doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Action-in-Wood Rook Rifle

Well this is the new project. I firmed up my commitment earlier this week. My last thread I started, good or bad, garnered a lot of attention and frankly it is humbling when you look at the number of hits. And also others adding their comments were welcome. That project took almost 3 years when I figured a year at the start. But Covid hit and I am slowing down were big factors. Hopefully this one is less.
I am building a Rook rifle. Inspiration was from the Gibbs rook rifles. I am starting with a 1897 WR action casting I bought from Rodney a number of years ago. (It was one of his kit guns but since I am only using the action body all the rest of the parts can go away. If interested in any let me know) Well I took the action and then designed a new action out of it. This is a side lever action but not like a Deeley Edge in function. Some of the pics I hope to share as I go will explain the function.
The rifle will be chambered in 30-30 Win and should weight under 6 pounds. At least that is what I am projecting, we will see. The pics below are of the concept drawing the action just starting the machining process. Since I design in Fusion360 solids I also 3D printed all the parts to assembly and do functional/geometry prototyping.
if you have questions please ask.

Mercy! How 'bout building a handful while you're at it Lynn?!

Curious about cartridge choice. .30-30 isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I think "rook rifle". As it is though it'll make a fine woods companion.

I'll take that 3D printed action when you're done with it. Maybe barrel it up for 2.7mm Kolibri or something!

The "rook rifle" title is just an euphemism for a small rifle, in this concern. Small, lite rifle capable to easily carry around as you survey the estates. small enough in caliber to take out a pesky gopher or collect some venison for supper. LOL Why 30 caliber? Because I had the barrel here already, so convenient.

Wonderful! I can't wait to see how this one goes.

LRF,
If you switch to 30 Herret, it would be a little more to scale, while using the same barrel, cases and bullets. As usual, for you, this will be a great project.
MIKE

MIKE I will consider your suggestion of the 30 Herret

Keep up the good work.
The drawing looks a lot like a Soper.
30-30 length cartridge is more like a mini-BPE (360BPE).
Good luck with your build.

Thanks Rick, I went and looked at a Soper and I guess I see where one could compare the two. However, it's a stretch for me, I assure you that is as far as the similarity goes.

MIKE I looked into the cartridge you suggested. Why do you think it would be a good choice?

LRF,
Only because you put a lot of weight on using a 30 caliber barrel you have on hand and wanted a cartridge large enough to kill deer and not too large for gopher. The 30 Herret has killed a lot of deer, but whether it is too big for gopher is really a subjective question.
If I were building it for myself, I would make it 5.6x50R(deer legal in my state and loaded with 60 grain Nosler kills them "graveyard dead"), but I'm not building it. Since you are building it, you get to do what you want, for your own reasons. There is no doubt that when you finish with whatever caliber you choose, the result will be great.
Mike

MIKE
Maybe 22 Hi Power (5.6x52R) because I know it will sure take Pronghorns (I can a test to that) and I hear its a Tiger hunting gun. At least I have seen a picture of that as evidence.
Think for right now 30-30 because it has taken more game then maybe any other, for the most part. And ammo is factory off the shelf.

I'm in to watch another neat build you do Lynn!

If changing the barrel is and option, I would go with 357 Max. This would give you 3 different choices in ammo with two cartridges strong enough for whitetail deer. I love straight wall cartridges in general.

Well time to add a little having now survived my 3rd case of full blown Covid since 2020. The first pic is of steel that will become the floor plate. The floor plate with this design is the most difficult pcs to make and frankly the most important as all the function part connect to it in one way of another. The first cuts in the material* establish the zero/zero location for the action and parts . This first pic shows those cuts are now made and the action will mate as shown. * material is prehard 4140

The next pic shows what the floor plate looks like in the design

The last pic shows the floor plate assembled. With the action and barrel already inserted into the stock (similar to any bolt rifle), the floor plate will then be inserted from the bottom. The screws are inserted, tighten and the rifle is ready to go.

Continuing work on the floor plate. The inside milling is done for now and I need to start cutting out the basic shape which is a pretty big job.

Time to add a couple pictures on this project.
Progress has been happening but I just don't move as quick as I once did and my ability to stand at the mill has been reduced to about a hour at a time.
Anyway enough excuses for slow progress.
I have attached pictures of three parts I have made. None are 100% finished as I have to get to the fit and finish stage of the project first before 100% can be reached. I machine the parts, to use an often heard statement to 80% or so. Anyway the 3 parts are the Breech Block, Operator Link, and Double Extractor. I have a lot more pics and some of education value to on how some features were machined. If interested just ask and I can post. (For example the radius on the bottom of the Link and Extractor and then on the floor plate must match as perfect as possible, so the question is how do you do that? The technology to do this is hundreds of years old and its pretty much the same as the english gunmakers probably used on their fine single shots and other guns.)

Looking good!

Lynn,
I love your posts. I learn a ton from them. I’m curious why you call the one part a double extractor? It’s a rook rifle, so expectedly a single shot. Does the extractor bear on the cartridge case in two places? Please share more pictures and explanation as you can. Super insightful.

Larry

Yes. Single probably is fine but what the heck its my design so I wanted a double.

Dual extractor catches the rim of the cartridge at 9 and 3 o'clock for a very positive extraction. It's also much less likely to break the extractor if the case gets a bit sticky to extract.

LRF,
I picked up on your comment about only being able to stand at the mill for an hour. If neuropathy is involved, my advice is if you have to stay in a hospital for more than overnight take your neuropathy meds and insist they give them to you.They will resist and claim they can only give meds from their pharmacy, and they may not have what you need. If you are put on "nothing by mouth", as soon as you move to a liquid diet, insist on the meds. If necessary, have a family member run the doctor down and insist on them. They will insist that they are too busy keeping you alive and I agree that is important, but if you make them understand the importance they are smart enough to mitigate additional loss of use of your legs. This is especially important if you have to go to 'rehab" because it takes a long time and there is no medical reason you can't have the meds (it may only be your doctor isn't in the system). Whatever you lose, you can't get back. Don't ask how I know; I would be happy if I could stand an hour.
Mike

edited by Lynn original did not pertain to the reason for this thread

edited by Lynn original did not pertain to the reason for this thread

LRF,
I feel for you brother, my problems are also service connected caused by agent orange and hearing loss from rifle range and heavy construction equipment. I didn't choose to use the VA system for my medical services because my wife was on my BCBS Federal and I needed to keep it. At least, we caught the prostate cancer early enough to stop it. Friends didn't find it soon enough.
Mike