looking to build a a new better handling rifle

BEEMAN said:
That's a paradigm carbon fibre. Very light weight. Fit was ok, but had to remove quite a bit of material to get the bolt handle to drop all the way. Going off memory with the Hawkins M5 BDL in the stock with no trigger was 1 lb 9 oz.
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I sure thought it looked like an AG Composite paint scheme. Also once I blew up the photos you could obviously read it was a Defiance Deviant action. I'll have to pay attention better next time, and take a longer gander at such a nice rifle before I post.
 
Been shooting and hunting with my 280 Rem and my 280 AI Rem and love them both. Have taken ELK-Deer-Caribou - Bighorn. One is on a Ruger action custom that I had a new bbl -Hart in PA did that one the other is a Sako action custom using Nosler 150 & 160 gr in both low recoil makes them nice. The nice thing about the AI now they have Headstamp AI brass
 
baldhunter said:
Just make it easy.A plain Jane 30-06.Loaded with some of the modern day powders it can deliver some amazing results.
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That would be the easy button for sure. However, I also understand wanting something different is fun as well. If I was wanting a 7mm on a long action reciever and standard .473 bolt face, I'd opt for .284 Win or variant.

It adds a lot more flexibility for bullet seating options due to constraints of magazine length. I realize you'll give up a little in FPS, but I'd happily loose that to have a cartridge work flawless with my magazine length. Just some food for thought, much like changing a .338 WM Tikka to a 7mm WSM.
 
rotorhead said:
Hello folks, I havent posted in a good long while. I havent been shooting or hunting in at least a decade. Work and life has just gotten in the way. Well I decided, that's enough! I havent been keeping up with the world of firearms and WOW much has changed. many years ago I built a 6.5-06, its a tack driver for sure. Its a semi-custom built on a tikka 695 action with a bartlien 1:8.5 5r heavy sporter and a laminate stock. It is a bit heavy but I dont really mind as long as i'm not climbing mountians too much, so it needs a buddy. a little lighter more focused around more mountainous hunting. I have been through the warbirds, RUMs and lapua some years ago but I'm looking not to absorb all that recoil these days. These I call super mags. I have two doner rifles one is a tikka 695 338 win mag and the other is a TRG-s 270. So, 473 532 bases. I'm torchering myself trying to decide what I want to do. I am leaning to the 280AI ( commercial round, ha who would have thought that) or an alternate standard mag. I'm thinking a 28 of some kind. So looking at the 7 WSM this could work in a longer action but then got to looking at the 300 wsm then necking it down to a 28 would give me a little longer neck plus the longer action would allow me to seat out and take advantage of the longer bullet selections. not sure of the brass considerations as I have never fooled with any of the short fats. All this being said, the sako or the tikka. I feel the sako is a better action but I have never had a problem with the 695's. I do not need or want a super light feathery rifle but 8#ish is fine.
One other thing, my old gunsmith has retired and I need some suggestions on a really good one. I live in texas but I'm not against sending it somewhere.

Thank you for your time folks.
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What about the 6.5/55 nice shooting and will kill just about any thing you put in front of it .
 
rotorhead said:
Hello folks, I havent posted in a good long while. I havent been shooting or hunting in at least a decade. Work and life has just gotten in the way. Well I decided, that's enough! I havent been keeping up with the world of firearms and WOW much has changed. many years ago I built a 6.5-06, its a tack driver for sure. Its a semi-custom built on a tikka 695 action with a bartlien 1:8.5 5r heavy sporter and a laminate stock. It is a bit heavy but I dont really mind as long as i'm not climbing mountians too much, so it needs a buddy. a little lighter more focused around more mountainous hunting. I have been through the warbirds, RUMs and lapua some years ago but I'm looking not to absorb all that recoil these days. These I call super mags. I have two doner rifles one is a tikka 695 338 win mag and the other is a TRG-s 270. So, 473 532 bases. I'm torchering myself trying to decide what I want to do. I am leaning to the 280AI ( commercial round, ha who would have thought that) or an alternate standard mag. I'm thinking a 28 of some kind. So looking at the 7 WSM this could work in a longer action but then got to looking at the 300 wsm then necking it down to a 28 would give me a little longer neck plus the longer action would allow me to seat out and take advantage of the longer bullet selections. not sure of the brass considerations as I have never fooled with any of the short fats. All this being said, the sako or the tikka. I feel the sako is a better action but I have never had a problem with the 695's. I do not need or want a super light feathery rifle but 8#ish is fine.
One other thing, my old gunsmith has retired and I need some suggestions on a really good one. I live in texas but I'm not against sending it somewhere.

Thank you for your time folks.
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My pick would be a Remington 673 Guide Rifle chambered in .300 Short Action Ultra, it is a ready-to-go package if you can find one. Or I'd build something very similar in size and feel, staying with the .300 RSAUM cartridge. Cheers.
 
My choice for long range hunting in Nevada is a 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro shown here.
The specs say it is 6 lbs, 5 oz. That is the result of an excellent carbon fiber stock, thin fluted barrel, fluted bolt and polymer magazine.
The scope is a Cerakoted Bushnell Elite 4.5 - 18 x 44 with a G3 small "Xmas tree" illuminated reticle. (KNIFE-> HELLE GT,
RIFLE.jpeg
Norwegian made)
My only modification will be 3 flush cup QD sling swivels.
 
rotorhead said:
Hello folks, I havent posted in a good long while. I havent been shooting or hunting in at least a decade. Work and life has just gotten in the way. Well I decided, that's enough! I havent been keeping up with the world of firearms and WOW much has changed. many years ago I built a 6.5-06, its a tack driver for sure. Its a semi-custom built on a tikka 695 action with a bartlien 1:8.5 5r heavy sporter and a laminate stock. It is a bit heavy but I dont really mind as long as i'm not climbing mountians too much, so it needs a buddy. a little lighter more focused around more mountainous hunting. I have been through the warbirds, RUMs and lapua some years ago but I'm looking not to absorb all that recoil these days. These I call super mags. I have two doner rifles one is a tikka 695 338 win mag and the other is a TRG-s 270. So, 473 532 bases. I'm torchering myself trying to decide what I want to do. I am leaning to the 280AI ( commercial round, ha who would have thought that) or an alternate standard mag. I'm thinking a 28 of some kind. So looking at the 7 WSM this could work in a longer action but then got to looking at the 300 wsm then necking it down to a 28 would give me a little longer neck plus the longer action would allow me to seat out and take advantage of the longer bullet selections. not sure of the brass considerations as I have never fooled with any of the short fats. All this being said, the sako or the tikka. I feel the sako is a better action but I have never had a problem with the 695's. I do not need or want a super light feathery rifle but 8#ish is fine.
One other thing, my old gunsmith has retired and I need some suggestions on a really good one. I live in texas but I'm not against sending it somewhere.

Thank you for your time folks.
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The .280 Ackley is my current go to. Needless to say I was in the Rockies last year chasing elk and mule deer. My suggestion is base build look at 6.5 pounds then add base, rings, ammo, scope, and sling. Bear in mind there is usually a pack in there somewhere. Pounds are pain, and I am past 60. My next pee popper has a carbon fiber wrapped barrel, it shoots sub-moa chambered in 6.5 PRC. Still working up a load for it thou.
 
Let's open up this can of worms. Hornady just announced their new 7 PRC. If this round works like they say it's going to be super wicked without all the slam. Supposedly 2000 fps to 910 yd. I love .284's, best caliber out there, have a 280, 280AI, 2-7MM's. I'll be looking at the 7 PRC. A pennys worth I guess.
 
JakeC said:
That's exactly what I was thinking, an improved '06.

OP, I built a 7 saum a year and a half ago. A 280ai or long WSM are both good investments. A midweight 7 is an absolute joy to load for and use, but I would not build a 7mm this year unless you've got great component access. I mean, folks have been helping me on here and stuff turns up but you're going to need bullets and 4831 range powder. Both are possible, but a chore. Or you'll be stuck using the heaviest bullets, h1000, a long pain the neck barrel and you'll want to source mag primers. Build a 30 in that standard action instead. You can have a lot more pills to play with and the 4350 range is on the shelf once a week lately. I'd literally do what Feenix did, a 30-06 with an improved or modernized reamer.

Or I'd build another 6.5-06 and spend the saved reamer/component money on a carbon barrel. My biggest regret right now is being afraid of the recoil and going heavier than I needed to. I'm younger so I can stomach a ten pound rifle, but I sure wish it was 8.
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I must ask, Why the concern with the 7's
Alibiiv said:
What are you intending to do/hunt with this rifle, and at what distances are you planning on doing the shooting at realistically? I truly am not a fan of the new, "designer" cartridges out there because I believe their design was primarily to sell rifles first, with performance coming in second. I'm not so sure about how the WSM cartridges will work in the long actions ; however, if you're thinking about .28 caliber the 7mm RemMag is a tough cartridge to beat as is the .280 Ackley Improved. A fast twist, 24-26 inch barrel would get you the maximum out of either of these two cartridges, and components are affordable and available. Again a lit more information would be helpful.
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I realistically would shoot out to 600 on game and I'm confident to do so once it get back in the groove. I have and can shoot 1000 pretty easy as it was a serious focus of mine in past years. All targets and powerful guns but I never felt comfortable shooting that far on game, I'm not saying a speed goat or and auodad at say 625 wouldn't work but only if I didn't feel I could get there. I like to hunt and getting a little closer hasn't been much of an issue in the past. Alot can happen in 400 more yards so I would say 6 is what I'm looking for. I really think 3-4 is all I need but as they say, just in case. I'm really leaning to the 280AI built on the sako TRG-S. I already have a 6.5-06 and its a beautifully accurate shooting rifle, its really the one I would take longer shots with anyway. The problem is it is a bit heavy for mountains, hills no issue and flat lands no issue. It has a beautiful laminate stock and I dont mind a ding or two but mountian hunting needs a composite. I think the one that is on the sako should suffice. I am wanting a rifle I can take to the mountians and it seams the sako really only needs some minor work and a good barrel. The idea hear is to sell the one I dont use. I have done all the super distance shooting I need to do, if things go too far south maybe not but I really just want to hunt, I'm a neck shooter when it is possible and I like the precision required. As earlier stated, I have shot most of the hard hitters, I just want a work gun that is super accurate with a sensible scope.
The tikka will probably be the one sold as I think a good gunsmith can work with me to get the most out of the 280AI and a nice nearly non existent recoil to boot

I want to say I appreciate all the input and points of view. I caused me to do some more hunting around and helped me decide that The 280AI is all I need. next all the details will have to be thought out, this is where it gets fun.
 
rotorhead said:
I must ask, Why the concern with the 7's
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Right now literally just the difficulty with getting the exact 7mm bullets you want and h4831 or h1000. And I see it as less versatile than a 22" 30-06 with a modern reamer, especially under 600 yards. That again is based largely on your desire for a handy all-rounder. But I have seen 280ai ammo on shelves a lot around here so if that's the route you're going that's a viable option. People sure like them.
 
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