Help with my first build....Please share your advice and knowledge

[Marc B]

Welcome to the site. You’ll find a lot of great shooters and great people here that are willing to help you out.
They all make some really good barrels. Some seem to be a little better than others and some seem to make a particular caliber better than others.
As several others have stated the Creedmoor case whether the 6mm or 6.5 is a great choice. Everyone seems to make a good 6mm and 6.5 barrel because it’s the bread and butter. The Creedmoor case has less recoil and higher BC bullets than the 308.
Unless you plan on feeding from a magazine and want to shoot a 6.5-284 or 284 or 280 Ackley etc.. then you’ll need to go with a long action.

PM me if you want to talk in more details about your build!
Thanks WSMNUT (Zack)

Thanks Zack.
A couple questions for you.
1) as you mentioned above, do you know of any barrel manufacturers that seen to excel with the 6.5 Creedmore?
2)are you saying that if I wanted to go to a long action I wouldn’t be able to use a detachable box magazine?

I have decided to go with the 6.5 after reading far too many reviews and watching many video comparisons. I also spoke to a couple local shops near me to ask their opinion. All favoured the 6.5

 

[WSMNUT]

Thanks Zack.
A couple questions for you.
1) as you mentioned above, do you know of any barrel manufacturers that seen to excel with the 6.5 Creedmore?
2)are you saying that if I wanted to go to a long action I wouldn’t be able to use a detachable box magazine?

I have decided to go with the 6.5 after reading far too many reviews and watching many video comparisons. I also spoke to a couple local shops near me to ask their opinion. All favoured the 6.5

I think you’ve made a good decision. The 6.5 is easy to tune, easy on the shooter, and easy to find components for.

The barrel choice is yours. I’ve had great success with 6.5 barrels from Douglas, Krieger, Brux, and Lilja. I’ve used some others and haven’t had as good of results. This is just me and my single opinion! You’re going to have to do some research and talk to your smith to find out who he may suggest and why. Some guys like one manufacturer because they get better deals or have better relationships or could be because those barrels just shoot better.
It also may come down to how fast you want to pull the trigger (pun intended) and who has the barrel on the shelf.
No sir I didn’t mean to insinuate an any way that you couldn’t run a magazine in a Long action.
I was saying that
1. Short action Single Shot - pick any caliber matching your bolt face and you can chamber the round.
2. If you wanted to run a longer round typically anything above 2.860-2.960 out of a magazine you’d have to go with a long action and #1 is no longer matters
3. If you pick a long action and decide on a short action round then you could have feeding issues even from a magazine or you’ll have to be very diligent on where to seat your bullets inside of the magazine so they’ll feed.

Summary - pick an action that matches what you’re wanting to do.
Single shot or Magazine fed
Short or Long action

 

[Marc B]

I think you’ve made a good decision. The 6.5 is easy to tune, easy on the shooter, and easy to find components for.

The barrel choice is yours. I’ve had great success with 6.5 barrels from Douglas, Krieger, Brux, and Lilja.

Summary - pick an action that matches what you’re wanting to do.
Single shot or Magazine fed
Short or Long action

I’m looking currently at the Kelbly Atlas Tactical action
Magazine fed
McMillan A5

The jury is still out on the LA/SA. I’ve ever only had a SA and I’m trying to research the major benefits of the LA over the SA. I cant seem to find a whole lot. I’m hoping that some of the members here will chime in with their opinions as to why one is their preference over the other.

As far as barrels go, I am still looking at reviews and reading reading reading!

I was originally looking at the Timney Hit trigger but now not sure. There’s just so many choices and to be honest, I’m sure that there are many great companies out there that will all preform very well. I’m picky and do tend to over research things.

 

[Marc B]

I’ve read a decent amount about the differences between long and short actions. Earlier in the post it was advised that I go with a long action. I’d love to get some opinions on both long and short and why they feel that way. its for a 6.5 Creedmore.
The more info the better.

 

[mike a]

I’ve read a decent amount about the differences between long and short actions. Earlier in the post it was advised that I go with a long action. I’d love to get some opinions on both long and short and why they feel that way. its for a 6.5 Creedmore.
The more info the better.

Only reason I said go long is I bought an expensive short action. It's served me great but now I'd like to switch to a cartridge that requires a long action. You can use a long action for 6.5 Creedmoor but you can't use a short action for 25-06, 270, 30-06 etc. About feeding a Creedmoor in a long action? I have no experience there. So there's that. Mike

 

[Marc B]

So if I get a long action 6.5 I’m also able to use a short action 6.5 round if I wanted?

 

[mike a]

So if I get a long action 6.5 I’m also able to use a short action 6.5 round if I wanted?

That's the idea but let's hope someone with more experience will chime in.

 

[JFrank]

Tikka actions have a bolt stop/release that changes out easily and cheaply as well as a simple magazine swap that allows the standard action to adapt for long or short cartridges.
J

 

[KY_Windage]

So if I get a long action 6.5 I’m also able to use a short action 6.5 round if I wanted?

Well, there are no "short action 6.5C rounds" I am aware of, but, yes, you can shoot 6.5C in either action. However, I have seen F-class rifles with adjustable combs set so high that a long action bolt would run into them -- only a short action would work.

 

[Carter Shinavier]

My advice after having done it almost every way possible ( from cheapest to most expensive) is to buy a new stainless Remington action. Remove the POS trigger and install the $150 triggertech, get a Remage barrel, barrel nut and precision recoil lug. Buy, rent, borrow go/no gauges and put it together yourself. Then get an oryx or KRG Bravo chassis on the cheap, and start shooting. If you intend on reloading, I would do one of the ultra efficient/low recoil rounds like 6x47, or 6.5x47. If you aren't going to reload, do 6.5 CM, done! I haven't built one yet that doesnt achieve 1/2 moa. As far as optics go, that's a whole other conversation, bit inevitably, you are going to want to stretch the legs on the rifle, so I would opt for something in the 20x-25x magnification range and first focal plane. Good luck.

 

[Marc B]

Ok so here is where i’m at. I have purchased a Kelbly Atlas Tactical action with a .308 bolt face. I also now have my TriggerTech Diamond trigger.

I will be ordering a Mcmillan A5 stock. Likely a NF ATACR 5-25x56 F1. Not sure if that makes a difference in your decision direction but now you know just in case. I’ve also decided to go with a Bartlien barrel (6.5 CM) but need advice as to length and contour.

A recent suggestion by a seasoned and accomplished PRS shooter was to go with a 24” barrel but contour was not mentioned. I certainly value his opinion, but I would also like to hear your opinions regarding length and contour vs. overall balance. Does contour even have any real effect, or is it just a personal choice?

Please keep in mind that I have nothing to compare it to when it comes to other contours. I would like to eventually get to the point where i’m good enough to use this this rifle to compete in PRS/F Class.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Whoever builds your rifle will be your best advisor, but most run a mtu/m40 taper or if feeling less tactical they use a remington sendero/varmint. If they want a bit heavier a light or even heavy varmint is a good choice. 24” sounds good too

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Oh and remember, a prs gun isnt an f-class gun. Thats 2 totally different animals unless you go with a 308.

 

[Marc B]

Oh and remember, a prs gun isnt an f-class gun. Thats 2 totally different animals unless you go with a 308.

Thanks Dusty. I definitely want to stay with 6.5CM so I suppose if I want to try F class I can always use my Rem 700 Police.

 

[Marc B]

most run a mtu/m40 taper

Thanks Dusty. I’ll do some research on this taper.

 

[Marc B]

I just read an article regarding contours used by the top 50 PRS shooters. 13 used medium palma and 12 used heavy palma. So that’s half of the top 50 shooters using medium and heavy palma. Thoughts?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Compare the measurements on any barrelmaker’s website and see how they all look

 

[Marc B]

Compare the measurements on any barrelmaker’s website and see how they all look

So it really just down to looks then in the end? There aren’t pros and cons to one contour over another? It’s just the look and if it appeals to you or not?

 

[Walt Krafft]

The different Palma contours will change the weight and balance of the rifle. I shoot NRA across the course matches and am usually using medium Palma. Used light Palma for a while and wanted more weight. Had to add weight to the back of the rifle to maintain balance. My prone guns have heavy Palmas. They are too heavy to shoot standing. If I had to carry a rifle for prs, I would start with a light Palma. Accuracy wise, there is no difference related to the barrel. It is the shootability of the rifle that will change.

 

[Marc B]

If I had to carry a rifle for prs, I would start with a light Palma. Accuracy wise, there is no difference related to the barrel. It is the shootability of the rifle that will change.

Thanks waltkrafft. I was under the impression that light palma would be too light for PRS. Nice to carry but not heavy enough to assist with reducing the lift and recoil. I was leaning towards med palma but a local guy here who competes in the PRS at a high level told me that M24 or heavy varmint is what I should use. Not sure if I want the overall weight to get too far up there. I don’t plan on having all kinds of rifles for different situations, so I think I need to play it smart and get something that may not do everything really really well, but will be able to do everything decently to some degree. I hadnt considered light palma for PRS but will investigate. Thanks