Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats For those who have built light weight/mid weight short actions, what contour?

For those of you who have traveled down the light to mid weight short action build, what contour and barrel length did you go with and how's she balance?

Looks like I'll be doing a Model 7 - Remington by the way...

Well, I have one so far and one in the works. I have a Remington model 700 that started out as a CDL in 7mm08 and I guess fits your question.

Anyway, the rifle was rebarreled with a Shilen Select Match #3 contour, finished at 24, and Karl Feldkamp fluted it and also did quite a bit of other work in it. I just dropped it in a new McMillan Classic Edge that came in the mail last night. With the new McMillan balance is perfect, weight is right at 7 lbs. 4 ozs all up. So I guess you could call it a mid-weight?? Attached is a picture for reference.

That's a good looking rig.

I'm looking to go 20" on the tube and wonder what sort of balance that would be like. I'm sure I'll need to go lighter than a #3 when hacking off 4"...

How deep are your flutes? Width?

M7 action with #2 Douglas (.308) at 22 inches in an Edge stock balances very nicely. Weight of 6.5 lbs with Talley's and a VXII 2-7.

M7 action with #3 Douglas (.358) at 21 inches in an Edge Mt Rifle stock balances slightly more forward but still very good. Weight of 6.5 with Talley's and a FXII 4x.

Both stocks have 1 inch pads.

If you're traveling up to the NW corner of GA any time soon let me know. You're welcome to see how they balance for yourself!

JCM

Not sure?? I would say they are about like a factory Remington flute in width/depth, say like a LVSF or an Alaskan Ti rifle maybe, except they are better than factory - Karl's work is much cleaner than any factory will do.

@ JCMCubic - Awesome and thanks!

Rem. 700 with a #1 Lilja, at 22". 6.8# w/4.5-14 Leupy. Balances perfectly, on front screw.

If you go with a small dia. barrel, make sure the stock is inletted for the same. Big gaps are unsightly.

@ yukonal- What stock did you go with?

Do you mean short action as in .223 size calibers or medium in .243/308 caliber? It seems a shame to build a rifle and then for the savings of a couple hundred bucks, to get something not really suited for your cartridge/caliber.

I have always preferred Sako actions and took the time to get them for the build. If you are going with the .243 length action, the Remington will do fine, shorter than that and the blocks they put in the rear of the magazine defeat the purpose of a nicely built rifle.

The 2 short action rifles on the bottom of the rack both have Lilja barrels in 23 inch length. They both shoot and feel great, even though the top rifle has a medium/heavy fluted barrel, while the bottom rifle has a thin Shilen contour.

The top 2 rifles are in medium action length with Lilja barrels. The top is a .220 Swift with a fluted, medium/heavy barrel, 27 inches in length. It can be shot off-hand, but primarily is suited for bench/bipod type shooting as it was made for prairie dog shooting.

The 2nd is a 6mm Remington, built for shooting prairie dogs as well, but it has a taper similar to the .222 in the short action. The barrel is light compared to the Swift, but still prints good groups.

With the exception of the Swift, these rifles all handle, point and shoot well off-hand and that is how I rate a rifle for it's usefulness. The scope you put on will have an influence on the feel/balance as well, I opted for the scope that would help each rifle perform the task I had in mind when I had these made.

I used a Lilja #2 crowned at 23" on a short Rem700Ti and McM EDGE with Leupold M8 6x42mm.

I think you have that backwards. A shorter but heavier contour will keep the same balance point.

I went with the Bansner--700 Classic.

If you go that route, with a small contour barrel, maybe look at his "sheep hunter" stock.

Don't be afraid of accuracy with a small contour--quality--barrel. Mine shoots less than 6" at 450 yards (the farthest I've shot it). Not bad for a 6# rifle.

I went 700 SA old TI, #3 Lilja at 19.5" with a 1" shank,.358 Win and an Edge Mod 7 Stock factory BDL bm.... it comes in a couple oz. under 5.5 lbs bare. I could have went lighter even, but all up with scope w/Butler Creeks/rings,bases,Sling,5 rds it goes exactly 7 lbs. Perfect to me. Balances right on the front screw and swings so evenly. It's made for killing.

If you do go Mod 7 get one with 4 holes for scope mounting. It's hard to find a decent scope mount for the old 3 hole mod 7's. I almost used a SS Mod 7 for my build, but I'm glad I went SA 700 instead. The mod 7 has a larger ejection port, but the SA has more scope mounting options and better factory bottom metal. I can't stand those push buttons on the Mod 7 BM.

I have one in progress. I don't know how it balances but I predict it'll be pretty nice.

I'm having a short 700 rebarreled to .204. The barrel is from PacNor, supermatch stainless 1-12" twist 3 land and groove ... same as my last .204 barrel. This time, though, it is a Remington 700 factory standard / non-magnum contour. They fluted it to finish at 24" with 1.25" of unfluted barrel at the muzzle. I've asked the gunsmith to see if he can shrink the whole thing another 1.5" for a final length of 22.5". It's going in an McMillan Hunter's Edge stock which was set up for a factory magnum contour so it should free float nicely. Current plan is to mount my old 1985 vintage Leupold 2.5-8X Vari X III in Talley ringmounts though that may change.

I'm guessing 7 to 7.5 pounds finished. Should balance fine. Coyotes should be in trouble.

Tom

The old style '3 hole' M7s can have a 2nd hole on rear bridge added by a good smith, but given the choice..........

D2D-one of my all time fav rigs that I put together was a 700 Youth in 308 with a Ti stock wrapped around it. The barrel is a 20" standard contour that goes .66" and the stock weighs in tween 24-27 oz's(which to me makes the rig balance really well and I'd not want a heavier handle). 4 me it's almost model perfecto, I say almost as the grip on the Ti take off is a skosh bit thicker than I like but I can shoot the beanos out of it so I can be forgiving of it.

I feel if you went with a Edge handle with a tube cut to 21" that went .65" at the mzl that you would find bliss. It would be weight forward for sure but I also feel comfy it'll be incredibly user friendly and eager to please.

For a cal I'd go 7/08 for what that's worth. Keep us in the loop as to what direction you choose to go.

Dober

For up to 30cal I like a sporter contour that finishes out between .600"-.630" at 22.5". Balance is important to me.

MtnHtr

Dawn2Dusk, My last build was a Model Seven light/mid weight 260AI. I went with a Rock Creek #3 (fluted) and had it cut to 23". I cut some additional weight off the action/bolt with some milling work by Karl and put in lightweight firing pin shroud/assembly. Fitted to a Basner stock she comes in at 6 lbs 12oz with a Leupold VX3 2.5-8X. I'll be hunting Mule deer with it this Fall and I think she will be a joy to carry.

I put a 700 .223 together in a Ti take-off and a Douglas #1 at 20". It balances at the front action screw and is only slightly heavier in the muzzle than a 22" MR contour. In fact, I like the balance of the .223 a little better. It weghs exactly 6# bare and empty.

Remington contour turned to .6 at the muzzle (betwixt a sporter and MR contour, closer to MR) measuring 21".