Let's build an Expedition trailer (pictorial)

[Rbertalotto]

Well, it's snowing like hell out and I've got real cabin feaver.......So I figured I'd share with you folks an Expedition trailer I built a couple years ago that I still haul all the way from Massachusetts to Montana every year for hunting season.

This trailer was totally built from scratch. No ex military trailer or Horrible Freight trailer kit was used.

Frame was welded up from various channel and angle iron. Axles, hubs, springs, wheels and tires were all bought from Northern Tool. 3000# axle with 15" rims and tires

Body panels are all 1/2 Marine grade plywood, epoxy coated on all surfaces and edges. the four jacks on the corners allow the trailer to be extremely steady so a shooting bench can be placed on top for Prairie Rat extermination.

I fabricated a plywood top that was covered with heavy duty imitation lether material, hinged at the front with removable pin hinges so the top can be removed for "yard chores" if needed. The tailgate goes to the ground for loading an ATV is necessary.

High-Lift Jack, stainless steel shovel on one side. Spare tire and gas can on the other. Aluminum tool box on the front. I welded up a simple rack out of EMT and bolted it down to the top for bulky items not affected by the weather.

The trailer tows great. No wander, to drama........

Lots more projects and articles on my web page and in the photo album...

www.rvbprecision.com

 

[njsjeep]

Very nice, functional trailer. Whats your longest shot on a prairie pup?

 

[Rbertalotto]

721 yards..............One Shot!

Many at 500-600 yards

We only allow one shot. We don't keep shooting at the same dog until we hit it. "Even a blind squirrel can find a nut if he digs long enough!"

I build extremely accurate long range rifles for a hobby.......

Lots more on the web site

www.rvbprecision.com

 

[telwyn]

Nice build from scratch - thanks for sharing it.

Seeing your lid makes me wonder why we don't see more lids built out of marine grade plywood. You obviously have great welding and fab skills - curious why you chose the plywood over metal and what the pros and cons may be...

Thx.

 

[Rbertalotto]

A good marine grade plywood is extremely durable, easy to work with, easy to source and inexpensive. I figured if those side panels ever rot out (unlikely) but if they did, they could be replaced in a half day. Same for the top and the bed.

Steel rusts, weighs a bunch and costs plenty. Aluminum would have been great, but would have doubled the cost of this trailer. I built this whole trailer for under $500...Total.

 

[telwyn]

Impressive. Both the cost and the finished product.

Your rifles make me wish I was a hunter. Nice stuff!

 

[wanderingeye]

long shot

I was trespassing on a farm in order to make a photograph of a wind generator. I do this type of thing because photography is harmless and 99% the land owner will forgive me after the fact. Well one day up on the Tug Hill (wild west)of NY state I had just finished the attached image when a man drove up and displayed a hostile attitude re-enforce with a firearm. Very quickly he adopted a more friendly posture. In addition to farming he built custom rifles...most of his customers were soldiers from Fort Drum. The reason for telling the story is that he said he had hit woodchucks at 1500yds. I had to agree with him because he had a gun.

 

[StaceyE]

721 yards..............One Shot!

Many at 500-600 yards

We only allow one shot. We don't keep shooting at the same dog until we hit it. "Even a blind squirrel can find a nut if he digs long enough!"

I build extremely accurate long range rifles for a hobby.......

Lots more on the web site

www.rvbprecision.com

Someone got a brilliant idea and decided the prarie dogs in Southern Utah were an endangered species so its illegal to kill one. Damn Eco Nazi's.

 

[Rbertalotto]

he said he had hit woodchucks at 1500yds.

Yup, it's been done..........but a Woodchuck is about ten times as big as a prairie dog. So 1500 yards on a woodchuck is only 150 yards on a PD......:wings:

 

[wanderingeye]

near a mile

It is amazing to me that someone could make shot of about a mile and hit such a small target. Woodchucks are not on any endangerd list. They thrive here. Problem here for the hunter is that there is no open land so you always have to have the landowners permission.

 

[wanderingeye]

Works of art

I forgot to say that your rifles are works of art.

 

[njsjeep]

Those are very nice looking rifles, real works of art.
MDO and HDO plywood hold up to weather very well and could be used for trailers.

 

[ExpoMike]

Nice rifles. My dad had an XP100 when he was doing competitive silhouette shooting. It was very impressive.

 

[nebep]

I forgot to say that your rifles are works of art.

Tug Hill 'eh???

Welp, be careful hanging around the Maple Leaf wind project and admitting to Lowville locals that you like 'em for the pics!!!

(my dad spent summers up there on "Old McDonalds farm" on, yep, McDonald rd. off 177 not far from New Boston Church where my grandparents were married after he came home from the Phillipines and helped build 177...quite an area up there!!! A VERY special one here...Good to see more folks that know about it!!)

 

[The Swiss]

the four jacks on the corners allow the trailer to be extremely steady

Tell me more about them jacks