Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats DIY Custom

I've been interested a DIY "custom" rifle for a while now and not having a lathe limits my options to a pre-chambered an threaded barrel and a barrel nut. I've considered a Savage action, but from what I read, there is much work that needs to be done to them. That left the Bighorn and the Shilen actions. I happened to stop in to see the folks at Shilen a few months back and while there, made the mistake of fondling one of their DGR actions. I didn't have the heart to leave without it. The action with lug and double pinned 20 MOA rail was about $1k out the door.

The action is on a 700 footprint and will fit in any stock inletted for a 700.





The action allows for a single or double pinned lug. It came with a PT&G lug that is drilled for dual pins, so there is no reason to not go that route.



The bolt, made for Shilen by PT&G, has a floating bolt head like a Savage. Supposedly allows for full lug contact. From the wear pattern on mine, that appears to be the case.



The firing pin and hole are small, as is the ejector hole, making it nice for cartridges that use a small rifle primer. There is no downside the a small firing pin and hole and all my rifles from here out will have that feature.



Did a bit of reading and decided to go with a varmint weight Criterion Barrel in 6.5x47 Lapua from Northland Shooters' Supply . Also got a trued barrel nut and wrench from NSS. Very happy with the CBI barrel and will very likely use another when I get my next barrel. More on that later.

Picked up a used HS Precision stock with PT&G DBM bottom metal from the Campfire classifieds.



To be continued...

John

Like all HS stocks, it has the aluminum bedding block.



But, this one was sent back to PT&G to be inletted for their DBM bottom metal.



The inletting was perfect and the AICS mags feed perfectly. I wasn't sure I would like a DBM setup, but they simply cannot be beat for generous COAL constraints, great feeding and convenience.

Got PT&G go and no-go gages from Midway and commenced to assemble my rifle. I wish I had taken pictures of the assembly process, but suffice it to say it is a simple process. I put the barrel nut over the barrel then put the barrel in my barrel vice, put the lug on the action, held in place by the pins and partially screwed the action onto the barrel. I then put the go gage in the chamber and closed the bolt and screwed the action on until I felt light contact on the go gage. I then attached the nut wrench to my torque wrench and torqued the barrel to the specs suggested by NSS (the number escapes me right now). Checked the headspace. Bolt closed on the go gage with the slightest of resistance and would not close on the no-go gage. Good to go...

Bolted the barreled action into the stock. Thought about bedding it, but was curious to see how a true bolt-together rifle would shoot so elected not to. Initially mounted a 16x Super Sniper in SWFA rings, but have since changed out the scope to my 3-12 LRHS in the same SWFA rings.

For load development I did a combination of a ladder and OCW method, shooting three rounds of each powder charge at the same POA at 500 yards. Was shooting 130gr Hunting VLDs, gently kissing the lands pushed by Varget. I had two consecutive charges, 37.4 and 37.8gr (6 shots) group in about 2" at 500 yards so split the difference between the charges and loaded up 37.6gr.

Here is a group I shot yesterday at 500 yards. It is about 2". It is very repeatable and I have done it several times with this load at the same distance.



Also worked up another load yesterday using the same method but different components, this time using H4350 behind 140gr ELDs. I shot three-shot groups of 4 different charges in .4gr increments. Eleven of the 12 shots went into less than 4" at 500 yards. Very wide node there. I'll likely pick the middle of the charges and drive on.

All things considered, I'm extremely satisfied with the project. This rifle is, so far, the best shooting rig I have ever had, and I've had a bunch, put together by some of the best in the business.

I encourage everyone to give this route a try. You might be pleasantly surprised at the results and save some $ to boot.

John

Thanks for the write-up. I've thought those DGR actions looked like a clean setup for a multi-barrel rig. Yours shoots!

Nice John! You know I won't be far behind. Love the concept. But of course I'll go a lighter route.

The DGR is probably the most action for the $ out there. Actually made by Stiller for Shilen. I wouldn't mind trying a Bighorn either. The Remage setup might be ok, but I would always wonder if you're loosing anything by not having the threads trued.

On my last rig, a 700 blueprinted by Beanland, I had three barrels chambered for it, 6.5x47 Lapua, 22-250 and .308, all conventionally headspaced. It works well, but with the barrel nut setup, you save about $300 per barrel in 'smithing cost and as you can see, lose nothing in accuracy.

John

No reason you couldn't go lighter.

John

I'm thinking Manners EH with a chassis. No bedding. Plug and play.

Works good, last a long time...

John

Here she is as currently configured. Considering upgrading to an MPA chassis, but she's shooting so well I hate to mess with her.

John

Sweet rig.

Very nice!

Nice rifle and some good shooting!

Nice looking rifle and great results. My buddy just ordered one of those actions for a ground squirrel rifle. What is that comb/cheek-piece thing on the stock and where did you get it? Need something like that for my daughter's Model 7. The leather lace on one doesn't fit well and is a PITA.

It's a stick on vinyl one. Ugly as sin but helps. I got it from Brownells I think but it's been a while.

John

The DGR is one of the better kept secrets out there right now.

I did one in long action with a PSS take off stock and a 25-06 barrel of unknown manufacture.



Then I realized the same thing you did. They shoot too good to dare to mess with.

So next, because I liked the action so much, I did a Predator Rem-age in 221 Fireball.



Since that one shot so well, but I wanted to branch out, I tried a couple of bighorn actions. One SA2 in 6x45 and one TL2 284 Win. Both could be ordered to have the Savage threads, so that's what I went with.





But a word of caution. Be very careful. Once you realize you can start building your own, they seem to keep multiplying.....

John,

Great write-up and thanks for putting it together (the write-up). I remember a few months back when you mentioned an expressed interest in them.

Very cool!

Bob

Wow very nice work there thanks to the write up!

I've wanted to do this for a while. God I'm gonna be broke. I thought I was about finished with AR builds, and then I read this thread. But thanks for the read. Sweet rifles for sure.

Last month, by the time I got my solid Whidden V block to fit my Pacific Tool bottom metal and Holland recoil lug, I had milled away most of the V block and half the pillars.

http://www.whiddengunworks.com/product/v-block/
http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/97-remington-700-detachable-mag-bottom-metal-dbm
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/248996/hollands-competition-recoil-lug-250-thick-stainless-steel

I guess I'm missing your point...

John

How can I say I am sorry?
I just wanted to mention the DIY Custom I was building with some of the same parts.
That was inappropriate I guess.

I see. I suppose that's what's left of the bedding block in my H.S. But it doesn't seem to have any adverse effects. I'm not touting the HS stock. It is just what was available and the price, given it included the bottom metal too, was right. I do like the stealth/mag combo. Feeds very well and is very convenient.

I didn't even bed the action because I wanted to see how well a bolt together rig could shoot. I was both surprised and pleased at how well it did. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. I spoke with Tom Manners about their mini chassis a few years ago and he said they observed no more than a .1 MOA change in grouping between one of their mini-chassis stocks and one with pillar/epoxy bedding. I had a Manners EH2 with mini chassis for a while and could detect no difference in how my Stiller/Brux .308 shot in it or in the pillar/epoxy bedded McMillan it came with.

All this is to say that for something short of a full blown benchrest rig, a DIY bolt together rifle may not give up much to a more expensive rig that was lovingly put together by a top name 'smith.

John

John,

That looks like a nice package and certainly has my wheels turning.

Is the DGR different than the Stiller branded actions in any way besides the Savage threads and the bolt head? Would this process be any different if you did it with a Stiller (or other Rem clone action) and a Remage barrel and nut? Along with a new hunting rifle build I have a Defiance on my competition rifle and the barrels need swapped pretty often on it.

Also, what was Northland's turn time on their barrel?

Thanks,
Carl

Carl,

As near as I can tell, the DGR is, as you say, the same as the Predator but with the floating bolt head. As long as the Predator takes standard Remington threads, a Remage setup should be easy.

Northland's delivery wasn't too bad but I think it depends on when he gets a shipment in. I believe he orders in batches and if your order closely coincides with a shipment you are good to go. IIRC, mine was about two weeks.

John

I can confirm that the Predator action is compatible with Rem-age barrels from first hand experience.

You do have to be careful and verify that other actions will or won't work. Just because an action is billed as a Remington Clone, the bolt head and recess can be different and will not work with a Remage barrel.

Copy Tackdriver and John, and thank you.

Nice rifle.

John,

Very well done!

Thanks for that writeup and pics! For the longest time I've been enamored with the idea of a DIY switch barrel set up. May just have to take that plunge. Well done.

This thread (and others in the same vein), shows how great the change has been in the industry since I started gunsmithing back in the seventies. The abundance of parts, services and expertise which allows the hobbyist to put together just what he wants is just great.Of course, back in the day, there were also parts available but the focus was entirely different. Back then, people would buy a barreled action from, Sako, Flaigs, Herters, etc. and add a stock from Fajen or Bishop. A different approach, to be sure, but today's methods and results plainly offer the same rewards.
Nice outfit and great results. GD

Latest upgrade to my DIY Long Range Rig. MPA BA Lite in black bronze.

John

Nice setup, well done! It really is incredible what one can do with all the different parts and combinations available nowadays.

The pro I shot with at the GAP Grind shot an almost exact setup as this, except his was in 6.5 creed and the scope was a Leupold MK6. He finished just outside the top 10, smoking rigs costing 3 times as much!

Looks really sweet.

Bump for latest range report. Shot this 4 shot group at 100 a couple of afternoons ago. Still amazed that a complete bolt together DIY rig can shoot this well. I highly encourage those considering a custom rifle to consider a DIY.

John

Hondo64d

You mentioned the Shilen DGR action in a separate thread that I have going, so I thought this would be the appropriate place to inquire about your DGR action.

Is the action cut for the Wyatts Box like the predator?

Is the port size the same as the Stiller Predator?

You may have me convinced to try the DGR, just maybe.

I don't remember if the DGR is cut for a Wyatt box or not. I've only run AICS type DBMs in mine and never tried an internal box. Since the action is made by Stiller and is a Predator footprint, I suspect it is cut for the Wyatt box, but I rcommend you call Shilen or Stiller to be sure.

The port size appears to match the Predator.

I am extremely pleased with my DGR.

http://shilen.com/productsCompleteRifles.html

John

Very cool, John! Thanks for the informative thread. May try one someday.