specifications for the draws, it may sound a desperate sacrilege of this weapon and I spoke to Ken for about and hour on the system he devised he reiterated that these 303's were still going strong after years of shooting to be honest if I did not think it would work then I would never have had it done. (Takes some good tapping at the rear to remove it only did it for the pictures)
I have pics of it for the forum also some targets I shot when I got it back for some reason it hated being shot from prone from a Rocksteady rest so I ditched that used the sling with open sights then with scope playing around a bit with elevations and windage then shot 2 groups a 5 shot open sighted and a 3 shotter scoped this is the 25 yd Milsurps target for the 303. Used 174SMK's with 46gns AR 2209 RP cases Fed 210 Gold Match primers plus I crimp my rounds.