The Un-Calfee Rifle - To Dream the Impossible Dream

B

Bill B

New member
I was out today shooting the Un-Calfee rifle. I just can't figure it out. I feel like Don Quixote - dreaming the impossible dream and tilting at windmills - and somehow succeeding. The Un-Calfee rifle is my new Stiller 2500X SAP action, a Rock Creek 5 groove cut-rifled barrel that was rejected by Tuna as being no good, and a used/rejected TMBR stock with an angled butt stock that came off a Turbo. Everything I've read tells me this rifle just has no chance of shooting well. Goes against every theory put forth by the WLM. Every time I shoot it, I expect it to fall on it's face, as it well should. But dang it if this thing just wants to be contrary (maybe it's taking on my personality). The very first IR50/50 target I shot with this rifle was a 250-15X in cold, windy conditions. Had to be a fluke. Subsequent sessions to put some rounds thru it, test ammo, etc showed it to still shoot pretty well. Today, I shot another full IR target and the damn Un-Calfee shot a 250-18X again in cold and windy conditions. What am I to do about this thing? I've held up my lap top and showed this rifle the threads on WWA that say that there is just no way it can shoot in bucket. It just won't listen. I may just have to video this rifle and post it so that the WLM can figure out just what is happening here? Gordon and I have conferred and scratched our heads and all we can do is watch this thing put round after round into one tiny jagged hole that only the "concept action" is supposed to be able to do. We are at wits end trying to figure it out. Gordon's 2500X with a Rock Creek Cut-rifled 6 Groove is also shooting tiny little groups as well, just adding to our confusion and then there's Tuna's 2500X that did so well in the Eley Tunnel.

Anybody have any thoughts as to just how this could be possible? There is just no way these rifles should shoot in a bucket but they shoot groups in windy conditions that are just as small as those in the video of the "concept" action. Something's wrong.

ps - Gordon made me promise that I would mention that he and his sporter kicked my butt (shooting my sporter) playing "top my shot".
 
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Gosh

Encouraging news as I just ordered a 2500 and bought a stock from Tom M...a TMB. Unfortunately all I could scrounge for a barrel is a two groove benchmark. Doomed from the get go?
 
bob finger said:
Bill: You probably have a cold weather rifle. Once summer comes along it probably won't shoot in a bucket. bob
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That is possible. My Turbo is a good warm weather rifle so they could complement each other. But man I love spearmintin'. Then again it could really get goin' in warm weather and make all other rifles obsolete. Let me just think about this a minute. In late Jan. when I shot that first target the temp was in the 20s and I had 15Xs. Today it was about 20 degrees warmer and I shot 3 more Xs. So maybe for every 20 degrees increase in temp will result in 3 more Xs. So at 60 it would be 21Xs and at 80 it would be 24X and at that rate it means that when the temp hits 87 degrees I could shoot a 25X. I love math.
 
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From what I've read you just as well strip it down and sell it for scrap metal as the World of RFBR is about to be changed forever....All other guns are mysteriously going to quit shooting when the new Concept is unveiled.......

I tell 'ya it just 'aint fair...as mere mortals will never be able to own one, only a select few will have them.

It's rumored that for the ones that refuse to submit...there are going to be organized secret shoots that prohibit all concept actions in order to avoid Total Domination....:)
 
bob finger said:
Bill: You forgot immaculate. bob
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Ha! Hence the M in WLM. It can be called the "Immaculate Conception" IF and only IF it succeeds at "dominating the world". If it fails short of that lofty goal, it will be referred to only as "Conception", as we all know how that is arrived at. :eek:
 
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Pete Wass said:
Well, at first it was gonna be an exclusive for the Yaks but who knows now?

P
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Well, you know the WLM will want to get paid for all the engineering and magic (E&M) that he has contributed to allow the CYanks to (insert big, deep movie trailer voice here) "dominate the world." The $800 TCA that I believe he was referring to was the XIII action. Not the "Immaculate Conception" (IC) action. I don't know whether these IC actions are going to be milled, ground, etc on 1920s technology or on a state of the art CNC machine, but either way there will have to be some start-up costs (Including R&D, E&M, FFL mfg license etc) for manufacturing a new product by whomever is doing the work. From my understanding of the economics classes I took almost 40 years ago now, there is this thing called "economies of scale." Meaning the start up cost for one or 1,000 units would be the same. The more units produced, you can spread out that fixed start up cost over the expected production run, reducing the cost per unit. But it sounds like there may only be 4-5 IC actions ever produced. Whatever start-up costs (including R&D or E&M) will be spread out over that very limited production run. So, unless there is going to be a savings on the IC action by using cheaper materials or less labor for finishing etc., economics and logic would suggest that the IC action will be the most expensive action on the market. Stiller is getting $1,500 for a SAP action that "in no way can shoot in a bucket" and they are selling very well and - - - - are even available (if you can imagine that!) What do you suppose a very limited, exclusive, state of the art, world changing, (word has it Vladimir Putin has called the WLM and warned not to start the arms race all over again, or he will bury him) action will cost? A limited production, hand made fine Swiss watch will go for $10,000 and up, and they can't group for s#!t. What's an IC worth? Can't be less than $5K a copy. Can't!! To get any less than that he would be selling himself short (and when was the last time that happened!) Magic ain't as cheap as it was in the Middle Ages my friends, and my guess is that BS ain't either.
 
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I'm so lucky

Folks, I feel so lucky having the privilege to shoot this Un-Calfee rifle. By shooting it, I have obviously foregone any chance of winning any match and so have lifted the burden of expectation from my shoulders. If I come in any place other than last place with this rifle, that just can't shoot, then I have exceeded expectation. On the other hand, anyone shooting the ultimate Calfee rifle (IC action, MI Muller Barrel, straight line stock, Langley manual re-settable trigger, Calfee scope mounting system etc.) is under tremendous pressure not only to win but to "dominate the world". I can't imagine operating under that amount of pressure. A second place finish to an ordinary TCA action would be deemed a failure. Can you imagine?
 
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Speaking of contraception, remember that Seinfield episode where Elaine is running out of her favorite contraception, the discontinued contraceptive sponge, and she had to rank her suitors to determine which ones were "sponge worthy". Well the WLM must be in that same spot now. He's going over his list of customers past and present and trying to determine which ones are "IC worthy". Some like Harper are a shoe-in, but there has to be many who are on the bubble. Can you imagine their disappointment when they are told they are not "sponge" worthy? They'll be crushed!!!! Deciding who will lead the charge of "World Domination" has to be weighing on the WLM as well. Then again, maybe not, for years he has decided what shooters will be "sponge worthy" for his unique skills. It just seems he may be narrowing it down a little bit further, I guess.
 
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Even though I'll probably finish my 2500x build, I'm thinking I'll go through a couple intermediaries and spend $2500-$3000 for the WLM action( if I can get one that cheap) and sell this thing for a couple hundred bucks. I'm so excited I almost pee-peed myself.
 
Come on Down

The Crawfish has been know to separate the 'Men from the Boys'
There were a few years when some shooters got the "Honey Hole" on Saturday and cleaned house!!
Guess what they had to rotate out of the "Honey Hole' on Sunday and they still cleaned house!

It truly gave me something to think about for the next year!!

Bill - Come on Down & give me something to think about this year!!
 
I won't be down to the Crawfish this year. It's a long-ass drive from here and I have a commitment this weekend. Our matches up here start at the end of April and then we pretty well get it into gear so that there is a match somewhere most weekends. My plans for traveling South for matches this year will be the 3 Gun Nats in Bristol in late Sept. and then the South Carolina State Championship in early October. I don't have to drive far to find tough competition. These guys up here are plenty tough.

The "New Yeckers" will know the answer to this question so they can't answer.

What New Yecker has competed in only 2 IR 50/50 3 Gun Nationals and has won them both? He's like the Bobby Fischer of rimfire benchrest. He comes seemingly out of nowhere to kick ass then quietly disappears. He's probably the best rimfire shooter - that so few know about.
 
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Bill B said:
What New Yecker has competed in only 2 IR 50/50 3 Gun Nationals and has won them both? He's like the Bobby Fischer of rimfire benchrest. He comes seemingly out of nowhere to kick ass then quietly disappears. He's probably the best rimfire shooter - that so few know about.
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Bob Raide?
 
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