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Custom rifle advice needed.

Here's the deal, I've got a customized Tikka T3 Sporter .308 and a 6mm Fat Rat AR. I try to shoot them when I get time but I competitively shoot 2700 Bullseye and 3P small bore. So I end up sharing my free time between the 2 rifles.

I could sell both rifles and one scope for about $4k and keep the Nightforce BR off the second rifle. I think I could afford a custom build with this but have absolutely no idea where to start. I'm recoil sensitive and like shooting lower recoil rounds like my 6mm Fat Rat, I don't enjoy shooting my 308 as much, I'm thinking of going with a 6mm Dasher.

The rifle may be used for competition at some point but likely will be used for casual 600 yard F class shooting and some steel shooting. I'm the kind of guy that would rather have 5 nice firearms that I shoot regularly than 20 average quality ones that never get touched.

So where do I start. I'm guessing I need to pick a gunsmith with F class experience, which should I look at.
 
Send a PM to Alex Wheeler (easy to find on this site) and he will work with you on your plan and provide you exceptional service at a resonable price.

Good Shooting

Rich
 
How about just getting a new barrel spun up for that Sporter? They're very nice actions.
 
With $4k you can start with a Rem footprint custom like a Stiller, get a good barrel (plain Jane .243win is excellent for your purposes too), you can have many choices in triggers, stocks, bottom metal, etc with enough money left over for loading supplies if a new caliber for you and match fees.
 
Out to 600 yards a BR is good. You will also get a lot more rounds out of a BR with bench rest accuracy. They are a lot easier on barrels. But if you want to shoot 1000 yards the Dasher is the way to go. Matt
 
I'm recoil sensitive also. The 6BR is hard to beat. The only negative is it can be hard to get to feed if you need a repeater.
 
My first thought is. Rem action or A Stiller in a Eliseo R1 stock.. .223 chamber. Should be with the Rem action coming in at around 1975.00 bucks tops.. depending of course your choice in gunsmith, could be lower than that. i am a real fan of the 240NMC as well.. great lil 6mm round.
 
The rifle may be used for competition at some point but likely will be used for casual 600 yard F class shooting and some steel shooting. I'm the kind of guy that would rather have 5 nice firearms that I shoot regularly than 20 average quality ones that never get touched.

So where do I start. I'm guessing I need to pick a gunsmith with F class experience, which should I look at.

With the discussion about recoil sensitivity and the suggestion of the 6mmBR i think this article will maybe help sort some things out for you.

Eliseo R5 6mmBR Repeater

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek074.html

Gary is a very highly regarded competitor in XTC and F-Class, he knows how to build a rifle. The 6mmBR cartridge is mild yet accurate.

Regards.
 
Sell your .308 only and use the money to build a Savage based 6mm BR gun. Use a Savage Target action and buy a good prefit barrel and a Boyd's stock. Put it together yourself for way less than $1500 including the Devcon bedding epoxy and barrel nut wrench. Forget paying a gunsmith. This recipe makes a very good 600 yd gun.
 
Since you are recoil sensitive a 7twist 223 would make a lot of sense to me. It will do good to 600 and beyond but is not great in the wind. It is easy on barrels and good brass is easy to find. There are lots of good custom actions to choose from.

Joe
 
I'm not going to try pick a cartridge for you, but I'd use the Tikka action. I built a 6x47 Lapua off of one, under 2300.00 total into it with an XLR carbon fiber chassis, it will shoot alongside a custom Mausingfield 6 comp match all day long at half the cost.
Action is smooth as butter, no reason it could not be an F class 600 yrd gun.
 
Well maybe I should just keep the Tikka and upgrade it. I've thought about it before but its a hard decision whether to throw another $1k plus into it or just sell it and get a custom gun. One thing that was holding me back was the trigger, it wasn't bad but the lowest I could get with new springs was a pound but still felt pretty heavy. However I've noticed Bernard has a new billet competition trigger that comes in at just 6oz. I also need to pillar bed the Sporter laminated stock at some point.
 
Out to 600 yards a BR is good. You will also get a lot more rounds out of a BR with bench rest accuracy. They are a lot easier on barrels. But if you want to shoot 1000 yards the Dasher is the way to go. Matt

ABSOLUTELY! Loose the .308 and the Dasher will give you everything you want (lots less kick than a .308 and much more accurate for competition purposes) for 600 yds and beyond. The Fat Rat is for pure fun and feel good stuff although a "quality" one (JP Precision parts and barrel) will do very well in competition.

Alex
 
My Fat Rat was done by Lee Wells, to my knowledge the only one that can do the Fat Rat as its his proprietary chamber, I used a Douglas barrel. The best I've shot with it in limited use is a 196 on a 600 yard F class target, single loading, haven't gotten a mag length load tweaked yet.
 
It all depends on how competitive you want to be.
For 600 yards you cant bet a 6 Dasher, they dominate the Clubs here in MO.
Do it right get a BAT or a Panda action and a good hand lapped barrel.
You will not be sorry.
Good Luck
 

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