Steps to build your own

[Spydr]

I am new to the build your own gun and I have no clue as to what all the parts I will need to complete. SO far I am looking at a Mcmillan,sp?) New F class stock. lilja barrel and a BAT custom action. What else do I need?

 

[tightneck]

I assume you are talking about having a gunsmith put the whole thing together for you? If so, all you need to add is a trigger,Jewell), trigger guard, and scope bases and rings.

 

[Spydr]

Oh yes a smith will be doing it. So a Jewell trigger? how do I know what sear pin size to get for the custom action? Yeah I know i am a noob at this..

 

[tightneck]

After several occasions of winding up missing a part I made a checklist:

Action - a BAT may take a while

Barrel - might be a while too. I'm still waiting on a Bartlein I ordered in November

Stock - Another thing that may take a while.

Recoil Lug - Might come with the action, or not.

Trigger - Jewell but not as simple as it might seem. They come with/without bolt release, with/without safety - can be top right, bottom right, top left, bottom left. Some matches require a functional safety - some don't.

Trigger guard

Trigger hanger for some actions

Action screws - talk to the gunsmith

Butt plate/recoil pad

Reamer - I buy mine. When the barrels shot out I can have it set back or rebarreled almost exactly the same. Call Dave Kiff at PT&G and he can tell you what you want based on the brass and bullet,s) you plan to use. $150 and well worth it in my opinion.

Go gauge - Only need it once and can really get by without it.

Full length sizing die - then you can have your chamber cut to match your die, not try to make your die match the chamber.

Bases and rings - based on what scope you'll use,might as well get that too)

Bullets - If you want top name bullets,BIB, etc) it can be a several month wait.

Brass - Sometimes can be very hard to find. About a year ago Lapua 6mmBR was non-existant.

Powder - Some can be almost impossible to find, especially something like VV N-133.

Neck sizing die and bushings - I use Redding Competition dies for everything except 6mmBR.

Seating die - I use Wilson inline seaters. Some are special order or custom made - usually 30 days.

Rubbermaid laundry basket - Extra Large - this is where you keep the stuff while you wait for the rest to show up. Pick a color you really like since you'll probably be looking at it for a long time.

Now, a piece of advice that almost nobody listens to. It's a whole lot cheaper to buy a used custom rifle than build a new one. When you've completed the dream gun and shot it a few times, you'd be hard pressed to get 70% of what you paid for it.

Much better list than mine:,. Not to worry about the action screws and trigger hanger as BAT will supply them with the action purchase. IMO the recoil lug will depend on the caliber chosen. If it's to be a mild recoiling rifle, you won't need one as the cutout in the bottom of the action will take care of recoil,on a single shot). Also, when you choose a gunsmith, talk to him about everything you can think of so there are not any surprises. Also choose one that builds BR rifles, not the local jack of all trades smith.

 

[tightneck]

gunamonth makes a good point about availability. If you order a reciver from BAT, you will have to wait for it, sometimes a few months, sometimes a lot longer. If you happen to catch them when they are getting ready to start up a batch of the particular action you order, it'll be no time. If you order one that they just finished a run on well, all bets are off. Call Lester Bruno and Russ Haydon as they both stock BAT as well as other custom actions. They don't always have EXACTLY what you desire, but if you are flexible, they can usually get you an action in a week or two. Depending on what the rifle is to be used for, a stock may require a long wait, but the two vendors I listed keep some of them in stock also. For Laminated wood stocks for, Bill Shehane keeps a good number of stocks ready to ship. Barrels too, Lester keeps several brands in stock, TheBarrelman has some Shilen's in stock, as does Ron Hoehn. I've never ordered a barrel from Hayden, so I dont know what he stocks. If you aren't picky about the components used, a rifle can be put together fairly quickly, if you are like me on the other hand, and you wan't the latest/greatest action, then a wait it will be.

 

[Spydr]

Thanks for all your posts the information you have provided in invaluable.

So I talked with my gunsmith. I have agreed to the following componets.

A 30" lilja barrel in 6.5-284
a Neiska action with picatinny rail and thick heavy pinned 3/8" in place recoil lug. Jewell Trigger. Full action Bedding. Mcmillan "New F Class" stock, custom painted.

Redding type S match competition dies

HS Precision bottom metal. Is there any accuary issues from blind mag to detachable or none. Basiclly if i use a repeater is there less accuarcy than with a single shot? Or whats the problem there?

 

[tightneck]

You will lose stiffness in the action as well as the stock. If you are going to shoot the rifle competively, I would absolutely opt for a single shot reciever and stock. Heck, the only rifles I want to have with a magazine are big game rifles, all varmint and competitive rifles I have are single shots. The single shot also offers almost twice as much bedding area to the receiver.

 

[Spydr]

Well I have decided on a left port right hand bolt. So thanks for the tips.