Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats What would you build and how?

So, If you were building a short action (mini possibly) and investing a couple thousand dollars into the project, how would you build and what chambering. The reason I ask is that I used to have a Ruger 77 in 7.62x39 and sold it but miss having something similar for easy shooting and still deer capable. Must be a bolt action.

Chamberings I'm considering include:

7.62x39
300 AAC
6mm ARC
6mm Creedmoor
6.5 Grendel

Availability of factory ammo and multiple options are important, don't want to build something and have to rely on hand loads only.
Would consider a Remage type barrel, Mc, AG or Manners stock compatible action.

What do you think?

At the rate things appear with factory ammo, I'd likely hunt for ammo in all the chamberings you listed and if you find it, buy it all, and let that decide on chambering (and hope it perks).

I often use MidwayUSA as a reference to see who is making what ammo. Not that any of it is in stock, the 6.5 Grendel has 18 offerings, the 7.62x39 has 25 and the 300 AAC has 55.

I personally would pick the 6.5 grendel. IMHO opinion it is a stellar round. Don't get me wrong, I've thought about a bolt action in 7.62x39 as it would be a cheap and fun shooter, but i feel the grendel trumps it in the hunting field. I also really like the mini bolt action.

But as far as investing a couple thousand you could just buy the 6.5 gendel and a 7.62x39 in the howa model 1500 platform and have one of them in a chassis if you wanted for around the same initial investment. Just a thought.

But either way if your set on building it pick the grendel and never look back

I'd prob go 6mm Creed. Mostly because that an 224 Valkyrie have been the cartridges I've seen consistently on the shelf over the Last 18 months.

Meets criteria I guess. One in a Kimber Montana would be dandy.

Have a Grendel. Might build an Arc (like Noah?) or the .22 version. Fun guns should, IMO, have long barrel life, which eliminates the real hard chargers. Ones that burn about 30gr more or less, seem about right. Howa Minis are solid and cheap, and you can replace the crappy guard with a floorplate, or an aluminum one that lets you use the magazines and run a rail. I might go that way for a shooter as opposed to a hunter. Use a chassis, the Oregunsmithing stock or start with the carbon model. Saves a lot of money for buying a good scope and components/ammo.

i just got my new Brux barrel in a 25 caliber, which will be chambered in a 257 Weatherby mag. treaded on a Weatherby mark 5 action on a fiber stock that i will glass bed. this barrel is a contour # 4 ,7 1/2 twist , will be finished at 28 inches , Nightforce picatinny mnts. and a Nightforce scope .i do plan on using this rifle for Mule deer in Montana in the later part of the season this year 2021 ,i also plan on using my handloads with 128 gr. Hammer bullets hoping the velocity is around 3400 fps. + ?

I would get one of those howa minis with the carbon fiber stock in 6.5 grendel, and put a 6 arc or 22 arc barrel on it. Maybe cerakote it.

Wait a bit, and they might do the 6 for you. The current .223 is a 1-8”, which will do a lot.

Pray for SS.

The Carbon Queens are Skookum. Hint.






The chop at 19",made it 4lbs 8ozs butt nekked. Hint.



I cain't Pretend to understand The Factory Fodder Fervor. My preference is 22PPC AFI,if only because I shoot every chambering thus far cited,save the VagCry. Mechanics just "happen" to "matter",RPM,Throat Geometry and COAL being the pulse of EVERY rifle. Hint.




The Wayne's World metal floorplate,bolsters COAL a goodly amount and frosts the lithe/svelte handling. Hint.




It hangs well,even with SERIOUS Competition. Hint.



Someone just minutes ago,pulled the trigger on a Bart' 7" RPM .224" 3B from Greg's shelf. I "wonder" why?!? Hint.Fhuqking LAUGHING!

Upon the same platform and musin' 223,that chambering is a Goat Fhuqk,given COAL. Issued guise is ASC Krunchenticker COAL,which is wellllllll shy of a good time. Go 700 there. Hint.

I ask Santa every year,for the same fhuqking thing..."more S/S" OEM offerings. Hint...................

I like that Carbon Queen! Thanks to all for the comments and feedback!

If I were building a CUSTOM, I think it would be a Mannlicher stocked Mini Mauser in 6.5 Grendel.. I have a Mini Howa in 6.5G and it is kind of clunky, I have DIP bottom metal and bobbed the mag.

6.5G Mini Howa, handi little bugger though


If my pockets were a little deeper it might be a full stocked Sako L-461 in 25-45. I already have a Savage 10 in 25-204 so know the little rounds are very capable.

25-204, 100gr Partition at 2850fps

Nice bike, even better buck with drop tine!

Plain Jane 308W throated correctly for the bullet lengths you'll use, 22" Remington Mag Sporter 1:10 barrel contour barrel, forget the Remage lash up....have it chambered and fitted correctly, any decent 700 clone action, bottom metal of your choice, any number of triggers, McMillan Remington Classic stock with molded in swirly pattern. Rings/bases and scope per your whim.

Good shootin'. -Al

P.S. If you go with a Remage deal for whatever reason....make that decision first. Then choose a 700 clone with a floating Savage-esqe bolt head.

Thanks Al! I do already have a 308 Win that sits in a McMillan Game Scout...Shoots pretty good but haven't loaded for it as my loading gear is still packed up from my last move.

I would say today I'd look at the Howa mini in 6.5 grendel with flat custom bottom metal.

Had Anderson build this a few years ago. Zastava mini-mauser in 7mm Benchrest. His bottom metal, 19" octagon barrel. Springfield style striker

Defiance anTi X action, XLR Chassis, Bartlein Barrel, Trigger Tech Trigger, Ckye-pod double pull bipod, American Rifle company M10 rings, Zero Compromise 420 scope.

I would do it all up in 7SAW. But that doesn't fit your requirements.

I like that idea. To meet the OP's requirements:

anTi action (have them get it coated before they send it to you)
Grayboe Trekker stock
Grayboe Hunter M5 BM
MDT 3 round flush fit mags
Proof pre-fit 6 CM barrel.....sendero lite at 22" would be nice
Trigger tech
APA low rings
2.5-10x42 NXS or 3-10 SHV or SWFA 6x42/3-9x42

I'm doing the same with a boring old .308 (20") right now. Action out for coating now. Will likely change it to a 7-08 at some point in the future but the 20" .308 was available.

richj, that is stunning, beautiful rifle!

My current plans is to take a step down from the 6mm CM idea to a 22 CM.

I have a M700 .308 HB that's been fed a steady diet of 110 gr. VMax handloads and is due for a re-barrel. Might as well go further than just that. Don't want the rock chuck's to be offended.

I figure a 7 twist will handle a 75 gr. - 80 gr. ELD-M just fine. A simple barrel - no fluting, coating, or muzzle break. Just a matte finish as I plan on shooting the throat out regular like and I want to keep the costs of barrel set backs and re-barreling down.

Trigger Tech, and likely a McMillan Hunter of some kind.

I'm ready for a change in optics so I'm currently looking at what's available in a variable up to ~24x.

WOW! That is a stunner!

I'm liking the 6 CM for this exercise. Probably in a Remington factory RR Stainless action and with a Mountain weight Stainless Rock barrel twisted for heavies. I could use it for lots of things- target work, deer, long range rock chucks, crows, etc....

And it would have a piece of wood similar to richj's fine stock... I'm a sucker for nice wood and I carve my own, so it's a lot cheaper route for me anyway...

Bob

Do you reload? If so you should give a look at the 7 SAW

Already started looking at it....your fault....

Haha.....

JRgunmaker makes about the prettiest rifles I’ve seen.

When I bought a mini Grendel, the shelves were heavy with decent factory loads. Now it’s vanished like most other chamberings. I see more ARC available then Grendel. Might go that route if you’re looking for factory fodder.

6x47 Lapua (Necked down 6.5x47)

Anymore when I am having something built, which is only occasionally, I often decide which cartridge by brass quality.
That is to say, if Lapua or Alpha makes brass for it I would consider it.

I'd just buy the Howa and save money for glass...

I’d go with a Big Horn TL3 action and either the 6 Arc or 6 Creedmoor with a Proof prefit for the Big Horn. I’d add a Manners stock, a trigger tech and it would be money. The thing about the 6 Creed is there’s ammo everywhere for it. Would be hard not to go with that chambering right now. I’m fact I’ve been having that internal battle lately. I want to build this exact rifle and would prefer the Arc but it’s hard not to go Creed just from an ammo availability standpoint.

I’ve got a rifle project going. Rem model 7 action skeletonized with a lightweight 24” Krieger barrel, getting it back this week from the outfit after black nitride finish.
Already got it bedded to a Manners UC stock. Chronographed 140 grn bullets at 2950. 7mm08.
AIC magazine metal.

6mm Creedmoor all the way with those options

Mack Brothers EVO SS action - $575
Manners EH2 - $660
Bartlein 2b, #3 or 3b - $360
Hawkins Hunter DBM - $180
Hawkins Flush Mag - $117

You'd have yourself one versatile rifle on your hands!

Do you know anyone who stocks that action? I’ve looked at them often and they seem to show out of stock every time I look. Of course most things seem to be these days.

I simply do not care about the 300 BLK. For what it cost to shoot, ballistics are not impressive. For basic shooting/plinking/trigger time It’s a waste. But hey, that’s just me. And Please spare me the tactical side of it.
My cz 527 shoots the silver bear 76239 ammo at mao.
If I wanted something else that’s small little flatter shooting I’d be looking at the 6.5 G or the 6.8spc.
The 6mm creed is cool if I wanted to shoot long distance.

right now. i think a heavy barreled 3006 , with a heavy wood stock. a 40x stock.