What rifle to build

[SamuelBerryhill308]

Also if going with factory rifle I'd pick a christensen arms or seekins from the ones I've seen and shot they are worth the money and top with nightforce or leupold

 

[Recon$$]

I'd second that ^. My seekins shoots lights out

 

[Blacklab1]

Well ……so far it looks like the 6.5 Creed is in first place. Thanks for everyone's input, it's starting to narrow down what path I'll go.

 

[nksmfamjp]

It'll spend most of it's life sitting in a tree stand/blind chasing whitetail, black bear and hogs, but never pass up an opportunity at a stray coyote or bobcat. Occasionally it might go after mule deer and pronghorn but never elk or moose.

How far will you shoot? What kind of rest will you have? How much do you prioritize weight for shooting vs lightweight for carrying?

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

If bear wasn't on the menu I would say 6mm creed. It's the little brother of the 6.5 but with an attitude! But since we're talking about bear then I'd opt 6.5 creed.

 

[squawberryman]

"I'd build a 308 on a stiller predator action with hart brux or criterion #5 with mcmillan game scout with trigger tech primary hawkins three port seamless brake top with leupold vx 5 HD or nightforce nxs with cap windage turret hawkins 25moa rings with level made into top ring cap with wyatts extended box mag and hawkins bottom metal."

Picture Ralphy from Christmas story saying this.

 

[Chas1]

308.

 

[Starlite]

Ok, so when I get stressed I build things, and considering that life kicked me square in the ba**'s at least a half a dozen times this week I thought I'd start working on a new rifle to get my mind off of things. It'll spend most of it's life sitting in a tree stand/blind chasing whitetail, black bear and hogs, but never pass up an opportunity at a stray coyote or bobcat. Occasionally it might go after mule deer and pronghorn but never elk or moose. So what should it be, a 6.5 creedmore? 308? Chassis or stock? What action, Tikka, Bergara? What trigger? What glass, Night Force? Vortex? Mark 5? Point me in the right direction. Budget with glass is around $4k.

6mm CM cartridge
Remington SA
Triggertech special 2 stage trigger
Walther SS barrel
Ashbury chassis with MDT rear folding stock.
Sig sauer BDX scope and rangefinder ( works with Base Map)

 

[Jsmith410]

Bighorn/Zermatt action, 6.5cm or 7-08. Get tired of one caliber you can always switch barrels and/or bolt faces and shoot another. I would later invest in a .223 barrel. Chassis would make it easier to switch unless you keep the same profile on all barrels. Maybe a stick with a bedding block or V block type system. You could also do magnum and go with a 300WSM or 6.5 PRC.

 

[Blacklab1]

How far will you shoot? What kind of rest will you have? How much do you prioritize weight for shooting vs lightweight for carrying?

90% of my shots are inside 300 yards and I never really know what my rest is going to be, backpack, bipod or maybe nothing at all when you jump one out of the brush. I tend to lean towards heavier rifles, I was on a high altitude elk hunt this year and lugged around a 11 pound 300 win. Even my 3 gun rifles are all 9 pounds plus.

 

[sirius27c]

308.

The older I get, the more I like my 30-06's. I've had/do have .20's, 22's, 6mm's, 6.5's, .45's,... With factory ammo, from pesky beavers with 55 grain accelerators to black bears and moose with 180's, a more versatile rifle is hard to come by. If it's within 1100 yards, needs shot, and weighs less than me, it should be VERY nervous.

 

[charles bonner]

I had a friend call looking for a Remington action to build a 35 Whelen. Told him I would check parts. Had the action!Found a Remington factory.30-06 barrel, a recoil lug. A Stocky stock a Remington trigger a Bushnell ffp scope a rail rings ; but no bottom metal. Bought a Legacy mag system for $80. Rifle shoots good; so for $80 I would go with a .39-06

 

[epoletna]

Sorry to hear you've had some life setbacks recently. Glad to hear you're responding in a healthy fashion!

As far as caliber is concerned in a rifle you wont be reloading for, my vote goes to the 6.5 CM. I say that mostly for recoil reasons. none of us is getting younger. and I have noticed that recoil becomes more of a concern with passing years. Of course in my case this was accelerated by shoulder surgery last week. I used to be proud of my ability to tolerate recoil, but no longer -- if I can shoot and hunt without my teeth being jarred loose, why not?

as for which model/make of rifle, that is such a matter of personal taste, you'll have to make that call.

Good luck sorting things out.

 

[CNY Yote Hunter]

For that menu of animals my personal choice would be a 260 Rem or a 6.5-284. They will both do the job and as a build I generally like to build something many others don't have, just a personal preference but that's what makes it special to me. Nothing wrong at all with the 6.5 creed but everyone owns one so what's special about it at that point. Talking with fellow hunters one of my favorite things is saying I have a 6.5 when asked what I'm shooting and the response is always the same… oh yeah that 6.5 creedmoor is freaking awesome. Then I say it's a 6.5-284 or the 260 and lots of times people have never even heard of them. The 260 will get it done with ease, the 6.5-284 will get it done even better. Tikka makes a bunch of 260's and Savage is still producing the 6.5-284 for factory guns. Both would be fun to buy and shoot, then restock, rebarrel and make it your own. Just my thoughts on a build, good luck and hope things calm down for you. Happy holidays from NY