ELR Howa Build

[MSURunner]

Looking at building a ELR rig on a Howa/Vanguard action. Donor rifle is a 7 RM and looking to rebarrel/chamber to a Bartlein 1:8" 31" (finish around 30") in 300 PRC. Looking to have the ability to run suppressed so keeping it 30 cal or less to work with my current can. Looking to have the rifle built off a chassis, probably an Oryx to start and upgrade as necessary/available. This would seem to me on paper to push the Berger 245 EOL around 2850+ fps, which would stay supersonic out to about 2000 yards. Wondering if has any experience on such a setup/cartridge choice to provide some feedback. My initial concern is placing such a long lever on the tenon of the action/barrel. Is this going to be too much weight? Would bedding the first 6-8" of the barrel on a chassis setup seem foolish? Am I expecting too much on the performance side for this rig (super to 2K)? Thanks in advance!

 

[BallisticsGuy]

The tenon is mighty short on Howa's but I'm not an expert enough on tenon vs. barrel length & diameter to say good or bad about it.

As far as the general concept, I don't see that you're off base by any great margin in your plans. Velocity expectations seem about right, ballistics expectations seem there (though I gotta say 2k with such a combo will still be quite challenging just on wind and velocity consistency). You're planning before buying which is super smart.

If you're going to bed the barrel for more support and a synthetically shorter & more rigid barrel then I would probably not do a chassis like the Oryx but would look at a fibreglass stock like a McMillan where bedding significant lengths of the barrel won't take quite so much epoxy.

One thing left to ask yourself is do you have a place to shoot far enough for it to be a good time once you do build it, whatever it turns out to be? My ELR rigs mostly sit in the safe alternately donating and then receiving donated scopes and rings from other rifles.

 

[MSURunner]

Eastern MT and friends with ranches makes the space to stretch it's legs less of a concern. I'm playing around a bit with creating a custom stock generator in Solidworks as well, so perhaps the chassis verses stock may tip in that direction. If going that direction, does anyone have a good recommendation for bottom metal?

 

[Sevy]

I have an mdt lss-xl chassis on my vanguard and though I like the chassis the mag length is an issue. If your single feeding then no problem. The mags allow for 3.615" of coal. I am under the impression that the prc needs a little more to be mag fed.

 

[Capt RB]

You will need to open the action up for longer coal. If you measure the bottom opening you can see there is some room to open it but you will also need to modify the bolt stop. The tennon is also short as stated above. I think that the ess chassis has cip magazine length the oryx has the 3.715 mags like the above lss xl or lss which have as well
If you're going to use the howa look into a barrel block set up. That solves the barrel length/tennon issue. You can get a single shot follower or spend the money/time to open up the bottom. IDK if you can get that much out of the bolt stop the action shouldn't be hard.
https://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek075.html

 

[Litehiker]

The magazine in my 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro is barely long enough inside to accommodate factory cartridges. I may have to judiciously file it a bit for handholds that need tube a hair longer for a good node.

Eric B.