Carbon-Stocked, Vertical Gripped Mid-Range Rigs - What Else is Out There?

[MTMeatHunter]

Mornin'!
First time post from a loooong time lurker. Thanks for having me aboard. I'm in the market for what I think of as a fairly specific rifle and I've narrowed it down to a few that seem to hit the mark.


I'm looking for a rifle that meets the following:

- Carbon fiber stock with a vertical grip that is optimized for shooting prone (ex., Alpine Hunter from AG Composite, Mcmillan Game Warden). Must have low drop at comb, no monte carlo style stocks like Mesa Precision's Altitude
- Stainless barrel and receiver. Cerakote on top is fine but not required, just not interested in chromoly anything
- Mag box that will fit heavy-for-caliber bullets loaded long
- Factory twist rate that will handle heavy-for-caliber bullets (Hammer Bullet's big dogs)
- Between 6.5-8lbs bare rifle
- Sub $2k street price
- I'm not totally set on any specific chambering.
- I live in Montana and would use the rifle for everything we've got. I limit shots on game to 400 but enjoy shooting targets much further, so this rifle would play double duty.


Rifles that I think hit most of these:

- Seekins PH2
- Xbolt HC Mcmillan LR
- Waypoint 2020 W/ steel barrel (Nearly impossible to find, limited chamberings, hoping they drop some long action 284/ 30 cal mag offerings in 2022)
- Semi-custom Tikka (I have a t3x 300WM that I could drop into a Alpine Hunter or similar, but it fails the twist rate and mag box criteria badly. Potential option to rebarrel with a prefit fast twist 7SAUM or similar)

And here's my question for all of you. Am I overlooking any other obvious options?

 

[Sadler]

My vote is ya get a carbon six prefit for your tikka chambered in either the 6.5 PRC/7SAUM/300WSM and if you’re into chassis, an XLR chassis to put it in. If ya don’t want a chassis then ya, people seem to like AG composites for the tikka. Another option is the Benchmark Barrels Ibex stock. You just have to send them your barreled action and they’ll inlet it and install it for ya. I believe they told me that was $800ish all together last year.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

If you're looking for a factory rifle then the seekins would be ideal, maybe in 300 prc
If you feel like building on your tikka then get a prefit custom throated for 212 eldx or 215s in 300 wsm, or an 8 twist saum throated for 180s.
Pick the stock of your choice

 

[MTMeatHunter]

@Sadler, the Ibex stock is new to me and looks great. Looks like Hells Canyon Armory is using some of them on their builds, but other than that I've not seen an reviews on them. The XLR chassis is also an option on the table for customizing the Tikka. Thanks for pointing out that Ibex stock. Might make some phone calls. 762Gunner, yep, the Seekins might just be ideal from a factory perspective. My local Scheels has them in stock and my only gripe is that the "carbon composite stock" feels a little plasticky, but it is plenty stiff and I appreciate that the color seems to be molded in from a durability standpoint.

 

[MTMeatHunter]

Bringing this back up to see if anyone knows of any options I’m looking passed! Appreciate the thoughts!

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Buy a prefit for your Tikka and put it in an MDT HNT26 chassis. The HNT26 is magnesium for the action and carbon for the grip, buttstock, foreend. The non-folding non-arca supposedly weighs 26oz hence the HNT26.

I have a folding/arca on order for my 300prc barreled action. Hopefully it will arrive soon.

 

[chutinlead]

Buy a prefit for your Tikka and put it in an MDT HNT26 chassis. The HNT26 is magnesium for the action and carbon for the grip, buttstock, foreend. The non-folding non-arca supposedly weighs 26oz hence the HNT26.

I have a folding/arca on order for my 300prc barreled action. Hopefully it will arrive soon.

I would have one of those if they had a 3rd polymer mag for the Tikka LA.

 

[MTMeatHunter]

I’m impressed by the chassis options brought up here. I’ve not really considered them much, but they make sense in a lot of ways! Just speeeendy!

 

[DoubleDown]

Howa 1500 with carbon barrel in HS stock can be found ~1000$

 

[Gerard D]

Look at the Christensen offering or fierce as well for factory.

For another $750 you could have Alamo precision do up a combination of their altitude/maverick lines.

You’d get an ag alpine hunter stock in a defiance tenacity action with a 3b/#5 contour. Would be around 8lbs

 

[MTMeatHunter]

The fierce twisted rival is actually one I meant to list here as an option. It’s top end for budget but it checks a ton of boxes. Right now leaning towards a prefit on the tikka.

 

[gunrush128]

The fierce twisted rival is actually one I meant to list here as an option. It’s top end for budget but it checks a ton of boxes. Right now leaning towards a prefit on the tikka.

I’m considering the Fierce Twisted Rival right now as well, but just can’t get over the aesthetics.

My options are more limited however, given that I shoot left handed. I’m actually starting to lean towards just building something with a prefit barrel


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Buzby]

The Seekins PH2 checks all of your boxes at a reasonable price. I tried to justify a Tikka build, but by the time you buy all of the components, it’s over true cost of a PH2 which comes with factory support.