Holy Grail of long range rigs? What custom gun/caliber to get

[royinidaho]

Hmmmmph, everyone seems to be thinking out of the box.

After shooting things like a 270AM for one class of game, a 338 RUM for a larger class of game.

I sold the RUM and wore out 2 barrels on the 270. I'm currently down to one rifle that I use for all classes of game. Right at the Idaho legal limit of 16#s a 375 Allen Magnum loafing along with a 352 grain modified SMK @ 3315.

I'm fairly certain it will definitely outlast most factory cartridges even the 300 Win.

But I'm a little obsessed with fast and flat.

 

[Jeremyc]

Nothing work with a semi custom on a Savage platform like you currently have. I have built countless semi customs on Savage actions because I could do it myself for cheap. Below is a picture of one I did on a Savage Axis action in 284, it's an absolute hammer out to a 1000. Haven't had a chance to take it further than that yet. I built the gun to be a kind of do all hunting rifle out to a grand and have not been disappointed with it at all. I sent the action to Fred at SSS to true everything up, added one of his stocks, rifle basix trigger, mcgowen barrel, vortex hst scope, Ken Farrell rings and base, and rolled my own ammo. The gun with scope ready to hunt to hunt is 9 lbs 14 oz and the 284 is very mild recoil. All in I have less than $2500 with glass and everything. That being said I get the full custom thing, I am currently in the process building a 6.5 GAP 4S on one Chase and Joel's new Vector actions, in a manners stock, with a Bartlein barrel, etc, etc and will have well over 6 grand in it with glass. I just wanted you to hear the other side that you can build absolutely great rifle on a Savage platform for a fraction of the cost. If you built on your current Savage rifle you could build two identical guns, one in a 6.5 to practice with and then a 300 or 338 to hunt with. Just my 2 pennies.

Roy,
That is what I will probably do. How do you like the McGowan barrel? The one thing that I have been watching for and having trouble finding is a stock.

Thanks,
Jeremy

 

[Shoalwater]

Jeremy,
I have used 3 of their barrels on different builds and all have shot very well. I have used Pac-Nor with really good results as well. X-Caliber is a newer company making prefits that have been getting great reviews from those that are using them. For stocks you are pretty limited on the Axis actions, pretty much Boyds or the one in the picture from Sharp Shooter Supply. The regular Savage actions have really good support from just about all the major stock builders. I like Manner's stocks personally and have very happy with their stocks. I generally order them straight from Manners (about a 4 month wait) and have them inlet for the barrel contour I plan on using. Below are a couple of savages I built on Manner stocks. The 6.5 SAUM that I am currently building will sit in a Manners EH1 stock, which is a nice blend of hunting/tactical stock. I prefer the vertical style grip of tactical stock, but did not want the weight of full T4A tactical stock like on the Creedmoor below. The tan 6.5 Creedmoor was a Pac-Nor barrel #7 contour and the all black one was a factory gun. I like the varmint or target accutrigger, but some people do not. If you don't, Timney, Rifle Basix, and Sharp Shooter Supply all make great triggers as well. I pretty much use Ken Farrell rings and bases exclusively on all my rifles, while they are not inexpensive, they are very high quality components. Let me know if you have any questions, sky is really the limit on what you can do with the standard Savage actions.

J.P.

 

[zeeman]

Drags I totally agree with you!! Those rifles will not outperform many custom gunmakers such as Kelbleys Mark King and Bruno back here in western Pa

Zeeman

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

.300 win mag is all you'll ever need for the most part....the others will drive you out of your freeking. mind trying to get stuff for it !!!

 

[Marine24]

Where would manufacturers like Cooper or Dakota fit in this discussion?

I'm going through this same debate in my head of whether to build a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle using top quality components like Big Horn or Defiance actions, Bartlein barrels or rebarrel one of my existing Savage rifles or buy a Cooper.

I've had great success rebarreling Savage rifles and prefer Manner's stock on them. I have a Cooper in 7mm-08 that is my primary hunting rifle and shoots inside of .7" consistently.

 

[sp6x6]

There are real nice customs in classifieds herewith low round count.No year or more wait,lots nice stuff comes up

 

[pacowboy]

If I were you this is the track I would take. (Even though this guys is out of state for you) I would buy a Remington 700 in .300 Win Mag, send it to R.W. Hart in Pa and have them do their accuracy package on it for about $350. If you wanted to upgrade it a little more for about another $650 change out the factory barrel for a Hart Barrel or any of your choice. (Hart barrels come from the NY Harts) If I was changing the barrel I would look at the 30 Hart if you are a reloader. You can verify it with Bob but I believe his longest elk kill was a little over 1900 yards with that caliber. I have given them several of my rifles for the accuracy package alone and the changes in all of them were very significant.

Just my .02

Hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[Barrelnut]

Had the opportunity to watch and shoot a custom Hart build REM 700 in 7mag a couple years ago. The rifle was truly a tack driver. I saw it litterly stacking the shots at 450-500 yards. It was impressive. I would have no qualms dealing with those folks at all.

If I were you this is the track I would take. (Even though this guys is out of state for you) I would buy a Remington 700 in .300 Win Mag, send it to R.W. Hart in Pa and have them do their accuracy package on it for about $350. If you wanted to upgrade it a little more for about another $650 change out the factory barrel for a Hart Barrel or any of your choice. (Hart barrels come from the NY Harts) If I was changing the barrel I would look at the 30 Hart if you are a reloader. You can verify it with Bob but I believe his longest elk kill was a little over 1900 yards with that caliber. I have given them several of my rifles for the accuracy package alone and the changes in all of them were very significant.

Just my .02

Hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[Brewer]

I have a Hart 6.5-06 AI on a rem700. shoots lights out. I would recommend them but you have to wait nearly a year to get your work done. that's a sign of their quality.

So to answer all of your questions:

* Something I can shoot comfortably (at the range) - I'll probably muzzle break it

OK, well I have a 300wm that is ported and its comfortable. it was not before it was ported. its really loud now. Having said that, for the game you have talked about, the 06 cases is plenty of juice. I know there are lots of guys that say you need more rifle than that but there are consistently documented hunts where guys take elk out at greater than 100 yards with a 30-.06

* Something I can suppress

You can suppress anything you want but if you are shooting a high power rifle, the best suppression you will get is getting it hearing safe. unless you shoot subsonic, you cannot get quiet.


* Something that is 1000 yard capable.

Every high power cartridge is 1000 yard capable. you have to decide how much juice you want at the terminal end of your shot.

* Reasonably economical to shoot. I try to shoot every other weekend so I don't want to burn the barrel or spend lots of money per shot

you can throw all the .338's out the window. the 30 caliber is going to be one of the cheapest to shoot. lots of good bullets if you don't want a barrel burner then you have to stay away from the magnums or go to an Ackley but other than the .280AI you have many new challenges to overcome.

Having said all that, Id be more inclined to go with a good old 30-06 or a 6.5-06. spend the money ($5000) and you'll have a gun that you can put a bullet wherever you want. of course you will have to spend another $500 in ammo getting that good and then another $500 in match grade reloading stuff (if you want to take your rifle to its potential).

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

30 Nosler sounds like a happy medium if going the 30cal route, more power than the win mag but won't burn a barrel out quite as fast as a 300RUM or Lapua magnum based 30cal. Personally I won't ever really let barrel life determine my decision within reason. Even such my 300AX firing 200gr accubonds @3380 may last only 1,000 rounds which is fine with me since it's a big game only rifle and I will likely only average about 20-40 shots a year with it.

 

[alcesgigas]

A Desert Tech SRS A1 would meet all the requirements. You can use different barrels from .223 to 338 Lapua depending on your specific needs for a given day. One scope with repeatable zeros for the barrel swaps. Not cheap, but well worth it. -David

What he said. Believe it, those babies are the cat's meow. Before you buy anything do your own research (of course) but make sure you look into DTS. You just may come to love top tier bullpups...