Want to Build a Bunny Gun

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  • Last Post 27 January 2016
drhall762 posted this 17 January 2016

I have gotten bitten by the Bunny Gun Bug. Too much time reading about them here is the most logical choice for the cause.

I want to build one in .32 S&W Long. Now before all the “WHY” questions get asked, the answer is “Just Because.” I am a machinist by trade and am not afraid of the machining at all. Have been doing gunsmithing in some form or another, on and off for 30 years.

The real question I have is: Can I use a .308 barrel? From my reading it seems that it is not a problem as I have seen it referenced in several areas. I am going to shoot cast bullets and have no intention of ever putting a jacket bullet into a case.

Thoughts and ideas please.

Dave

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Ed Harris posted this 17 January 2016

Any good .30 cal.barrel of any common twist will work. I have one built on cut off M1 Garand barrel with throat like 7.62x39 to shoot 155-grain .30-30 plainbased bullets subsonic. Another I have is a 16” twist which is a bit more accurate with common .32-20 cast bullets. If you have questions, ask away!

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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drhall762 posted this 17 January 2016

Thanks. Going to look for a suitable donor this week.

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drhall762 posted this 17 January 2016

Well, I dug out a barrel. Brand new Heavy Match barrel in .30-338. Not sure where I picked it up but I can easily shorten it by the current length of the chamber and have plenty left over.

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Ed Harris posted this 18 January 2016

The .30-338 is probably 10” twist, so I could recommend Accurate 31-155D with 6 grains of Alliant #2400 in a suitable throat, reamer used for mine has SAAMI min. body for .32 S&W Long with throat following the form of the SAAMI dimensioned chamber for the 7.62x39.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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drhall762 posted this 18 January 2016

Okay. That gives me a starting place. Dave out at PTC can probably do that reamer for me. Now for a donor gun.

Thanks, Dave

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RicinYakima posted this 18 January 2016

My favorite is the Rem 540, 580, 590 conversion to center fire and 32 H&R. It is single shot, any competent machine can make one. Just food for thought! Ric

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drhall762 posted this 18 January 2016

I am familiar with the conversion. Unfortunately based upon the current price for any of the three, I'll probably look for something more like the H&R Topper in .410 or 20 gauge.

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RicinYakima posted this 18 January 2016

Understandably, that is how I started. But I enjoyed them so much I hunted up an 580.

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joeb33050 posted this 18 January 2016

Have you considered a boomerang? I've never missed a bunny that I flung a boomerang at. Very quiet, inexpensive, non-polluting and no casting or reloading. The humane alternative.

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drhall762 posted this 18 January 2016

No I haven't. Not sure I agree with the “humane alternative” though. Don't know whether a bullet to the brain or a sharp smack on the brain are much different. LOL.

Found a Remington 580 that is priced reasonably. $260.00. Think I'll pick it up at that price.

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drhall762 posted this 18 January 2016

RicinYakama- The 580 is on the way. Did you do the work yourself or farm it out? Also, did you thread the receiver and barrel or just re-pin them? I am familiar with what I call the James Calhoon method but that's about it.

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RicinYakima posted this 18 January 2016

Dave, I did the work myself, as I have a winter project every year. When the sun is up less than 7 hours a day, shop projects keep me sane. I am not a machinist but do own a lathe and a mill. I based it on the Calhoon method, AR firing pin in a new bolt head. But I used a simple hook extractor, bolt guide and fixed ejector. It all worked out nicely, however, there is not enough length for a 32 H&R case with anything other than short nosed bullet. I didn't lay it out for maximum length, but as you look at the pictures you will see how to add length. The barrel is held with two pins, plus the 1/4 screw that goes in the bottom of the action and holds the cartridge guide/ejector. Then I set it with Loctite permanent sleeve locker, the same as shotgun mono-blocks use. I'm not good enough to figure out how to make the SAKO or M-16 extractor system, so I kept it simple. Ric  

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RicinYakima posted this 18 January 2016

Dave another picture.

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RicinYakima posted this 18 January 2016

Dave, another one.

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RicinYakima posted this 18 January 2016

Last one Dave.

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drhall762 posted this 18 January 2016

Thanks. Gives me more ideas.

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John Alexander posted this 18 January 2016

Ric, What did you do to the trigger, if anything?

John

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drhall762 posted this 18 January 2016

Ed Harris- I queried Accurate Molds on the 31-155D. It doesn't show up in their online catalog. To get ahead of the game, what are you casting them from? Also what are you using for a seating depth or conversely an OAL?

Thanks

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RicinYakima posted this 18 January 2016

John, I didn't do anything with it other than lightly stoning the sear surfaces. It has a little spring take-up, then breaks at about 3 1/2 pounds. That is just fine for me and a field gun, hands are going numb so don't want anything too light. It has a lot of over travel, but after shooting military rifles all my life, it isn't a problem.  Lapping the locking lugs was what I didn't know was going to take so long. Only two of the six were making any contact at all. Lapped them so that there is partial contact with all six now. Ric

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drhall762 posted this 18 January 2016

Just discovered that the Timney trigger for the Remington 788 fits the 580 and 590 series as well. 1.5 - 3.5#

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Ed Harris posted this 18 January 2016

Accurate 31-155D should be in the online drop-down menu, as the drawing is in the catalog:

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=31-155D-D.png>http://www.accuratemolds.com/bulletdetail.php?bullet=31-155D-D.png

I'm casting my bullets 1:30 tin/lead and loading them as-cast and unsized, lubricated with Lee Liquid Alox diluted 50-50 with mineral spirits. I seat and crimp in the crimp groove to compress the charge of Alliant #2400, about 6.2 grains metered with rotor #8 for the RCBS Little Dandy Measure, and with the 7.62x39 throat the forepart of the bullet is engraved upon chambering, just like chambering a round of Eley Tenex in the Winchester 52B match rifle you had as a kid.

That's how I came to calling it the “.32 Long Rifle Centerfire"

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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drhall762 posted this 19 January 2016

Ed- Thanks. I found it. Discovered my error. Tired I guess or maybe one of those Senior Moments.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 19 January 2016

great work ric ....inspirational in fact !!

so neat to see people making stuff .... rifle conversions to gas check seaters ....all good stuff .... hey....how about ” the right stuff “

i just made that up ...

ken

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RicinYakima posted this 19 January 2016

Thanks Ken, it was a fun project and it shoots good too.

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drhall762 posted this 27 January 2016

The 581 arrived. Far nicer than I expected from the pictures and description. Problem is I can't find a serial number on it. I thought these began production in 1967 so it must be a first year gun. I think the '68 GCA took care of the serial number thing starting that year.

Also, sitting on the rack was a 20 gauge M48 H&R. Had $99.00 on it and I joked to the owner that that was too high. I needed to know his rock bottom deal price. $60.00 and it followed me home.

Damn I hate guns. Bad as cute puppies or trashy young women. Can't seem to turn them down.

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