Help with new rifle build

zKn0xvillex

zKn0xvillex

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Hi guys, I am planning on building my first rifle and getting into long range shooting and I'm looking for some opinions.

I'm looking to build a Remington 700 in .308 with an Accuracy International 1.5 stock, and a Krieger M24 Contour 1:11.25 26" 5R barrel. I'd like to get the barrel threaded for a brake at some point.

Should i use a regular R700 Short action or should I look at buying a custom R700 patterned action? Does it make much of a difference and is it worth the extra cost? Where would I look to find these, as i'm having a hard time.

What triggers do you recommend, I see a lot of people talking about timney and triggertech - are there other triggers I should be looking in to?

Aside from that stuff, is there anything else i need to put the rifle together besides a trigger guard? I just want to make sure I'm not overlooking anything.

Sorry for so many questions I'm really new to all of this and it's a lot of knowledge to take in at once. If there are other threads that already answer all of these questions I apologize in advance.

Also if I don't have another rifle by next october, will this thing be way too heavy for hunting?

Cheers!
 
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.308 is the classic long range round, properly set up, you should easily get out to 1200m accurately.

That twist is way to slow, the standard military twist in sniper rifles in. 308 is 1-10, however lately that's being bumped up to 1-9 in the competition world. I would highly recommend talking with K.S. Arms out of Edmonton for your barrel, and have it chambered for the M118LR round.

For a trigger, I would also highly recommend TriggerTech and don't look at anything else šŸ¤˜

I have a new build in .308 that I had out for the first time last weekend, put close to 60 rounds of Black Hills Ammunition through it. I was using the .308 175gr match (incredible ammo by the way.)

I was shooting at 100m and my last two groups were sub moa.





 
Choose a twist appropriate for the bullets that you are going to shoot.
Research ballistic tables and see how the different bullets perform, and what velocities are needed to obtain optimum performance.
For example, according to the Sierra program, a 155gr Lapua Scenar launched at 2950fps needs 31.9 minutes of elevation for 1000m, and a 10mph wind at 90 degrees moves the bullet 8.2 minutes.
The 185gr Lapua Scenar can match this performance - 32.6 minutes of elevation and 8.2 minutes of windage - if launched at 2900 fps. To exceed the performance of the 155gr bullet, velocity is going to have to be much higher than 2900fps.
I have chronographed the 155gr at that velocity from my target rifle, with my preferred load of Varget. I would doubt that 2900 could be obtained with the heavier 185gr in a .308, let alone higher velocity. That is .300 magnum territory.
There are many .308 chamber profiles, and a gunsmith who specializes in precision rifles might have a dozen or more reamers.
.308 is a superbly accurate cartridge. But past 500 or 600 meters, it lags behind many other rounds.
For example, the 6.5mm Lapua 139gr Scenar launched at 2850fps (chonographed from my rifle) needs 30.4 minutes of elevation and only 6.7 minutes of windage at 1000m, according to Sierra. I don't have my logbook at hand for actual observed numbers. A minute and a half wind advantage is significant. My rifle happens to be a .260.
Unless you really want a .308, consider the 6.5s. A .308 does have longer barrel life than the smaller bores.
 
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tiriaq said:
Choose a twist appropriate for the bullets that you are going to shoot.
Research ballistic tables and see how the different bullets perform, and what velocities are needed to obtain optimum performance.
Click to expand...

You're absolutely correct tiriaq, in the .308 type rifle, I don't see why one would use anything other than a 168gr or the 175gr. The 175gr being best for getting to 1000m and further.

I had initially wanted the 1-10 for my barrel, but after some lengthy discussions with some knowledgeable people in this area, I went with the 1-9, and I intend to stick with the Black Hills 175gr.

I have some more work to do breaking in the barrel, but I'm really looking forward to seeing what my rifle will do at that 1000m and beyond.
 
tiriaq said:
Choose a twist appropriate for the bullets that you are going to shoot.
Research ballistic tables and see how the different bullets perform, and what velocities are needed to obtain optimum performance.
For example, according to the Sierra program, a 155gr Lapua Scenar launched at 2950fps needs 31.9 minutes of elevation for 1000m, and a 10mph wind at 90 degrees moves the bullet 8.2 minutes.
The 185gr Lapua Scenar can match this performance - 32.6 minutes of elevation and 8.2 minutes of windage - if launched at 2900 fps. To exceed the performance of the 155gr bullet, velocity is going to have to be much higher than 2900fps.
I have chronographed the 155gr at that velocity from my target rifle, with my preferred load of Varget. I would doubt that 2900 could be obtained with the heavier 185gr in a .308, let alone higher velocity. That is .300 magnum territory.
There are many .308 chamber profiles, and a gunsmith who specializes in precision rifles might have a dozen or more reamers.
.308 is a superbly accurate cartridge. But past 500 or 600 meters, it lags behind many other rounds.
For example, the 6.5mm Lapua 139gr Scenar launched at 2850fps (chonographed from my rifle) needs 30.4 minutes of elevation and only 6.7 minutes of windage at 1000m, according to Sierra. I don't have my logbook at hand for actual observed numbers. A minute and a half wind advantage is significant. My rifle happens to be a .260.
Unless you really want a .308, consider the 6.5s. A .308 does have longer barrel life than the smaller bores.
Click to expand...

Appreciate the long write up, very informative. I do want a .308 and perhaps the 6.5 will be an excuse to get another rifle. I still have more research to do but i think i plan on shooting the 175gr Sierra Match Kings or 178gr Hornady AMAX. I'm also going to look into that Black Hills ammunition. Do you think a 1:10 would be the best option with these ammo types?
 
1in9 seem excessive. A 1in10 will run 200gr +?
For the ammo that you are wanting to run it seems like the 1in11.25 is right on the money you could even bump up to 185s with that if you wanted.
 
Had another look at the Sierra program, and it doesn't look as if the 175 SMK could be launched fast enough to surpass the 155 Scenar.
These computer programs are very useful for comparison purposes, and are generally pretty close to what is observed on the range.
A 1-10 would shoot most any .30 bullet; the faster twists might be necessary for the very long VLDs.
One of my rifles has a Mike Rock 10.25" twist M24 barrel on it, finished @27" and it shoots very well indeed. My .260 has a Kreiger light Palma @28". The TR that gets 2950-3000fps with 155s wears a 30" 1-12" TruFlight.
There are outstanding Canadian made barrels that are worth considering. I have a JC .308 barrel that I have barely begun testing. Only 59 rounds through it so far, with odds and ends of 155gr ammunition; all groups are nicely sub-minute.
Just stocking up a Pac-Nor .308. In a slave stock, it was also sub-minute.
I like .308. The rifles generally shoot very well, and it is a forgiving cartridge to load. But for serious competition, I think it is fading.
 
Are you planning to do any competitions of any kind or is this rifle just a long range gun for fun and a little bit of hunting? I just ask because this can make a slight difference on components that may work better than others.

Trigger: Go Triggertech, they make a couple great models and are Canadian
Action: If you can afford it, I would go with a custom action. They're just more refined and you can pick one that has the features you want.

I believe the AICS 1.5 will have the trigger guard included so no need to buy another one.

Weight for hunting is subjective depending on the type of hunting you do and how much you want to carry. I've been carrying my 16 pound match rifle hunting this year and been ok with it. However I only walk a couple miles a day.
 
11.25 twist in .308 Win. is fine for190 Sierra and and may other heavy bullets and is a US military spec. If shooting 215 Bergers or heavier. most top FClass shooters and winners use 10T.

So, as advised, line your ducks up with calibre-bullet first.
 
11.25 is fine, 10 is my ideal twist in 308. I currently shoot 185 Juggernaut OTMS out of my 12 twist Remington 700 and they shoot great. As for action, yes, customs are worth it if you can afford it. I love my Bighorn TL3, and I will be picking either a Bighorn Origin or Defiance Tenacity next year for my undecided 223 build.
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ yup

If you want to use the best loads for a 308 for long range I would strongly suggest that you determine the overall length of the round you would like to fire before deciding on the action length.

For long range, one of the best bullets is the 185 grain Berger Juggernaut and a good seating depth for the bullet makes it too long to eject a live round from a Rem 700 short action. F Class shooters are using even heavier bullets with even longer seating depths.

I would advise that you build this rifle in a rem 700 long action. That way you can feed these long rounds from a mag and you will actually be able to eject the live round.
 
Just out of curiosity, I went to the Berger site, and looked up their 185gr Juggernaut.
With a mv of 2650fps, a 1000m requires 41 minutes of elevation, and 10mph wind drift is 9.4 minutes. Comparable figures for the 155 Scenar are 32.6 and 8.2.
How much velocity can be obtained with the Juggernaut in .308? It is going to require more than 2650 to match the 155.
 
Maple57 said:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ yup

If you want to use the best loads for a 308 for long range I would strongly suggest that you determine the overall length of the round you would like to fire before deciding on the action length.

For long range, one of the best bullets is the 185 grain Berger Juggernaut and a good seating depth for the bullet makes it too long to eject a live round from a Rem 700 short action. F Class shooters are using even heavier bullets with even longer seating depths.

I would advise that you build this rifle in a rem 700 long action. That way you can feed these long rounds from a mag and you will actually be able to eject the live round.
Click to expand...

As it happens, I have a 700 long action, a HS stock, and bolts with standard and magnum faces. I've been wondering what to do with it.
 
I already purchased the stock for a R700 SA so long action is out of the question now, had a good deal come up and didnt want to lose it but thats interesting I didnt know some rounds can have trouble ejecting - but it makes sense. Can anyone recommend an action that isnt going to absolutely destroy my wallet, hoping to stay under 1k with taxes but I don't know if thats possible
 
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