View Full Version : Tactical/Hunting bolt gun
Really wanting to build a custom rifle that can double for range use out to 1000y and as a deer slaying weapon. Really interested in 6.5 Creedmoor as it excels at range and is great against deer and even larger animals. I kinda want to buy a factory rifle in (.308) and get it rebarreled with a nice 6.5 creedmoor barrel and have the action and barrel finished in multicam or something similar. Obviously I'll want a stock that can lend it self to percision shooting but I also don't want it to weigh a ton so I can lug it around easily while hunting. Curious what barrel lengths work best with this round and who to look at for parts. Kinda of leaning towards getting a tikka LH bolt gun for the build. My cousin tells me tikka actions are super nice and don't need to be blueprinted like the remmy actions do. I'm out of my element when it comes to bolt guns so any help is appreciated. Also what kind of glass would be a good fit for this? This is a project im gonna build over time first part is getting the donor rifle.
Either get a hunting rifle or a tactical rifle (or both). A good tactical precision rifle will be heavy as balls to trek around with. Also depending on the terrain, you'll probably have different scopes anyway.
Either get a hunting rifle or a tactical rifle (or both). A good tactical precision rifle will be heavy as balls to trek around with. Also depending on the terrain, you'll probably have different scopes anyway.
Not interested in two guns I want to meet both criteria with one gun.
wilson1911
10-05-15, 19:19
6.5cm owner here. Stiller/element/Beast/bartlien 26" med palma. mine weighs 12 pounds loaded with the scope I think. Can you say laser beam ??? This is my hunting/paper puncher. 7.6 mils elevation @ 1000 yards. I have never enjoyed shooting a bolt as much as this gun.
I would go light palma contour and action/chassis of your choice. What's your budget ?
You could always get something like this: http://proofresearch.com/the-products/rifles/tac-ii/
Accurate, a tactical stock, light weight... it has everything. But it's pricey.
WAYYYYY outta my price range. As I said I want to get something I can build on. Tikka, Remington ect.
What is the maximum weight you will allow for rifle, scope, base and rings?
What is the preferred maximum length?
What is the maximum weight you will allow for rifle, scope, base and rings?
What is the preferred maximum length?
I'm thinking no longer than 24" barrel wise and if I can keep it around 10-11 pounds I'm happy, but the lighter the better.
the_accuser
10-06-15, 11:54
Check out the Tikka T3 CTR in either .260 Remington or .308. Smooth as butter action, 10 round metal mag and a 20" threaded barrel. You should be able to find one for $850 - $950.
Yeah my cousin has one of those in .260 dropped into the whiskey chassis. Nice gun.
Edit: his is the sporter not the ctr.
As someone who has hunted mule deer and elk for over 15 years, and competes in the PRS and local matches frequently, I think the Tikka CTR .260 fits the bill really well for a gun that can do both. I've killed elk with a .260 out to 600 yards easily, and i have two buddies who shoot local PRS style matches with a CTR .260 and do very well. The .260 will work great for deer, and can kill elk as well, from my experience.
The upsides of the Tikka:
- very smooth action right out of the box
- very accurate, I've personally shot .3 MOA groups at 300 yards with my friend's stock CTR .260 consistently
- great stock trigger that can be adjusted pretty light, especially if you switch out the spring with an aftermarket spring
- lightweight stock is great for carrying in the hills
- bottom metal and 10 round mag included
- barrel comes threaded for brake or suppressor
Downsides:
- shorter barrel (20" barrel, wish they made one in 24"), so you will lose some velocity
- stock isn't bedded, but I haven't seen that affect accuracy AT ALL. Both stock Tikka CTRs i've shot were easily .5MOA guns or less out of the box with hand loads
- You will need to add an aftermarket scope rail (you can get the EGW heavy duty rail for $69
- the stock doesn't have an adjustable cheek piece or LOP, but still works fine, and you can add a stock pack or riser if needed
In a nutshell, I think the Tikka CTR is probably the closest you will come to a rifle that can do both pretty well. The new Ruger RPR in 6.5mm might be a great option as well, but will be heavier.
ETA: and if you get more into the competition side of things and want a better stock or chassis, you can drop it into a KRG X-Ray or XLR element for a $600 upgrade. It's a good combo like that.
I'm definitely gonna get rebarreled for 6.5 creedmoor so barrel length will be up to me. I plan on shit canning the stock and barrel so shouldn't I just get the cheapest model?
The CTR also doesn't appear to have a LH option.
If that's the route you want to go, you can just get a $550 Tikka T3 for the action, get an aftermarket barrel installed, and drop it in a diff stock or chassis. One of my match guns is just that. I bought a T3 lite, scrapped the barrel and had a 24" medium palma barrel installed, and dropped it in a KRG X-Ray chassis with an EGW 20 MOA heavy duty rail. It's not ideal for carrying around all day, but I do hunt with it, and I'm only into it $1,800 without the scope
.35337
Yeah I wouldn't be getting that particular chassis, the stock would have to be better suited to hunting. I know McMillan and a few other make tactical/hunting stocks. Also I wouldn't want a super thick ass bull barrel but something more of a medium profile that doesn't weight a ton but is beefier that a typical hunting barrel.
sidewaysil80
10-06-15, 15:49
I'm going against the grain here but if you are new to long range/precisison I reccomend a Rem 700 in 308. Learn the platform, learn how to range/holdovers, use your optic etc. From there you can determine what kind of stock or chassis you want. As long as you go with at least a 20" barrel you can reach 1000yds no issue; as far as accuracy there are plenty of people achieving sub-moa with match ammo and a bedded stock.
Just my two cents!
-Tim
^^^^^Best advice given^^^^^^
If you want a precision weapon, buy one. If you want a hunting rifle you can get into them easily for $600. Don't Frankenstein stuff around. I've packed a heavy as hell 700 5r in 308 to hunt pigs, it weighs around 14lbs with scope. Was not that bad. Pick one or the other, then save and buy the second, you'll be happy you did. I'd personally say but the precision rifle first, how many times a year do you shoot an elk vs how many times a year do you shoot a precision bolt gun?
Just to clarify farther, I'm not new to long range shooting just never owned a capable rig. I have all kinds of long range guns at my disposal to use I'm just ready to get something capable for my own keeping. I have plenty of time behind a .308 bolt gun at 1,000 yards. I do not want a .308. I also want the rifle to be able to do both tasks as I don't feel like the trade offs are bad. The gun will be used for hunting a few weeks out of the year the rest of the time will be punching paper at the range. I have to many other Hobbys/money sinks so I like versatility.
Well since you know everything their is to know, why ask?
Well since you know everything their is to know, why ask?
You should learn to read and not make assumptions.
What the OP is asking for is not unreasonable at all. A quality lightweight precision rifle in a standard caliber that's easily maneuverable for less than 10k complete is absolutely viable. He's not asking for a sub 5 lbs pack rifle able to shoot a hundred rounds in one sitting with no shift for under a grand. Not agreeing with the idea of getting a blemington in a less than optimal caliber and doing strictly the basics for practice does not make him cocky or arrogant. You're last reply was unwarranted.
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This is something I've been interested in as well but in 308 with an 18" barrel. I know Christensen arms offers carbon fiber bolt guns that are stupid light. I know many think of there ARs as overly expensive cosmetics and I agree with that sentiment but I can't really find any good info on there bolt guns. I came across a 308 20" barreled one for $2300 and it felt stupid good. The action felt like glass rails and the trigger was crisp and light. I would have picked it up but I never could find any quality info on it and I didn't feel like taking a risk on an unknown.
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wilson1911
10-06-15, 22:36
I think you should look at a Bartlien light palma 24" barrel, a <24" barrel would hurt your velocity too much. It's still a heavier barrel than stock.The 6.5 creedmoor is a tack driver in most of the guns I have seen. Everything from a savage, ruger, or a custom. You are not going to loose much in velocity and still be able to reach 1k easy. Do not discount Alum chassis either, I have found that when looking at weight savings they are hard to beat. The bottom line is almost any configuration will do the job. Tikka actions have great reviews out of the box, while rem actions need a bit of work which can be done over time and have the most aftermarket support. If you are leaning towards tikka, go squeeze the trigger a few times to make sure you are going to like the pull. You may find that you need less to do what you are contemplating. What kind of bottom metal are you wanting ?
waveslayer
10-07-15, 01:50
if you want the best of both worlds and you have the budget. get the Extreme Hunter from GA Precision. you will have to roll your own for ammo until Hornady releases their brass for the SAUM. but a lot of guys are using theirs ad a hunting rig and then for tactical shoots. it's a tack driver and will push well past 1,000 yards.
The Creedmoor is a sweet little round, tough to beat it if you don't plan on going past 1200 or so. easy to find ammo. but if you want a nice performer that everyone will want to touch, Extreme Hunter.
but the Tikka action is nicer than the Remington for sure.
I think you should look at a Bartlien light palma 24" barrel, a <24" barrel would hurt your velocity too much. It's still a heavier barrel than stock.The 6.5 creedmoor is a tack driver in most of the guns I have seen. Everything from a savage, ruger, or a custom. You are not going to loose much in velocity and still be able to reach 1k easy. Do not discount Alum chassis either, I have found that when looking at weight savings they are hard to beat. The bottom line is almost any configuration will do the job. Tikka actions have great reviews out of the box, while rem actions need a bit of work which can be done over time and have the most aftermarket support. If you are leaning towards tikka, go squeeze the trigger a few times to make sure you are going to like the pull. You may find that you need less to do what you are contemplating. What kind of bottom metal are you wanting ?
Don't know much about the various bottom metals. As long as it has I detachable magazine I'll be giddy.
wilson1911
10-07-15, 18:39
[QUOTE=waveslayer;
but the Tikka action is nicer than the Remington for sure.[/QUOTE]
I am curious. There are not any tikkas at the local gunshop here. For the people that like them, what makes them better than say a Stiller or Defiant ? I can understand them being better than a stock remmy. I guess I am asking if you would choose a tikka over a custom rem action, and if so why ?
waveslayer
10-07-15, 18:46
I am curious. There are not any tikkas at the local gunshop here. For the people that like them, what makes them better than say a Stiller or Defiant ? I can understand them being better than a stock remmy. I guess I am asking if you would choose a tikka over a custom rem action, and if so why ?
not better than a Stiller by any means. price my friend. you can buy the Stiller of Defiant and pay over a grand or get a action from a Tikka that you sell off for a few hundred bucks..
Tikka compared to Remington is the throw and smoothness. much smoother, better trigger as well, not a recalled X Mark pro crap.
Much smoother and throws better. I have a Remington, not as smooth to man handle it. my brother's Tikka is smooth as snot. but using a custom action that my buddy has... no comparison. but for a factory stock action Tikka is king
not better than a Stiller by any means. price my friend. you can buy the Stiller of Defiant and pay over a grand or get a action from a Tikka that you sell off for a few hundred bucks..
Tikka compared to Remington is the throw and smoothness. much smoother, better trigger as well, not a recalled X Mark pro crap.
Much smoother and throws better. I have a Remington, not as smooth to man handle it. my brother's Tikka is smooth as snot. but using a custom action that my buddy has... no comparison. but for a factory stock action Tikka is king
It doesn't need to be blueprinted as its already machined well and squared from the factory, also it is stronger as the ejection port is small. That's what I've gathered from my research thus far.
I'm definitely gonna get rebarreled for 6.5 creedmoor so barrel length will be up to me. I plan on shit canning the stock and barrel so shouldn't I just get the cheapest model?
If your budget is tight, then why scrap much of a new gun?
Why not just buy a 6.5 with a decent stock?
Have you looked at the new Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5?
I don't have an RPR, but if it had been available when I bought my Savage last Spring, then I'd have considered it...
Dist. Expert 26
10-16-15, 09:30
I'd check around the classifieds on some long gun specific sites like SH. You can find killer deals on excellent guns.
I went the route of buying a stock 700 and replacing parts, now the only thing I have left is the original receiver. For what I've got into it I could've bought a custom rifle or an AI. If you know a factory rifle won't be good enough, just save for a while and buy exactly what you want.
anatolian B
11-05-15, 22:01
Competition Machine Inc has a cool hunting chassis for the Tikka T3. It takes AICS mags too. Cool system. www.gotxring.com
pyrotechnic
11-06-15, 09:08
I'd look at something like the GAP non-typical hunter. If you are going to buy a factory rifle and basically scrap everything on it to build a custom rig you will be hard pressed to spend less than you would for a full custom from the get go. As another poster said earlier. Keep an eye on the for sale section on snipers hide. There are some deals to be found there.
Another option is RWS Precision. His base custom rifle (barreled R700 action) is a pretty good deal, you could spec a lighter profile tube. He built a rig for me and it's stupid accurate.
Jwknutson17
11-11-15, 12:04
I kind of just went through this same thing but in 300 win mag for long range and elk hunting. With my standard elk rifle in 300 win mag, I have passed on some big (320-340 inch) bulls at 530-690 yards. These instances I could not get closer, (passed on the shots) but without having the confidence in the rig to make hits over 500, I decided to build up a rem 700 XCR Long range tactical I had new in the box. I figured why not.. I don't care about the weight, worth it for the right animal. So I sent it off to GAP and they put on external bolt release, thread and crown the barrel, cerakote, larger bolt knob, drill and tap for 8-40 secrew, inlet the stock for a Seekins bottom metal, AICS mags, seekins 20 moa base, seekins rings, Bushnell Elite Tactical ERS 3.5-21x50, a switchview, Atlas Bipod, timmy flat trigger, 1913 pic mount with sling stud, Tab sling, Thunderbeast brake, etc etc.
So all said and done, with the rifle from the start, I'm into it for $5500. Would I do it again the same way.. no. I would have just bought a custom from GAP using there action. I don't see why you cant use a tactical rifle for hunting if you wanted. If you are using the correct bullet and can make hits accurately, I say use the most accurate rifle that you can. If that is a 10k AI fighting rifle in 300wm, or 338, that you can afford, and don't care about carrying it around, why not? If you are hiking through some really rough terrain in extreme conditions, I want my rifle to be able to hold up with a beating. And some of the tactical rifles are best suited for this.
This is a dual purpose rifle, exactly like your after, and I see no downside other then carrying the weight. Pending on what kind of size of deer your after, I would consider a 7mm Mag. Here in CO with some big mullies, that is my go to deer rifle that reaches out and touches.
Here is a pic of the 300 WM.
http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah294/jwknutson17/Screenshot_2015-11-11-10-50-57_zpsvciutsl9.png (http://s1383.photobucket.com/user/jwknutson17/media/Screenshot_2015-11-11-10-50-57_zpsvciutsl9.png.html)
JohnnyRambo
05-09-16, 21:35
I suggest getting a Savage (Short Action) as you can swap out different caliber barrels (ie 308 to 6.5 creedmoor). I am not sure if they are available in LH but I would imagine they are. I have a remington 700 and I am told that the barrels are a huge pain to remove from a factory rifle. Tikka are supposed to be even nicer but I have not shot one yet. Good luck with whatever you end up with. The 6.5 creedmoor looks like it will be growing in popularity as it outdoes the 308.
Either get a hunting rifle or a tactical rifle (or both). A good tactical precision rifle will be heavy as balls to trek around with. Also depending on the terrain, you'll probably have different scopes anyway.
military snipers don't get to pick a light hunting gun. in the GWOT they have had to traverse difficult terrain with heavy gun and lots of gear.
wilson1911
05-13-16, 01:43
If money is a concern, I would get a lefty savage/tikka in 6.5 creedmoor. It will not matter too much since you are new and still need to learn how to shoot long and load developement. A skinny barrel is just going to mean less shots before it gets hot. You will have time to shoot most of the barrel out, get some practice, and work on hand loads. Upgrading the stock and barrel can be done one at a time. It does not matter what it looks like, it just needs to shoot.
During this time you will figure out what you want out of a gun, and shortcomings of going with a stock or chassis system.
The truth is that a savage/tikka/ remmy will shoot just as good as a custom barreled action. It just does not cycle or feel as nice. I shoot out to around 1k 3 times a week with my creed. There are actually ~25 targets out to about 1400, but the west side has the sun in your face in the evenings. The creed will ring steel with authority and be accurate.
Here is my gun.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc171/jeep4tw/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/39BBB36B-D622-41BD-9A45-9CF9B1C486EB.jpg
100 yard group.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc171/jeep4tw/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/1D5065BE-5C93-41B4-B232-283CDED91AAE.jpg
Hand loads over the magnetospeed
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc171/jeep4tw/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-05/FC346B75-0919-4C6C-A6F9-4A5ED0FF6241.jpg
I kind of just went through this same thing but in 300 win mag for long range and elk hunting. With my standard elk rifle in 300 win mag, I have passed on some big (320-340 inch) bulls at 530-690 yards. These instances I could not get closer, (passed on the shots) but without having the confidence in the rig to make hits over 500, I decided to build up a rem 700 XCR Long range tactical I had new in the box. I figured why not.. I don't care about the weight, worth it for the right animal. So I sent it off to GAP and they put on external bolt release, thread and crown the barrel, cerakote, larger bolt knob, drill and tap for 8-40 secrew, inlet the stock for a Seekins bottom metal, AICS mags, seekins 20 moa base, seekins rings, Bushnell Elite Tactical ERS 3.5-21x50, a switchview, Atlas Bipod, timmy flat trigger, 1913 pic mount with sling stud, Tab sling, Thunderbeast brake, etc etc.
So all said and done, with the rifle from the start, I'm into it for $5500. Would I do it again the same way.. no. I would have just bought a custom from GAP using there action. I don't see why you cant use a tactical rifle for hunting if you wanted. If you are using the correct bullet and can make hits accurately, I say use the most accurate rifle that you can. If that is a 10k AI fighting rifle in 300wm, or 338, that you can afford, and don't care about carrying it around, why not? If you are hiking through some really rough terrain in extreme conditions, I want my rifle to be able to hold up with a beating. And some of the tactical rifles are best suited for this.
This is a dual purpose rifle, exactly like your after, and I see no downside other then carrying the weight. Pending on what kind of size of deer your after, I would consider a 7mm Mag. Here in CO with some big mullies, that is my go to deer rifle that reaches out and touches.
Here is a pic of the 300 WM.
That's a sweet rig. My hunting guns have heavy " hunting " barrels. A lot of beef at the base and tapers. I still love the classic calibers. 300Wm and 7 mag warm my heart. But the 6.5's are the new rage. So go for it.
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