Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats If you were building a custom hunting rifle?

Would you use a Surgeon or Stillen action? What other components to get to a 7# rifle?

Neither.
I'd run a Defiance.

dave

Or a Borden

Borden alpine action, #2 brux barrel, McMillan hunters edge stock, PGT metal, talley lightweights and 12oz scope will be under 7# "all in".

My bestest customs all have Borden actions.

Surgeon all the way!!

Custom 7MM Mag on a Surgeon 1086 action:

I'm with Dave and I'd go neither.

4 a hunt rifle I'd go one of two ways.

*first and my fav way would be to go Pre64/70, McMillan Hunter Edge compact stock, a barrel that would mic .6" at the mzl when cut to 23". Add Talley's and a 6x36 leo w/dotz.

You'd not make 7 lbs all up with this but I'm not sure if you wanted 7 lbs just for the rifle or not?

*option #2, buy a 84M (Montana) in .308, add Talley, 6x36 Leo w/dotz and rock and roll. This outfit is cookie cutter and as easy as it gets to make that kind of weight and still get a good shooter.

I think that my Montana .308 with a 2-8 Leo w/M1 weighs in a bit over 6 lbs all up and ready to rock.

Best of luck to ya.

On a funner note than this gun gack where all you gonna take the rig hunting this year and next?

Thx
Dober

I don't do 7# rigs but as far as actions go, I have used a Stiller Predator and am extremely satisfied with it. I would not hesitate to use another. That being said, several have a good enough reputation that i would not hesitate to try them as well. Borden Alpine, Defiance and BAT all come to mind. Pick one that has a 700 footprint and run with it. Like today's custom barrels, there are so many good offerings, it's hard to go wrong.

John

If weight is your primary parameter, then go order a NULA of the correct action size for the cartridge you want.

It will be cheaper in the long run, and it will shoot...

If it were a small varmit rifle I might consider a Remington 700 based action. But for a general hunting rifle, a Mauser 98, a CRF Winchester or a Ruger action is what I've used and like the best.
Any of these with a first class, medium weight barrel and a guy that really knows how to assemble them will produce a rifle that should shoot well under MOA. The heaviest barrels mine have are .600, #1 contours down to one with a long, whippy, 24 inch with a .550 muzzle. All of them shoot under MOA, and all of them, with selected loads, can shoot .5 MOA or better.
The mauser 98 clones all work better under tough hunting conditions. Which is why I prefer them. E

+1

+1
Pretty hard to beat a NULA.
dave

^^^^^

For a light rifle you arent going to get much more accuracy from a custom than just a 700 which is just peachy for a light accurate rifle used for hunting. Also if your mind is made up on a custom action I'd throw Pierce in the mix as well.

One of the questions you need to ask yourself is budget? All listed above will do well for you. Will a trued Rem 700 shoot like a $1500 Surgeon....nope. Will that same trued Rem shoot the accuracy you need for hunting? Yep. Comes down to what you want to put in it. Just my .02

What about a Sako 85 finnlight wrapped in an edge or just leave it stock

Defiance/Bordon

Which ever has the best price/turnaround.

I would say look at this one on GB but no one likes the 7/08 around here.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=325103754

What's wrong with 7/08

Run out and buy a Forbes rifle. Great action, great stock and you will save dollars.

Id go with a FW contour on the M70, but this is excellent advice! Right down to the funner note stuff...:)