hunters and shooters out there...

Anyone have any precision rifles? Who did you use and how is it working out? What caliber? I'm looking to potentially build one vs buy a ruger

what's your end goal with the gun/build?



"Precision" is pretty broad. You looking for a 1000 yard nickle-puncher, or a 600 yard elk gun, or a little bit of both?

I guess your price range is a factor too. I don't know if you're looking at the RPR, or a Ruger American.

BroncoBot wrote:
Anyone have any precision rifles? Who did you use and how is it working out? What caliber? I'm looking to potentially build one vs buy a ruger

I've built 1, and am building a 2nd. You have to define what you want to shoot. Coyote? 5.56, 22-250, or a .243. I personally like a 5.56 (.223) for coyote because of the quick follow up shot.



I built a custom 260. It's a necked down .308 with a 6.5 mm (.264) round. Great for hogs and deer. It has a high ballistic coefficient and does well with 120 gr. It outperforms the ballistics of the .308 without the recoil. Punches paper out to 1,000 yards. It will zoom along around 2800-2900 fps. I hunt effectively with it to 400 yards.



I'm building a 300 WSM right now. It will be an effective deer/elk gun out to 600 yards. For an effective 800 yard gun (deer/elk) I would go with the standard 300 Win Mag.



As a my platform I chose Remington. Other manufacturers build fine guns - Savage, Ruger, and Browning. But, if you want to build a custom, they have limited aftermarket parts. Especially in the "trigger" category - which is critical for long range. Using a Remington is like buying a Chevy. Lots of aftermarket parts and custom gunsmiths for Remingtons are like blinking your eyes - they are everywhere.



Here's what I used in my 260 build. I bought a Remington - stainless action. I definitely wanted stainless for inclement weather hunting. Barrel - Bartlein #3, stainless, 24". It takes 4-6 months to get a Bartlein barrel after you order it. They are good barrels. Stock - Manners 100% carbon elite tactical. Trigger - Timney.



Basically, here's what my 260 looks like.



https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fmgm-content%2Fsites%2Farmslist%2Fuploads%2Fposts%2F2014%2F11%2F20%2F3727384_01_custom_savage_260_manners_brux_640.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.armslist.com%2Fposts%2F3727384%2Fgrand-rapids-michigan-rifles-for-sale-trade--custom-savage--260--new-trade-options-&docid=z_2g_vMh9XxoXM&tbnid=o0YwKXTDYr6EEM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjP1fW1jMjVAhUqllQKHTwFCscQMwgnKAAwAA..i&w=640&h=480&bih=789&biw=1420&q=custom%20260%20manners%20stock&ved=0ahUKEwjP1fW1jMjVAhUqllQKHTwFCscQMwgnKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8



I don't recommend going the route I did. It's time consuming and expensive. Probably better off buying a Remington Sendero (a good shooter), a Savage (they shoot well and are accurate out of the box), or a Browning (they shoot well stock).



BTW, I'm looking hard at getting a 338 Lapua as my dedicated elk rifle. I won't build a custom 338 Lapua. I'll probably get a Desert Tech (DT SRS A1 338). They are awesome out to 1,200 yards+ for elk. Then you have another topic to address - the glass you put on top.



Check out the DT SRS A1 -

http://www.eurooptic.com/dta-srs-338l-26-ffm.aspx



Good luck.

How about one like this? Could be a good do-it-yourself project. Its fully auto and I don't think it even requires a license. And it can help you put up a fence in minutes! :)



http://www.gunsholstersandgear.com/2008/06/07/dewalt-ar-15-nail-gun/



http://www.operatorchan.org/stem/src/141672274678.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

snoscythe wrote:
what's your end goal with the gun/build?



"Precision" is pretty broad. You looking for a 1000 yard nickle-puncher, or a 600 yard elk gun, or a little bit of both?

bit o'both. Want to be able to get out to 1000 consistently, but wouldn't mind hunting with it either. price - around 1500 when all is said and done. I reload, so cost of bullets off the shelves not as big of a concern.



precision - looking for something like the Ruger Precision Rifle, but if there's a better option, I'm all ears. I'd probably do more varminting vs elk with it as I know it's going to be a bear to pack all day. Also, I absolutely want a AI magaine to get 10 round capacity.

Ddawg wrote:

Anyone have any precision rifles? Who did you use and how is it working out? What caliber? I'm looking to potentially build one vs buy a ruger

I've built 1, and am building a 2nd. You have to define what you want to shoot. Coyote? 5.56, 22-250, or a .243. I personally like a 5.56 (.223) for coyote because of the quick follow up shot.



I built a custom 260. It's a necked down .308 with a 6.5 mm (.264) round. Great for hogs and deer. It has a high ballistic coefficient and does well with 120 gr. It outperforms the ballistics of the .308 without the recoil. Punches paper out to 1,000 yards. It will zoom along around 2800-2900 fps. I hunt effectively with it to 400 yards.



I'm building a 300 WSM right now. It will be an effective deer/elk gun out to 600 yards. For an effective 800 yard gun (deer/elk) I would go with the standard 300 Win Mag.



As a my platform I chose Remington. Other manufacturers build fine guns - Savage, Ruger, and Browning. But, if you want to build a custom, they have limited aftermarket parts. Especially in the "trigger" category - which is critical for long range. Using a Remington is like buying a Chevy. Lots of aftermarket parts and custom gunsmiths for Remingtons are like blinking your eyes - they are everywhere.



Here's what I used in my 260 build. I bought a Remington - stainless action. I definitely wanted stainless for inclement weather hunting. Barrel - Bartlein #3, stainless, 24". It takes 4-6 months to get a Bartlein barrel after you order it. They are good barrels. Stock - Manners 100% carbon elite tactical. Trigger - Timney.



Basically, here's what my 260 looks like.



https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fmgm-content%2Fsites%2Farmslist%2Fuploads%2Fposts%2F2014%2F11%2F20%2F3727384_01_custom_savage_260_manners_brux_640.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.armslist.com%2Fposts%2F3727384%2Fgrand-rapids-michigan-rifles-for-sale-trade--custom-savage--260--new-trade-options-&docid=z_2g_vMh9XxoXM&tbnid=o0YwKXTDYr6EEM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjP1fW1jMjVAhUqllQKHTwFCscQMwgnKAAwAA..i&w=640&h=480&bih=789&biw=1420&q=custom%20260%20manners%20stock&ved=0ahUKEwjP1fW1jMjVAhUqllQKHTwFCscQMwgnKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8



I don't recommend going the route I did. It's time consuming and expensive. Probably better off buying a Remington Sendero (a good shooter), a Savage (they shoot well and are accurate out of the box), or a Browning (they shoot well stock).



BTW, I'm looking hard at getting a 338 Lapua as my dedicated elk rifle. I won't build a custom 338 Lapua. I'll probably get a Desert Tech (DT SRS A1 338). They are awesome out to 1,200 yards+ for elk. Then you have another topic to address - the glass you put on top.



Check out the DT SRS A1 -

http://www.eurooptic.com/dta-srs-338l-26-ffm.aspx



Good luck.

Sounds like an excellent build Ddawg. I think the .260 sounds pretty amazing. Here's my question for you. Why didn't you go with 6.5 CM? Seems to be a lot more 6.5 on the shelves where I'm living. Agreed that Remington does seem to have the most aftermarket goods to throw at a rifle. I don't necessarily think I need a RPR, but it certainly seems to have it's place. Would be great for laying down and smoking ground squirrels with some .223 or plinking.



I'd probably prefer more of a hybrid. Something like you built Ddawg. .338 also sounds like a fun round. But I have an -06 (ruger american) which gets the job done fine for bigger game.



I suppose I'm looking or a target (long range) type gun that I could also use for hunting but not carry around all day. probably something in the 6mm -6.5mm category. Has anyone had any luck with SAVAGE and rebarreling? I'd be interested in picking up a Savage in .308 and rebarreling it to .260 Remington. Then tossing the factory stock and putting a nice aluminum bedded stock on it.



Imuakahuku, I'll look into the Dewalt. Always enjoy adding tools to the toolbox. ha ha.

BroncoBot - IMHO, dollar for dollar the Savage is really tough to beat. They have really turned things around there in the last 10 years and offer a solid, accurate weapon at a reasonable price. I have looked at Savage many times and will pick one or two up in the future.



You are correct, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a great round. Ballistically they are pretty similar. The 6.5 CM and the 260 are ballistically nearly twins. They both shoot the 6.5mm, or 260 (actually .264).



In hindsight, I should have gotten the 6.5 CM. Ammo is more available. I jumped into the Rem 260 world and opened a can of reloading. It's not bad - but ya gotta do it.



You might want to look at the new 6.5x300 Weatherby. It's a laser shooter. They necked down a 300 Weatherby mag and put a 6.5mm (260) in it. It clips along at 3,500 fps. A laser.



The thing about the 6.5x300 Way is, recoil is low, it shoots flatter than a Bryce Harper line drive, and (you won't believe this), it ballistically outperforms a 300 Win Mag at 1,000 yards. The Ballistic Coefficient is scary. All those dang 6.5's have scary BC's. That's why I jumped into the Rem 260.



Here's a link to an article on the Wby 6.5 -

https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2015/9/29/weatherby-reloads-introducing-the-65-300-wby-mag/



Only negative about the 6.5x300 Wby is, it's a barrel burner. Way overbore. Just like the 6.5x284. They are awesome too - but - they shoot a hot, hot load. Hence = barrel burner. Probably get 1,000 rounds through the barrel before you begin to open up your groups and loose pin-point accuracy.



Here's a 6.5 SAUM built by GAP (Georgia Precision custom Rifles) that I have been drooling over. Ballistically, it is the BOMB - and it does not burn barrels up. The only draw back is, you are jumping deep into the reloading world. But, you can effectively and comfortably shoo everything from Coyote, White Tail, Mule Deer, Black Bear, and Elk - out to 700 yards (shooting a 130-140 gr. pill at 3100 fps.). Coyote you can take to 1,000 yards, if you have the glass and skill. The guys that shoot the 6.5 GAP SAUM (based on the RSAUM - Remington Short Action Ultra Mag) swear you can take any game in North America with it - and have. Mule Deer, White Tail, Caribou, Big Horn Sheep (all 4 type - Grand Slam), Elk, Black Bear, Moose, Grizzly (not me), Polar Bear (not me), and Buffalo (not me). Anyway, the guy that in created the 6.5 GAP SAUM 4s - George Gardner, is one helluva gunsmith. He's called OB-1, the founder and president of GAP rifles.



Feast your eyes and drool ..... (I do). It's called the 6.5 Extreme Hunter by GAP.

http://www.gaprecision.net/ga-precision-2016-custom-rifles/ga-precision-xtreme-hunter.html

ANyone used a savage stealth in 6.5 CM? I like the idea of savage as I could swap the barrel to another caliber if I wanted a project down the line. Also, while the 6.5CM is red hot right now, it may fall out of favor as some of the short magnums have. Early reviews are promising on the gun itself though.



Can get it at bud's for $916 + $150 rebate currently. Leaves some money on the table for decent optics.

I know everyone was wondering.

Got the Stealth. Really like it. Very accurate. I like the 6.5CM. I like 6.5 in general. Since then have put together a 260 remington for long range type stuff, and a 6.5 Swede as an additional hunting rifle. I've enjoyed every one of them!

Thanks for the ideas and the conversation. Have a good one.

#2A

Hey BroncoBot - how is that Savage Stealth working out for ya?



I checked it out on the internet. Savage has a reputation for building accurate, affordable shooters. That Stealth has a nice 24" free floated barrel. And the gun weighs 11.5 lbs. It should be a solid, accurate shooter for ya.



Just curious - what kind of glass did you throw on it? Have you been able to shoot sub-moa at 100 yards with it?

It's a great gun. The action felt smoother to me than the Ruger precision. Accutrigger is nothing to write home about, but isn't bad. I really like the chassis. Getting just under MOA with factory "whatever the cheapest is please" ammo I can find. I initially was going to put the 260 barrel (match grade) on it, but I've liked it enough to leave it and built another gun out of the 260 barrel. Savage is good that way. Very easy to DIY. 6.5 is a great caliber. Can shoot it all day and it doesn't beat you up, very accurate, some great bullet selection if you handload.



Definitely not the gun you want to pack all over the CO backcountry looking for elk, but for target/plinking and plop down and wait for coyote type hunts it's great.



For glass, I put a Athlon Argos 6-24 on it. Not a Nightforce, but good enough for right now. I've been impressed with it to be honest.

My only complaint about my 6.5?



After shooting it for a while, when I switch over to my lightweight .270, the scope on the .270 is a bit too friendly with my eye socket.

Here's a fun dream gun. It the new Army / Marine / Navy / Special Operations sniper rifle. The Remington MSR. Can change calibers in about less than 2 minutes (about 90 seconds). It comes in a kit for $21,000. The individual rifle costs $11,600 (no scope or bipod). Street value about $10,500.



http://2poqx8tjzgi65olp24je4x4n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Remington-PSR-Features.jpg " alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">



Here's the kit ($21,000). With barrels, bottles and magazines to shoot 338 Lapua, 300 Win Mag, and 308.



http://2poqx8tjzgi65olp24je4x4n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Remington-PSR-Kit.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

snoscythe wrote:

My only complaint about my 6.5?



After shooting it for a while, when I switch over to my lightweight .270, the scope on the .270 is a bit too friendly with my eye socket.

I've got a lightweight 308 that has the same problem.

Ddawg wrote:

Here's a fun dream gun. It the new Army / Marine / Navy / Special Operations sniper rifle. The Remington MSR. Can change calibers in about less than 2 minutes (about 90 seconds). It comes in a kit for $21,000. The individual rifle costs $11,600 (no scope or bipod). Street value about $10,500.



http://2poqx8tjzgi65olp24je4x4n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Remington-PSR-Features.jpg " alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">



Here's the kit ($21,000). With barrels, bottles and magazines to shoot 338 Lapua, 300 Win Mag, and 308.



http://2poqx8tjzgi65olp24je4x4n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Remington-PSR-Kit.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Wow. That's a lot of gun.