New to the forums and figured I would share my current project. A friend of mine is getting me into the world of handgun hunting and I will be taking the dive soon. One thing I have found is there aren't many, if any, conversion triggers out there for a regular rifles. Being the DIY guy I am, I decided to build my own. The platform is a Savage model 116 (currently a 338 win) I will be changing out to a 17" Mcgowen 7mm STW barrel. I will be ordering the barrel within a month and will also build the stock as soon as it is on.
Here are all the parts minus that spring. Also remade the trigger in the second photo.
Here is the trigger in action. There is no creep and pull is light with a pretty good feel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjgsX-MXbg8&feature=plcp




EDIT:
Remade trigger and link system.



Finished product.

Pretty good job. It'll be interesting to see when it all comes together.

Thanks. It's still a work in progress. Figured I would press my luck on my target model 12. Having to build a separate trigger from scratch as I don't want to mess up the current one. I am going to try and have some stuff up on that soon. It's going to be way lower profile than the one above.

Just remember to keep the over all length within BATF specs. They get kinda pissy when you start pushing their rules around.

Very much so. 26" oal 16" barrel. On another note, I am coming along with the target action, but it is proving to be a lot more challenging than the 116. With the action being shorter I am trying to figure out the trigger placement since this one is going to be lower profile.

Any update ?

OK, I see your approach.

May I make a suggestion. The Savage triger works by moving the sear bar down and releasing the firing pin block. A very simple mid grip trigger needs nothing more than a mount for your forward trigger shoe, a transfer bar that pushes slightly down on the sear bar at the front. Probably a pin and roller approach.

Your idea will work, but is a lever design, and subject to tolerance and weight issues.

Not throwing rocks, just an idea. I was thinking of using an paint gun electric trigger and disconnecting the trigger show from the sear altogether. Might yet.

Keep up the good work.

Larry
Tinkerer

I am new to the gunsmithing stuff, and I am sure it tells.

but I love to build things and hopefully I can have the tools in the future to do things properly. What do you mean by the pin and roller approach btw?

Also an update. I have a friend that shoots hunting pistols advising me on a lot of what I am doing. Ordered a 17" 308 McGowen barrel threaded for a muscle brake which should put it over on the OAL for the gun to be classifed as a rifle by the BATF. Also reworked the trigger and link system, and epoxied the single follower. Trigger pull is lighter, smoother, wayyy lower for when I build the stock, and I am going to shave a good bit on the trigger tomorrow and slim it up. Should see more in the coming months on the project.

And just to make sure I am not reading this wrong, looking through ATF regs...
[quote]A firearm, as defined by 26 U.S.C. 5845(a)(4), is made when a handgun or other weapon with an overall length of less than 26 inches, or a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length, is assembled or produced from a weapon originally assembled or produced only as a rifle.[/qoute]

26 and 16, you have a rifle.

nicely done'

Alright so I have to update. I ordered the barrel on that very day I updated this thread, and today I received an email saying my barrel is ready to ship. Wow! I have to go to Kaliforniastein for a bit, but when I get back I will be ever so happy to finish the gun. Again, WOW at Mcgowen.

I put a Mcgowen barrel on my DMAX 454 and I must sy that their barrels come with a very nice finish inside.

We'll need some pictures.

Will get some up when I start putting everything together when I get back. Glad to see you were happy with them as well. My buddy told me about them before I started on the modifications, and I finally bit the bullet. The guy from Mcgowen initially told me it would take four to six weeks to finish the barrel, and when I told my friend I got an email stating the barrel was ready to ship after two weeks, he was as shocked as I was. Might have to order another barrel or two from them soon because of this. Next barrels will be a 7wsm and a 6x45, but first need to pick up some more case prepping tools.

Barrel and brake are in

Making a plug and mold for the stock at the moment and will have some pics later in the week. Also ordered another barrel as well. .338 rum.

Cool. I am curious to see how it does. The Mcgowen barrel I put on my 454 shoots very well with the one cast bullet I have now.

Here is where I am at with the plug. Hope to have the mold and finished product by next week.

Thanks. Going to punch some paper with it tomorrow and do a range report.

Nice work. It will be interesting to see how it works for you.

Very interesting.

Pretty good job.

Failed on range report. In a rush Sunday to put it together I didn't bother using lock tight... Base screws came undone while thinking I was shooting bad loads. Lesson learned. Will do another report when I get a chance.

It was cold and windy today, but got some range time in. Here are a few of my three shot groups. Did five test loads, with two three shot groups each. Varget and 168 vld's,

Looks like it might be a keeper. I seem to have had good luck with the revolver barrels I've gotten from Mcgowen. Hope to see some more range reports from you.

I hope so. This weekend I hope to do some fine tuning on the ammo and see if I can do better. I have a range on the powder charge I want to play with and see where I can go from there. So far I am pretty happy with the barrel let alone that the gun can shoot under an MOA with in just a few test loads. Here's waiting on the 338 RUM barrel on order.

Took a video of my dad shooting the gun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...ACQ&feature=youtu.be