building a new rifle but need some input

[Charles A]

[ QUOTE ]
"Optics- what i listed will prob have to do"

[/ QUOTE ]




Dont sell yourself short. That leupold is a very good scope and will do everything you need it to do, and do it well. As long as its got target turrets you'll be fine.

As far as the caliber goes your going to get a lot of different oppinions. What you need to do is lay some parameters. Right now were sitting at 15 and under, targets up to the size of elk/moose out to 600yds. Maybe farther?


A 308win will work at that range, but it is MUCH easier with a round in the 7mmWSM and 300win mag class. So much so that I personaly wouldnt even cosider it. I think a good starting place is the 7mmWSM shooting 160+ grain bullets, with the various 30cals being even better.

Do you reload? Do you care if factory <u>match quality</u> ammo is available? A muzzle brake is almost mandatory to be able to spot you own hits. Any of the medium size cartridges in a 12-15lb gun with a MB will recoil about like a 243win. Some of them(VIAS) wont increase the noise to the shooter all that much. While some of them will considerably(OPS-Inc), but will provide slightly more recoil reduction.

 

[jeffbird]

Dan,
I asked a similar question about two weeks ago and received several helpful comments you may wish to review. See - advice - deer and feral pig gun under the Basics topic.
Good luck.

 

[SteveSlough]

Call Clay Spencer Ph#434-293--6836 located in Scottsville VA.He is the best&amp; cheapest rifle builder in the country. His rifles are winning the major rifle competitions.He just built me a custom 300 win mag. If you are like me this will probably be the only custom rifle I will own. It will shoot one hole groups and the cost is around $2300 if you furnish the action. This guy is a serious rifle builder. I find out about him in a rticle by Jim Carmichael in Outdoor life Mag.I can asure you will be very happy with his work.

 

[Pete Lincoln]

you know, we can discuss the newer cartridges like the 6.5x284, 260 rem, the WSM's and a bunch of wildcats, weatherby mags and whatever,, we can talk about em all day and night.. but you know what ive been using to take every kind of deer and pig from as near as 3 feet to as far away as i'd want to shoot a game animal? the plain jane , good old 30-06. would be kinda nice to to go that way in 2006, centeniel year and all that. you can take any game in Europe with it, most game in North America ( theres only the big bears that i'd want something more powerfull for) a bunch of game in Africa with also drop with a well placed shot from a 30-06.Pete, ( P.S. Ward. i'm currently messing about with a 300WSM knecked up to 9.3, just for fun)

 

[Ronin]

Pete, not wishing to steal DanC's post but do you have the equipment to do a 7mm WSM with a long throat to accomodate the heavier 7mm bullets?

 

[nowler]

hey massy

dave kiff will do you a reamer to your specs for about 150dollars mate. just get one to your specs bud and build what you want i'd say. but get pete to build it of course!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Pete Lincoln]

whats all this talk of deep throats? err.
Andy yes and yes. not wanting to highjack anyones post(unless i'm nxs and luppy bashing) and i'm ordering some new reamers this week anyway. Thanks for the vote of confidence Derek. scope there yet?
Pete

 

[wadevb1]

DanC
Watch the Buy/Sell/Trade section of this forum. Last June I picked up a custom 300WM that shot so well I can't believe the guy sold it. I saved enough money on the sale that I shipped the rifle to McMillan for a Lazeroni stock and bed job.

 

[MindBender]

Thaks for all the replies
Its been a great help in deciding on what i actually have to do to get what im wanting. Steve thanks Clay was a great person to get ahold of.Talked to him for almost an hour.He`s a hell of a nice guy and has answeres for every question, we both got confused jumping between target rifles and hunting rifles but think we got it narrowed down.
After talking to him and discussing muzzle breaks.It`s starting to look more like a compatition rifle than a hunting rifle.But i can build a shooting table on my front deck and hunt most of the farm.bee awhile im still 500 yarded, 1200 yards is still out of my abilities at this time.But i have never had a rifle like what im wanting to build.May be able to add a few hunderd yards to that with a top of the line rifle. Its amazing the more i find out the higher the caliber keeps getting.now its pushing into the 300 mag.I have come to the realization that that its not really possible to have best of both worlds hunting and long range target shooting do to weight of the rifles.
So let me see if i got this right {take a 300 mag}- Hunting- good one, deadly out to 600 yards
+ a few but gets iffy after that but you dont need a dolly to packit with ya- Target 300mag- 1000 yards + but actual weight is getting into the 14+ pounds not real handy for taking to the woods and shooting deer/coyotes/etc etc...
Hunting rifle- approx 3k
Target rifle-- approx 5k
Going to talk to a couple more builders as soon as i can track some down. I figure Clay knows what hes talking about but just want other opinions before i commit to that kind of cash. He told me i was welcome to come to his shop and shoot one almost identical to what he thinks im looking for.He was pretty sure we could figure it out and still keep it under 5k.
He told me that the optics would be fine untill i put the muzzle break on a 300 mag. He didnt feel that it would hold up very long. Dont know if ill ever bee good enough to compete in long range shooting and be competative but would really like to give it a try and see if i can. Was really suprised that i went from a 308 to a7mm mag to concidering a 300 mag. Not like me to be up in the air about what i want.
Guess ill keep checking the info {only want to do this once} would really like to get it rightthe first time around.TY all again for the great responces to my question
it may not mean much to you all but im very impressed with the help you all have gave me in my little indever
It`s looking like a target rifle that i will be using for huning some of the time. guess you all already knew how this was going to turn out lol.

 

[sewwhat89]

Chat with Kirby Allen at APS. Go over some options and see what he can do for you. May be just the ticket!

Stephen

 

[308 nate]

I build part time give me a call if you want
701-794-3276

 

[Ronin]

Pete, tried to e-mail your site today on both addresses. Got two failiures any alternative?

 

[Brien]

my buddy just bought a remington 300win mag police (factory heavy barrel).. i have had 300win mags for several years . i have also shot my 308 factory heavy remington.. in my opinion the 308 isnt that much less comfortable to shoot than the 300 police.. the factory 308 with optics weighs right at or under 10lbs. the police winmag weighs about 11 + a few ounces... i would second clay spencer to be one of the best but there are several here that have great credintials...i have never had any of them work on any for me but there are lots of them here... i have a 300win mag 17lbs target rifle (with break) that is very comfortable to shoot.. and a 14lbs 7wsm with a break that is very comfortable to shoot... if you build either at 12lbs plus i dont believe the recoil will be very substantial with or without a brake.
good luck
Brien

 

[MindBender]

All the good advice has helped alot
Guess what im going to do is rebuild my old 308 over time 1 piece at a time try to get it back to a 600 yard rifle.
Wich it never was thats why im a 500 yarder to begin with.
So at this point i am looking for a remington long action and need to decide on if im going with a 7 mag or 300 mag. Dont think i could ever give up that 308 no matter how much i bad mouth it its killed more animals in 1 shot than i can count.
It seems to me that some of you all have built more custome rifles than i own that are off the shelf, so any advice in what works and what doesnt through your trail and error would be greatful.
Nate when i start rebuilding my old 308 ill prob need some advice u seem to be very adept with that cal. in a custom but would really like to keep it a hunting rifle just get more yardage out of it.going to use it this year for deer season so wont be doing anything till prob next year with it.
Whoever i am going to go ahead and start working toward a target rifle.Think ill prob spend the rest of the night trying to find out some info on what it will take to build a rifle that will be competative. Guess ill grab the 22-250 and start working on my shooting alittle more inthusiasticly.
Any info in getting into this would be great any tips or ideas that i have missed on this site for me to read would be great.And maybe in a couple years i might actually get wear i can compete and be competative.