Recommendation For Custom Hunting Rifle Builder

[MikeMcC]

Hey guys, any suggestions for a custom rifle builder?
I sold my Browning BBR .22-250 with 24" bull barrel, very heavy gun to carry. I would like to order a very accurate bolt action repeater carry rifle for coyote hunting and fun paper target shooting. I am considering chambering it in .22-250 since I have the dies, brass and bullets; but am open for other caliber suggestions. I already own and reload 70 grain bullets for my .243 Weatherby Mark V Super Predator Master, so would like to stick with a .22 caliber of some sort for the new rifle.
My budget for the rifle alone is $4,000, knowing that I will be spending another $2,000 for a Nightforce or March scope.
Besides the builder recommendation, I would also like opinions on whether or not I really need to spend the premium dollars for a custom built .22 centerfire rifle to get the 1/4" 100 yard accuracy I seek or are there factory rifles that will shoot as good with developed hand-loads?
Sorry for asking so much, just want to be smart about what I ultimately do.
Thank you for any information and opinions offered.

 

[ShootDots]

Charlie Sisk of siskguns.com build some of the finest hunting rifles made. I have seen his work and how they shoot. There is little doubt of the quality of materials and the craftsmanship going into their rifles.. Also Kerry O'Day of "MatchGrade Arms" is an excellent builder of hunting rifles.. He is in Houston, Texas.. He used to do a fair amount of my work>>> I can attest to his quality..

 

[CoverDog]

Tommy Shurley of shurleybrothers.com can get you into something pretty nice. His stock work is also very nice.

 

[wapiti25]

GunWerks, Talk to them

 

[effendude]

Jim Kobe of Bloomington, MN screen name Gundockter does great work and has fast turn around times. Awesome wood skills as well.
Scott

 

[jonbearman]

Sid goodling,bob green,nat lambeth etc etc.

 

[357Mag]

Mike -

Howdy !

IMHO -
Yeh.... a custom .224" cal rifle can sure be worth the $$$ . " Buy the best, and cry once ".
It's what I did, and as it turned-out.... I didn't buy a " factory " rifle for 30yr !

For a riflesmith, I really like James Peightal of Ernest, PA. His work was often featured in ( now defunct ) " Precision Shooting"
magazine.

His rifles have often finished @ the top of custom class in the " Western Pennsylvania World Groundhog Shooting Championships "
over the years, including the 2013's standings just decided this past Sep.

For a .224" cal wildcat, I really enjoyed shooting my .22-35 Rem wildcat ( used on groundhogs & for paper shoots ).
Should you want to know more about that wildcat, please fell free to PM me.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[thekriebles]

My personal opinion is your budget is too generous for a coyote-shooting rig. But if you want to spend it, then You have Gordy Gritters of Gordy's Precision. He's several hours drive from where you are: 913 NE 86th St., Kansas City, MO 64155
641-780-5085 gordy at GordysPrecision dot com

Stick with the 22-250 Rem. since you have the components already. It's a fine flat-shooting cartridge that will provide you sufficient accuracy, distance and energy for dispatching your yotes. And you may want to consider having your chosen gunsmith to create a "switch barrel" option so you can have some flexibility on cartridges with the same case heads...22-250, 243 (you already have components), 308, a ton of wildcat options, etc.

 

[gmorganal]

I can recommend with no hesitancy Britt Jones of Back Water Customs in Livingston, Alabama. He is a very sharp, well educated, young gunsmith that pays a great deal of attention to detail. You can see some of this work at backwatercustoms.com.

 

[MikeMcC]

Thanks very much, guys, for the good recommendations, I've been reviewing them all as they come up.

thekriebles, thank you for the builder recommendation.

I am intrigued by the "switch barrel" idea. Is this barrel switch something I can do myself or must it be done by a gunsmith with special equipment? If it is a user "quick-change" feature, what technically is done to allow a barrel to be changed? Thank you.

 

[yukonal]

Besides the builder recommendation, I would also like opinions on whether or not I really need to spend the premium dollars for a custom built .22 centerfire rifle to get the 1/4" 100 yard accuracy I seek or are there factory rifles that will shoot as good with developed hand-loads?

Tikka Varmint in .22-250 or .223. My choice would be .223. My Super Varmint and both sporters shoot 1/4" at 100.

;D

 

[Send One Lambert]

There are a ton of great gunsmiths out there, but I would recommend Leonard Baity from Wilkesboro, NC. Leonard has built numerous benchrest, hunting, tactical style rifles and has personally built 4 and working on number 5 for me. Really knowledgable and accomplished gunsmith and I would highly recommend his work.

 

[Send One Lambert]

Also, forgot to mention that I am hearing and reading a lot of good things about a 250 punched out to 22-250 AK imp. with 1:8 twist barrels shooting the heavier Bergers with a ton of success at extended ranges. I am kicking around building one myself and this will more than likely be my choice for what it's worth.

 

[dkhunt14]

I would talk to Jay Cutright. I think he is from your neck of the woods. He builds some really good guns including those long range muzzleloaders. He has won IBS 1000 yard Nationals a couple of years ago. He is on here from time to tome. Look up his name on the list and pm him. Matt

 

[searcher]

If you are going to spend that kind of dough on what a $1,000 rifle ought to be able to do to coyotes quite well, I'd blow your cash as I did and get a BAT actioned repeater on a McMillan stock, Jewell trigger and a Krieger, Bartlein or other quality barrel. You can do a switch-barrel on these quite easily as the lug is integral to the receiver.

Oh yeah - back to the subject. When I was seeking out a BAT action, I found Lester Bruno, a BAT dealer and Record-making benchrester in his own right. He built my first for me, then another. He's done five for me now and every one of them is the most accurate I've ever owned, shot or wanted. There are truly some very gifted gunsmiths who support this website. Using good references, you won't have trouble finding the right one for you!

 

[MikeMcC]

Wow, thanks again everyone for the good information and recommendations. So many highly recommended custom gun builders to select from, hard to determine what criteria to use to make a single selection. Too bad I can only afford to have one rifle built.

 

[CoverDog]

Wow, thanks again everyone for the good information and recommendations. Too bad I can only afford to have one rifle built.

Most of us can only afford to have one rifle built.......well, one at a time !!!

 

[SS427]

Lester Bruno can build you a BAT action rifle as you describe for around $3K. I think a full custom rifle is the only way you will come close to 1/4 inch accuracy requirement with any sort of assurance, but even with a custom, one hole groups all day long is a pipe dream.

A Cooper or Cooper like semi-custom will get you close but don't hold your breath for 1/4 inch groups. Certainly below 1/2 inch for the most part. That would cost you $2K.

If you hunt coyotes that don't really care if what they are killed with shoots 1/4 or 1/2 inch groups, a good Remington like the VSSF II or a Tikka would probably get you accuracy good enough to do the job.

The desire to buy these sorts of rifles become an obsession. I'm going to order a BAT action .20 VarTarg soon. Makes no sense to do so other than I want one. Good luck with yours.

 

[MikeMcC]

Most of us can only afford to have one rifle built.......well, one at a time !!!
[/quote]

Yes, haha, as soon as I get one, I feel the urge to get another. Does anyone have an antidote for this sickness?

 

[MikeMcC]

"one hole groups all day long is a pipe dream."

"coyotes that don't really care if what they are killed with shoots 1/4 or 1/2 inch groups"

"The desire to buy these sorts of rifles become an obsession. Makes no sense to do so other than I want one."

New to this, am a bit technologically challenged, hope the quote thing works for me this time.

Otter, you are so correct. Achieving 1/4" groups involves the perfect alignment of so many variables and yes, a MOA rifle is perfectly good for hitting coyotes. I, like you, simply have an obsession, I joke about it as "my sickness". I do sometimes feel guilty for spending hard earned money on such unnecessary toys, but then I remind myself that I have but one life to live and it's quickly passing before my eyes. Nice new highly accurate rifles just make me happy! I'm such a simple man. lol