Finally, I'm back working on my new XP pistol...

Bill Calfee

Gun Fool
Finally, I'm back working on my new XP pistol...

CYA friends:


I'm back in heaven......XP heaven, so I used a lower case h......

I've got a bunch of spearments, and stuff, out of the way, and I'm now working on my new XP...

Your friend, Bill Calfee

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Here's some pictures, so far:

My new pistol is going to be a GRADE II......the interior is jeweled...

The higher polished the interior of the action is before jeweling, the prettier the jeweling....( I believe I spelled jeweling with two l's in the photos, sorry.....)

Anyway, I've got the interior of the action looking like a mirror.....ready for the jeweling.....

CYA friends, if you look closely, there's not a single tool mark left, from broaching the locking lug raceways, in my new XP....

The interior of my new XP is understated, personified clean........ready for jeweling.....

Look closely, there is not a blemish, of any kind, left.......when jeweled, if I don't mess up, my new XP will be GRADE II, plus..

Man I'm cited....

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Factory XP stocks are by far the best for accuracy, but, they are a nightmare to modify....

So the stock on my new XP is two piece.....from the front of the trigger guard forward is from a different stock.....

Which I've discovered, makes it so much easier to modify the factory stock.....

So it takes two XP stocks, to make one "perfect" one......( after almost 40 years of doing these XP's, I'm still learning)

By the way, the stock is rough......much sanding, priming and finally painting with Harley Davidson Black texture, to do...

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The back half of this stock is from one of my IHMSA silhouette pistols from the 80's.....which was also painted black texture...

I believe it came from #9, which Mary Stark now owns and shoots, but is now in a McMillan center grip, RFBR stock...

The reason I say this, is, my new pistol uses a late 40-X handle, not the original XP dog leg handle....and I had cut this stock for the 40-X handle, not for the dog leg handle.....so I believe the back half of my new stock came from the Mary Stark, #9 pistol..by the way, which Mary competed with in IHMSA, back in the 80's.......

A fascinating piece of rimfire history is going into my new pistol....

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My new XP will be, by far, the most sophisticated XP I've ever built....

The rear bedding screw will come up from the bottom.....factory XP rear screws go down from the top, through the action...

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More as I progress.....gosh I'm cited......for several reasons...

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PS:


Back when I built most of my XP's I used Lilja's and Douglas's..........I stopped doing my XP's before the 'trick" barrels came about that we all use today in Big Time RFBR...

My new XP will have a trick barrel..

By the way:

Big Dog's #12 XP has a Shilen ratchet......only one of two I've ever fit to a XP....

I'd give anything if Big Dog would carry that #12 pistol to some matches.......(hint hint) BC
 
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Barrel attaching

I kinda think I seen something I like in the picture. Im glad your back on this project. Can you check and see if you received a email from me. Todd
 
Friend Todd Earhart

I kinda think I seen something I like in the picture. Im glad your back on this project. Can you check and see if you received a email from me. Todd

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Friend Todd Earhart:


I'm sorry, but I don't do much E-Mailing....and my PM is turned off here on CYA...

If you have questions feel free to post them here....

Your friend, Bill Calfee
 
Friend Cliff

I agree, Mike you need to bring that XP to the next match, and if your scared to shoot it you can always let me have a go with it. :cool:

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Friend Cliff:


If one thinks it's easy to get hooked on a RFBR rifle, it don't even come close to how these pistols will hook a feller, or gal.

They are, without question, the easiest RFBR guns in the world to sell....

Cliff, I hope Big Dog does shoot that #12 pistol at some matches....Big Dog, at one time a few years ago, was tough to beat when he was shooting his pistol....so was Mark Meadows, Dennis Goodman, Susanne Coburn and Steve Turner.....among others...

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Here's the good, and the bad, about you getting to shoot Big Dog's #12:

The good is, you'll get a thrill.......

The bad is, you'll immediately develop a severe case of pistolitis......and pistolitis has only one known cure....

Your friend, Bill Calfee
 
I know what your saying Bill, I still have a few centerfire XPs. Don't get them out much anymore but when I do it's a blast. Almost got one of yours from Jerry Halcomb but he changed his mind on selling, I may hit him up about it again next time I see him.
 
I love following the progress on this thread. Thanks for posting and sharing although it brings back memories of #4. Hopefully someone will try to pawn it and I can get it back. My grandson and I had some pretty fun times with it at the range.
 

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I love following the progress on this thread. Thanks for posting and sharing although it brings back memories of #4. Hopefully someone will try to pawn it and I can get it back. My grandson and I had some pretty fun times with it at the range.

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Friend AZ_Speed:


I'm sure it's hope against all hope of ever getting #4 back.....at least in the condition it was in when stolen.....

#4 could run "close" to Big Dog's #12.......

If I can get #14 running with Big Dog's #12, I'll be tickled pink.....

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Now, I laid in bed last night and pondered.....

I had Jeff Patterson profile a .900" Shilen octagon to .825"...........it is an unlapped blank......for #14...

But, a few days ago I did a post chamber lap on a 23 3/4" x .900" Dan Muller driver 8, and it simply killed it when I range tested it the other evening.......it shot very good, as fit and chambered, but after my post chamber lap, man that thing killed it...

Here's what I've got on my mind:

The tenon length of a XP is longer than a 1.000" TCA........

I'm going to set that fine Muller driver 8 up, and very carefully re-profile it down to .825", but, I'm going to leave the muzzle end the full .900", just long enough to mount a standard HH/MD, then a nice parabola taper from just behind the MD, down to the .825" diameter...

This way the last inch and a half, at the muzzle, will be undisturbed by the profiling....

I'll then cast another lap and do another post chamber lap, although very brief........( since the muzzle will be untouched, before I post chamber lap the bore, I intend to slug it carefully.....there is an outside chance I won't have to re-lap the bore....??)

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See, the Shilen octagon is an unknown.......I know exactly what this Muller driver 8 will do......

If I can pull this thing off, and keep this fine driver 8 shooting on #14, even remotely close to what it does on my TCA triple slave, #14 will run with Big Dog's #12.........

Thinking about it, and pulling it off, are two different things......

Now I'm double cited.....

Your friend, Bill Calfee

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Friend AZ_Speed, he's bearing down.....what a shame about #4.....he's a nice looking young man, I know you're proud...bc
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