Help with Lightweight 6.5 build

[Toolhand]

If the budget is thrown out the window then you may talk to Bettin custom rifles. He builds carbon fiber stocks with his own carbon fiber magazine system. He took my lone peaks barreled action and hand built my stock and DBM. With a 26" carbon 6 Bull barrel chambered in 26 nosler, lone peak titanium long action, hell fire brake, and swaro x5I scope the rifle weighs in right at 8 pounds. He also builds entire rifles with his own carbon barrels with 1/2 guarantee. The stock he did for me is identical to a manners EH 1 but with a little bit slimmer forearm.

 

[Tikkamike]

I had a 6.5 GAP (SAUM) built on a stainless Tikka last fall. It's got a 1.15 shank 24" Proof. Sitting in a Mcmillain Edge Fill Game Hunter stock. Factory Tikka trigger with aftermarket spring. And a Terminator T3 brake. Weighs 8.5 lbs loaded and scoped with the SIG Whiskey 5 if I remember correctly

 

[SAM55]

Absolutely beautiful gun, Mike. To the OP, I don't think you can go wrong with the Tikka action. As far as the other parts and pieces go, I'm a fan of Bartlein barrels, McMillian stocks and Nightforce scopes.

 

[Tikkamike]

I just built a 6.5 PRC off of a Sako A7 7mm rem mag donor rifle, never had to do a thing, feeds like a dream out of the single stack mag box

That thing is sweet

 

[BigSky112]

So i finally decided what caliber im going to build around. I was going to build a 28nosler but just cant do the barrel life. So i decided to have a 6.5ss built. Im gunna start ordering parts in the next few days. I know i want it on a manners Eh1 stock with a 22 or 24in proof sendero. Timmney F/E trigger. My real question is what action to build it off of.
I have tossed around the ideas of buying a blueprint from ptg, but at the price why not get one of the big name custom actions. Or should i just find an old savage, sako, winchester, rem as i am trying to keep everything between 2500-3000 but still be fairly lightweight around 8lbs.
Also what about just buying a tika t3 in 300wsm and building off that.
Im open to any ideas on what direction to go with the action and bottom metal. The age old question what would you do?
Also if looking for a cheap used rifle what are the best to convert into a 6.5ss.
One last thing, for the proof sendero barrel large shank or small shank?
Thanks for your input

We have a huge difference in opinion on the definition of " Lightweight ", to me 8lbs is 1.5 to 2 lbs beyond lightweight. You have good options for actions. Look at just a new Rem 700 action, I've seen them for <$200

 

[dirtking]

You might also look at the bighorn origin action.

 

[Tikkamike]

We have a huge difference in opinion on the definition of " Lightweight ", to me 8lbs is 1.5 to 2 lbs beyond lightweight. You have good options for actions. Look at just a new Rem 700 action, I've seen them for <$200

I agree to an extent.. on the light weight thing. A bare rifle 6lbs or under is definitely what I call ultralight. However that's pencil barrels typically, which isn't my thing. I have come to like heavier barrels and so I feel anything with a heavy barrel (or a carbon wrapped) under 7lbs bare rifle is pretty good. Depends on that the end user is looking for. If a guy is on a budget and just wants an accurate light weight rifle I recommend buying a Tikka or a Sako A7 and getting it fluttered. Hard to beat for the price

 

[LongBomber]

260ai built on a rem ti action, wyatt mag box, manners eh1, trigger tech trigger, rem bdl bottom metal. Barrel is a frozen fiber- benchmark liner in a modified #5 contour. The barrel is heavier than a proof or christensen.

Rifle is 7 pounds 15oz with the nightforce direct mount and vx5hd. Not a true "lightweight" but a packable stable shooting weight.

 

[HUNTER-1]

Nice looking rifle! You liking that vx5hd so far?

 

[Tarheelpwr]

Although I agree with folks on here that the Tikka is a good factory option, I would also recommend looking into an action where you can easily change the bolt and spin on your own barrel- like the Impact 737. It would annoy me to have a rifle in a wildcat with no quick option to go to a more widely available caliber.

WTO and ARC are or have already released their switch lug and barloc respectively for the Tikka action.

That's the easiest barrel swap you'll ever get.

 

[Bushmasta]

I built a custom 6.5 with proof off a 700 action. I love it but my Tikka action on my 7mm is the cats meow with no mods.

 

[Tikkamike]

Do you have a link for these?

 

[SavageHunter11]

Why are they charging more to fit a carbon barrel? I'm curious if everyone is doing that.

I've threaded and chambered plenty of them. Other than the fear of messing up an expensive barrel there is no difference in them vs steel.

They weren't charging more for a proof, that's just what they were charging to machine and fit any barrel that would require it. I was specifically asking about both proof and benchmark barrels. Same price for both.

 

[LongBomber]

Nice looking rifle! You liking that vx5hd so far?

I do like it, functions perfect and the Leupold lense coatings do make game pop to my eyes. The two turn turret gives me plenty of elevation. The one thing that keeps it from perfection for me is the reticle. If I could get the moar installed in the vx-5hd it would be perfect.