Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Custom rifle you've always wanted to do?

Can't say I've "always" wanted to do these, a that would be stretching the time period. Nevertheless, my wants have been pretty consistent over the last few years.


1. A toy for long range play. In this case I started with a NIB Interarms Mark X action with a Timney trigger, bought a Boyd JRS stock and sent the two to Krieger, who built the barrel, trued the action and build the barrel. I agonized over the cartridge for a while as this was my first custom but ended up with a 6.5-06AI. Could have lived with a standard non-AI but planned to use .25-06 brass and wanted to prevent the possibility that I or someone else might stick 6.5-06 ammo in a .25-06 rifle. I told my brother this was my �600 yard clay pigeon shooter� and was very pleasantly surprised to find out the it indeed is. Very happy with the results and it is Daughter #3�s favorite shooter.



2. .338-375 Ruger, aka .375 Campfire. This is something I wanted ever since Ruger came out with the .375 Ruger cartridge and I spent a couple years hoping Ruger would announce a .338 Ruger based on the .375 cartridge. Started the project with a Ruger stainless action, contacted Pacific regarding a reamer and Hornady regarding forming and reloading dies. Then, thanks to bsa1917hunter, I located a stainless Ruger .338 Win Mag take-off barrel in Alaska that the original owner had fluted. The price was right and I couldn�t be happier with the result. When I eagerly opened the box on its arrival I was somewhat disappointed that the barrel was 22� rather than 24� but I was ecstatic about the bonus of iron sights, which were a complete surprise as well. The more I thought about the length the happier I was with the 22� as my goal was to have a fairly lightweight .338 boomer and I had decided to leave it as a .338 Win Mag. To that end I had a NIB Ruger boat paddle stock I had purchased Numrich. I decided if I �needed� more I would just buy a .338 RUM or such. All the parts went to Ted Lockburner down Monument way and three months or so later I got it back. He had blasted all the stainless to a nice matte finish. After a few sessions at the range I decided to add a Simms Limbsaver pad. It shoots great and I couldn�t be happier with the results:



A .338-06 has long been on my wish list but I think I�d go with a factory .338 RCM now instead.

A .375 Ruger is also on my wish list. I�ll probably never hunt Africa or even Alaska so it isn�t a matter of need. I don�t care for the Hogue stocks but Ruger now offers an Alaskan with laminated stock, a 23� barrel and iron sights, which sounds great to me. Problem is, the older I get the more like lighter rifles and the more I worry about things like detached retinas. A .375 Ruger keeps slipping further down the list.