Custom Rifle

[HellsCanyon]

The majority of shooters that I come into contact with are shooting competitions, and shooting 2-3K+ rounds down range every year. And this isn't your typical benchrest crowd or even F-class. Most of these competitions have stages that are under short time constraints, high round counts, and oftentimes "shoot n move" type matches. I've shot out of helicopters, off catwalks, dog houses, under apple bins...etc It's not uncommon to have 90 seconds to shoot 15-20 rounds at targets at 2 or more distances. Factory guns just won't cut it here. But these guns are often 11-17 lbs and aren't geared towards back country hunting.

For long range shooting in general, and hunting situations, you can for sure get it done with a factory rifle. Tikkas and Savages are getting the best "out of the box" accuracy reputations, and there are many other factory rifles that will get it done as well. Pick a gun that shoots and that you feel comfortable packing, and PRACTICE! LEARN your optics system, and the fundamentals of long range and there's no reason you shouldn't be able to tip an animal over out there at 600-700 yards. I'd take some of the shooters I know with a factory savage or most "hunters" that buy a custom gun and don't know how to use it... any day of the week! Get something with a nice trigger or put an aftermarket trigger in it that you can get in the 2-3 lbs range and hit the range.

Mike

 

[wk93]

The series 2 Vanguard from Weatherby would be a good option as well if they fit you right. They guarentee .99 at 100 yards out of the box which is moe than accurate enough for the average hunting situtation.

 

[crumy]

Thanks alot for the replies and explanations guys. It helps me understand a little better. I am very happy with my rifle and and I have shot a couple of savages that I am really impressed with. I just didn't know if there was something I was missing. You don't know what you don't know.

I also see your point BB about a custom rifle. To me it would be like shooting a piece of engineering art.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I think there are some very nice factory rifles out there that shoot very accurate. Heck, my brother shot a bull at 1018 yds with a factory 30-378 which only had a trigger job.
With that said, the custom rifle market would be really small if they didn't perform better.

 

[Coyote Commander]

It is interesting though. I have seen guys spend $700 on a factory rifle, $250 on a trigger and tune, $300 for action work, $700 for rebarreling, $500 for a new stock, and $150 for bedding. that is $2600 there.

Thats kinda the nice thing about starting with the factory gun, especially for someone that might be just starting out in long range shooting, or other serious rifle work, is they can spread all that money out over several years, learning what they like and dont like as they go.

If they start with a caliber that has a long throat life, they can spread that $2600 out over several years. And end up with something precisely like they want, gained from their own personal experience shooting.

I still to this day, recommend to guys interested in getting into long range shooting to start with a factory .308. Save some money initially for good glass and lots of ammo, and start sending rounds down range and gain first hand experience (we all like different things, experience is what tells us what we like). Than as they progress, start replacing things based on their needs. If they decide its something they're arent into, than they arent out much money. If its something they are interested in, than they can keep upgrading, or if they want, start looking at custom rigs.

Dont get me wrong, I do the custom thing (waiting on two tubes right now to start a re-barrel and a scratch build), but it seems the internet forum age has everyone automatically defaulting to custom guns these days even though factory guns often shoot every bit as good.

 

[Whisky]

I'm also of the mindset you don't NEED a custom for hunting or LR plinking. I learned on a plane jane factory 700 SPS Varmint 308. I had an aftermarket stock and trigger on it, and the stock wasn't even bedded. It shot very well, with the right loads. I shot it out to 1k quite often.

One thing I immediately noticed when I turned it into a custom, though, was a custom will shoot damn near anything you put through it very well. Way less finicky. Heck, my "barrel break in" load, which I basically picked out of my butt, was the load that shot all them groups I posted above with the exception of the one hole group. I really haven't even finished up load testing yet.....But, for the money, they should have some benefits over a factory, or you got hosed.

For guys who don't want to spend the money on a custom, for a lighter hunting rifle, my advise would be to get either a Rem 700 or Savage (because of availability of aftermarket parts). Get an aftermarket trigger for it such as Timney or Rifle Basix. And put a Bell and Carlson on it, bed it, and call her good. With the right loads, and shooter, that thing will be more than accurate enough. A nice trigger and a quality stock are always a good upgrade.

 

[Backstrap]

x2 on the posts from Bitteroot and Hells Canyon. The two goals you state are usually mutually exclusive in the shooting world, long range shooting (which typically uses a heavier rifle) and mountain rifles that you carry a lot and shoot a little.

If you have the budget, any of the rifles you mention in the initial post will get the job done in style. However, many of the factory rifles today come with a trigger that would have been considered aftermarket just a few short years ago plus they are usually bedded.

I had a Remington LSS Mountain Rifle in .270WIN with only a trigger job that was about as light as they come and shouldered like a fine over/under shotgun that would shoot a three shot 1" group with most factory ammo. You couldn't shoot much more than that because of rapid heat up of the barrel but for hunting in the steep and deep it was fantastic. The new ones look even better. While I don't have any experience with them other than shooting friend's at the range, Kimber rifles would probably fit your bill nicely and still be closer to the factory cost end of the budget spectrum.