SRS Tips and tricks

[Nicholas]

Guys,
We have been making the SRS for nearly six years now and over the years we have learned a few things that help to maximize the rifles performance. I have compiled a list of things that are different on the SRS rifles than conventional rifles to help new users learn the systems quicker.

1) Bolt handle Location: New users usually are concerned with the bolt handle being located rearward of a standard rifle bolt. The bolt handle is only 2-3 inches behind a standard bolt handle. They worry that this makes it more difficult to operate but in reality, being rearward actually makes it easier to operate because it is located in a stronger range of motion for a persons arm movement. Having run SRS rifles for 5.5 years I find it very foreign and uncomfortable to operating standard bolt guns now.

2) Bolt manipulation: To maximize reliability when cycling the bolt then run the bolt strong forward and back with full uninterrupted strokes. If you sissy the bolt then ejection can become erratic. Also remember to keep your hand in a fist and don't leave fingers dangling forward because it can unintentionally bounce spend casings back into the chamber. This happens because the SRS bolt handle is located forward on the bolt body.

3) Left hand shooters can easily shoot the rifles but must lift there head to operate the bolt, however we tested several competitors 338LM rifles and their bolt length is long enough that we had to lift our head on there guns too in order to avoid being struck in the face by their bolt handles.

4) Magazine Release: The easiest way to change magazines is with your left hand cradling the but hook reach your thumb up on the left side of the gun and depress the magazine release button and the magazine should drop free allowing extremely quick mag changes, much quicker than with a conventional rifle because the magwell is more accessible to your bodies stronger more coordinated range of motion, especially in the prone position, eliminating having to awkwardly reach far forward like with a conventional rifle.

5) Balance: Balance is freaking awesome, way easier to hold in positional shooting, kneeling, offhand, etc... The rifle feels much lighter than it is because your natural carrying point on the rifle is where the center of balance is.

6) Bipod Location: Standard practice on conventional rifles is to put your bipod out as far as you can on the handguard. We have had better accuracy with running the bipod half way down the handguard. When running it out at the end there is just so little weight on the bipod it tends to hop around, bringing it back puts more weight on the bipod and keeps it on target better.

7) Caliber Conversions: Each barrel will have it's own zero, you have to decide what caliber you want to be your home zero (turrets slipped to 0) I always get my zero data for all barrels at 100 yards right up front. I love the 338LM it's my go to cartridge that I shoot the most so that is my home cartridge/barrel. So I zero the .338LM at 100 yards and slipped the turrets to 0, then I swap it out to the next conversion kit I will run which is usually a 22" 308 win. Now I zero the .308 win at 100 yards but I don't slip the turrets instead I record the impact shift between the two barrel zeros which I put into my ballistic charts when I get back home. There is no way to predict how much impact shift your barrels will have between each other some have over a mil some don't have any shift at all between barrels, it's the luck of the draw. I have created a slick datacard that has two barrels on it, the home cartridge (.338LM) has the dope right out of my ballistics computer because my knobs are zeroed for this cartridge. With the second caliber (.308 win) I adjust the entire table elevation and windage accounting for the impact shift all the way up, so now I can just dial the turret to the number given on the data card for a specific range and not have to worry about any impact shift anymore. Example: say your impact shift at 100 yards for your 308 barrel is +0.8mils elevation and -.4 mils wind, so at 1000 yards instead of being the ballistic programs 10.9mils of elevation my datacard would read 11.7mils for 1000 yds and vice versa for the windage. When I have explained this on the phone to some folks it confuses them, so I hope what I am saying makes sense to everyone, I will try to post up my datacard that I tape to my cheekpiece on my demo guns.

8) Accuracy: Our rifles barrel mounting system is the equivalent of having a 5.5" barrel thread into a standard action. What this means is that when you are shooting a 26" barrel you have only 20" of barrel whip, whereas with a standard rifle whose barrel/action interface is 0.75" - 1" then you would have 25" of barrel whip. Less barrel whip is more accurate just ask all the benchrest shooters running barrel blocks on their 1000 yard rail guns.

9) Monopod: Guys, the monopod has two types of adjustment fine tuned and course. I have seen way too many pictures of people using just the fine tuned adjustment and turning the sucker out all the way to the bottom for additional height. Our monopod is supposed to be lightning fast. To actuate the course adjustment firmly grab the knurled thumbwheel and pull down hard and a spring loaded ground spike will shoot downward against the ground, release the wheel and it will lock in the notched leg. Turning the thumbwheel is the fine tuned adjustment. Now the way this is supposed to look when you are shooting the rifle is you get in position put your crosshairs on target, when on target then eject ground spike into the ground and then turn fine tuned adjustment half turn either direction and you are dead still on target. Freaking fast with practice, I use monopod a lot in speed drill shooting from prone positions. For those that don't like monopods tuck it away and you won't even notice it's there.

Well, it's 3 am and my brain has stopped working, as I think of other things in the future I will add them to this topic.

[Nicholas]

Next Tip: How do I single feed the SRS rifles?
The barrel and bolt diameter required for the .338LM does not allow optimal single round feeding. In order to successfully single feed you must ensure that the nose of the projectile has entered the chamber before you try to close the bolt. With practice you can get proficient at it but it is still not ideal to single feed the srs. It feeds phenomenally from the magazine though, and with the shoulder retention feature protecting the nose of the projectile then it doesn't give anything up to feed from the mag.

[Nicholas]

Gen I vs Gen II Chassis,
Gen I SRS Chassis utilized a roll pin to align the barrel when it is inserted into the Rifle Chassis, the Gen I barrel extensions have a small notch in them to align on the pin. This pin was designed to be sacrificial and easily replaceable in the event someone slammed the barrel down into the receiver. The pin was to avoid damage to the receiver. At trade shows when we are converting guns day in and day out the pins will last around 3 days, thats after hundreds of barrel swaps, replacement is very easy, just remove the stock skins and insert another in the bottom of the receiver with a punch tool.

Gen II Chassis, after working with Military Snipers they asked us to make it "Marine Proof" so we developed a detachable steel feed-ramp that can index on a much larger notch in the barrel extension. While setting the naked receiver onto the concrete floor we have repeatedly slammed the barrels down against this new feed-ramp so hard we cut our hands on the barrel flutes and got blisters. After all of this abuse it bent the feedramp just a few thousandths of an inch and it still functioned flawlessly.

Everything else between the two generations are the same. We stock barrel extensions for both Gen I & Gen II guns. All Covert rifles are Gen II. There are a small handful of Gen I guns that can be converted to Gen II. If the Chassis has an aluminum feed-ramp that is integrally machined into the receiver then we can convert it to Gen II for you, if your Gen I gun has a steel feedramp attached to the gun then you cannot have it changed to a Gen II.

[hawkeye heidi]

10) Cold weather operation: use light oil, I have found that automatic transmission fluid "ATF" works better then most gun lubes at -5 to -20F.Teflon chain lube also works well. Do not use brownells action lube on any part of the rifle if you expect cold temps. the new bolt works well dry in a pinch. If I am hunting I run it dry, 3-5 shots twice a month max is not going to mess anything up. graphite lube is a no go. MOST important operate the safety, mag release and bolt periodically. this will keep things moving, and keep the surprises to a min. do not paint in or on the mag release, safety, mag well, they are tight already. avoid getting snow on the rifle until the rifle has chilled to temp. clear any snow or ice from behind the bolt as soon as you see it. and always run your sear and transfer bar dry.

11) buy the new bolt!!!!!!! I cant tell you how much nicer it is!!!!!!!! Really?...yes, buy it.
A. stronger striker
B. more reliable extractor
C. easier bolt manipulation
D. much simpler to disassemble/reassemble
E. interchangeable bolt face
F. stronger firing pin

12) RELOAD: I have sent 1250 rounds in 7 months and I have spent $650 on components. .50 cents a round, and I shoot them in matches and do fairly well and hunt with them. sounds like your only excuse is time, if you can't reload you cant reload and that makes me sad. so try and convince your range buddy to load some for you. "if you trust them." the consistency in velocity is un matched when you find that pet load for your own rifle. the dta is much more forgiving and will shoot a wide variety of bullets. compared to other rifles I have loaded for witch will drive you crazzzzy when only one bullet powder combo shoots, and your 500-600rounds in. the fact that you can load match rounds, hunting or subs is fun. but the best part is hitting that target 1500yards away with your own brand of ammo.

[sib1948]

Great thread. Thanks for all the useful information. Have not seen this information in any thread on any other Forum and I do a lot of research online. Would make this a Sticky,if possible, for easy access for others in the future. Will be reviewing this again after my SRS A1 arrives. Especially love the information explaining the dope card setup for 2 different calibers. Thanks to all!

[Seddo]

I have 2 different 308 bolts. The one i got with my rifle and the newer one that has 6.5x47 added to the list of calibres and its got a tighter firign pin hole.

What are the differences between the 2 bolts i have? Is it just the firign pin hole?

[gardoggie]

Nick,

You said in an earlier post: "Everything else between the two generations are the same. We stock barrel extensions for both Gen I & Gen II guns. All Covert rifles are Gen II. There are a small handful of Gen I guns that can be converted to Gen II. If the Chassis has an aluminum feed-ramp that is integrally machined into the receiver then we can convert it to Gen II for you, if your Gen I gun has a steel feedramp attached to the gun then you cannot have it changed to a Gen II."

I have a Gen 1 SRS that was made right at the time you were changing to Gen 2 according to Ryan. I can email you a couple of pics of the receiver, because I cannot figure out how to add them to this post. How can I tell if this is one that can be converted to a Gen 2 according to what you said above? I would like to convert it to a Gen 2, if possible. I am looking to get the Covert kit you have in stock for Gen 2's.

Thanks,
John