Build a 25-06 Varmint Rig from the ground up in $750

[Fullchoke]

Okay, I am on a quest to set up an extremely accurate,not match grade by any means but hits what I'm pointing at) 25-06 long range varmint rig. I want to do a build, whether it is based of an existing rifle or action...whatever. Mind you, this top dollar mark of $750 DOES NOT include optics, I already have those picked out.

So, in $750, give me your shopping list for a super sweet 25-06 rifle rig for shooting vermon all day long!

Thanks,
F-C

 

[M700]

Find a good low round-count used Rem 700 Sendero, do a little trigger adjustment and blaze merrily away. The Sendero comes with a decent HS Precision stock and a varmint weight barrel. If the barrel wears out, take your pick from the many customs avail.

Don't know if Savage offers a varmint-weight .25-06, but Savage makes a very accurate varmint rifle that is home-smith friendly.

I've had three different .25-06 rifles. The most accurate was a "varmint" model Ruger Number One single shot that I never should have sold. It was amazingly accurate. My current Rem 700 CDL is good, but not that good.. The 700 CDL though is a sporter-weight rifle that I use mostly for mule deer & coyote hunting.

One caution - the .25-06 is a pretty intense cartridge for high volume shooting. I wouldn't anticipate long barrel life if you're doing a lot of shooting in a short time.

Fun cartridge to load and shoot. Very effective on little stuff like rockchucks too... :thumb:

Regards, Guy

 

[M700]

Just checked the Savage web site - they make a .25-06 varminter that lists at $806! Comes with a varmint weight barrel, a laminated varmint-style stock and their great "accutrigger" - a great package for the cash. You can likely get it for your $750 target.

I suggested the factory rifles because gunsmithing is expensive. Just truing a factory action and chambering/installing a custom barrel along with a simple trigger job and maybe bedding the rifle will blow that $750 budget wide open, without even buying the donor action to start from.

Regards, Guy

 

[AckleymanII]

I'll have to second what M700 said. The Savage will meet your dreams. I had two of the Savage 112J's years ago. I shot the barrels out of both of them within 1500 rounds each, hot and heavy shooting...I could have cared less about shooting out the barrels. Sure made for some great jackrabbit shooting, 100g Speer HP at 3300 fps really makes a gut pile out of a jackrabbit!

 

[Austin]

Savage makes a 25-06 in a 110.Hevy barrel and accu-trigger, it is $649. Go to this link http://www.savagearms.com/110fp.htm .

 

[M700]

"I shot the barrels out of both of them within 1500 rounds each, hot and heavy shooting...I could have cared less about shooting out the barrels. Sure made for some great jackrabbit shooting, 100g Speer HP at 3300 fps really makes a gut pile out of a jackrabbit!"

There's two things I really like about this... First the .25-06 is a seriously destructive varmint cartridge. Second is that after a guy eventually shoots out the normally quite accurate Savage barrel, he can easily replace that barrel, in a home shop, with a real nice accurate custom tube... Heck, I'm starting to like the idea so much, I might go get one! :crazy:

 

[kells81]

$750 is very do-able,
I picked up a Rem 700 ADL from academy, $300
Barrel from Shilen $150 +/-10
HS Stock, came off of a PSS $150
Or a boyds $75-$200

And my smith charged me $175 to Fit barrel to a 6.5x284

I was able to sell the stock on E-bay for $70 ,youth model Long action stacks are hard to come by)
Barrel for another $25

Action $205
Barrel $150 Custom ordered Shilen 1/8 Cro-moly
Stock $85 Boyds targ/Varmit finished myself.
Smith $175 Shumaker Gun works Stephenville TX
------------------
$615
Just cause a smith is expensive doesn't mean he is the best option. The smith I use does very good barrel work but its not his primary source of business. I have used another smith that charges 3x more, and does fantastic work, but the last project he did for me he did not take the time to make the flutes on my barrel right, the top flute was kicked off to one side. Cosmetic but still could have taken the time.

 

[Flybuster]

I have a 25-06 sendero and I really like it. I have already gone through one barrel and now have my new barrel ackley improved.
Now savage has quite a line up in their varminter models, like mentioned before barrels are easily changed. But I would make sure the barrel was a heavy 26".
A truly impressive bullet for the 25-06 is the 75 grain v-max awesome splatter effect. My second choice is the speer tnt 87 grain. Its pretty accurate out to 800 yards or so. 100-115 grain for long range 800 plus.

 

[Ackman]

That's not a difficult thing. A factory Rem. or Savage would do it. They'll shoot fine. Also check out the Tikka.

If you want to build one, check the pawnshops / gunshops for a used Savage or long-action Remington. There are 30-06's all over the place and I've seen lots of them at $300 or less. Nice thing about used actions is that they get smoother and slicker. The easiest way would be with a Savage and buying a ready-to-use barrel from one of several different barrelmakers. Keep your eyes open and restocking can be done inexpensively. Even having a barrel chambered and fitted you could do it for your $750 budget. The biggest deal about that is finding someone to do it who has a good reamer, and then waiting. The advantage to rebarrelling is you'll have something that's a lot easier to clean than factory barrels.

One thing though, the 25-06 isn't a shoot-all-day varmint cartridge.

 

[500YardHog]

If they have any Gander Mountain stores where you are at have them call they York PA store and ship you the Rem Sendero 25-06 i traded in.They have it priced at 650 i think .It has 200 or so rounds down the pipe all factory ammo and still has my Leu bases because i couldn't get them off.The trigger was also set at 1.75 lbs by a good smith.I was just at that store last week and it was still there.

 

[halfmile]

I have a 721, presently .270 with a whopping 175.00 invested. Got a line on a Boyd stock, 75.00. 400 in a barrel job and truing gets me there with a hundred to spare.

I suppose a Shilen trigger for a hundred would be the perfect finale.

I won't do 25-06, though. This one is gonna be a 6mm-06.

HM