Looking for advice on first time build

leojlafrog

leojlafrog

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Hi guys, I've been contemplating on getting my first rifle built by a local smith. I haven't tackled anything of the sort before and will most likely be following advice from the smith. I was thinking of possibly using a win 70 action or FN action and having the a barrel chambered to a smaller caliber from .243" up to .264" calibers. Haven't really had my heart set on one yet. I am not interested in a 700, savage action or a custom unless it "just makes more sense". I realize a build will cost moucho rupees but I'm looking for the satisfaction of having my own custom rifle built for me.

Are either of these two actions a decent platform to build off of? I'm not looking for a br gun, it'll be my small and medium game rifle and hopefully something I could proudly pass along someday to someone who would appreciate if.

I am not closed minded and appreciate any input or direction from anyone willing to give. Thanks,

Joel
 
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Well - know you said you're not interested in a 700 action but that is the most popular and probably the one most will be familiar with. Any reason why you don't like that (or Savage) as a choice ?
 
I'm was interested in trying something that is a little different from the "standard" in rifle builds. I'm sure they are the most used for various reasons and like I said, I'm open to using one, I was just wondering about the thoughts of a pre-90's Winchester (push or crf) action or FN 98 action as a possibility too.

Thanks, Joel
 
My first target rifle was built on a long action push feed M70. It had a 30" MacLennan barrel, was chambered in .308, and installed in a custom target stock. It shot quite well, average 5-shot group size at 100 yards of about 0.6" and typical 10-shot groups at 1000 yards of 12-13". I still have it and it is still a good rifle and it still shoots well, though the rifle I use in competitions now is built on a Musgrave action (which is a 1980s-vintage single shot target action). The Musgrave shoots just a bit better (0.4" to 0.5" at 100y, about 8-9" at 1000y), also it has a much larger and simpler bedding area, so the stock's bedding should last much longer between needing repairs.

FWIW I somewhat question the economics of using a commercial hunting rifle action (instead of purchasing a purpose-built single shot target action) in order to build up an accurate target rifle. Except for the action itself, all of the other bits will cost you exactly the same - the barrel and its cost of chambering, the stock and its installation/bedding, the sights, etc. The difference in price might be (SWAG) $3500 for a target rifle built on a Barnard vs. $3000 for a target rifle built on an M70.

If you understand the benefits and tradeoffs involved in a 6.5x.284 and really do want one then definitely go ahead and build one. But if this is something you're not complete sure of the one piece of advice I might offer is to recommend that you build a .308 target rifle instead.
 
Post edited for caliber, I'm not really set on 6.5x284, I've been checking on it's pros and cons and seems that it may not be my best choice. There is quite a few calibers that interest me but am a little more concerned on the platform rather than caliber. I like the 6mm rem, 257 bob, 25-06, 260 rem and maybe even the 6.5 swede. If there was going to be a mag in there, it would be 257 wby mag.

Thanks for the advice on the action of using a custom purpose built rather than blue printing a commercial. I'm not intending as using this as a bench only rifle, I was more thinking of using it as a deer/coyote rifle. A repeater action is more fitting for that. I've read previous posts and a Pierce repeater action may be fitting for me, again I don't know enough about custom builds or what is available in a repeater.

Thanks again, Joel
 
- How far do you want to be able to shoot decently accurately, whether in formal competition or informal long range plinking? 600 yards? 800 yards? 1000 yards? (the bigger number you pick, the more restrictive the choice becomes, so think carefully and don't just automatically pick the largest number)

- do you want something that you can reasonably expect to "just shoot", or do you handload and do you enjoy load development and tuning as a fun project in itself?

- barrels wear out and over the course of its life a barrel is much cheaper than the ammo used to wear it out. Having said that, is ~1000 rounds of match-winning accuracy (and say 2500 rounds of "minute-of-varmint") OK for you, or is 3000 rounds of match-winning accuracy (and say 7000-10,000 "minute of varmint") important enough to sacrifice some degree of overkill in your calibre choice?

- do you (or will you) handload?

- you live in a part of the country that has the opportunity for longer range varmint hunting (count me as envious!). Are you interested in doing longer-range varmint hunting (and if so, how long range)? Do you like getting and using extra gear (e.g. laser range finders) or do you prefer simpler, no-extras shooting? (I'm trying to determine if a super-flat-shooting round is needed or not)

- does your chosen gunsmith have any experience building target rifles, or high performance varmint rifles? What reamers does he have on hand? E.g. does he have 6BR, .260 Rem, 6.5-.284, .308, etc?

- would it be more fun for you to build a rifle with a cartridge that is the "minimum needed for the job", or more fun to select "much-larger-than-needed-but-not-yet-silly"?

- do you have a small or a large amount of shooting experience? What do you know about your own limitations and preferences when it comes to recoil (specifically, not how much you can "handle", but how much you can "shoot well in spite of")?
 
Nothing wrong with the win 70 or HOWA or Ruger or Mauser/Enfield or .....

All of these, with the right barrel and install, can shoot 1/4 to 1/3 min which certainly meets your accuracy goals.

Not everyone wants to race a chevy/Ford or Honda so have at it. Will there be as many parts for dressing up, nope. Does it matter?

Sounds like you will be mag feeding. Consider a standard chamber 243 to 308. It will just save so many headaches in trying to make it feed, will be plenty accurate and give you lots of shooting options.

My faves are the 260R and 7-08 - Hunting, varmints, competition, LR plinking. Do it all and do it very well. I have shot a ton of 308 and it is another great option especially if you want to use it in F TR someday. You can view all the ballistics pros and cons

Decide what you want, then reverse engineer to see what you need for parts and what the whole thing will cost to build.

A shooter from Vanc competes with a Mauser 22-250 at the Farky and can certainly hold his own against all the modern wonder rigs and whiz bang wildcats.

Build what you like, have some fun, learn how to dope the wind, save more rubles for the next barrel cause if you do the first 3 things enough, you will certainly need more pipes.

Enjoy...

Jerry
 
-500-600yard shot would be the most I would want to comfortably shoot at. Where I shoot for the most part does not allow shots any further than that due to rolling hills, trees etc.

-I handload already and enjoy it, I find it therapeutic and rewarding. I'm not a pro at it but have been expanding my horizons by playing powders,charges,bullet styles,seating depths. When I have time, I'm the sucker who loads for my dad, brother, in-law with most standard calibers(204ruger,243win,25-06rem,270win,7rem mag,284win,30-06sprg,300win mag)

-I don't want an unreasonable barrel burner, barrel life of around 5000 rounds or more would be reasonable for the minute of varmint category.

-I've recently picked up a 204 ruger as a cheap "fun gun" in a T/C venture for the small critters and suprising where I shoot, pd population is low to nil. I'm a no frills kind of hunter, mouth calls, some camo a good hiding spot and I'm set.

-unsure of what the smith has, I'm not committed to anyone at the moment and will look further than local if I have to.

-I'm a minimum needed for the job kind of guy, I prefer the small calibers but if I'd step into a 30 cal, probably the 308 would be my choice for simplicity.

-I have a fair amount of shooting experience, I know what i'm comfortable with and what I'm not. I'm not sure of how to answer the question, I can handle heavy recoil from say a 300win mag for a 5shot group but quickly becomes no fun for me. My group stays consistent and similar to my 270fwt or my 7rem mag but wears me down quickly and I have to quit before I start developing unwanted habits.
 
For a fun, but unique (sort of) cal, that will last, and still hold minute of varmint out to 600 yards, I would go with a 6.5-47 Lapua, easy to load for, very accurate and a mild recoil that will allow you to spot your own shots.
 
What about a 6BR? Personally I would be tempted to get a fast-twist barrel so that 105/107 match bullets could be fired any time you want to do any long range plinking (this has been used to win matches and set records at 600y and 1000y). Also there are lots of goods varmint bullets in the 6mm/70-grain class (and even a 55 grainer). Recoil is virtually nil. Super-accurate off-the-shelf loads are simply "known" (the 6BR and the .308 are probably two of the best calibers out there for this). Muzzle blast and noise are as reasonable as one can expect from a high power rifle. Excellent barrel life.

The 6.5x47L would also be a good (and also "nifty") choice too.

If you are going to go with a repeater, it only makes sense if you can easily and reliably feed from the magazine. This involves either choosing a magazine made for the cartridge (or a cartridge from the same family), or else having a gunsmith who understands what needs to be modified in order to feed well. (As a point of info, my M70 was originally a .30-06 and is now a .308. I can load one or two rounds into the magazine and it will feed, but if I fill the magazine with five rounds of .308 it will not reliably feed. This is because the .308-Win case body is "straighter" than the .30-06 case body; the difference in this taper, over five rounds, makes the .308 cartridges stack "wrong" in the magazine and hang up enough to prevent proper feeding. The solution to this would be to (slightly) modify the angle of the magazine box and also possibly the rails of the receiver).
 
I really like the sounds of a 6x45. (.223 with a .243 cal hole) Should last a long time, not kick and handle coyotes and deer.
 
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