What should I build
Ladies and Gents,
New to AO, Been tossing around the idea for quite sometime now and I'm about ready to pull the trigger. Ive been hunting all my life and have a wide range of guns but its time to pick a gun and build it to my fancy. A few months back my father in law built his first gun and just from the experience of doing it I was in total awe of how much fun he had, he was like a little kid all giddy about it. Having said that I have looking into numerous calibres to build and leaning super hard towards a 6.5x284. So ill be taking everything with a grain of salt so any intel or helpful hints would be great. Cant wait to hear all the feedback, Thanks in Advance |
Favourite action type?
Cat |
I pretty much only have Sako and three tikkas, but think I am going to move a couple of them to build a gun, worst part is I don't have the action that I need for building.
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I have had neither, but given the choice I would go for a straight 284 Win over the 6.5 version. I’ve had numerous builds done on half-a-dozen different bolt .... actions.What kind of money are you prepared to spend on the build?
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27 Nosler. Just to be different lol
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X2 for Tikka
I have done 2 builds off Tikka actions and they are excellent choices. Lots of aftermarket stuff for them now. Not as much as Rem 700 but getting close.
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Things that are important to me in choosing an action for a repeater build include:
* “Trued” - action face / threads / lugs . * Stiffness - thickness of material / as much material as possible between the magazine and trigger slot cut-outs / small ejection port. * Tight radial clearances on the bolt at lock-up. |
I have a 6.5x284 and its a great cartridge. Make sure you build it on a long action so you can utilize the slippery VLD's. 140 Bergers are a nice pairing in my opinion.
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I would be picking 260 Rem's mind. I won't say he builds guns as often as he changes shorts, but likely not far off:)
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To get some focused advice, you need to tell us what your intended use of this gun will be.
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X2
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Speaking of which i might have some pics to post tonight! |
Fellas,
Sorry about that, I would like to be able to have it as an every species kind of rifle and be able to shoot long range with it as well as be able to just point and squeeze. Like I said earlier my father in law built a 6.5x47 lapua topped with a leupold vx6 3-18-50 red dot that is a sweet little gun but I'm looking for something just like that but a little bigger. Hence why I was curious on a 6.5x284. Heard lots of good things about the Nosler 28-30 as well. Crappy part is all the rifles I have In my safe are not the right action to start my build, having said that I am leaning hard to 6.5x284 so will be on the market for a 270 or 30-06 and from what ive heard to look for a rem 700 action. |
Middle Ground
If you dont have any long action firearms in your collection, then instead of the 6.5x47 lapua you could consider a Creedmore. Lapua makes small primer pocket brass for it. You have a bit more case capacity then your father in laws x47 and could shoot the 140gr bullets well. Plus you dont need to purchase an action.
You could also build a 260rem (theres lapua brass for that too). this link has been posted a few times on the forum but It might help you with your decision. http://demigodllc.com/articles/6.5-s...6.5-creedmoor/ |
Good on you Carts.
I started this same project on 1 rifle, then it evolved into 2 builds. Glad to hear your going about this the wize way in your planing. These are my 2 builds, 1 is my own, I own full responsibility on how I want it to go down with the input of my gun Smith friends input to get me there. That way I can cry once at the cost of getting it right the first time,,, and Grin from ear to ear knowing it is correct to a T. I'll pm you his contact if your after custom custom. So far I'm at about $1500 on this build all in, including optics. It is soon to see another few add-ons this winter. Rifle 2 is his magic. It is $$$ and a tack driver for National match shooting sports. The laminated Cheery Wood stock and birds eye maple is some sweet. The MCR stock by Chris is pricey, but the rifle would struggle with out it. My builder has this to a science, I reap the rewards of his expenses and experience in these shooting sport ideas. Very keen at selecting a stock that pulls things together. We get to talk things threw, our decision into the build, and hopefully end up with the custom fit we want like your father inlaw. I'll PM you later after supper so you can find more ideas that will hopefully allow you to find new ideas on a all round rifle that drives your passion Carts. I'm past my 50 mark and never thought I'd ever own 1 custom rifle, here I am today with 1 and a 1/2 of them that will push my shooting skills to the max. Like my friend says, "A rifle that is 2 to 3 X's better then us the shooter, that way the only thing left to sort is the ammo, shooting form, and the winds. Sure nice knowing that my rifle categories are taken care of. Chat with you later my friend. Don |
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I was kind of on the same boat, thinking how would I ever afford a custom rifle. I know the way I am doing it I am not custom building an action and I defiantly couldn't get into an RMR or Cooper or anything like that but this way I can plug away at it and get the exact gun I want with the scope I want and the stock whatever stock I want. I am so excited about it its insane. I have a few guys around me that do this all the time and they have seemed to lose how fun it really is. They also have way to much money and build probably two guns a month all year long, is that a problem I don't think so but it doesn't work for me haha. And for all you other guys I really appreciate the feed back and help this forum is awesome because of fellas like yourselves. Rock on guys!! |
My first build was a 6.5-06 on a rem 700,its pretty much the same as the 6.5 - 284.I had Ron Smith make me a barrel and bought a timney trigger,boyds thumbhole stock,20 moa rail and sightron scope.Loved the rifle and shot alot of long range with it till it was shot out(about 1500 rounds).I knew they were good for about that many rounds before I built it but thought it would last me years,It ended up making about 20 months witch was shorter than I wanted.I now shoot a 6.5 creedmoor and am hoping for 3500 or more rounds,but I think the 6.5x 284 would make a better long range hunting rifle.One thing to remember is just because some guys says he gets a certain speed does't meen that your rifle will shoot that speed also,the load I had in my 6.5-06 was about 50 fps faster than the creedmoor.
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Carts27 - I understand that 6.5 x 284 barrel accuracy can fall off between 800 - 1000 rounds so if you are a high volume shooter, that is something you may wish to consider. Most hunting rifles never get that many rounds fired over twenty years so it may not be important. An F-class shooter I know said he washed one out in about 750 rounds shooting completions which I understand can drive a barrel pretty hard.
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I have owned two in that condition , one had 4" of chamber/ barrel that was completely washed out and it would still still within 4" at 500 yards . Cat |
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If you go with a 6.5-284 and are concerned about barrel life, you may want to consider using a browning barrel, or browning rifle for a starting point. Edit, looks like they may not being doing that except on their 26 nosler now, an alternative .26 caliber though. Check out their website for info on that. |
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I went down the semi-custom build route, and the only advice I have is research, research, and then more of 1&2. The gunsmith will have a lot more questions than you have answers for. I did 90% of my research before starting the build, I picked a cartridge, .284 Win., picked the action, Rem L-A, picked the barrel and twist, 1-9", picked a stock, B&C Alaskan, even decided what brass and bullets I was going to chamber and throat for, had the smith true the action, tune the trigger, pillar and bed the stock, just had to decide what colour to cerakote the barrelled action when he was done. Topped with Warne rings and a Zeiss scope, wasn't cheap to put it all together, but worth it to me in the end. It's a real shooter, and one of a kind. A 6.5x .284?? Intriguing..... May have to do another one.........cause once you start. It becomes an addiction! LOL. Good luck with whatever you build. Dogger
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My two cents, A model 70 action and a Krieger or a benchmark barrel 23 inches long set in a McMillen edge stock in a 270 or 280 or 30-06. This will make a hunting rig that you'll be proud of for years to come.
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Almost time
Really appreciate the help fellas, I have pretty much gotten everything I need now.
Happened to luck out and buy a weatherby 270 win for dirt cheap at bass pro shop, ordered my stock online as well as a benchmark from Gary Eakin at Bighorn sales who is absolutely unreal to deal with BTW. Ordered the barrel today and he said I should see it Friday depending on how things go with the Christmas rush of shipping, Then off to the smith we go and ill be firing down range before the snow is gone, again thanks for all your help fellas really appreciate it. |
I've done several -
And you are going to have a hoot selecting cartridge, action, barrel, trigger, scope etc. The possibilities are only limited by your finances. Some will tell you the barrel must be the very best - but one of my most accurate hunting firearms is built around a 1912 action and barrel. I would browse the threads here and look for a smith that builds their own barrel and then also does the build with you. Have fun - you'll probably end up with a firearm that shoots better than you!
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What are you getting for a stock, and which smith are you using? I have bought several barrels and actions from Gary, great guy to deal with. You can't go wrong with Benchmark barrels! What contour barrel did you order?
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