Gaulin Custom Rifle

[Fire306]

Hello all,
A friend of mine was left a lot of hunting and fishing items in an estate.  One of the rifles, which my friend has no interest in, has taken up residence in my safe, it is a custom 6mm PPC bench rest rifle. 
Although I have spent many years reloading and shooting, my interests have basically been in hunting rifles.  Although, getting hunting rifles to achieve their maximum accuracy potential is always a goal of mine.
This particular rifle and from what I can tell, every piece of reloading equipment that could possibly be needed for it, is beyond anything I have done before.

The rifle is a custom, with a Gaulin Action, that appears to be Titanium.  The only markings I can see on it are "Gaulin TiT 081"
The action has a right hand bolt, left ejection port.  The barrel is stainless with no markings except 6 PPC 262 nk
The trigger is a Jewel and was set at 1.5 ounces.  I have set it up a little higher, many due to the fact that I have never used a trigger this light, and my beat up mechanic fingers couldn't even feel it before it fired.  It has a 36x Leupold scope mounted on it.

Any information on these Gaulin actions would be much appreciated.  I have found that 'Gaulin" was the name of 2 brothers and they ran Armtech in Quebec.  From what I can tell they are no longer in business.  I also read somewhere that many Gaulin rifles were fitted with Galliard barrels??

I have, through internet research and from the notes of the original owner, figured out the steps for turning the Lapua 22 Russian brass into PPC brass. I have the necks all turned down, and have Fire Formed 50 brass.  I have tried a couple of loads now, and it is a shooter for sure.  I'm not up on bench rest shooting techniques other than what reading has taught me, but am enjoying the challenge of learning.  I'm sure if I was doing my part, the 1 hole 5 shot groups I have shot with it, would be possible most of the time. 

Thanks in advance for any info that can be provided.

[rpollock]

Your research is correct. The TiT is a reference to the titanium action they used to build. 081 is probably the serial number, but I stand t be corrected on that.

What have you turned the necks to? .085" is pretty common with .262 necks.

What range do you shoot at?

[Fire306]

Your research is correct. The TiT is a reference to the titanium action they used to build. 081 is probably the serial number, but I stand t be corrected on that.

What have you turned the necks to? .085" is pretty common with .262 necks.

What range do you shoot at?

Thanks for your input.  I have the neck thickness written down at home, I can't recall what it is exactly.  The loaded rounds the necks are .261 with a bullet seated.
North Grey Bruce Rod and Gun Club, in South Western Ontario is where I have been shooting it.  It's the club I belong to.  I don't know anyone around that shoots competitive bench rest, so I'm pretty much on my own.  The internet and reading has been teaching me so far.  Our club only has a 100 and 200 yard rifle range setup, so that pretty much caps my shooting.  
I am really enjoying the challenge of it.  
Do you have any idea of what the value of this thing might have been when it was new?  
The appraiser for the estate said it was ridiculously expensive.  It's not being sold, I was more interested because, (I'm not entirely sure), my friend may have income tax implications from the inheritance.    
Thanks again for any info you may provide.

[rpollock]

This is a guess as to value, but likely around $2500-$3000.

[Fire306]

This is a guess as to value, but likely around $2500-$3000.

Thanks,
Are you talking new value, or used value?

[cyanchycki]

Myself personally I would hazard a guess around $1800.00 tops used.  The key for me is it is a non BIG name action. 

Some of the top line rifles sell for GOOD prices.  Slightly used BAT in a Leonard stock could have been bought for around $2200.00 US.  It was just a back up rifle and supposedly was only 1 year old.

The Gaulin name may be big to some but it means something when it wins a MAJOR match.

JMO

Calvin

[rpollock]

This is a guess as to value, but likely around $2500-$3000.

Thanks,
Are you talking new value, or used value?

I was referring to new value. Used value today I agree with Cal.

[Fire306]

Myself personally I would hazard a guess around $1800.00 tops used.  The key for me is it is a non BIG name action.  

Some of the top line rifles sell for GOOD prices.  Slightly used BAT in a Leonard stock could have been bought for around $2200.00 US.  It was just a back up rifle and supposedly was only 1 year old.

The Gaulin name may be big to some but it means something when it wins a MAJOR match.

JMO

Calvin

Thanks.  This is the value I was thinking.  I guessed $1500-1800 the way it is now.  I would say it has very few rounds down the barrel. Guessing less than 20 before I got it.  
The appraiser for the estate tried to tell my friend that it was worth $10,000 new.  I said, I don't think so.  
I'm not a bench rest shooter, but I've been around rifles enough to know that is way too high.
My guess was approx. $5000 new value including the Leupold.  Maybe a bit higher, but not double that.

Thanks for everyone's input.  

Edit**  rpollock, you answered as I typed this response.  Thanks again

[K Hope]

Hello Fire306,

I have shot on occasion with the Gaulin brothers. I do not know them real well but I can say that they are - Good People.  The business is today what it is because of health issues. 

I know a few people with these rifles and I will say that they are well made and well liked. I have never heard a bad word about them. I shoot a well known named rifle as do many but I can tell you this;  the rifles you see on the line are the ones that have proven themselves and are not always the –Big named rifles.  As I see it if it shoots good it is keeper and worth big bucks.

Ken

[Fire306]

Thanks Ken,
This rifle is a beauty, and it shoots far better than I will probably be able to make it shoot.
Like I was saying before, this rifle won't be sold.  My friend whom it was left to in the estate just has no interest in a rifle like this or the time it takes to reload properly for it.
I told him if he was every to sell it to just tell me how much and I will buy it from him, for now he says for me to just look after it and shoot it.

Another question,
Currently the load he was using was 27.2gr of H322, pushing a 60 gr Berger FB (Lapua 220 Russian Brass, Necks turned to .0084", with Fed Match primers.
It shoots well, but I of course wanted to try something different.  I found 64 gr Berger BR Columns shoot well, but seemed best around the 27.2 gr of H322 charge.
Speed was 2945 fps average with a SD of 9.  The groups seemed to open up with more speed, but saying that, I did not experiment with different seating depths.
The 64gr BR Column's are seated to 2.193" which is touching the lands.

Should I be looking for more speed?  My Sako 6 PPC USA shoots much faster 3200fps range, with H322 charges in the 29gr + range.