Looking to buy a Custom made rifle Need Help

[30338]

I'd buy a rem 700 ss action, a mcmillan classic stock, a bartlein 2b barrel twisted 8.7 and throated for 180 ELD-M bullets to hit lands at 3.5". Several good gunsmiths will assemble that package for $400-$500. I'd put on a seekins rail and use seekins rings with a SWFA 10x or SHV 4-14 scope.

I'd load RL26 and enjoy shooting .797 bc bullets at 2950 fps from a 24" barrel without a muzzle brake since it won't kick bad at all. The bullets are currently .13 cents each at midway and brass for 7 mag is everywhere.

If you don't reload, I'd start that before doing any of the above.

 

[ams]

I like the above post. I got the rifles first and have had pretty good luck with factory ammo. I am however buying a reloading setup. Also, make sure there is room in the budget for a capable range finder if your really going to start shooting longer ranges. My leupold 1000 really was a leupold 650 on game and didn't account for much else besides range and angle. I found out even if you know those factors you need to know what your rifle and ammo will do and how they really match up.

 

[GKPrice]

I have thought about one over the years. But seeing many for sale and reading that many are underwhelmed with performance and or handling I decided to get a
Tikka superlite stainlesss for $750. A muzzle break $200. Talley light weight rings $50. And a budget of $250 to $500 for and optic.
That will put the entire package at $1250 to $1500. Pretty sure it will shoot.

If I was going to do the custom thing I would find the right gunsmith to work with.

Good luck.

^^^^^ +++++++ ^^^^^^^

 

[FURMAN]

Hey guys looking to try and get some recommendations for a really good custom made long range hunting rifle. I will be doing mostly backcountry elk/deer hunting. I have been blessed to have a 2,000 to 2,500 budget to purchase a rifle. I am trying to find a company that can make the rifle and also help me make a load for the rifle that will be a nail driver. I already have a good optic of a Swarovski z3 BT 4-12 scope. If you guys could give me some recommendations it would be greatly appreciated.

In the future I would post you long range hunting related questions in that forum. I feel you will get a better response from those who understand what your are looking for. For a long range hunting rifle, that is fairly light(suited for the backcountry), and on your budget I think a CA Ridgeline is going to be your best bet. I have seen quit a few lately shooting less than .5 moa. You may have to bed it but that is easy and if you do not wish to do it yourself, relatively cheap. I have one I am currently working up a load for that is bedded in a Stocky's long range carbon fiber stock that is shooting less than .5moa. I have $2400.00 in it and will most likely sell the original stock. I do not feel the factory stock or the "classic" style hunting stocks on Tikka's are great for long range shooting. Tikka's are plenty accurate but they are also limited on magazine space.

 

[Snicolio]

Accuracy wise out to about 700-800 yards you think a tikka t3 and custom made rifle would be around the same?

 

[GKPrice]

Kimber mountain ascent. Purchased via BHA lift membership. You get the rifle and a life membership and support BHA. Best of all worlds.

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VERY good cause for sure !!

 

[FURMAN]

I have had two(currently still have one) Tikka's that maintain .5 moa out to those distances. For, what I would consider, a long range hunting caliber the magazine box limits powder space. I would not choose a Tikka for long range hunting due to this alone.

 

[GKPrice]

I like the above post. I got the rifles first and have had pretty good luck with factory ammo. I am however buying a reloading setup. Also, make sure there is room in the budget for a capable range finder if your really going to start shooting longer ranges. My leupold 1000 really was a leupold 650 on game and didn't account for much else besides range and angle. I found out even if you know those factors you need to know what your rifle and ammo will do and how they really match up.

before being able to have Geovid I used Leica RF, absolutely the best IME

 

[maninthemaze]

I had a custom gun built a couple of years ago. The barreled action with a trigger was right at $2000. Then I purchased the stock, bottom metal, mag well, springs, followers and assembled the rifle myself. This was a Stiller action with a Krieger barrel and Timney trigger. You could probably knock a couple hundred off and go with a R700 action donor.

Good luck.

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[907to406]

I have had two(currently still have one) Tikka's that maintain .5 moa out to those distances. For, what I would consider, a long range hunting caliber the magazine box limits powder space. I would not choose a Tikka for long range hunting due to this alone.

There are companies making bottom metal for Tikkas which will accept AI mags. Really not a problem anymore, especially if he wants a "custom" anyways.

 

[FURMAN]

There are companies making bottom metal for Tikkas which will accept AI mags. Really not a problem anymore, especially if he wants a "custom" anyways.

You will have to enlighten me because all the Tikka replacement DBM setups I am aware of still limit the internal length to 3.4". The other issue with DBM even if it would allow longer is the extra weight. He wants a rifle to hunt the back country. Then you add the cost of the bottom metal and magazines and his budget is blown on essentially nothing. In the end it is his money but I can assure you I would not waste my money on customizing a Tikka for longer magazine. I think Tikka's are an amazing value for what they are but they have their limitations. For a rifle for hunting under 3-400 yards they would be towards the top of my list.

 

[deadwolf]

Lumley arms makes a bolt knob like that, titanium recoil lug and steel pillars with SS action screws too. Just finished a tikka 300wm with those upgrades and a muzzle brake.
That being said I did a semi-custom rem 700 300 rum and wouldn't trade it for anything.
.......and I bought a Kimber Ascent...... lol all the recommendations in this thread have been my recent purchases.

APA Little bastard brakes on both rifles? Good choice

 

[ckleeves]

Accuracy wise out to about 700-800 yards you think a tikka t3 and custom made rifle would be around the same?

There is a million questions that follow your question. What bullet do you want to shoot? Who was the builder on the custom? What parts were used?

I mean any smith can screw a barrel on a rifle and drop it into a stock. The Tikka could very well outshoot that "custom".

A rifle built with top notch components by a quality builder (with someone loading for it that knows what they are doing) is more then likely going to blow the tikka away.

It all depends on what your wanting to do. If your wanting to feed it factory ammo then it's probably a waste of money building a rifle. A Tikka magazine will fit anything factory no prob.

Now if you wanting to have a rifle that weights XXXX amount, is throated and has the correct twist to shoot XXXX bullet, has a stock made by XXXX that has features you like, is chambered in XXXX which may not be available from everybody, has the magazine the correct length to seat XXXX bullet at X.xxx" and a trigger that breaks a Xxx then it's worth building a rifle how you want it.

 

[unsuccessful]

I'm currently building my own long range custom on a mauser action chambered in 7mm mag. I didn't choose the mauser because I thought that it would be the best option, but because I got a good deal on a project that someone else had started. Before I found this I was torn between three production options (kimber hunter, tikka t3, Browning xbolt), a Thompson center pro hunter put together by EABco with custom barrel and trued action, or a custom rifle kit from Red Hawk Rifles. I feel like it would be worth a call to RHR to see how much to assemble and if they could help with load development. I truly believe that you can get what you are looking for with the money you have. I am also a back country hunter, and have decided that my budget (smaller than yours) was not going to allow me to cut as much weight as I would like. Negative ounces cost big money in the precision world, and lots of parts can be replaced with lighter ones at home as the money allows. Happy hunting. Keeps us posted as you move forward. I think we would all like to know what you end up with.

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[ams]

These are the micro bastards that you can self time and put on or off in the field.

 

[16Bore]

I'd look hard at the new Barrett rifles.

 

[GKPrice]

Hey guys thanks for all the feedback so far, when I say long range I was thinking 800 to 900 yards tops. Yes I have a good optic already. I do have a tikka t3 in 30-06 but was thinking about getting my custom rifle in a 300 rum
E

haven't owned a RUM but I've shot a few ... hunted with a couple of guys who had them, they got the job done - I'd bet there are more guys here who have one or had one who now shoot 300 Win Mags and are just as happy or maybe happier

 

[GKPrice]

I'd look hard at the new Barrett rifles.

after Luke mentioned the Barrett I looked the website up - can't hardly get a better rep or name than Barrett and the rifle appears to be done to perfection - I'll be very interested in a review on one

that said, for my age and budget, and unless I inherit from a rich aunt I didn't know I had, I'll stick with the Tikka SL - out of all of them I've owned and the ones I've advised for family or friends not one has disappointed in any way - ( just because I'm married doesn't mean I can't appreciate a beauty pageant)