Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Custom rifle on a budget, 6.5 something...?? What would you recommend ?

Just built SA creedmoor. Hart barrel in Douglas featherweight contour. had $1000 in it with HS precision stock and gunsmithing, including trueing action, trigger job and chambering. shoots everything under an inch, some much better. Look up Shawn Thomason in Idaho for the work. Good price and quality work. You will not be disappointed.

He's got a long action

I think this is the right plan. Get a good barrel and trigger to start with, and then add the stock you want after the fun money fund fills back up. You could do a basic bedding into the wood stock yourself, and save that money for the final stock.

Douglas Barrels will thread, chamber, and proof fire a premium stainless barrel on your action, in your choice of caliber and and chambering for a little under $600. Buy some good glass. And then re-stock it when you get the additional money.

I want to hear more about the right throat for a rig such as the OP is wanting to build here. This has everything to do with the reamer, yeah? Is there a std throating configuration that's preferable for a target-grade shooter, or does the angle vary for each caliber?

I like the idea of a 6.5-06, but I personally like the 7mm bullets better for hunting, so a 7-06 would be a great option too. You could Ackley it. Mild recoil, great ballistics, lots of bullet weight, make good use of the 700 LA.

Lotsa ways to skin a cat,but there are constants ETCHED in stone that will reliably bear fruit. They are twist,COAL latitude and throat geometry.

For a pittance,one could source a Sporter 260 take-off spout,have it punched 6.5-284,so as to shine brightly with the bullet of preference and arrange all 3 of the above criteria on a 700 S/A. COAL can be bolstered numerous way,either internal or external. A 6.5-06 would not clean the 260 chamber up,but a 6.5-06 certainly would.

Easy to botch throat geometry on a S/A...while rather tough to do on a L/A,as the window of forgiveness is farrrrrrr more accommodating..............(hint)

Sounds to me like you'll spend $600 for a barrel, $150 for a set of RCBS dies, and $250 for a B&C stock. I'm thinking you won't be satisfied with what you'll get for $1K. So, when you get some more money, you'll sell it for less than it's worth now (because very few rifle buyers would even consider buying a wildcat), and start over.

In the alternative, you can:

a. State a savings account with the $1K and payroll deposit of whatever you think you can afford and be patient;

b. Buy a good stock, bob the barrel, hone the trigger, and shoot it as a .30-06; or

c. Put the $1K on a horse and come back if you win.

Some might suggest cutting out the wife's beer, but I have never had great success with that approach.

I can only lead folks to water and can't make them drink.

Your approach in all fairness,is rather hilarious. Perhaps talk in detail about "all" of them you've commissioned and how they disappointed you?...............

Have said rig throated so that you can reach the lands with ammo loaded to your desired COAL. Actually a little shorter so you can chase the lands as the throat erodes. Obviously needs to fit in the magazine and necks need to have an adequate grip on your chosen projectiles. You can accomplish this by means of a custom reamer or a separate throating reamer.

If want to go 7mm-06 or AI, instead go with .280 or AI version. Both factoryized versions of the 7mm-06. Might as well have the option of appropriately marked brass if available.

John

Tough to botch 700 L/A 280/AI throating...............