A Bolt for long range?

[dsmer4ever]

Hello, I'm new to the sight but not to hunting and shooting. I am interested in doing some work to my A bolt to make it a more proficient long rang rig. It's a stainless stalker in 300wsm, I use it for everything from deer to moose and im starting to do some long range target shooting now.
My question is, is this a good platform to start out on? What should I start looking in to as far as upgrades for Browning goes?
The rifle will put three shots right around a inch apart at 100 yards as is. I've only added a limbsaver recoil pad.
I also own a Browning Eclipse M1000 in 22.250, the two rifles are kind of on the opposite ends of the scale. One is light with a shorter barrel while the other is heavy with a long heavy target barrel.
Should I build the 300 like the 22.250? The Eclipse shoots much better compared to the 300. I'd love to get the 300 working like the 22 in terms of accuracy but still be able to comfortly carry it hunting with me.
Any input would be very appreciated.
Thank you

 

[westcliffe01]

You will probably find that there are relatively few accessories offered for your browning. It will be harder to find someone to make you a match barrel. You might find it impossible to change a part like the bolt from the factory configuration if Browning refuses to sell you parts for a caliber conversion.

Clones of the Rem 700 action are the most popular and most are very well made (Stiller, Pierce, Surgeon, BAT, Lawton and the list goes on..)

One of the problems with working with a "factory" Remington action is that by the time it has been accurised the barrel tenon is non standard and sometimes the action timing is messed up. From that point of view, a custom action should always be standardized and things like the primary extraction should be perfectly timed. The clones will have the largest number of trigger, base and stock options out there.

If you are a man who is value driven, then Savage might be your deal (a little doubtful given what you have to spend to buy a Browning). A Savage action will NEVER feel like a Browning or a Ruger or a Sako, but like an AK47, they tend to function pretty well and were designed to be cheap to make. The accutrigger and the later target accutrigger are some of the best triggers to ever be fitted to factory guns. This is the route I have gone down.

Typically one does no trueing, does not replace the trigger, buys fabulous select match barrels completely finished for $340, which you can install yourself and possibly replaces the stock. With that one easily has a rifle that will shoot 1/2 MOA. Warne and others make excellent quality one piece rails and there are custom stocks to be had, but far fewer than for a Rem 700 clone. Some of the stocks on the short action rifles are quite good from the factory and just need a bedding job (models 10 and 12). The stocks on the entry level rifles are the usual injection/roto molded cored out crap.

I live under no illusions, my Savages are not nor will they ever be Sakos, but I can afford them and perhaps if I consolidate my collection at some time in the future I can afford to go with 1 or 2 custom guns. I do not have to be ashamed about how they shoot either.

 

[dsmer4ever]

I was hoping to save some money on the action where I really like the short lift and the general feel of the browning actions.
So basically I should start with a action that is more readily available with more aftermarket support.
So going with the savage I'm mostly just after the action, almost everything else gets replaced?
What about the MCS-BDL MINI CHASSIS from manners? Then build from there? I like the idea if a semi custom action for a listed price of $360, cheaper than a whole savage rifle.

 

[dsmer4ever]

Maybe I read the manners system wrong? Is it a action or a part for the 700 action?

 

[DeerHunter101]

I had a Browning A-Bolt II in 25/06 done by a local gunsmith and it will shoot 1/2'' or slightly better at a 100yds if I do my part. He bedded my action in a factory Eclipse stock cause it was hard to find a aftermarket stock. The gunsmith used a 26'' Douglas barrel. However you did mention carrying the rifle and I can tell you that mine turned out pretty heavy. With the scope and bipod my rifle weighs right at 16Lbs. Just like westcliffe01 said there is not many accessories at your disposal and Im not sure if you have already looked into it or not but it doesen't seem to be alot of gunsmiths that will build off of a Browning action. If you do have it built I think you will be happy with it cause I really like mine. The only thing I dont like is the weight of the rifle LOL. Anyway good luck on your build.gun)

 

[westcliffe01]

This is what the MCS-BDL mini chassis is

Its not an action, just something you attach your action to. And it included the bottom metal to take higher capacity magazines.

I think you misunderstood my comments on the Savage. Its mainly the barrel that needs to be changed out. If you get a Model 10 or 12 the factory stock might be fine. If it has a tupperware stock, then you need to replace the stock.

If you start with a factory Rem 700, then you probably will replace the trigger, stock, have the action and bolt machined to straighten them out, send the action to a smith with a barrel blank and expect to pay at least $550 up to $700 for a barrel to be machined to headspace on our action cut to fit your action threads. So I would say that typically very little of a Rem 700 gets re-used.

Thats the reason why it is usually a better idea to go straight to a custom action if you like the Remington action. Nothing needs to be thrown away or "fixed", so you just have to add the trigger, barrel and stock.

Jim at Northland Shooters Supply is selling Remington fit barrels from Criterion or Shilen with a standard shank and his own precision barrel nuts. These will fit most of the clone 700 custom actions and again, you can buy a completely machined barrel for about $350 as opposed to $550+ and install it yourself. Some refer to this configuration as a "Savington".

If you look at Pierce Engineering, they do actions for tube guns and they sell the tube gun chassis system too. Its all a question of what you want. I spent a lot of time on Remington rifles (relatively new ones) which would not shoot until one "fixed" a bunch of problems and ultimately one seldom gets around the need to replace the barrel, by which point one is well into custom gun money. Initially I was skeptical of the Savage as it just feel like crap compared to a Browning or a Ruger, but I have to say that they are pretty good shooting factory guns without needing any voodoo medicine. I have a model 10 223 with a 20" barrel that shoots 75gr match ammo in 1/2" effortlessly. It cost me $550. I have a model 12 243 that I recently fitted a Shilen 26" 8 twist 243 AI barrel to and it shoots 1/2moa at 200 yards (shooting Berger 95gr bullets). I paid $770 for the rifle and later added the match barrel with the 8 twist that Savage won't sell us. I recently took my first coyote double with it.

Right now I am building a 6.5x284. Its tricky in that it needs a real long action. This last weekend I found a donor Model 111 (was a 270Win) which I bought for $285. It was a DBM version. I ordered a $190 Hogue stock for it and have another 26" Shilen barrel on order. Including the stock and barrel, I will have only $825 in this gun. My initial 100 brass shells, 140gr bullets, primer and powder and dies will have cost me nearly 1/3 of that...

 

[dsmer4ever]

I was looking at Shilen, they sell barrels that are pre threaded, chambered and finished all to your choice including Browning, Remington, and Savage.
Is a barrel like this something I could do myself? What kind of tools are involved in this?
I've never really done any work on my rifles except change the stock on my sks.

 

[westcliffe01]

Any shouldered barrel (basically anything but a Savage) will need installing by a gunsmith. It will either be chambered long, so that to fit it requires removing material at the breach and shoulder, or it will be chambered short and then the chamber will need to be reamed to the final depth by the gunsmith.

This is not typically something you would be doing at home since most of us don't have a suitable lathe, nor the $100 reamer nor the skill to do this job 100% without screwing up and having a $600 paperweight. That is the big advantage of the Savage system, they basically eliminated the precision fitting by using the nut. Shilens website will tell you that the barrels need to be fitted by gunsmiths.

 

[idaho elk hunter]

A bolts are fair rifles to begin with. They are built for hunting not accuracy. The twist rate used is sometimes for more of hunting bullet design and not very compatible with VLD target designs. IE the 7mm barrels have a 1 in 9.5 twist. the Berger and amax, Sierra etc 162 to 180 gr shoot better with 1 in 8.5 twist. The 1 in 9.5 might do fine at 100yds but stretch out to long range and they will shoot like a shotgun. If you have a a bolt use it for hunting. if you want a accurate hunting or shooting rifle without a custom price a Weatherby Accumark or Savage with a little tuning and the right combination in the reloading department ALWAYS gives half inch groups. Weatherbys are criticized by big name gunsmiths that do not know them but they do shoot the best if you understand them and know how to load for them. They are the best out of box factory produced rifle.

 

[snookntarpon]

I own a stainless stalker with Boss brake. Have it shooting 0.33 " 5 shot groups and have shot deer out past 600. Just received a McMillan stock for it and had the barrel and action cerakoted. Would not do the Cerakote again. But the stock is amazing. Haven't **** it yet but I will surely get it to be a quarter inch gun.

 

[PALMA308]

I like savage i got a palma 308 shoots 155 grain awesome groups right out of the box with scope bipod have about 3,300 in the set up.plan on taking it on next elk hunt.