Which custom action for shooting PDs beyond 500 yds?

[Lefty2506]

The larger slower bullets just poke a hole in small targets. Not enough meat for them to start to expand. Thats kind of the problem with long range varmint shooting. Hard to maintain that speed on the kind of bullets that will actually expand on small targets.

Agreed. Anything beyond 500 yds is just seeing how far you can poke a hole in something. I'm sure there will be people who take offence at that and tell me how their cartridge of choice puts them down quickly all the way out to 800 yds, but that's not really the point. The point is, if someone is shooting at prairie dogs from that far, they just don't care about terminal performance. I'm squarely in that boat. I'm not intentionally wounding them, but if/when one crawls back in the hole, I'm not loosing any sleep over it.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Check out Kauger actions. Not an integral lug, but I don't think that will matter with a smaller low recoil varmint round. Many other factors that are more important than an integral recoil lug.

I would also vote for stepping up to 6mm. 6BR, 6BRA, 6mm Dasher, or maybe even neck up a 22-250 AI to 6mm. Run lighter HP or BlitzKing type bullets at high velocity and you'll have good expansion at distance.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Past around, 250- 300 Yards with a Little bit of Wind, mixed in, My .22-250 STAYS, in the Truck and then, the 6 XC with, 87 gr. H-VLD's or, 95 gr. BERGER'S, comes,.. Out !
The 87 gr. V-Maxes, would NOT, Shoot, consistently "Well" for, Me, in My, 1-7.5 Twist, But are Fine, in a 9 -10 Tw. !
The Berger's, are NOT "Explosive" but, will, Cut sage Rats, in Half, throwing both ends about, 3 feet in the Air,
Yup,.. quite Dead !
The larger, 6mm's ARE,.. "King's" at,.. the Longer Ranges !
Today, I'd look real HARD at,.. the 6mm GT,. with, an 8 or, 9 Twist, 26" Medium Heavy, BRUX, barrel or, any of, the other, "Top 5" Barrel, manufacturers for LR "Varminting" and Medium weight, 75 to 95 grain, Bullets .
The Choice of Action, IS only, a very Small, Percentage part of, the Accuracy, "Equation" ( But pick, a Good, One ! )

 

[RabbitSlayer]

My fantasy PD rig is a borden or bat in 22 BR slinging 53 gr vmax, 60 tmk, or the 62 eldvt if all the hype is for real. I prefer single shot, but prefer the versatility of a aics single shot sled so I could mag feed if want to. The 22 BR or 22 ARC are a good balance of barrel life and velocity in my mind. My 6 creed is burning enough barrel, 22 creed would be dead before I finish load development. My current LR PD rig is a tikka with a Bartlein heavy varmint in 6 creed. Bravo chassis filled with lead and epoxy. Slinging 108 eldm. Farthest 1st round impact on PD 450 so far.630 walking it in, but there is no award for the world's slowest machine gunner....

 

[muleystalker]

I use a Borden Mountaineer. I would personally stay away from the Rim Rock unless you plan on shooting in austere (read clean) conditions. Blowing dirt doesn’t mix well with a Rimrock. It will bind. Ask me how I know. All Borden actions are outstanding. Rim rocks are simply too tight in tolerance to handle dirt and dust.

I Have never had any of my RimRocks bind and I have shot them in very nasty, wind blowing dust and grit, all day rain out on the F-Class line and LR Varmint Silhouette in some very bad conditions shooting 60-100 rounds at a time with no problems what so ever. There were many on the line at BERGER SWN just this month, that place is bad and if they were binding they wouldn't be using them. Not saying you didn't have one do it but its defiantly not the norm.

 

[Rook 6]

If you are dead set on the custom route, give Jim Borden a call. I was grateful for the time he spent talking with me. A true gentleman with great insight.

 

[muleystalker]

If you are dead set on the custom route, give Jim Borden a call. I was grateful for the time he spent talking with me. A true gentleman with great insight.

That'd no lie! He is one of the good ones, very gracious with his time on the phone and a wealth of knowledge. And there is defiantly nothing wrong with the strait MOUNTAINEER action without the RR bolt, I happen to have one with a .308 bolt and a .223 bolt and it will work just fine for the OP's purpose. Mine happens to have the action and bolts nitrited and WOW is all I can say. Very nice actions indeed.

 

[AckleymanII]

Lefty, when you are trying to get below 1/4", much of your effort should be focused on wind flags and bench techniques along with one heck of a scope.

 

[snert]

I have 700's, Harts and a Bat. For single shot PD rifles I like a coned breach/bolt. I like my BAT. I liked my Hart 6BR. Both are coned and feed slicker than snot on a doorknob.

 

[AndrewB]

Bat model M right bolt left port integral lug and integral 20 minute rail single shot 30 inch barrel muzzle break, 6 mm Creedmoor 4831 shortcut 108 grain hornady ELD’s bix and Andy trigger or jewel trigger. Shooting from a portable bench like a BR pivot good stock with a 3 inch forend with a good rest and rear sandbag.

Plan on putting some money into a good scope like a 15 to 55 benchrest night force. That’s really good Glass.

This is what I use and I killed three prairie dogs earlier this year at 1000 yards with it

I use that and I use a 22 BR with 53 grain v maxes out to about 450 yards

Like shooting the 22 BR much more, but in the wind and long distance BC rules

I have my gunsmith chamber three or four barrels at a time for these rifles so when I burn one up, I just unscrew it and screw a new one on it.

Yes, it’s expensive. But do you really like your kids enough to leave the money to them?

 

[Dgd6mm]

I did not know you needed a custom action to shoot pdogs beyond 500 yards.
Please help me understand.

 

[Tommie]

I did not know you needed a custom action to shoot pdogs beyond 500 yards.
Please help me understand.

Far as I know, nobody’s stating a custom action is necessary. A custom sure is nice though. One thing that a custom offers is smoother bolt lift which definitely comes in handy when you miss a poodle (which then is likely to run a few feet) and you can operate the bolt without upsetting the gun position. I love being able to keep my eye on the rodent while the empty shell is extracted and a fresh round is chambered.

 

[Lefty2506]

I did not know you needed a custom action to shoot pdogs beyond 500 yards.
Please help me understand.

I don't. I've shot them out to 700 yds with an AR sitting on a $20 Chinese Harris knockoff and a rear bag. No where in these 3 pages did anyone ever say anything about needing a custom action. In fact, nobody has said anything about needing period.

What I basically said was that I'm looking for something more accurate than a factory rifle. With EVERY factory bolt action rifle I've ever had, along with a couple of ARs, I've been able to produce groups that were 1/4 MOA or better, but they normally averaged more like 3/8-1/2 MOA. The range that I shoot on is in a valley which helps negate the effect of wind, so I do most of my load development at 300 to 500 yds. The accuracy of a system is determined by the cumulative effect of all of its components, and I fully understand that the shooter is normally the weakest component in the system with regards to accuracy. I've played this game enough to know that I don't fit this statement. I can tell a difference between a rifle that's only capable of 1/2 moa and a rifle that's capable of consistent 1/4 moa or better. I don't think the action plays a huge role in accuracy, but if I'm going to spend money on a custom barrel, and a nice stock or chassis, I might as well go all out and start off with a custom action as well. After 30+ years of loading for, shooting, and competing with factory rifles, I'd like to move to the other end of the spectrum, build an extremely accurate rifle, and then see what I can do with it both on the bench, and out in the field whacking prairie dogs. In short, it's a game that looks like I would enjoy playing

 

[AndrewB]

What does "need" have to do with what's in the gun safe. A corolla will get you back and forth to work.

What fun is that?

I spent most of my money on fast cars and women and I wasted the rest.

 

[JSH]

First custom action I ever shot and cycled the bolt on, I thought it was broke it was so smooth.
You don’t realize how clunky a factory rifle can be, I have several lol.
I look forward to the OP’s build.

 

[LVLAaron]

My personal choice would be a Borden Alpine in a single shot configuration. Very smooth action, closes like a bank vault! Fits in many stocks as it is a Remington 700 footprint. Heat treat between bolt and action is spot on, as in no gauled lugs. Very important, at least to me, in a high round count hunting situation. Or similar Borden action if you have to have an integral lug set-up. Do yourself a favor and let Jim time the trigger to the action, for a very nice firm firing pin drop. Mine is like no other action/trigger combination that I own or have ever owned. Many great action choices out there today. I would chamber it in 6BR and shoot the 87 V-max and launch the pasture poodles skyward! Would be deadly out to 750 yrds or so. Let the games begin.
Paul

Appreciate the review... I've never shot a borden... only put barrels on them. I've been looking for the "best feeling" repeater action that I can get left handed and get multiple bolts. Alpine sounds like the ticket.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I see. Have you decided on Smith yet?
I have to admit I've never owned a top custom action the closets I've come is the Hall I have. It's smoother than my Nucleus actions and my Origin which I consider nice but nothing like the few Bat's I've shot.

 

[Lefty2506]

I see. Have you decided on Smith yet?

Not 100% only because I'm not ready to actually write a check yet, but Brad is currently at the top of my list.

 

[Lefty2506]

First custom action I ever shot and cycled the bolt on, I thought it was broke it was so smooth.
You don’t realize how clunky a factory rifle can be, I have several lol.
I look forward to the OP’s build.

Yes, I put tens of thousands of rounds through an Anchutz 1813 when I was shooting 3 pos smallbore. It's not the same thing as shooting a custom bolt action centerfire, but I REALLY REALLY miss how smooth that action was, and the trigger... really miss that trigger... I don't miss its price tag though!

 

[JSH]

Y’all are killing me with the talk on the BAT’s. I may have a new itch, gee thanks ;-).