Making of a Field Target rifle .... From a JSAR Raptor Mini

[Motorhead]

  This to be a year long journey in R&D along with product fine tuning internally as well externally.
Had this rifle on order sense August of last year.  Happened to be in house able to assemble it myself a couple weeks ago and get the color combo wanted ... Black & Silver.

For purposes of production and being realistic to perhaps having JSAR produce such a version .. or at least parts & pieces somewhere down the road we need to start somewhere as a base line & while Not a clean slate but building off what JSAR already has done and can manufacture.

Internally we will being keeping it as close to stock production specs as is practical, tho some massaging and cleaning up is going to / has already happened.  This being nothing more than a bit of stone/hone work on trigger sears, making a custom probe with o-ring ( 0- ring Not in barrel ) and prepping the barrel to personal specs and crowning myself.  Replaced the .250" transfer port with a Tapered one with .140" exit diameter.
A few parts added such as a Single Shot Tray, Double end handle for cocking lever so you cock on handles swing center line, Block out covers for the magazine slots along with a Full length adjustable Fore Stock for use in a Bi-pod which i use as a "Hunter" class competitor.
Out on the end of barrel made a departure and used an older WAR part ... a Sliding LDC can, that also kept the barrel tensioning feature intact. It's not loud collapsed, but is silly quiet extended.
Barrel a Raptor full size spec 22" ( In lieu of 17" standard on mini's ) LW standard rifling .20 caliber  * love my .20's !!

Up top side sits a HAWKE Airmax 30 6-24x50 with a Scopewerks Nautilus side wheel.  BKL level and one of my telescoping antenna wind flags. One piece offset mount secures it.


This rifle will be shared and folks able to shoot threw out the AAFTA west coasts Field Target season 2020 ... so if you happen to make a west coast Match where the hooligans ( self included ) from the Sac Valley FT club are present, Look me up and check it out & shoot it too.

THIS IS AN R&D venture between JSAR and MOTORHEADS AG tuning services and the set up and configuration may very well change as the season go's along, but for now we start HERE .. Enjoy 

Scott S

* The last picture ... Yea it shoots really really well !!  Those 2 targets shot at 45 yards while sitting on a tri leg stool and shootin stocks  ... 10 shots at each with a few sighters in the corner boxes. Black circle is 1"
Thinking it has a chance to make a few waves and raised eye brows ... We'll find out this 2020 season.

[screwwork]

Scott,
Your Raptor Mini looks as good as it shoots. Love the personalized breech, nice touch!
You have a way with guns that's for sure, changing the o-ring from barrel & probe is great! It makes barrel machining much easier and more cost-effective & less labor-intensive.

[Scotchmo]

"...making a custom probe with o-ring ( 0- ring Not in barrel )...."

Why that change? Just to make it easier? Because you'll never use magazines?

Recently did my Armada with an internal o-ring in the thimble. Yes - tedious to get it right.

[Motorhead]

"...making a custom probe with o-ring ( 0- ring Not in barrel )...."

Why that change? Just to make it easier? Because you'll never use magazines?

JSB .20's are THIN in the skirt tail and dislike pushing them threw an o-ring.  Also it allows you some degree of feeling the pellet seat into barrels rifling w/o the o-ring drag at time bolt closes up.
Anything i can do in NOT damaging a pellet before shooting it gets my upmost attention.

[Frank in Fairfield]

It shoots.
That is for sure.
I cannot agree on the looks, though.
It looks like Johnny Cash’s 1947, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, Cadillac automobile!

[Franklink]

While my full sized .20 is destined for Open class, FT is FT. Should be interesting to compare notes as we compete with them.

I made a delrin single shot tray and a thigh rest so far. The thigh rest weighed enough to make it balance better. I'd like to figure out a better knee rest option than the current plan of using a front AR type grip (needs a bigger footprint for the knee). I'll also likely buy some of the picatinny slot inserts to make the unused slots a little more hand friendly.

It's at a machinest friends house right now, getting a .22 barrel machined for if I ever want to go high power PDog killing. We discussed a new thimble with a smaller port for .20 or even a thimble with threading through the tp to allow for swappable TP restrictions. Dunno if the TP through the thimble is a viable restriction point, but maybe. It'll be fun to see what comes back when he's done with it.

Very nice work on yours. I like it, especially the machined aluminum plates for the magazine slots in the forend. I'm not a mag guy so I like the option of blocking them off-nice aesthetic there too.

[Franklink]

It looks like Johnny Cash’s 1947, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, Cadillac automobile!

Ha ha, looks like a typical FT gun for sure. Function over form in FT.

[Motorhead]

Forgot to make note :  on the adjustable fore stock that adjustment is taking loose the toggle handle WARNE scope rings and moving it any place along the picitinni rail.
As set, it is full aft where it's best suited for OFF HAND shooting, yet more that far enough out front to sit in the tripod yoke with room to spare.
* On the rear of the 1" tube passing threw the mounts is that BLACK end cap ... THAT, has a relief cut on the bottom side for your thumb to rest in while rest of hand is out on the grey rubber traction material.

Super comfy as much as one can be shooting offhand 

[ranchibi]

Scott, beautiful customized Raptor Mini FT .20! Looks very ergonomic and I know with your massaging, accurate as heck! Good luck in your competitions 👍.

[darren]

So how is anyone except an ape going to be able to wrap their hands around those grips....you have 2.5 lbs. Of tape there....

Just bustin on you...
Looks good buddy

[Nvreloader]

Scott
Very interesting concepts/designs etc.

I am curious about the Sliding LDC can, can you provide more info on that type of LCD?

Was this LCD built JUST for your/the 20 cal or is it adaptable to other calibers, like 22 etc.

Thank you.
Don

[Motorhead]

Scott
Very interesting concepts/designs etc.

I am curious about the Sliding LDC can, can you provide more info on that type of LCD?

Was this LCD built JUST for your/the 20 cal or is it adaptable to other calibers, like 22 etc.

Thank you.
Don

Don,
The sliding can was on the early WAR Flexs and Warp guns.  Barrel has a full length shroud over it and then there is an air stripper that threads onto end of barrel. This stripper shoulders up against the shroud tube allowing it to be tightened and in turn tension barrel. Out on end of stripper assembly it has a large ring on it that holds an O.D. o-ring and slides within the can I.D.  Behind that is a collar that threads into the back end of can and it contains an I.D. o-ring that slides along the 1" shroud tube. Both have a pretty tight interference fit and takes a bit of a tug and twist to get them sliding.  Muzzle end of can the end cap is threaded on.

The end cap has a small cone shape that when slid back all the way shoulders up against the end of stripper assembly and PREVENTS any air from getting into the can blowing it forward.  Once it is moved out a very short distance the expelled pressure of the shot will get inside it & progressively slide it forward with every shot until it hits mechanical limits of full extension..  So it's either all the way IN or all the way OUT & no in between.

Works GREAT in a low power application such as this .. but was troublesome for many wanting to always blow forward once the o-rings loosened up.  This the WHY the folks at WAR discontinued using the design.  Here it works the treat !

While when fully out it is just an empty can, it is very effective and can be further reduced in noise by unscrewing end cap and putting in the factory baffles making a VERY quiet and a more permanent LDC.

[KnifeMaker]

Scott, It seems we did a few similar things already. I modded a single shot adapter for slugs, Re-purposed scope rings for my uses. In this case, an adapter and machined parts to be able to mount off set mounts for my varmint lights for night shooting. (Making a mount for a much more powerful 2400 lumen thrower light with a 35 mm tube.


Will be removing the trigger and giving it a full radius and polish on the trigger face for smoothness. I hate a sharp cornered trigger blade. Many years of shooting double action Smiths and colts led me in this direction.


I also set up probes with the o rings in them rather than the bbl. I much prefer this.


Added a full 22" length barrel to the Mini as Well. It really changed the Mini as did the full size 500 cc CF Bottle. It is much more well behaved on the bench.


My barrels are eventually going to be fully CF tubed. For stiffness. I am enjoying the barrel liner/Cf combo as it is light, but very stiff. An ultra light Bull barrel if you will.


I was already thinking of a biathlon lever set up, as you show here. Makes for a much more balanced cocking effort.


In my case, I may very well be converting the throw lever to left hand operation. I did this to the RS II, as it can now be set-up for right or left hand cocking in just a few minutes.


Before I can do this, I have to find a way to repair the bottle block. it is fitted with a plug that is not solid. No doubt part of it being a prototype.


I also added an extension to the bottom pic. Rail for both the light and a more forward Bipod. I will try and take  pic's tonight.


My biggest mistake was asking Travis to not send it with the stock JSAR is using. I should have kept it. I did add an Ergo thin grip, and further refined it for my small hands. LOL


Mike   

[KnifeMaker]

Scott, here are a few pic's of mod's so far.

[Motorhead]

Single shot tray along with o-ring on probe ... Nice !

[KnifeMaker]

Travis was going to sent a mag with the barrel. Guess he forgot. LOL


All I really need is a couple of the stars. Only the poly carriers in the mags. Maybe one day. 


Mike/Knife

[KnifeMaker]

Scott, the o ring on the probe sure makes life a LOT easier! 


Mike/Knife

[Springrrrr]

Scott,
 changing the o-ring from barrel & probe is great! It makes barrel machining much easier and more cost-effective & less labor-intensive.

And easier to clean without damaging the "O" ring.  I will often remove the "O" ring when I clean a barrel with an internal ring.  I got good at taking them out and getting them back in.

Any chance JSAR will produce a probe with the rings on it that can be used in their existing barrels?

[KnifeMaker]

I kinda doubt it. I turned a grove in mine to use an o ring. But yo never know.

[Motorhead]

Scott,
 changing the o-ring from barrel & probe is great! It makes barrel machining much easier and more cost-effective & less labor-intensive.

And easier to clean without damaging the "O" ring.  I will often remove the "O" ring when I clean a barrel with an internal ring.  I got good at taking them out and getting them back in.

Any chance JSAR will produce a probe with the rings on it that can be used in their existing barrels?

I did see a few probes in the shop set up as such and they ALL had damaged o-rings on them.  Which is VERY TELLING that when using magazines the side load of inner carrier and any sharp edges will cut the o-ring.
This further complicated by HOW WELL CENTERED the probe enters the barrel.  If probe is not dead nuts centered it will drag on one side and o-ring will wear/ be damaged because of it.

Single shot applications are best suited IMO