APS Raptor LRSS 7mm Allen Magnum

[Kay0404]

I don't have a semi-custom, or custom anything close to that other than maybe a couple custom shop S&W pistols and a couple STI 2011s, but this posting line is REALLLY making me want to take the plunge.

 

[Deleted member 102985]

Well I have 2 Allen mags I bought second hand. I love them! I'm hoping to get him started on a 375 for me soon. Be careful, once you get one and see how nice it will shoot you will want another. They are quite addicting. Kirby builds a top notch rifle!

 

[Capt RB]

I've been reading this site since early 2005. Kirby's posts have been a must read for me since the first one i read so long ago! Alot of the people i use to read are no longer here. So glad he still posts here. There are a few others but Kirby's information is always a must read for me.

 

[Kay0404]

Not to hijack a thread, but I face the same issue as most.. Caliber/cartridge selection.. One QUALITY rifle to do everything that I am likely to be exposed to needing.

 

[snox801]

Not to hijack a thread, but I face the same issue as most.. Caliber/cartridge selection.. One QUALITY rifle to do everything that I am likely to be exposed to needing.

Well first figure out what you are gonna use it for 90 percent of the time. He built my ultimate long range hammer. That being said it's my least shot rifle. It's impractical for most hunting. Second if it's your one rifle to do it all barrel like come into play so giving up some speed and moving to a larger bore would be good.
If I needed one it would be a .375 Allen xpress.
If memory serves it based on the lapua case. That way you could run light weight monos. For most 100-600 yards shoots that would be flat and fast with minimal recoil. Then you could always shoot the 300-400gr rounds for long range. Moving up from .338 would increase barrel life a lot also.

 

[Fiftydriver]

I've been reading this site since early 2005. Kirby's posts have been a must read for me since the first one i read so long ago! Alot of the people i use to read are no longer here. So glad he still posts here. There are a few others but Kirby's information is always a must read for me.

thanks for the kind words. Yes i have been here on LRHunting from pretty much the start. My business grew up with this web site and it was fun to share ALL of my projects and research and development with everyone here on LR Hunting through the years.

Have always tried to keep things as simple and uncomplicated as possible because frankly there is no need for this to be complicated and many in the industry seem to like to sound like they are far and away smarter then any of the rest of us in the sport. That said, many of them ARE that much smarter!! But its when they intentionally try to talk over the education or experience level of others that really bugs me.

i have always been brutally honest will all my reporting of data from my wildcats because simply, why would one inflate performance numbers just to have customers be disappointed when they actually get the rifle in their hands. I want the opposite, if my customers get more then i advertise, we are all happy!!

i have never based my wildcats performance off MAGIC and SMOKE AND MIRRORS. My wildcats perform because they are solid designs that do not need to be exaggerated to sell......

at the end of the day, i have always just been a simple guy that loves big game hunting, shooting and love to pay attention to detail. No better then anyone else. Its been a load of fun and i do not post as much as i used to, just because i am much busier in the shop but still try to keep everyone posted on my products and any unique testing i do.

thank you for your kinds words!!

 

[Fiftydriver]

Not to hijack a thread, but I face the same issue as most.. Caliber/cartridge selection.. One QUALITY rifle to do everything that I am likely to be exposed to needing.

when someone comes to me wanting what your asking for, first thing we do is have a COMING TO JESUS conversation where i do a bit of gentle educating. first thing i would say is if you want one rifle to do everything, know that you will be making compromises to do this. Not that its not possible but there WILL BE COMPROMISES.

second thing i do is send this list of questions to the person asking the question because at this point i do not expect them to be a customer, just someone looking for information:

how will this rifle be used in the field, hunting or just shooting? If hunting, how do you hunt?

what game will you be hunting with this rifle? Main game, secondary game?

how far do you want to be able to reach with this rifle?

do you have a weight goal for this rifle, bare rifle weight?

do you handload your own ammo?

are you opposed to wildcats?

do you have a budget for this rifle?

This is not so i can say, you can not afford this or that, but to figure out what the best option would be for your application. if it is my opinion that a full custom rifle is best for your goals, i will say that and possibly that maybe it would be better to save up for another year or so to fund a full custom project.

once i get all this info, i can make a much better recommendation for a rifle that will exceed your goals and cover all your needs and requirements.

this will surprise many of you but i talk customers out of my wildcats about 75% of the time in favor for a commercial chambering. If i feel one of my rounds are the best option, i will say that, if i do not, i will say what i think is the best option.

if someone tells me they will be hunting mature elk most of the time, i will lean toward a dedicated elk rifle that will work also on smaller game. If someone says they want a deer rifle the majority of the time but still want to be able to hunt elk, i will lean toward a dedicated deer rifle that will also work on elk with some common sense limitations.

what i generally get is this statement, "I want a rifle thats light enough to carry all day, powerful enough to anchor a bull elk at the shot at 1000 yards and with very little recoil. And one that i can mount a 40 oz scope on and still be under 7 lbs total"........

unfortunately, most guys getting into the custom rifle world listen to the things online from so called experts. I spend a huge amount of my time, REEDUCATING guys so that they can set realistic goals and are not trying to chase a dream that will only lead to headaches and frustrations because of what they say someone say online.

i am an expert at this, i do NOT know it all but i do know WHAT WORKS and what WILL NOT WORK. I know that because i have tried most things in actual real world, first person testing. And i am always ready to freely offer my experience to those who ask. So they do not need to learn the hard way and waste a load of money.

if i can not do what they want, i will be the first to tell them that. Fortunately, that rarely happens.