Competition/Hunting gun. Build or Buy?

[MOShooter]

I would look into defiance, still tac, surgeon. Put it in a Manner elite T-A stock, mini chassis with the barricade stop. Rem varmint contour 24"-26". The 6.5x47 is stupid good. The 140 hybrid for comps and the 140 elite hunter for game. Same bullet profile.if you want more horsepower the 6.5 gap 4s is awesome as well.

Scott

 

[IA_shooter]

I'm hoping to stay as close to $2500 as possible for the complete build/buy? Is this realistic? If I keep an eye out for quality used components if they happen to become available?

 

[rpierce]

Your going to have 2500 in parts not including labor

 

[IA_shooter]

Your going to have 2500 in parts not including labor

I think I can stay within my budget if I find a suitable used action and stock. Once I have those I'll order the exact barrel I want. One reason I was leaning towards a Shilen DGR action was the fact that I can install/headspace the barrel myself.

 

[Ringostar]

Since you already have optics, it will be close on cost. If Ryan has any of the Curtis actions yet, I would consider one. Otherwise I would go with a Pierce action, about $900. Brux barrel about $300. You could save a little with a Bell & Carlson stock, one with the aluminum bedding block. For any target use, I would bed the action. About $300 for stock. Jewel HVR trigger, about $200. Bottom metal and scope rail. Definitely talk more with Ryan on this build!

 

[Hondo64d]

Do it yourself. My DIY build on a DGR turned out to be the best shooting rig I have ever had. Have a look at the build thread:

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/diy-build-with-shilen-dgr.3899091/

Looks like this now.

John

First off, what I am wanting to either build or buy is a 6.5 caliber, probably 6.5 CM or 260 Rem, for multi-purpose usage. I'd like to have a rifle suitable for PRS competition (AI mags for example) as well as long range hunting. Heavy enough for competition but not too heavy to hunt with.

I know I want a custom action, possibly a Shilen DGR or ? I know I want a 22-24" barrel with a brake but not too heavy of a profile since I'd like to possibly take it out West Pronghorn hunting in 2018 as well as using it for some possible long range coyote sniping.

Opinions on stocks and barrel profile and length to best achieve what I'm wanting to do is encouraged.

Anyone got a rifle set up for similar usage? If so let me know what you have and what you'd do differently (if anything). Build or Buy?

Thanks for any/all responses in advance.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

I think I can stay within my budget if I find a suitable used action and stock. Once I have those I'll order the exact barrel I want. One reason I was leaning towards a Shilen DGR action was the fact that I can install/headspace the barrel myself.

You can install barrels yourself without using the Savage/nut method. It takes 5 minutes even if you're slow.

And any competent riflesmith can chamber your barrels without having your action in hand once they have taken a few measurements.

Save your money, visit Ryan, and get a competitive rifle on the first try. Most of us have learned the hard way that shortcuts cost more in the long run.

 

[IA_shooter]

Hondo64d.......thanks for the post and the link to your other thread. This is about the same exact path I was thinking in my head I would take for my build. Sent you a PM as well. Thanks again.

The more I've looked into it, the more I like the 6.5X47 as well.

I have a feeling I'll be ordering my barrel before X-mas, probably a 24" CBI 6.5X47 varmint weight and threaded for a brake.

 

[Hondo64d]

You can install barrels yourself without using the Savage/nut method. It takes 5 minutes even if you're slow.

And any competent riflesmith can chamber your barrels without having your action in hand once they have taken a few measurements.

Save your money, visit Ryan, and get a competitive rifle on the first try. Most of us have learned the hard way that shortcuts cost more in the long run.

Very true. Easy to switch barrels once they are chambered and headspaced. My hunting rig has three conventionally headspaced barrels for it in 22-250, .308, and 6.5x47 Lapua. What the barrel nut does is saves me the $300/barrel to have the barrel fitted to my action by a 'smith. What really surprises me is that my DGR with barrel nut shoots better than any rifle I've had and those rifles prior to that were 'smithed by some of the best in the business.

John

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

What the barrel nut does is saves me the $300/barrel to have the barrel fitted to my action by a 'smith.

It's $150 for my smith, a world record holding benchrest shooter, to chamber and fit.

Mine shoot like this (charge/seating depth test, 3-shot groups, 100 yards, Panda/Krieger 30BR):

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/for-sale-custom-6-5-creedmoor.3914502/#post-36880781

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I intended to do what you are planning, build a do everything rifle. Built it, and decided it was a hunting rifle only. I then built a more proper long range target rifle. Because I intended to use it for multiple purposes, the Manners stock was ordered with the heavy fill. It's an accurate as heck pig.

I'm pretty sure there isn't a do everything rifle. I suggest you build it anyhow and be prepared to build something else too. I'm heavily invested in 6.5 Creedmoor's, but also have 6.5×47L's. I honestly feel the 6.5×47L is a ridiculously easy caliber to tune. Mine shot great right from the start where the Creedmoor's took more rounds down the barrel before they equaled the 47L. I don't concern myself with brass life too much, but I believe the SR primer Lapua brass is the best stuff there is regardless of the caliber on the case head.

I would take rpierce up on the offer and visit with my money in hand especially since he has the parts in stock.

What's a 260?

This can not be over stated. Sounds like sage advice from someone who has been there and done that. Hunting guns and competition guns are NOT the same. A gun to do both with is a compromise of both. IOW, it's not as good at either as it should and could be. This is a very common mistake people make in building, usually, their first custom rifle. That said, I don't expect anyone who hasn't been and there and done that yet, to believe me....until you go there and do it in spite of being warned. At some point, most people will eventually come to the same conclusion. It's usually one of those lessons people have to buy to learn. Those are the best kind of lessons.

 

[JimPag]

This can not be over stated. Sounds like sage advice from someone who has been there and done that. Hunting guns and competition guns are NOT the same. A gun to do both with is a compromise of both. IOW, it's not as good at either as it should and could be. This is a very common mistake people make in building, usually, their first custom rifle. That said, I don't expect anyone who hasn't been and there and done that yet, to believe me....until you go there and do it in spite of being warned. At some point, most people will eventually come to the same conclusion. It's usually one of those lessons people have to buy to learn. Those are the best kind of lessons.

Your right Mike. A lot of people make that COSTLY mistake. I almost did and I'm glad I talked to Breeden at a match that I was shooting a factory rifle in. He set me straight right quick. Glad I took his advice.

 

[krumfola]

Do it yourself. My DIY build on a DGR turned out to be the best shooting rig I have ever had. Have a look at the build thread:

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/diy-build-with-shilen-dgr.3899091/

Looks like this now.

John

Good write up on your build. PM sent with questions.

 

[DHD]

This can not be over stated. Sounds like sage advice from someone who has been there and done that. Hunting guns and competition guns are NOT the same. A gun to do both with is a compromise of both. IOW, it's not as good at either as it should and could be. This is a very common mistake people make in building, usually, their first custom rifle. That said, I don't expect anyone who hasn't been and there and done that yet, to believe me....until you go there and do it in spite of being warned. At some point, most people will eventually come to the same conclusion. It's usually one of those lessons people have to buy to learn. Those are the best kind of lessons.

Indeed I have been there. Got the missing $$$ to prove it too. I stated missing instead of wasted because I didn't waste a dime. I just have a heavy hunting rifle. Of course, I also built a lighter weight rifle, so that made 3...... Will it ever end? I suspect not.

 

[284winner]

Build. There is great comfort in KNOWING that every miss is your fault and not blaming it on your $400 rifle and $50 scope.

The guys who win at, well, anywhere are shooting custom guns with hand loaded ammo. Tiger Woods can golf circles around anyone and he doesn't show up at Augusta with a set of clubs be picked up off the sale rack at Academy.

Making myself feel better about keeping my gunsmith in a new truck!!

God bless America,

Scarface 26

Plus that club his wife used on him and the family Escalade worked alot better than an "on sale" 9 iron !!! Couldn't help myself.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

I'd like to have a rifle suitable for PRS competition ...

In case you haven't seen this:

http://precisionrifleblog.com/category/what-the-pros-use/

 

[Rust]

I've got a few pretty accurate hunting rifles, semi custom based of factory rifles including a very accurate .338 RUM that will easily reach past 1,000. I would never confuse them with a custom competition rifle for any discipline. The primary thing a completion rifle does is maintain accuracy over a string of many rounds. In F and F/TR that is a twenty round string plus two sighters, Palma it runs 20 rounds, in 1,000 benchrest (heavy gun) that's ten rounds with extreme accuracy. If you want to compete then it's going to take a competition rifle.

It's like racing. Race cars are built for their intended purpose. Yeah, you can hotrod around in a sporty showroom car but it won't do much at Daytona or Lemans or Indy.

Everyone talks about actions and has their favorite maker. I prefer a competition rifle on a custom action, and I've found Stillers to be fine at a reasonable price. I'm sure others are suitable also, first custom action was a Poulsbo Nesika which was pricey but a very fine action. For all of that no matter how fine the action, it doesn't matter if a quality barrel is not perfectly chambered and mounted to the action. Compass Lake, long time maker of competition ARs says that it should be a circle within a circle within a circle, the bore in the center of the barrel, the chamber perfectly centered on the axis of the bore, the barrel perfectly centered in the action.

Once you've got a good rifle then it's all about development of skills through practice. Getting on target at 1,000 isn't all that hard, getting into the X-ring is harder, getting them all in the X-ring harder still.

And there is a certain satisfaction in finally owning a superior rifle built with little or no compromise and shooting it well.