Do I Want to Make Mine a Custom…?

[Ivory]

Hi guys. I’m at the point I want to take my long-range shooting to the next level and am looking for some good advice on which direction to go with a rifle. I know there are many threads on this subject but here’s my own personal scenario.

I’m a hunter and want an all-around rifle for hunting most western US big game species. Doesn’t have to be ultralight but weight is a consideration as I will do some pack hunting from time to time, but nothing too extreme or very often. Maybe something around 9lbs loaded with scope? I want something that is consistent let’s say out to 600 to 700 yards. I don't need a sub 0.25 inch 100yd MOA gun that will win bench rest competitions, I just want something to perform well in hunting situations out to that 600-700 yard range. I’m not a bells and whistles type of guy and like things that are simple, dependable, and last a very long time.

I'm not set on caliber and don’t want this discussion to focus on caliber, but I tend to like the .284 to .300 choices.

So my question is what do you guys with a lot more knowledge and experience than I have recommend…

(1) go the custom build route or
(2) buy factory and make some substantial accuracy improvements accordingly?

Either option, I would like to stay under $3k to $4k total package with scope included.

I’d say I’m the guy that doesn’t need to spend the money for a custom 1000 yard rifle to get a 600 yard hunting rig if it’s not necessary. I’ve talked to a few custom builders over the last few months and the one at the top of my list right now is Dallas Lane. I just don’t know if I need a complete custom build or not for what I’m looking for. I also don’t have any really good gunsmiths locally where I live that I’m aware of so if I went the factory/improvement route, I might be shipping that as well.

I should also add that I load my own shells and am most familiar with the Remington 700 bolt action platform as I’ve shot it most of my life.

Any advice would be really appreciated. If anybody recommends the custom route… contact information for recommended builders would be appreciated as well. I really would like to stay away from the “big” guys who do lots of advertising on TV and in magazines and find a small shop that really focuses on me as a customer. Even for the non-custom build route, please feel free to provide me information on a good shop that I can send a rifle to and have them perform the work for me.

Please feel free to message me anything you would rather not post.

Thanks guys.

 

[WRO]

I don't know where you're located, but there is a local guy here in Oregon who's building a good stick quick and cost effectively.

I'd say stick with what you know, get a 700 donor rifle, manners/mcmillian stock, good custom barrel, timmeny or jewel trigger, etc.

https://www.facebook.com/Harris-precision-549606091766671/?fref=ts

 

[Jerry P]

I picked up a Tikka T3 Superlite about a year ago and couldn't be happier with it's performance so for. There are a lot of options but $700 for a factory gun that shoots as well as it does, I don't think you can't go wrong.

 

[weaver]

You don't NEED a custom for those ranges. I'm currently building a rifle that should get me to 6-700 yds and be around 9lbs with a bipod.
7mm tikka t3 topped with a swaro z5 3x18x44.

 

[Justin Crossley]

You should look at the Christensen Arms Ridgeline, and Cooper rifles.

 

[PathFinder]

Bullseye Precision here in Utah will put together a rifle on a 700 action for under 2k, with a 1/2 MOA guarantee. They do good work. Cooper makes a good gun for the money too. I like the 700 with good bottom metal better than a Cooper, it's far more customizable and the Cooper mags are nothing to brag about. If you want to spend a bit more, HS Precision makes awesome guns for just under 3k. The action leaves the others in the dust and barrel quality is top notch. Mine is a quarter MOA gun. As far as caliber, I wouldn't go with something too extreme if you don't plan on ever pushing past 800 yards. Something as light as a 280 AI or even 6.5 Creedmoor will have plenty of energy at that range for clean kills.

 

[wind gypsy]

I'd be disappointed in any bolt gun that doesn't shoot 0.75 MOA or better these days factory or otherwise. Custom's are nice because you can tweak it exactly how you want it. You get to spec a barrel with the exact profile, length, flutes, muzzle threads, twist, etc and the high end ones will shoot a little better and foul significantly less than most factory button rifled barrels. You get to spec a chamber to the ammo you want to shoot and have opportunity to choose bottom metal that can accommodate longer high BC bullets. The trigger options on a 700 or 700 clone are great.

That said, I just had my first custom built and i prefer the feel of my browning xbolt stock to the $700 manners i picked and that browning will shoot 0.6 MOA consistently..

I'll throw out Jon Beanland as another builder worth talking to. He's a one man shop who will talk you through the details and you know exactly who's building your rifle. I went with him after being frustrated with the service of a big name builder.

 

[5MilesBack]

You don't NEED a custom for those ranges.

I would agree and also say......if a gun is grouping sub-MOA at 600, what's a custom going to do beyond that range? A gun doesn't cause bullets to suddenly veer off course after certain yardages. I guess my question would be, what percentage of factory guns don't shoot sub-MOA? And on top of that, at 600 and beyond it's just about impossible to have steady consistent wind all the way to the target to determine what the rifle is doing and what the wind is doing. Maybe I've just been lucky with factory guns, but I've never had a big game rifle that wouldn't shoot sub-MOA if I did my part.

 

[Mtaylor]

I don't think there is really a wrong way to go. Do you want to spend the $3K? Then go custom or buy a cooper, Christensen arms, ect. If you want to get a cheaper set up and put the extra money into hunts, guides, gear, ect then buy a Remington, tikka, savage, Winchester or other stock rifle. I want a top of the line rifle that costs $$$$ but it would probably end up being a safe queen because I would be afraid to ding it up. That's why I bought a Tikka recently, I am liking my decision so far.
Good luck, in the end you can't go wrong.

Mtaylor

 

[PathFinder]

The differences are small at shorter ranges, and out to 600 I wouldn't call a custom gun "necessary." I also expect factory guns to shoot sub MOA, but I expect sub half MOA from a custom or semi custom. That difference is going to be magnified at longer ranges. Another way that a custom gun has an accuracy advantage is the ability to have it built (throated, barrel twist, & mag length) to shoot longer, heavy for caliber bullets. With a factory gun, you get what you get. Short bullets aren't worth a crap at long range. For example, I have a load for my 25 WSSM that shoots half moa 10 shot groups at 100 yards with a 75 gr X-Bullet. At 500 yards, it will only hold about a 7" group. On the other hand, the 100 grain SMK load in the same gun will hold MOA groups out to 700 (maybe farther, haven't tried) in good conditions. My 300 WM is a .25MOA gun at 100, and I've shot half MOA groups at 1000, even in a bit of wind. When planning a long range gun, bullet selection needs to be taken into account before you buy the rifle; a "normal" bullet may do ok at long range, but if you want to be serious about making clean kills from long range, in hunting conditions, a high BC bullet will make a huge difference. Different calibers (6.5 CM for example) will be able to shoot long bullets in factory mags. Others won't.
Another thing you'll gain over a factory rifle is a better stock. Factory stocks tend to be cheap and flimsy, and lack proper bedding. Any custom or semi custom should come with a stiff, properly bedded stock.
Barrel quality will be greater as well. Custom barrels will be button or cut rifled. Either way, they will be properly finished (lapped) and stress relieved throughout the manufacturing process. My HS has a cut rifled barrel, and experiences no POI shift when going from cold to hot on a long shot string. I can't say the same about my factory barrels.
Long story short, for what you're planning, there are a few factory rifles that will be "good enough." They are good guns and will get the job done. A custom or semi custom is guaranteed to perform and will have significant advantages over a factory rifle, if you are willing to pay a bit more.

 

[GKPrice]

if you want to separate the wheat from the chafe, while you're having your first conversation with the perspective custom rifle smith you tell him what bullet you expect to get the .25 MOA with and see what the response is ......

 

[Eagle]

I think it would be worth looking into a Cooper for sure. I love my Cooper Excalibur 280 AI, and it's shot below .5 MOA consistently as far as I've been able to shoot it to this point (500 yards). Last I heard, they plan to unveil there new backcountry gun at the SHOT show this year. From what I recall, the bear gun will be just under 6 pounds and will still have Cooper's .5" guarantee.

 

[Ivory]

Thanks for all the very good responses guys. I understand a factory rifle can get me to maybe 600yds and maybe that's the best route. As I've been looking more and more into this I've learned more about aftermarket barrels, trued or custom actions, stocks, etc. I'm still not sure on what route I should go. What kind of action is a stock Tikka built on? As far as caliber, I'm leaning towards the old tried and true 7mm rem mag shooting Nosler AB or ABLR in the 160gr class, but I'm not 100% set on that either. If I were to get a stock rifle... what mods should I make in priority to get it to where it would be a good 600-800yd rig... new stock, glass bed, true action, replace barrel, etc..?

 

[GKPrice]

Thanks for all the very good responses guys. I understand a factory rifle can get me to maybe 600yds and maybe that's the best route. As I've been looking more and more into this I've learned more about aftermarket barrels, trued or custom actions, stocks, etc. I'm still not sure on what route I should go. What kind of action is a stock Tikka built on? As far as caliber, I'm leaning towards the old tried and true 7mm rem mag shooting Nosler AB or ABLR in the 160gr class, but I'm not 100% set on that either. If I were to get a stock rifle... what mods should I make in priority to get it to where it would be a good 600-800yd rig... new stock, glass bed, true action, replace barrel, etc..?

I've taken 2 Tikka T3's to my gunsmith for "trueing" and both times the response from him was "no charge" when I picked each one up "they were perfect" was what he said

If any rifle shoots to your goal out to 600 yards then THE RIFLE will shoot to your goals past that I would think - the bullet might not carry well past 600 though .... am I missing something here ?