I dredged this great thread up for the benefit of first time builders like myself. Mostly things I've already considered, but one recurring theme is don't build a 'do it all' rifle. Can anyone elaborate on that one? It seems nobody likes a 7-8 lb all up sporter anymore...
The "tactical" build seems to rule the trade these days. You cannot blame the gunsmiths for this as this is what their customer wants. Many have said that it is easier to put together a rifle with a 6 lb barrel that shoots well than a rifle with a 3 lb barrel. I like 7-8 lb sporters a whole lot. The "do it all rifle" makes sense to me as well. Over gunning on a "do it all" rifle is where I think mistakes are made. You can always borrow a rifle if going after something big once every 10 years. Why build a deer rifle that can also handle brown bear, unless you are planning to hunt them often.
