Let's build a sub moa rifle for deer size game that will help others save miney

[benchracer]

Given the budget I would monitor the classifieds here. With a little time in monitoring the players, one can find fairly often, a custom from a reputable builder, from a reputable buyer taking a loss.

I would not assume the factory offerings available, don't meet the accuracy requirements as is.

This is a sensible answer and is, I believe, the place to start. I don't see the sense in immediately swapping to an aftermarket barrel when trying to stay within a tight budget, unless the factory barrel has been proven to be inadequate.

On another note, I don't own a Savage and don't particularly like them, but a Savage is difficult to overlook in a budget-oriented discussion. A few months back, I happened to watch an interview with John Krieger about barrel making. Around the 1:00 minute mark, he had something to say that caught my interest and is, I believe, relevant to the discussion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-5kPxE4gSY

 

[FEENIX]

This is a sensible answer and is, I believe, the place to start. I don't see the sense in immediately swapping to an aftermarket barrel when trying to stay within a tight budget, unless the factory barrel has been proven to be inadequate.

On another note, I don't own a Savage and don't particularly like them, but a Savage is difficult to overlook in a budget-oriented discussion. A few months back, I happened to watch an interview with John Krieger about barrel making. Around the 1:00 minute mark, he had something to say that caught my interest and is, I believe, relevant to the discussion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-5kPxE4gSY

lightbulbThat's quite a compliment to Savage from a very reputable barrel maker like John Krieger. lightbulb

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Maina]

Thank you !

 

[BountyHunter]

You are not going to hit your target price buying a new Tikka or Remington and that is obvious.

You are not going to hit your target price truing up a used remington either. IF you just have to have a Remington, spend some time looking for an already trued Remington action ($450-550) either on web or just order a new one from PTG for $600 ready to go. You can get prechambered barrel to save on gunsmithing. Look at the new Stockys Stocks LR stock that is a copy of the Manners EH1 with bedding block and cost now is $199. Timney trigger would be the choice.

Go to Savageshooters.com website and buy a used savage action and they have vendors there selling prechambered barrels. Stocks are also available at reasonable prices. Pretty easy to find one with the trigger and ready to go. You can install the barrel yourself and just saves a lot of money which you normally cannot do with a Tikka or Remington. This will be the most inexpensive build.

I would not spend the money on overpriced tactical rings and bases (badger/seekins etc) because of the name. EGW bases are 1/4 cost and just as good, same thing with TPS rings. I would go for the 20 MOA bases also, not 0.

7mm Mag is good choice for what you stated as goal. Ammo is readily available and relatively inexpensive.

Scopes are going to depend on which route you go but I would look for a used Vortex or similar to save a couple hundred dollars.

Finally, keep looking here, 24hourcampfire and 6mmbr.com for used rifles already put together and you can find a very good hunting rifle and make your target costs with a little time and watching the for sale

I just did a custom 6.5-06AI on a trued Remington ($450) that I forgot I had in my safe until recently, bartlein barrel and McM A3 sporter but it went $2200 total as I spent some time getting all my own parts at the best prices and picking the right smith for a quality and quick turn around build. That price is hard to beat That is why I say for your target price go the savage route.

 

[joes7stw]

how I built my 7stw. The rifle is a savage 110 that I picked up for under 200 bucks at a local pawn shop the barrel is a savage new factory 25 3/4" ss heavy contour for 106 shipped from numrich gun parts. The trigger is a stock savage turned down to 2.5 lbs pull. The scope is a 6.5/24x50 ao Bushnell I picked up on ebay for 175. The stock is a fully bedded savage stock. After break in rifle shoots sub half moa at 200 yard which is the farthest target at my local range. So to sum it all up a half moa rife can be had for under 800.

 

[Bigeclipse]

how I built my 7stw. The rifle is a savage 110 that I picked up for under 200 bucks at a local pawn shop the barrel is a savage new factory 25 3/4" ss heavy contour for 106 shipped from numrich gun parts. The trigger is a stock savage turned down to 2.5 lbs pull. The scope is a 6.5/24x50 ao Bushnell I picked up on ebay for 175. The stock is a fully bedded savage stock. After break in rifle shoots sub half moa at 200 yard which is the farthest target at my local range. So to sum it all up a half moa rife can be had for under 800.

you got a superb deal on the used savage. Id say a used typical savage accutrigger rifle or action would come around the $300 mark. Then id buy B&C stock (if you have the right model which B&C makes), HS-precision, or Boyds wooden stock for about 100-350$ depending what you get. Then a nice prefit savage barrel 300-400$. This rifle would guarantee sub MOA let alone likely be closer to 1/2MOA with good load work up. So total build would be 750$ on cheap side (if wood boyds stock fully piller bedded by you) to about $950 with a decent aluminum bedded chassis style stock. Of course you can go with a more expensive McMillan or Manners stock but that will start to get away from the "cheap" build side of things.

 

[joes7stw]

Yeah i did get a great deal on everything. I ment to say I fully glass bedded the stock. My next step will be adding a choate or b&c stock in the near future. Pics to follow soon.

 

[ewoelk]

Some guys touched on it toward the beginning of this thread, but what scopes would you recommend for a build like this? Let's say in the $300-$500 range. Is there anything that cheap that would be worth it?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Some guys touched on it toward the beginning of this thread, but what scopes would you recommend for a build like this? Let's say in the $300-$500 range. Is there anything that cheap that would be worth it?

Yes...

Classic | SWFA

 

[ohiohunter]

Yes...

Classic | SWFA

No doubt they are good scopes but when is this TX based company going to start making MOA/MOA scopes?

If it weren't for the mil reticles I'd probably own a few.

 

[TC338]

One brand rifle that wasn't mentioned is the Howa 1500, you can order a barreled action in 7mm for as little as $515 from legacy sports. Stock from Boyd's should run about $100, $100 for a timney trigger. Pay your smith to bed the action and float the barrel, or you could save some money and do the bed work yourself. I know the howa is kind of obscure but mine shoots my handloads into sub .25" three shot groups regularly. Mine is a 308 with a light 22" barrel. I know their barrels are 24" but it still gives you a good starting point for future upgrades. Should leave plenty in your fund for optics and mounting hardware. I have a Nikon monarch on mine right now and it has works very well for a ~$500 scope. I have less than $1500 in mine including the rifle, scope, mounts, timney trigger, bipod, and smiths labor.

 

[Maina]

Well I will here some won't like this but I just got a weatherby vanguard accugaurd . Shoots sub moa out box stainless with all the extra stuff 1100 on sale $800 . And vortex scope list 800 sale 500.00 300 win mag $1300 total

 

[Barrelnut]

Well I will here some won't like this but I just got a weatherby vanguard accugaurd . Shoots sub moa out box stainless with all the extra stuff 1100 on sale $800 . And vortex scope list 800 sale 500.00 300 win mag $1300 total

That's a heck of a package. Year end deals are great for optics. It's the only time to buy them.

 

[gunlover05]

One brand rifle that wasn't mentioned is the Howa 1500, you can order a barreled action in 7mm for as little as $515 from legacy sports. Stock from Boyd's should run about $100, $100 for a timney trigger. Pay your smith to bed the action and float the barrel, or you could save some money and do the bed work yourself. I know the howa is kind of obscure but mine shoots my handloads into sub .25" three shot groups regularly. Mine is a 308 with a light 22" barrel. I know their barrels are 24" but it still gives you a good starting point for future upgrades. Should leave plenty in your fund for optics and mounting hardware. I have a Nikon monarch on mine right now and it has works very well for a ~$500 scope. I have less than $1500 in mine including the rifle, scope, mounts, timney trigger, bipod, and smiths labor.

Agree with this. I Also have a howa 308 sporter stainless that is very well made. The trigger isn't bad either. It is still in its houge stock that is pillar bedded.

TC338, would you mind sharing your load combo? I could not find a combo that mine really liked with h4895, but went to 42 gr of h4064 with flat based 165 partitions at 2.875 oal and in tightened up to .5-.75.