Putting together a Precision Rifle

1
I'd like to build a nice long range precision bolt action rifle and I'd figure I'd solicit some opinions on approaches. RIght now I have access to, at most, a 600yd range. So theres no need for .338 Lapua or .300 win mag. I like 6.5mm and I already have a m/96 Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55, so in an ideal world I'd love to be able to maybe stick with that caliber as it should be more than capable at well past 600 yards. BUT I also want to have a rifle that I can tinker with.

Would trying to find a used Remington 700 for cheap work? I know I'd have to look for a specific caliber to be able to convert it to 6.5x55, but I don't know which would be ideal. Other manufacturers definitely make 6.5x55 rifles new but I don't know if they are quite the aftermarket money pits that the 700 seems to be.

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

3
Thats a good question. If I was in a super hurry and not interested in building and tinkering and hemming and hawing about parts I wouldn't hesitate to drop the $1300 or so on a Ruger Precision and then buy a fancy optic and bipod and what not. I probably wouldn't spend more than $1500 on a brand new gun that wasn't exactly what I was looking for and have some kit already on it.

I already have a 6.5 Grendel and the aforementioned Sweedish Mauser so I'm in no hurry. Its the tinkering that gets me hot and bothered and I just want to make sure I start with a good base gun (and if I can shoot it a bit while swapping things that never hurts).

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

7
Brownells has Howa heavy barrelled actions on sale. I just purchased a 24" Howa HB action in 6.5 Creedmoor and am trying to decide which stock to plunk it in.

https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/r ... 03531.aspx

Also picked up a Howa 24" HB action in .308

https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/r ... 80163.aspx

Right now I'm leaning towards a KRG Bravo chassis

https://kineticresearchgroup.com/product/bravo-chassis/

Although I haven't ruled out these two offering from Bell and Carlson

https://www.bellandcarlson.com/index.cf ... ry_ID=1120
https://www.bellandcarlson.com/index.cf ... ry_ID=1080

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

8
I started my obsession with a factory action - bought a Savage 10 FCP-SR in 6.5 Creedmoor and with rebate ended up with perhaps $600. Added a cheap scope for $250, Vortex Crossfire II 6-24X50 and Vortex rings. Added an Atlas BT-10 Bipod and a Area 419 Brake and just now went nuts and dropped it into a tactical chassis....MDT, LSS-XLGen2 chassis with an XLR, Extreme butt stock and an Ergo Suregrip Deluxe.

Gotta get a new picture up of this rig and I'm at around $2K invested now *but* the thing shoots sub MOA all day in the hands of this newbie all the way out to 600 yards so far. I'm really happy with the whole deal and basically built it myself from well researched parts and goodies. Here's a pic from before the chassis upgrade:

Savage10FCP.SR.jpg
MDTChassi_XLRButtStock.jpg
This is a great time in history to get bitten by the precision rifle bug. Lots of great stuff out there including rear bags, Bipods, anti cant devices and good scopes are to be had everywhere.

VooDoo
Tyrants disarm the people they intend to oppress.

I am sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

10
I let this distract me all day at work, theres a lot of nice stuff out there.

It seemed like the two most common options I was seeing were chassis for the Remington 700 and the Tikka T3. Do people have opinions about those? The 700 is available as a bare action which is nice, I couldn't find any barreled actions or bare actions for the Tikka. The nice thing about the Tikka is that they make a rifle in 6.5x55 so it wouldn't be the end of the world to buy that and build from there.

Another question about the 700 actions, is there anything to be concerned about buying an old used rifle just for the action? I know the Cabelas near me has a lot of used 270s which are long action (I think?) for around the price of a new action.

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

13
700s only virtue is the universality of parts for them. Nothing wrong with an old one, but to do this project, count on having it trued.

The Tika is a Sako in a cheap stock with a lesser finish. I'd go that way, given the caliber you're going for. A barrel upgrade can wait til you shoot the throat out of the factory one (about 2k rounds).
Image

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

15
Buy a Savage, throw away the AccuStock, tweak the AcuTrigger, add a chassis/stock of your choice and a $400 scope and go shoot it. I still can't out shoot my rifle. I love my first build.
OnboxwithFlag.jpg
Day off tomorrow and I'll be on the range before noon testing ammunition for best group size. I'll post pix if I get them.

VooDoo
Tyrants disarm the people they intend to oppress.

I am sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

17
I confronted the same choices about 4 years ago. I opted to buy a Remington 700 pattern long action from a "custom" maker (Stiller) and then bought a Criterion Ram-Age barrel in .260 Remington from Jim Briggs at Northland Shooters Supply. The long action lets me load rounds as long as I want and the Rem-Age system system turns it into a switch barrel. All you need is a go/no go gauge set to head space it and you're good to go.

I added a Timney Calvin Elite 2 stage trigger and set it at about 8 ounces in each stage. The whole contraption is in a Bell and Carlson M40 stock with a Burris XTR 5x25 Mildot topping it off. The barreled action cost about $1500 with the trigger, the stock added about 300 +/- and the scope about $1100. The result shoots very well. My only complaint is I don't have a place nearby to stretch its legs. The longest distance at the shooting club is 200 and that's just about it around here. Out to 200 I can shoot it about 1/4 MOA and I'm sure someone who really knew what they were doing could beat that pretty handily. It's not like I "built" the rifle, but it is kinda neat shooting something I put together. I've built several ARs in a couple of non-5.56 cartridges but this one is the most satisfying to shoot. I'm not crazy about the stock but haven't found one I'm willing to part with more money for. One of these days I need to find an F-Class event that's in driving distance and try my hand at that game.
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, misdiagnosing the cause, and misapplying the wrong remedies. Marx (Groucho Marx)

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

18
So I've started on this project, slowly and in a non-standard order.

First thing I got was a chassis from MDT in Canada. Back on Black Friday they had a blemished sale and I picked up their tac21 chassis for a steal https://mdttac.com/us_en/tac21-chassis-system.html

I went with the Tikka long action, so I'll probably be going the Tikka 6.5x55 route unless a screaming deal pops up for some other Tikka t3 long action rifle. So far I haven't found the blemish on it.

I've also ordered an Athlon Helios 5-32x scope using the code that went for LGC members a few weeks ago (pro tip, the code hasn't expired yet). I was going to go with a Vortex HST (or PST, can't remember which) but after reading reviews online it seemed like the Athlon was about comparable and about $100 cheaper without the discount so I jumped on that. Hopefully soon I'll find a good deal on the actual rifle I want to put these on.

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

19
I'm a Vortex lover and an MDT chassis lover. I just traded my cheapo Vortex Crossfire II 6-24X50 scope for an Athlon Argos BTR 10-30X56 as I'll be shooting out past 1000 yards this Summer and found the limitations of the fat reticle in the Vortex last year. The Athlon mimics a Vortex Golden Eagle that I didn't have $1400 for. So I cut a deal for the Athlon and got it for <$400. I'm ready for the weather to clear, get it zero'd, and start working up my reloads.

I have shot several higher end Nightforce and Vortex scopes and would conservatively put the Athlon stuff at performing at least 2X beyond their price point. Good glass and nice solid clicks/detentes on the tactical (exposed) turrets and they return to zero and track with the expensive stuff.

Precision Rifle is way too much fun. Can't wait to bang stuff out to ~1400 yards this year. I hit 10 out of 10 my first times at 300, 600, and 1000 last season so I'm ready to push it to the limit this year.

VooDoo
Tyrants disarm the people they intend to oppress.

I am sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

24
Took forever but it finally got here!
As I said earlier, I went with Marlene's suggestion of a new Tikka T3X in my hipster caliber of 6.5x55
IMG_20190226_160730.jpg
The wood stock on this is nice, but not amazing. If I were going for a nice hunting rifle I'd probably step it up to one of the nicer Tikkas that I've seen in the store or a Sako Bavarian.
IMG_20190226_160700.jpg
IMG_20190226_195432.jpg
Obviously I've already got the action out of the stock, I have no patience for letting easy projects just sit around.

Re: Putting together a Precision Rifle

25
Here's the action out of the stock, nothing exciting to see here.
IMG_20190226_195351.jpg
Next step was taking the trigger off, then rejiggering it into the new chassis. The instructions weren't super clear on how to get this in but unlike a 1911 it all seemed pretty logical and I got it in alright. Trying to keep the bolt stop together while pushing the pin that holds it was also a pain but didn't take more than a few tries.
IMG_20190226_201324.jpg
After that it was just attaching the trigger/magazine housing on and putting on the bolts. I didn't have an attachment for my torque wrench to check the torque so I need to finish this step before I can go shooting.
IMG_20190226_201628.jpg

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests