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Greg,You ask an interesting question. I've been thinking about having an F-TR rifle built around a trued/blueprinted Remy 700 action from PTG for some time, just as a demonstration that it can be done. In the estimates I have come up with that also include a reasonably-priced stock and trigger, I believe you could have a competitive F-TR rifle built around a trued Remy 700 action for around $1800, not including glass. PTG also sells a single shot-follower for their Remy 700 actions:
http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/14607--000-remington-700-rh-short-action-blueprinted.html
If you decide to go the Bighorn route, I'd also suggest taking a look at a Defiance Deviant, which is only slightly more expensive. I have two GAP-built .223 Rem F-TR rifles built around the Defiance Templar V2 action, which is basically a Deviant with GAP's name engraved on it. I went with the single-shot and coned bolt face options, which I find worthwhile features in a dedicated F-TR rifle. Anyone that thinks you can't be competitive in F-TR with a .223 Rem and heavy (80-90 gr) bullets is misinformed, especially in midrange competitions at 300 to 600 yd. A .223 Rem loaded with Berger 90 VLDs can be very competitive in the right hands.
Regardless of the action you choose, there are a few features you'll want to optimize the performance of the .223 Rem with heavy bullets. I'd suggest a 30" barrel, which will allow you to generate reasonable velocity at an operating pressure that won't kill the brass in one or two firings. PTG makes a reamer that was specifically designed for the Berger 90 VLD bullet (223 Rem ISSF reamer).
http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/22-c...amer.html?search_query=223+Rem+issf&results=1
This reamer cuts a chamber with 0.169" freebore, which is necessary to load the long 80-90 gr bullets optimally. Although designed with the 90 VLD in mind, this reamer will also work quite well with the Berger 80.5 Fullbore and 85.5 gr Hybrid bullets, any of which are viable options for F-TR. It will also work well with bullets in a similar weight range from other manufacturers such as Sierra's 80 and 90 gr SMKs. IMO, the ISSF reamer DOES NOT cut sufficient freebore for Hornady's 88 gr ELDM bullet, which requires something more like .220" to .250" freebore for optimal seating. The problem with setting up a rifle specifically to accomodate the 88's long bearing surface is that you may lose the ability to seat shorter bullets in the 80 gr weight range optimally. Personally, I'd go with the ISSF reamer and 90 VLDs and never look back. If you do some searches here in the "Small Stuff" section, you'll find a lot of useful information posted by myself and several others over the last few years regarding specific rifle setups and load development with 80-90 gr bullets in the .223 Rem for use in F-TR.
Greg,
Barrel prices and chambering costs aren't that far apart from any of the suppliers that one would use. What stock are you using in your estimate?
Happy New year to you too Greg!Fred - Happy New Year, my friend! Hope all is going well!
I looked at several different stocks in the price estimate I made; I don't recall all of them. The one I liked the most, which was also the least expensive, was from Stocky's. It was a laminate stock with an aluminum V-block set up specifically for a Remy 700 action. IMO - the barrel is where most of the "important stuff" takes place. Sure, the action needs to be trued and properly bedded, but without a quality barrel, the best action on the planet could be a dud. So my thought was to start with a trued/blueprinted PTG action, which seem to go on sale from time to time, and also come with a trigger. As you know, the action can be a sizable chunk of the cost of a new rifle build, and even the price of different custom actions can vary by several hundred dollars. I would then add the appropriate contour Bartlein or Krieger barrel. As you noted, gunsmithing work all depends on who does it, and won't change much regardless of the cost of the components.
Get a used Tikka.I would like to build a rifle in .223 for F class. I have been looking at a BighornTl3 $1250. and a trued Rem 700 single shot $485 from NSS.
I like what the Bighorn has to offer but I am wondering if it's that much better then the trued rem.
Any thoughts?
It is mostly for fun and the fact I have a lot of .223 stuff left over from my AR days. I have a .308 and 6mm BR in Savage F class stocks I could use, just wanted to try the .223Your wasting your money building a 223 to compete with unless your doing it for fun.