looking to build a a new better handling rifle

[rotorhead]

Hello folks, I havent posted in a good long while. I havent been shooting or hunting in at least a decade. Work and life has just gotten in the way. Well I decided, that's enough! I havent been keeping up with the world of firearms and WOW much has changed. many years ago I built a 6.5-06, its a tack driver for sure. Its a semi-custom built on a tikka 695 action with a bartlien 1:8.5 5r heavy sporter and a laminate stock. It is a bit heavy but I dont really mind as long as i'm not climbing mountians too much, so it needs a buddy. a little lighter more focused around more mountainous hunting. I have been through the warbirds, RUMs and lapua some years ago but I'm looking not to absorb all that recoil these days. These I call super mags. I have two doner rifles one is a tikka 695 338 win mag and the other is a TRG-s 270. So, 473 532 bases. I'm torchering myself trying to decide what I want to do. I am leaning to the 280AI ( commercial round, ha who would have thought that) or an alternate standard mag. I'm thinking a 28 of some kind. So looking at the 7 WSM this could work in a longer action but then got to looking at the 300 wsm then necking it down to a 28 would give me a little longer neck plus the longer action would allow me to seat out and take advantage of the longer bullet selections. not sure of the brass considerations as I have never fooled with any of the short fats. All this being said, the sako or the tikka. I feel the sako is a better action but I have never had a problem with the 695's. I do not need or want a super light feathery rifle but 8#ish is fine.
One other thing, my old gunsmith has retired and I need some suggestions on a really good one. I live in texas but I'm not against sending it somewhere.

Thank you for your time folks.

 

[WeiserBucks]

What is it for? Deer? Elk? Jackalopes?

 

[Country Bumpkin]

Welcome back!

I don't have much to offer, I've only got one custom and it was built 6 years ago R700, Proof 1:8.25, 7RM, Stocky CF stock. With VX6, 6-24, I'm at just over 8.5 lbs. I love it, by the time it's loaded up with stock bag and all ammo I'm at 9 lbs and it shoots great. I decided to go short barrel at 22" and I'm glad I did now that I've got a can (which adds a lot of weight but at the moment I'm happy with it).

Before that I had a custom that finished out in the 10 lbs range plus ammo. It had a Bartlein center-cut and it was just silly accurate. I do miss those groups, but I do NOT miss carrying it in the mountains.

I'm happy with my 7RM selection too…. But I've wanted a 280 AI this entire time (mostly out of curiosity). If I were to start the process all over again, the only thing I'd change is going to 280 AI and a lighter scope.

 

[FEENIX]

Hello folks, I havent posted in a good long while. I havent been shooting or hunting in at least a decade. Work and life has just gotten in the way. Well I decided, that's enough! I havent been keeping up with the world of firearms and WOW much has changed. many years ago I built a 6.5-06, its a tack driver for sure. Its a semi-custom built on a tikka 695 action with a bartlien 1:8.5 5r heavy sporter and a laminate stock. It is a bit heavy but I dont really mind as long as i'm not climbing mountians too much, so it needs a buddy. a little lighter more focused around more mountainous hunting. I have been through the warbirds, RUMs and lapua some years ago but I'm looking not to absorb all that recoil these days. These I call super mags. I have two doner rifles one is a tikka 695 338 win mag and the other is a TRG-s 270. So, 473 532 bases. I'm torchering myself trying to decide what I want to do. I am leaning to the 280AI ( commercial round, ha who would have thought that) or an alternate standard mag. I'm thinking a 28 of some kind. So looking at the 7 WSM this could work in a longer action but then got to looking at the 300 wsm then necking it down to a 28 would give me a little longer neck plus the longer action would allow me to seat out and take advantage of the longer bullet selections. not sure of the brass considerations as I have never fooled with any of the short fats. All this being said, the sako or the tikka. I feel the sako is a better action but I have never had a problem with the 695's. I do not need or want a super light feathery rifle but 8#ish is fine.
One other thing, my old gunsmith has retired and I need some suggestions on a really good one. I live in texas but I'm not against sending it somewhere.

Thank you for your time folks.

I know what you mean; here's the route I went with https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/30-gibbs-is-finally-ready.242088/, Kimber 84 Hunter in .30-06 rechambered in .30 Gibbs.

As far as gunsmith, @Mike from Texas might have recommendations near you. Good luck with your project build.

 

[rotorhead]

What is it for? Deer? Elk? Jackalopes?

Kind of weird but its for elk and sheep or auodad. rougher terrain

 

[rotorhead]

I know what you mean; here's the route I went with https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/30-gibbs-is-finally-ready.242088/, Kimber 84 Hunter in .30-06 rechambered in .30 Gibbs.

View attachment 374453
View attachment 374454

As far *** gunsmith, @Mike from Texas might have recommendations near you. Good luck with your project build.

Nice weight, over 50 it seams to matter a little more. nice rifle!

 

[Mark37082]

Age does put things in perspective. I prefer to think it makes you wiser, but I'm biased and over 60. For a hunting rig, I think a there is a sweet spot between 7.5 and 9 lbs ready to hunt. This a fairly broad range of weight, but at this point my shoulders and back just tell me anything heavier is not going into the woods or mountains on a hunt.

 

[Bravo 4]

You mentioned a commercial round, are you wanting to shoot factory ammo? With your 6.5-06 you must have the capability of loading your own. Ammo and component availability would be a major factor to consider if I were building/buying a rifle at the moment.
A 280AI would be cool and give you close to 7 RemMag performance, plus could make brass out of what you have already (the 6.5-06) in a pinch. For factory ammo I don't know, haven't looked for that cartridge.

 

[BEEMAN]

280 AI is a good choice. Great performance with somewhat mild recoil. I just finished one up this winter. It's shooting the 140 AH just over 3300 FPS with H100V out of a 23" IBI 1-7.5" twist. It's not overly light but it's wearing a fairly heavy NF NX8.

 

[rotorhead]

You mentioned a commercial round, are you wanting to shoot factory ammo? With your 6.5-06 you must have the capability of loading your own. Ammo and component availability would be a major factor to consider if I were building/buying a rifle at the moment.
A 280AI would be cool and give you close to 7 RemMag performance, plus could make brass out of what you have already (the 6.5-06) in a pinch. For factory ammo I don't know, haven't looked for that cartridge.

Oh no, I was just suprise to see it was commercial. I reload, thats half the fun. My 6.5 I ues 270 brass for the parent, I like the long neck and it was built around the 142SMK , it likes long bullets. but shoots a 130AB real nice.

 

[rotorhead]

280 AI is a good choice. Great performance with somewhat mild recoil. I just finished one up this winter. It's shooting the 140 AH just over 3300 FPS with H100V out of a 23" IBI 1-7.5" twist. It's not overly light but it's wearing a fairly heavy NF NX8.

mark 37082 kind of hit it ok 7.5-9 is good, I'm not sure what and AH is? Have you done and work with say around 160ish?

 

[rotorhead]

280AI is one I have been thinking about for quiet sometime its close to 7RM with a little work may be able to run with it.

 

[bill123]

280 AI is a good choice. Great performance with somewhat mild recoil. I just finished one up this winter. It's shooting the 140 AH just over 3300 FPS with H100V out of a 23" IBI 1-7.5" twist. It's not overly light but it's wearing a fairly heavy NF NX8.

What stock and receiver are those?

 

[ducky]

What stock and receiver are those?

The stock looks like an AG Composite stock, and the action is one of the many custom 700 footprint actions. I can't tell from the pictures exactly what action it is, but it's a solid foundation for any rifle build. If I were you I'd go handle as many commercial options of rifles available and take the features you like from each one.