Hey guys I've been kicking around building a rifle for years off a tikka chassis but never could make up my mind on caliber.
It seems in the last couple of years custom actions that allow for hand tight barrels with Torx or Allen screws have proven themselves eg curtis valor, Zeus Terminus even the seekins havok hit. As well as west Texas ordinance switch lugs have made any action without this feature now have it through a similar concept but different mechanism..
I always toiled over the thought of wanting a a ~6lbs~ gun that would be a great back packer but not be the funnest to shoot at the range … or a medium weight Jack of all trades master of none.
Then what caliber ? 6.5 prc Jack of all master of none… 7 prc? enough for elk? Depends on bullet and distance.. but too much recoil to have a full fun day at the range with the kids, tougher to spot shots..
Now I've realized I can have all of the above with one rifle with a XLR element chassis weighing close to 32 oz with the buttstock I want. Throw a lone peak ti action on and I'm at 32 oz for the action 23 oz for the action. (I was set on the zeus terminus but the 37 oz caught me off guard)… Add 2 lbs 12oz for a preferred barrel prefit I'm just over 6 lbs …
The Xlr has an arca rail in the bottom and m lok handguard so you can add weights liberally … I can get a 32oz bare bones stock up to 6 lbs itself and everywhere Bewteen.. now I know some of the weights to to full weight on the chassis go inside, I will forego that and use arca weights and m lok weights and some but stock screw on bag weights to help with the front heavy distribution ill
Put this rifle into in that configuration. These option's along with any caliber and barrel I want with a WTO switch lug makes this seems like you really can have your cake and eat it too.
Now is where I need advice/ help. The following questions are
A) any problems with the theory so far I don't see?
B) I've also looked into pierce ti , vampire bat ti, and defiance anti -x ti, I'm open to all these as they are within $300 of the lone peak .. suggestions / pro's/ cons… what's in important to me is a tikka like action.. easy to lift after fired, glass smooth and 60 degree of less throw..
C) I want to run at first 6.5 creedmoor, 7 prc (300 prc? Maybe) later : 6mm creedmoor , 6.5 prc. I know ill need a magnum bolt as well
What messed me up was some guys I talked to said I need a long action for the 300 prc but will most likely will have feeding issues with a 6.5 creedmoor /308 length round .
Will a medium action running a 7prc maybe single feeding a 300 prc solve this? Or will the correct mag run SA cartridges fine a LA platform ?
D) I also was told be a barrel manufacturer they can put wrench flats on the barrel but I really want to be able to swap without tools, action vices, torque wrench's ect. Just a small t-15/t-25 preset torque screw to use with a WTO switch lug. However he said to spin it on give your wrist a flick at the end out a little bit of English on with with a wrench if you want and you're fine ..
So you can see I think I have most of it worked out in my head but do need some guidance on action length and feeding. As well as feedback to any blind spots I may have.
Summing up I will shoot this rifle with 16" 308's up to 22" 300 prc I run everything suppressed and hand load so I can live with a shorter barrel I know my ballistics and capabilities and this this set up I have even have a 26"28" spun up later if I want ..
It seems in the last couple of years custom actions that allow for hand tight barrels with Torx or Allen screws have proven themselves eg curtis valor, Zeus Terminus even the seekins havok hit. As well as west Texas ordinance switch lugs have made any action without this feature now have it through a similar concept but different mechanism..
I always toiled over the thought of wanting a a ~6lbs~ gun that would be a great back packer but not be the funnest to shoot at the range … or a medium weight Jack of all trades master of none.
Then what caliber ? 6.5 prc Jack of all master of none… 7 prc? enough for elk? Depends on bullet and distance.. but too much recoil to have a full fun day at the range with the kids, tougher to spot shots..
Now I've realized I can have all of the above with one rifle with a XLR element chassis weighing close to 32 oz with the buttstock I want. Throw a lone peak ti action on and I'm at 32 oz for the action 23 oz for the action. (I was set on the zeus terminus but the 37 oz caught me off guard)… Add 2 lbs 12oz for a preferred barrel prefit I'm just over 6 lbs …
The Xlr has an arca rail in the bottom and m lok handguard so you can add weights liberally … I can get a 32oz bare bones stock up to 6 lbs itself and everywhere Bewteen.. now I know some of the weights to to full weight on the chassis go inside, I will forego that and use arca weights and m lok weights and some but stock screw on bag weights to help with the front heavy distribution ill
Put this rifle into in that configuration. These option's along with any caliber and barrel I want with a WTO switch lug makes this seems like you really can have your cake and eat it too.
Now is where I need advice/ help. The following questions are
A) any problems with the theory so far I don't see?
B) I've also looked into pierce ti , vampire bat ti, and defiance anti -x ti, I'm open to all these as they are within $300 of the lone peak .. suggestions / pro's/ cons… what's in important to me is a tikka like action.. easy to lift after fired, glass smooth and 60 degree of less throw..
C) I want to run at first 6.5 creedmoor, 7 prc (300 prc? Maybe) later : 6mm creedmoor , 6.5 prc. I know ill need a magnum bolt as well
What messed me up was some guys I talked to said I need a long action for the 300 prc but will most likely will have feeding issues with a 6.5 creedmoor /308 length round .
Will a medium action running a 7prc maybe single feeding a 300 prc solve this? Or will the correct mag run SA cartridges fine a LA platform ?
D) I also was told be a barrel manufacturer they can put wrench flats on the barrel but I really want to be able to swap without tools, action vices, torque wrench's ect. Just a small t-15/t-25 preset torque screw to use with a WTO switch lug. However he said to spin it on give your wrist a flick at the end out a little bit of English on with with a wrench if you want and you're fine ..
So you can see I think I have most of it worked out in my head but do need some guidance on action length and feeding. As well as feedback to any blind spots I may have.
Summing up I will shoot this rifle with 16" 308's up to 22" 300 prc I run everything suppressed and hand load so I can live with a shorter barrel I know my ballistics and capabilities and this this set up I have even have a 26"28" spun up later if I want ..
