Need help deciding on a cal or rifle for first build

[benchracer]

Here is a book that helped me get started:

Amazon.com: Gunsmithing Made Easy: Projects for the Home Gunsmith (9781616080778): Bryce M. Towsley: Books

You can probably find it on the shelf at your local Wal Mart or bookstore. I have seen it in quite a few places. Amazon if all else fails.

Alternatively, here is an online tutorial:

Bedding a Rifle With MatchGrade Bedding Compound

Be forewarned, however, once you start down this road, it gets addictive. You are messing with a gateway drug...

 

[hunter516]

Im already addicted I just want better equipment and more knowledge and experience with long range rifle shooting

 

[britz]

just remember - nothing is free. Better velocity and baistic performance = shorter barrl life and higher recoil.

 

[7magmike]

I just got a 7mm rum myself and am realy liking it, it has the power to get it done past 1000 yards.

 

[hunter516]

I have noticed alot more people using .30 cal or bigger for 1000 yard hunting and target shooting. Why is that when th .284 caliber has a higher bc?

 

[hunter516]

Other than the ultra mags and and specialty rounds what is the difference between a 7 mm at 1000 yards and a 300 wm?

 

[djm670]

Bigger wound channel and more engergy if they are traveling about the same speed because of the typically increased mass of the .30 bullet, basically more killing power.

So you pay a penalty in recoil to kill something at 1000 plus yards... Where as with 1000 yard target shooting, you have to put repetitive holes in paper/target and don't need as much killing power thus the 6.5 mm high ballistic constant bullets shine - low recoil but just as flat or flatter shooting and wind drift ability.

 

[hunter516]

Ok. I would rather have too much gun than not enough any day of the week. What would the max range of a 7 mm rem mag be shooting 168 grn berger hybrids?

 

[benchracer]

If you are just hunting deer/antelope, you don't need to go bigger than 7mm. At sea level, a 168 Berger VLD @ 2900 fps doesn't go transonic until after 1200 yards and maintains >1000 ft/lbs of energy (the accepted minimum for deer sized animals) past 1500 yards. I can't remember for sure what Berger's stated minimum velocity for reliable expansion is. I am thinking somewhere around 1600 fps. If I am right about that figure, you are good to about 1000 yards at sea level.

The 6.5's are great. I own several and they are my favorite under .30 rifles. They are an excellent balance of bc, recoil, velocity, striking power, and penetration.

However, the 7mm has better bc's. The tradeoff is a bit more recoil. To outperform the 7's, you have to go really heavy in a .30 or step up to the .338's. Neither of those options are necessary for deer sized game. If you want to step up to elk/moose/bear at long range, that is a different story.

 

[hunter516]

Ok. Thank you verry much for that information. Is it better to pillar bed a stock or glass bed it? I know the different between the two but which on is better?

 

[benchracer]

IMO, the best bedding system is an aluminum bedding block. One can skim bed that if desired.

Generally speaking, whether to pillar bed or glass bed is highly dependent on action type. Tubular actions like Remington or Savage generally respond best to being pillar bedded. Flat bottomed actions with an integral recoil lug such as a Mauser, Winchester Model 70, or Ruger Model 77 often respond very well to glass bedding. The Ruger and Mauser often have or need to be bedded with pillars where the rear action screw meets the receiver tang. I have pillar bedded the front action screw of a Ruger Model 77, but it is not a straightforward proposition.

Keep in mind that stock material plays a role as well. Though it is possible to bed the plastic type synthetic stocks, I prefer to work with wood or wood laminate because they tend to be more rigid and bedding compound adheres to them more easily. Every fiberglass synthetic stock I have owned had an integral bedding block, so I have no experience bedding a fiberglass stock.

If memory serves, the Gunsmithing Made Easy book that I referenced earlier showed a nifty bedding technique that involved using bedding compound to form the action pillars. Especially if one uses something like Marine Tex or Steel Bed, I think that would be the best pillar bedding technique to use because of the inherently precise fit such a technique would produce between the action and the "pillars."

 

[hunter516]

IMO, the best bedding system is an aluminum bedding block. One can skim bed that if desired.

Generally speaking, whether to pillar bed or glass bed is highly dependent on action type. Tubular actions like Remington or Savage generally respond best to being pillar bedded. Flat bottomed actions with an integral recoil lug such as a Mauser, Winchester Model 70, or Ruger Model 77 often respond very well to glass bedding. The Ruger and Mauser often have or need to be bedded with pillars where the rear action screw meets the receiver tang. I have pillar bedded the front action screw of a Ruger Model 77, but it is not a straightforward proposition.

Keep in mind that stock material plays a role as well. Though it is possible to bed the plastic type synthetic stocks, I prefer to work with wood or wood laminate because they tend to be more rigid and bedding compound adheres to them more easily. Every fiberglass synthetic stock I have owned had an integral bedding block, so I have no experience bedding a fiberglass stock.

If memory serves, the Gunsmithing Made Easy book that I referenced earlier showed a nifty bedding technique that involved using bedding compound to form the action pillars. Especially if one uses something like Marine Tex or Steel Bed, I think that would be the best pillar bedding technique to use because of the inherently precise fit such a technique would produce between the action and the "pillars."

Thanks for the info. Im still trying to find that book. Im gonna try to get my hands on it and a few others this weekend.

 

[747captain]

Hey guys any info would help alot and would be greatly appreciated. Im new to long range shooting but not to hunting and would like to get some suggestions on a rifle or caliber for my first build. I currently hunt deer with a win. model 70 in 7mm mag and another mdl 70 in 270 wsm but would like to build a rifle. Would the mdl 70 be ok or would i need anothe rifle to start with? I would like a 300 wm or a 300 rum but if one of the rifles i have would work i would be ok with that. Any suggestions? Thanks

Watch the Sniper 101 you tube channel by TiborasaurusRex 2,3,4 and 5. Highly recommended by lots of folks.