Affordable Long Range Build Options

[Tjstratt]

Hey guys,
quick question for you. I'm going to do a new build in 6mm creedmoor and would like some input on options. It will be used by my wife and future kids so I don't want a gun that weighs 13 pounds.

My personal long range setup is a custom ruger American predator in 6.5 creedmoor and after finishing my load work I'm getting consistent hits on 20 inch steel out to 1600 yards and paid a mere $340 for the gun, doing the work on it myself I only had to pay for any extras I put on it.

Originally I was going to just buy another ruger American but I'm obsessed enough with long range id like it to be a true guaranteed shooter so I want to explore my options with building a custom gun.

I'm not a crazy that's looking for a custom rifle for $340... I just want to get some info on the cheapest I can get a custom rifle for so I can see if it's worth the extra money right now.
By cheap I mean affordable, i don't wish to sacrifice performance.

Im thinking something like a trued action with a good barrel and aftermarket stock. I could even keep the original stock and trigger for now and do the stock work and the trigger job myself if necessary. The part that's out of my hands is truing the action and the barrel work.

Are barrels and actions generally good enough now that I can just work the stock and trigger over and get similar results as a base custom gun or is it worth the extra money for a trued action and custom barrel and chamber?

Please include suggestions and a possible guess of how much the option may cost if you happen to know.

Anyway thanks ahead for any input!

 

[346ci]

If you are set on 6mm CM, you could find a NOS Tikka T3 for the action/trigger. The action won't need trued and the trigger will be fine, send it to PVA for a Hawk Hill barrel. You could do the stock later but would be best to have Josh do the work while the barreled action is at his place.

Or you could just get a CTR in 6.5CM and upgrade the stock later, won't need to touch any other parts of that rifle.

 

[Tjstratt]

I'm pretty set on the 6mm CM as I already have a 6.5. What exactly is PVA? Also what is a NOS tikka? Is that a model or an abbreviation for something? Sorry about my ignorance.

 

[Wyzrd]

Not sure if it fits the bill for affordable, but a good option is the Shilen DGR barreled action, around $1500...

 

[346ci]

Pva, Patriot valley arms. Nos, new over stock as the T3 has been replaced by the T3X. I can get the T3 CTR in .260 pretty cheap due to the phase out.

 

[Tjstratt]

Pva, Patriot valley arms. Nos, new over stock as the T3 has been replaced by the T3X. I can get the T3 CTR in .260 pretty cheap due to the phase out.

oh I see, thank you. How much do you guess it would be to buy the barreled action and have pva rebarrel it for? How much more for a new stock on it? Would you suggest looking for the NOS T3 on gunbroker?

 

[Tjstratt]

Not sure if it fits the bill for affordable, but a good option is the Shilen DGR barreled action, around $1500...

I wouldn't be opposed to $1500 for a good gun. Would it be $1500 for just the barreled action or complete rifle? Also who would I get action and work from? Have Shilen do it or just order the parts then have someone put it together? Thanks

 

[Wyzrd]

The $1500 is for their action, recoil lug, and one of their select match grade barrels, all spun up in whatever length and contour and caliber you choose, ready to drop into a stock/chassis. I believe the action is a Stiller Predator, just rebranded, with a barrel nut to be able to swap barrels yourself. I believe they do complete rifle builds too. I am looking at ordering one of their barreled actions and throwing it in a magpul hunter 700 stock. I'm not 100% sure, but I think there's a guy here on the Hide (hondo64....???) that did a thread on the shilen dgr action and he had nothing but great things to say about it.

 

[346ci]

Pva, Patriot valley arms. Nos, new over stock as the T3 has been replaced by the T3X. I can get the T3 CTR in .260 pretty cheap due to the phase out.

oh I see, thank you. How much do you guess it would be to buy the barreled action and have pva rebarrel it for? How much more for a new stock on it? Would you suggest looking for the NOS T3 on gunbroker?

If you are looking for the barreled action, a T3/T3X lite would be the cheapest. $490 for a T3X in .243, after shipping and your local transfer fee, might have $550 in it.

IIRC my HH barrel was around $600 installed, add a budget stock like a B&C for $270, CDI DBM $210, AICS Pmag $40. Not sure what DBM the B&C is cut for, might need fitting by a pro.

Your budget rifle just turned into $1700 and you still need a base/rings/glass. That is why everyone mentions the CTR, it is cheap and ready to go out of the box, just not in your caliber.

If you like the Ruger action, they offer the American Predator or RPR chambered in 6CM.

 

[Ledzep]

Magpul stock and detachable magazine setup and a patriot valley arms barrel.

Accuracy is in the barrel, the above will shoot bugholes.

 

[Tjstratt]

Magpul stock and detachable magazine setup and a patriot valley arms barrel.

Accuracy is in the barrel, the above will shoot bugholes.

Say I was interested in getting this done. Are you saying I should just get a 700 action (or any other action) trued then have PVA barrel it? Is that right? Then I do the stock and what not. Or not even have the action trued?
Any idea how much it would cost for me to get PVA to chamber and barrel my action?

 

[10ring1]

Ok, I'll say it. Savage 12 lrpv

 

[Ledzep]

Say I was interested in getting this done. Are you saying I should just get a 700 action (or any other action) trued then have PVA barrel it? Is that right? Then I do the stock and what not. Or not even have the action trued?
Any idea how much it would cost for me to get PVA to chamber and barrel my action?

They make those stocks for the Ruger American action, too. PVA makes barrels for the Ruger American. I was saying keep the Ruger and dress it up a bit.

The action itself plays a very small role in the accuracy department. It's mostly in the barrel, and PVA is using high end match grad blanks for their Pre-fit barrels. IIRC it's like $600 for one of their pre-fit barrels. You'd probably have to invest in some tooling, or take it to a local smith and have them install/headspace the barrel, or maybe Josh at PVA would do it if you sent in your action for a small fee (I don't know, call and ask).

Nothing wrong with the Ruger American actions. Obviously some things could be better, but I think that upgrading the Ruger American is probably going to be your cheapest option, and will still shoot sub-1/2 MOA. The magpul stock for the ruger american lets you use common AICS pattern magazines, and will offer a free-floating barrel channel and solid bedding, and they're pretty affordable. The whole setup would be cheap/simple (relatively speaking).

 

[steve123]

What I liked about the Ruger American I had was that it fed and extracted/ejected well. Those are very positive attributes to start out with. I've shot 3 of them that were at 1moa or less which is telling. For a cheap rifle I was impressed. It's hard to argue about a rifle that actually works.

I've messed with 3 Salvages that didn't do anything well but...

On a budget I'd do Tikka, it's as good as a stock action can be so a firm foundation.

 

[Tjstratt]

I'm thinking what I may do is just buy another Ruger American in the Predator model in 6mm Creed and then deck it out a bit.

I was doing some research today and see that now they are just starting to make a bit more aftermarket things for the American.

Heres a probable build option:
let me know if you have any other suggestions or ideas.

• Ruger Predator $400
• Glades armory Tactical bolt handle $58 (looks like a Surgeon handle, best looking handle on the market in my opinion)
• Anarchy outdoors metal Bolt shroud $42
• Magpul American stock $300
• Nightforce 20moa base $57

That comes out to $857 with plenty of money leftover for a real nice optic and rings.

You could even put a Timney trigger in it if desired. Personally I think with a little work the factory triggers tune up nicely and that saves me $170.

I can juat shoot the factory 22" barrel to start and see what happens. If accuracy is like my 6.5 then I'll just wait till I burn the throat out of it. If accuracy isn't what I'm looking for then I can just rebarrel when I have the extra cash.