Legendary Arms Works M704 Bolt Action

BallisticsShooting

Jul 28

As two videos embedded below show, Legendary Arms Works M704 rifles feature the most innovative controlled-round-feed bolt-action since the M98 Mauser. The excellent M704 bolt is the heart of LAW Professional II rifles. Wilson Arms match-grade barrels, Timney triggers, handlaid fiberglass stocks, and aluminum bedding blocks aid precision and durability, too.

Image shows a Legendary Arms Works M704 Professional II rifle on a shooting bench with an original Professional lying beside it.

The Legendary Arms Works Professional II is nearly identical to the original (green stock, no scope) with some refinement. This prototype has been modified to accept the fatter 6.5 PRC cartridge. Talley One-Piece rings hold a Sig Sauer Sierra3BDX 4.5-14x44 scope which communicates with a BDX laser rangefinder to illuminate the proper aiming point along the vertical wire for distances as far as 600 yards with impressive accuracy. That's a

Stukeys Bench

supporting everything, the sturdiest portable bench I've ever tried. Highly recommended!

Premature Legend?

If you think a new rifle company calling itself Legendary is overly ambitious, you're not alone. But such is marketing hype these days. I didn't choose the name and neither did Todd Librandi, the man currently ramrodding production.

LAW started about four years ago, licensed to build Ed Brown's unique Model 704 bolt-action. Early LAW rifles showed excellent design and workmanship, but a too-tight pricing structure reportedly compromised economic viability. Some refinements in manufacturing suggest the new Professional II will live up to the early hype of this brand. A higher MSRP reflects that.

Testing a New Legend

I recently borrowed a Professional II test model in an unusual chambering -- 6.5 PRC. The larger head diameter of this cartridge forced gun builder Mike Hudgins to enlarge the bolt face ring and leading edge of the extractor. I suspect he may have had to lengthen the magazine well slightly, too, but factory loaded Hornady ammo, three rounds down, is fitting and functioning smoothly. Mike appears to have done everything right.

Image shows bolt face of new Legendary Arms Works M704 beside the original showing how the bolt face was opened up to fit the wider 6.5 PRC cartridge head.

This close up of the original 6.5 Creedmoor LAW M704 bolt face and new Professional II 6.5 PRC bolt face shows how gun builder Mike Hudgins had to machine the bolt face and extractor hook wider. Notice how big those extractor claws are. The groove in each bolt face fits the ejector blade at the rear receiver ring. This system seems to be a hybrid of the Mauser CRF and Remington push feed.

The action is smooth, the rifle nicely balanced, the Timney trigger crisp and consistent, and early 3-shot groups are coming in at an honest MOA average. My best went .825". My worst spread 1.5". This may be due in part to the heavy hunting reticle on the Sig Sauer Sierra3BDX 4.5-14x44 scope. My full-length-resized handloads topped with Nosler's excellent 142-grain AccuBond Long Range bullets matched groups I punched with Hornady factory 147-grain ELD-Match loads. I suspect minimal case resizing and powder/primer/seating depth tweaking will result in 3/4 to 1/2 MOA groups.

Photo shows Sig Sauer Sierra3BDX 4.5-14X44 scope atop the Legendary Arms Works M704 Professional II rifle.

The

Sig Sauer Sierra3 BDX 4.5-14x55mm

scope is a deadly effective hunting scope, but its central reticle is a bit too heavy for precision bench shooting. Note the clean,

One-Piece Talley rings.

Below is a video of the Professional II followed by one I did in 2015 of the original Professional. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't kick either out of the truck for eating crackers, but I'm liking the slightly smoother action of the Professional II -- and extra reach of that PRC cartridge.

By the way, LAW rifles come with Weaver style bases, but I have a thing about Talley One-Piece rings. They are too clean, too easy to mount, too rugged, and too light (just 3-ounces for the set) to resist!