c-g-designs

It was on the early eighties.

George Swenson was preparing for the english magazine ‘Guns Review’ an article on the subject  of solid bulllets  accuracy and  principally the hot formed  Lebel rifle bulllet, known as ‘Balle D’ and their reputation of accuracy. We discussed  lenghty the subject  and decided to do our own tests each on his side  and in as far as we could locate a sufficien quantity of bulllets to create for each of us  a sufficient batch of bullets of same charactéristics. This was necessary to conduct serious tests.

Witj Philippe, we then visited the scrap merchants of the battles areas, foreign ammo surolus merchants and I had the chance to locate in the Somme area 2 wooden boxes of　Hotchiss bands ammo jn very good condition…480 bullets iin one go　…What a chance　!!..

Despite the disparate production factories (CZ, TS , TE　…) those bullets in hot stamped brass or bronze  were very even  and it was easy to create a consequent batch, discarding about 25% of them, mostly for external defects.

George having expressed the fact that the diameter similarity with the 8x57IS allpwed also to test the ‘Schweres Sptigeschoss’, i was quite reluctant on the idea to shot steel jackets and I procured a few boxes of newly manufactured Hinterberger of that model　. They were in fact little used, as the fun and good results were on the solids.

It is to notice that, over the diameter similarity, all thpse bullets wejghed  12,7 grammes (190grains).

This problem resolved,　George, who imported  in UK the Schultz-Larsen match barrels ,supplied mle one of the two barrels he had ordered  for the purpose.

For George,no problem, having decided to test in 8x57IS, he fitted his pre-chambered barrel on a Swing action  and he was ready well before us.

For us, Philippe (always ready to enjoy testing and playing with  one of my brainchilds) and myself started from scratch. It was not possible,because of french regulations of the time, to use the 8x57 calibre, therefpreI decided to use the 8mm Remington Magnum for more punch.

No action at hand　then, it was to innovate　:

A Mauser action S42 of the good period was ground externally in 2diameters, the rear one smaller to create a recoil shoulder just behind the barrel location and lugs (as the original reinforce)  and a light metall 705 sleeve to make the action single shot. The action was pressed /glued in the sleeve. 3 large M8 bedding screws and a strong scope fitting.

I dp not mention the other details, such as a new bolt stop and trigger fitting…

The bolt,over the opening of the bolt face and the extractor  made for single feediong,  the fiiring pin tavel was reduced from the original 10mm  to 6mm and a new firing pin made　.

The Schultz-Larsen  30 inches barrel  was threaded and rechambered to the calibre.

A generous walnut   stock and a Bisonite Bedding.

Weaver T16 scope.

After local testings and load development at my local 200 metre range, the ‘Balle D’ behave well　, has the necessary punch and groups well.

A first trip to Bisley fpr comparative tests  with the 8x57 with a large group of curious behind us who wanted to test the monster..and I ran short of ammunition. Satisfied with the results in both calibres.

The next shot is at 1200 yards. Works always fine for tje Big Bang, but the 8x57 shows a little short of breath at the distance.

The Big Bang showed efficient in the Any Rifle, thet he won once.

It entered successfully every year in the Stickledown Club Annual Meeting, shot only at 1200 yards.,having in the meantime exhausted his stock of Balles D and using since the Sierra SMKs.

Since tjhe 4000 Joules limitation in force at Bisley, the rifle took retirement (temporary I hope) in a Bisley armoury locker.

Fpt the anecdote, tje first time Philippe shot it in the Stickledown Club Annual Meeting, Roland Greenwood, a prominent Bisley figure and long time Coach of the English VIII Team in the Elcho Match, who spotted with interest the Philippe’s full shot, told him　: ‘’You should be awarded the Legion d’Honneur for that shot and shooting that rifle’…

Tne ‘Big Bang’ became the ‘Big Bang Junior’ in 1992, but this is an other story.

R.G.C