How to build a long rang rifle

[MudRunner2005]

So are you saying excessive freebor is the only way to fly? I guess if you wanna run a weatherby and get weatherby published velocities you will probably need to run some amount of freebor. Im not a weatherby guy so it makes no difference to me.

Just because you set the chamber up so you can touch the lands doesn't mean you need to reload it there! But it gives you the option if your gun likes it that way. This is an option not always present with a saami throat. Not to mention if you decide to run heavy for caliber or high BC bullets the internal powder space it all takes up.

Not sure if you read the article I linked....but it speaks to exactly what I'm saying.

I'm sure you give fine reloading advise, but this isn't that.....hopefully the OP reads my link....weighs his options and makes his own decisions. It's too much of an investment to not weigh all the factors, and bury your head in the sand claiming the alternative is too complicated......how complicated is providing the gunsmith with a piece of brass and your intended bullet.....in the end it will be his decisions he has to live with and he should have all the information.

No, more freebore is not the answer. My opinion...Back in the 1940's and 1950's, sure, it was the only way to get that kind of velocity out of those over bore cartridges. Roy's method for success was more powder in a bigger case, stuffed behind a given bullet. It is not necessarily wrong, and for the time was the only way to make his cartridges superior. But these days in modern times with modern powders and bullets, it is an outdated method. And no, I'm not a Weatherby guy either. For his time, Roy was innovative, but in modern times, the relevancy is still there, but is not a necessity.

I don't set into the lands except for on one particular load for my .308 Win. And you are right, there's no need to seat into the lands, unless you have to. I doin't have to with that load, but I am getting 1-hole groups wtih it, so why Change it?

I've read the article before. And yes, we both have legit points, but differing opinions on certain things. I'm not saying the OP NEEDS to do anything, but a specially cut throat is not a "must" for a custom rifle. They do have their benefits in certain situations, as I posted in my previous post. There is a legit reason to do it, but majority of situations it is unnecessary (once again, my opinion).

You're right, he should weigh all the options. And the process is not complicated, if that's what he wants, go for it. But it is not always a "needed" thing. Sometimes people that are new can over-complicate things based on what they read online and what they hear, and I was once that way, and I'm sure you were, too. At one point in time, we all were ignorant (not meant derragatorively) to the ways of custom rifles, and we were at the mercy of what we've been told, and the gunsmith building it.

I don't want to argue with you, so I will agree to disagree on this particular subject.

 

[Brambles]

No, more freebore is not the answer. My opinion...Back in the 1940's and 1950's, sure, it was the only way to get that kind of velocity out of those over bore cartridges. Roy's method for success was more powder in a bigger case, stuffed behind a given bullet. It is not necessarily wrong, and for the time was the only way to make his cartridges superior. But these days in modern times with modern powders and bullets, it is an outdated method. And no, I'm not a Weatherby guy either. For his time, Roy was innovative, but in modern times, the relevancy is still there, but is not a necessity.

I don't set into the lands except for on one particular load for my .308 Win. And you are right, there's no need to seat into the lands, unless you have to. I doin't have to with that load, but I am getting 1-hole groups wtih it, so why Change it?

I've read the article before. And yes, we both have legit points, but differing opinions on certain things. I'm not saying the OP NEEDS to do anything, but a specially cut throat is not a "must" for a custom rifle. They do have their benefits in certain situations, as I posted in my previous post. There is a legit reason to do it, but majority of situations it is unnecessary (once again, my opinion).

You're right, he should weigh all the options. And the process is not complicated, if that's what he wants, go for it. But it is not always a "needed" thing. Sometimes people that are new can over-complicate things based on what they read online and what they hear, and I was once that way, and I'm sure you were, too. At one point in time, we all were ignorant (not meant derragatorively) to the ways of custom rifles, and we were at the mercy of what we've been told, and the gunsmith building it.

I don't want to argue with you, so I will agree to disagree on this particular subject.

I don't feel we are arguing, just good healthy communication, I will admit that all my customs are wildcats and therefore don't have saami specs, although the 280ai is now a saami cartridge, it wasn't when I built mine.

I also agree with you that it's best determined how to proceed on a case by case scenario...one day I see myself building a few more rifles....and if it ever comes down to a saami regulated cartridge....Conforming to saami specs will be something I'm going to have to entertain.

Good talk......take care and have a good evening..

 

[MudRunner2005]

I don't feel we are arguing, just good healthy communication, I will admit that all my customs are wildcats and therefore don't have saami specs, although the 280ai is now a saami cartridge, it wasn't when I built mine.

I also agree with you that it's best determined how to proceed on a case by case scenario...one day I see myself building a few more rifles....and if it ever comes down to a saami regulated cartridge....Conforming to saami specs will be something I'm going to have to entertain.

Good talk......take care and have a good evening..

I agree, it has been a good exchange. Just used to dealing with other strong-opinioned folks. And I will admit that I am also one of them. It tends to usually end up in an argument creating a large rift amongst the members, than a nice civil exchange of ideas and opinions, like this has been. So, my apologies if I came off as brash or rude.

 

[Brewer]

OK. To the original poster. Here is the 101 I think you are looking for.

If you want sub MOA, you can get this with most factory rifles with a few modifications. like a good trigger, bedding the action and a muzzle break.

If you want a bad *** rifle that will shoot lights out at very long distances, then you will want an entirely different approach. this approach will depend almost completely on how much you want to spend.

There are 5 basic portions of a rifle. Action, Barrel, Trigger, Stock, and scope and mounting stuff. Each of these can cost as little as a couple hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars each. if you want to do a poor mans custom or semicustom, then you are looking at something like the following:

Remington 700 action-$500 Budsguns.com has these (any Left handed short action will do if it has the same bolt face you want. talk to your smith about this)

Custom barrel with a break but with no other frills-$800 Hart, Krieger are a few to consider but many more good ones

Trigger-$150-$250 Timney or Jewel

Stock and bedding-$500 billions available

Scope rail and rings- $750 Burris, Nikon, Bushnell, Vortex. lots of good options

This gets you a very adequate rifle that can look very nice and shoot much better than you can. you can do this cheaper and of course you can spend more.

A gunsmith will do all the machine work and assembly if you ask him to. if you want to do a few things yourself, you can, but based on your original post, Id say have a smith do it all.

Ultimately, the most important part of building a rifle is selecting a good gun smith. there are several on this site and there are many on the open market. there are also lousy ones that can talk the talk but don't produce great pieces of machinery. Good luck.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

Personally, for a bolt action, I think the 260 is a better choice over the 6.5 creedmoor.