Building a Custom Hunting Rifle

Fawkesman

Fawkesman

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I have been discussing this topic buddies with my hunting since last deer season.

I think most of the manufacturers do a decent job, but not an excellent job. And give many times we only get one shot, the rifle has to be up to the task.

I have build 2 custom rifles in 40 years of hunting - top of the line synthetic stock, Remington 700 Action, Leupold Scopes and barrels made by an artisan in Ontario that are tack drivers.

I am interested to know what you guys would use in theses four areas:
Action
Barrel
Stock
Scope.

Looking forward to hearing your response.

BTW, please indicate what calibre and why as well as for those not so inclined to build one, what would you buy off the shelf.
Lets talk about a 1500-2500 budget.
 
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You don't mention caliber, but here's how I'd do it:

1. FN commercial 98
2. Long chambered Lothar Walther barrel, to be final fitted by gunsmith
3. Bell & Carlson Medalist stock
4. Scope, depending on caliber, I'd go with either a Leupold M8 4x28, FXII 6x36, or FX3 6x42.
 
If you are going custom stick with a 700 , just allow so many options for your other add-ons.Plus, a 700 with a quality barrel and accurate action will be hard to beat.

700 action.
Custom barrel in a sporter weight, as you aren't going varminting it appears.(Krieger , Gaillard, etc........)
Boyd's lightweight stock or thumbhole option, they are pretty to look at and are good stocks.
Glass, that is tough as your eyes are different from mine.Zeiss, Leupold, Vortex in a 3-9 or 4-12 magnification.Lots of options out there.Even Redfield if you gotta stay within your dollars.

Chambering, I am a fan of SA rifles for hunting.If it is deer you are after, well...................... 260, 7-08, 6.5 x 55, 7 x 57 , and the list goes on.Or WSM chamberings work also. 270, 7mm, 300.

Off the shelf and your budget personally I would look at higher end Savages or Weatherby Vanguard.
 
jaycee said:
You don't mention caliber, but here's how I'd do it:

1. FN commercial 98
2. Long chambered Lothar Walther barrel, to be final fitted by gunsmith
3. Bell & Carlson Medalist stock
4. Scope, depending on caliber, I'd go with either a Leupold M8 4x28, FXII 6x36, or FX3 6x42.
Click to expand...

Classy build.

My build would be a 7mm-08, due to the excellent ballistics and bullet selection

1. FN commercial 98, great quality and low price
2. Ron Smith gain twist barrel
3. Custom wood stock; Bob Fortier does excellent work
4. Your flavour, really. Any quality scope in the 2x to 9x range should work. Depends more on your game and range than anything else. I would use Talley fixed rings. There are elegant.
5. A decent trigger should be added as well, Timney makes great hunting triggers around the $100-$150 mark

Price breakdown:

Donor rifle: $200-$400
Barrel: $400
Fitting: $300
Stock work: $500
rings/Bases: $150
Trigger: $150
Total: $1900

The rest can be put towards a scope.
 
Can we assume you are looking for a deer rifle since the discussions started in "Deer Camp"?
260 Remington was my choice and had the work done by "guntech".
Discussions with Dennis were an aid.
Used a Shilen barrel, and a 700 action.
Used a tactical stock because I liked the feel of it; non slip and if it ever suffers damage it can be replaced.
I did not have my Leupold V6 at the time but it would now rate very highly but it currently rests on my 280 Remington.
The first day after sighting in, shot two groups at 200 meters: 0.6 and 0.7. It has taken three deer, all one shot kills.

Donor rifle, barrel, gunsmith, scope and rings, dies, load work up, plus costs to go hunting . . . $2000
One deer with one shot . . . PRICELESS!
 
My last semi-custom went something like this.

FN Mauser 98(JC Higgins M 50). Bolt handle replaced with a straight Talley-style. Timney trigger.
McGowan heavy sporter barrel cut to 21" and reprofiled. Barrel swivel band.
Black walnut stock with red Pachmayr Decellerator pad.
Leupold VX II 3-7x33 with Talley steel rings and bases.

All metal was slow rust blued.

Chambered for .375 Ruger.

Currently I'm working on a Brno ZG-47 in .30-06. This one's stock is thrashed and will be replaced with a piece of Black walnut. I will probably have it rebarreled(brand to be decided) in 9.3X62.
 
Well I left out the game on purpose as people have their own idea of what a "dream rifle" is based on what they chase.
So I did not want to constrain the discussion.
Mine is for deer.
 
Dogleg said:
Its hard to say without knowing what its for.
Click to expand...

This.....

I've built five rifles that are all very different and all very purpose built. Without knowing what animals you intend on hunting, what type of terrain you hunt, how you hunt and how far you want to shoot, it's impossible to offer up much in the way of suggestions. The purpose of a custom is to customize it to your specific needs.
 
sheephunter said:
This.....

I've built five rifles that are all very different and all very purpose built. Without knowing what animals you intend on hunting, what type of terrain you hunt, how you hunt and how far you want to shoot, it's impossible to offer up much in the way of suggestions. The purpose of a custom is to customize it to your specific needs.
Click to expand...

What action are they built on?
 
I built one for my wife last year as she wanted a lighter carrying rifle than her BLR. Its a Rem 700 short action that I trued with a SS Shilen select match #2 sporter contour barrel and chambered in 7-08. I used a Wildcat composite stock with a Decellerator Old English pad and topped it with a Leupold m8 4X scope and Leupold rings. This is a pretty plain vanilla build but it shoots well and is easy to carry at under 7lbs all up.
 
Having built a dozen plus custom rifles (mostly on 700 actions), I can confidently say, that if your goal is "deer hunting"... Don't waste your time and money... There are dozens of "bone stock" rifles that will effectively perform all hunting tasks asked of them... One shot kills at all reasonable ranges. Any of the medium calibers from quarter bores to thirties will get it done efficiently... Can't much go wrong with the 6.5's and 7's... Ruger M77 or Win 70, a good, solid, bright scope in the 1.5-6X, 2-7X, 3-9 range... And enough ammo to get very familiar with your rifle and what "it and you" can do... Your "off to the races," and "cooking with gas."

Personally, I got tired of the grind... I now mess around with the very simple and effective Handi platform, and my battery of stocked M77's and #1's... Its a simpler approach that has restored much of the joy in shooting for me... But I respect that everyone is at a different place on their journey... And if you just gotta, then have fun with it...
 
To fill the gap in my safe right now I'd (probably) go with a 264WM (or maybe a 270 WBY).

Pre64 M70 action
RKS barrel
Black walnut stock
Leupold 3.5-10x

Then again, I might have the same action converted to magnum length and build a 375 H&H to match 300 H&H.

Scope it with a 2.5-8x in QD rings with NECG express sights, maybe even a flip up "night sight"
Black walnut stock (though I'd really like a fine stick of English walnut too)

Of course, both rifles would have the wart.
 
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700 Ti
Smith gain twist 8.1/2 in 6.5 cal
McMillan mtn rifle edge
Ziess HD5 3-15 Z800

I have a sweet spot for the 260 and want more jam in a short action so 6.5RM it is, plus I like to be different :cool:

Off the shelf I would like to get a Forbes and try out a Sako, or maybe order a Gunwerks set up if I got a real good tax return some year.
 
FN Winchester model 70 long action
krieger stainless # 3 contour finished to 24" torn between 257 Roberts or 6.5x54 MS
walnut stock
Leupold fx3 6x42
 
My build would likely be
Rem 700 action
Gaillard barrel
English walnut stock
Timney trigger
scope ?
6.5 caliber, which one would depend on action length.
 
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