Ultimate Sheep Rifle Build

[wilkup]

Ok here's my latest build for sheep hunting and everyday deer hunting !
Kimber Montana 84M 6.5-284, action slabbed, trued and squared
22" Benchmark #1 Contour 1-8 twist, with hand made brake for 24" total barrel length
Lightweight trigger guard
High comb added to the Montana CF stock.





The very first 3 shot group out of it with Nosler Trophy Grade 130gr Accubonds

That's a sweet looking and shooting rifle! When you say "slabbed action", what does that mean? I have a slabbed action, but it doesn't look like yours.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

Slabbed is on the left side of the action they just trim some of the action metal off, basically where the Kimber logo was it's slabbed off or removed, not much is removed as they are pretty light to begin with.

 

[mttinman59]

I was able to take my 189" Montana ram with my 7mm08 xp100 carried easily in my pack, 5.5 lbs shoots great hand free. It was cool to see almost every face when I said I used a pistol f&g included, I know I'm not the only one to do but a novelty all the same.

 

[Rckymtnshooter]

My sons Montana ram from this year and his rifle he just had built. Rifle is a 300 win mag on trued Remington 700 action, McMillan game hunter with edge fill, proof 26" senderro light barrel, Talley one piece ring and base, leupold vx6hd 3x18 scope.

Rifle finished out at 8 pounds 4 ounces slung up hunt ready. Not the lightest but a very manageable hunt anything anywhere rifle. The rifle shoots 215 Berger's into tiny little groups. This is his first animal taken with the rifle.

I built the same rifle with the exception I used a Brux 3 contour barrel. My rifle came in at 8 pounds 14 ounces. He saved 10 ounces going with the proof barrel.

 

[rgvt4]

I am in the process of kinda the same type of build. If I ever draw a sheep tag it will be a sheep rifle. Otherwise it will have to settle for deer and elk along with whatever else I can hunt here in MT.

I am using a Win 70 donor action. I have settled on doing a 280ai with a 24" Proof Sendero light. This I think is the most bang for the buck without any fuss for the standard long action. Will do an 8" twist so that I can run our 177g Hammer Hunter if I choose to. Although I am intending to run our 143g Hammer Hunter for everything out to 700y. I am pretty sure that I will be using the McMillan Game Warden carbon stock. I will be doing a blind mag. Just don't see a good reason to spend the extra money to change from the original bottom metal. Optics to be determined but will stay with something with objective less than 50mm. Looking for this rig to come in about 8 lbs finished.

Steve

That is going to be a hammer. Cool build

 

[Weatherby Fan]

That's a sweet looking and shooting rifle! When you say "slabbed action", what does that mean? I have a slabbed action, but it doesn't look like yours.

Thank you, yours is slabbed a little more than mine judging by the picture you posted, this one I had built for my nephew is fluted

 

[DXHI]

Thank you, yours is slabbed a little more than mine judging by the picture you posted, this one I had built for my nephew is fluted

What are the specs on your nephew's gun?

 

[Weatherby Fan]

What are the specs on your nephew's gun?

SS Rem 700 action trued, squared and fluted, bolt handle lightened
26" #1 contour SS Benchmark 5R, 1-9 twist
Timney Calvin Elite trigger 2.5lbs
Ultralight Wildcat Composite Stock 13.25" LOP
Talleys holding a Leupold VX3i 4.5-14x40 30mm CDS
7lbs scoped
Built by Gary Flach

1st 3 shot group out of the rifle using Nosler Trophy Grade 140gr Accubonds

 

[DXHI]

View attachment 113944 My sons Montana ram from this year and his rifle he just had built. Rifle is a 300 win mag on trued Remington 700 action, McMillan game hunter with edge fill, proof 26" senderro light barrel, Talley one piece ring and base, leupold vx6hd 3x18 scope.

Rifle finished out at 8 pounds 4 ounces slung up hunt ready. Not the lightest but a very manageable hunt anything anywhere rifle. The rifle shoots 215 Berger's into tiny little groups. This is his first animal taken with the rifle.

I built the same rifle with the exception I used a Brux 3 contour barrel. My rifle came in at 8 pounds 14 ounces. He saved 10 ounces going with the proof barrel.

That is a beautiful rifle and sheep. I have to admit I'm jealous of both

 

[cody finch]

SS Rem 700 action trued, squared and fluted, bolt handle lightened
26" #1 contour SS Benchmark 5R, 1-9 twist
Timney Calvin Elite trigger 2.5lbs
Ultralight Wildcat Composite Stock 13.25" LOP
Talleys holding a Leupold VX3i 4.5-14x40 30mm CDS
7lbs scoped
Built by Gary Flach

1st 3 shot group out of the rifle using Nosler Trophy Grade 140gr Accubonds

Do you know what the weight savings was on your fluted action and bolt.?

 

[Litehiker]

I'd be afraid to take any metal off the action of my X-Bolt Pro. It's fairly light as-is. Plus the bolt and bolt handle are spiral fluted and the barrel is straight fluted.

The rifle weighs 6 lbs. 1 oz. The stock is 360 deg. carbon fiber wrap over a compressed foam core (not a noisy hollow core, as in some CF stocks). Some CF stocks are made of CF strips and must be painted over to cover the strips. The X-Bolt Pro is lightly Cerakoted burnt bronze but you can still see the CF weave.

Eric B.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

Do you know what the weight savings was on your fluted action and bolt.?

Basically cosmetic, you may save 2 ounces with all that metalwork, easier to save weight by removing a bit more of the shank off the barrel when chambering.

 

[Litehiker]

Wby. Fan,
Do you mean remove metal from the exterior of the chamber area? I think Browning knows what a safe thickness is there.

You will see some companies like SAKO whacking inches off the barrel length to save weight but they lose too much velocity, IMHO.

Eric B.

 

[JMack]

Not sure if this is my "ultimate " sheep rifle but it's a start....going to Alaska in August.

Tikka T3x Superlite.300 win
McMillan edge
Leupold vx6hd 3-18
Warne maxima rings

Empty it's right at or just a tad below 7.5#
I could go to some aluminum scope rings and a lighter scope.....but I like the setup and the weight doesn't seem bad.