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Bighorn Origin Build Thread

That to say you had feeding issues unmodified?
Box and reloads?
The MDT mags linked do not have the binder plate in the front, so a trim to the feed ramp will probably have to be done with some actions with any make/type of ammo.
 
6.5 PRC folk running it in the short action.....

What mag/metal setup are ya'll going with?
I'd run the hawkins hunter dbm and magazine, gives you the most internal length of any short action dbm. I've also ran bdl with wyatts cfe5 mag box that has 2.995 internal. Unknown Munitions is releasing a short action 3 Rd single stack mag that takes 2.990 internal but requires their m5 bottom metal, that's only proprietary mag compatible. If you're seeking capacity greater than 3 rounds, the mdt or accurate Wsm mags are the way, but believe they're all 2.950 internal. I have 3 origins and have chopped the feed ramps on all them to open up the front to prevent any cartridge nose hanging up.
 
This is false. The Cadex Dual Strike Chassis WILL NOT fit an Origin action. I have personally confirmed this with Zermatt and Cadex over the phone this week. The Origin and Rem700 have completely different top profiles on the action.
so don't buy a pigeonhole stupid chassis then. or be stuck running an R700. your call. R700 with no options, or any custom action and chassis/stock you want. hmmm
 
@overmatch I can tell you how to make that chassis work for you. take a band saw and cut it somewhere in that location. Then you can use a GOOD Quality action over a standard Rem 700. Or you could choose a better chassis in an AI-AX or AI-AT or anything else on the market. Open your eyes to bigger and better things out there.
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so don't buy a pigeonhole stupid chassis then. or be stuck running an R700. your call. R700 with no options, or any custom action and chassis/stock you want. hmmm
Definitely open to other options. My criteria is it needs to have a continuous top picatinny rail from action to end of the forend. I also need to be able to tuck a 1.75" suppressor in the rail. Any other suggestions?
 
@overmatch I can tell you how to make that chassis work for you. take a band saw and cut it somewhere in that location. Then you can use a GOOD Quality action over a standard Rem 700. Or you could choose a better chassis in an AI-AX or AI-AT or anything else on the market. Open your eyes to bigger and better things out there. View attachment 8317402
Open to other options! Please see my post above for criteria I'm looking to satisfy. This is for a tucked can 300BLK bolt gun project that will wear a clip on thermal in front of a LPVO part of the time.
 
Definitely open to other options. My criteria is it needs to have a continuous top picatinny rail from action to end of the forend. I also need to be able to tuck a 1.75" suppressor in the rail. Any other suggestions?
So let me get this straight.

You want a Bolt action rifle Rem-700 footprint.

A fully inclosed forearm longer than 18" so you can tuck a 1.75" suppressor inside it.

You are going to 2 Stamp this build. Why would you NOT buy a quality action since it's going to be with you till the end of time, or you just blew an additional 200 doing an SBR. I dont understand your thinking but it's your money and your toy. Look at the JP chassis.

 
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So let me get this straight.

You want a Bolt action rifle Rem-700 footprint.

A fully inclosed forearm longer than 18" so you can tuck a 1.75" suppressor inside it.

You are going to 2 Stamp this build. Why would you NOT buy a quality action since it's going to be with you till the end of time, or you just blew an additional 200 doing an SBR. I dont understand your thinking but it's your money and your toy. Look at the JP chassis.

Trust me, I would love to not use a Rem700 action, I really would. I’m looking (on mobile) at the JP chassis right now and it looks great. Is there the ability to run a picatinny rail at 12 o’clock and is it a big enough diameter handguard to tuck a 1.75” can? I am very aware of how much the Rem700 action sucks.
 
Trust me, I would love to not use a Rem700 action, I really would. I’m looking (on mobile) at the JP chassis right now and it looks great. Is there the ability to run a picatinny rail at 12 o’clock and is it a big enough diameter handguard to tuck a 1.75” can? I am very aware of how much the Rem700 action sucks.
Contact a company like Unitah Precision. If you have an SBR AR lower you can build an SBR bolt action upper for it and DONE!!!

 
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Here’s mine. Just got it assembled and have been breaking the barrel in.

ZAI Origin short action
Proof 24” CF barrel 1:8 chambered in 6.5CM
TT Special 2-stage
A419 Hellfire Match
Leupold Mk 5 HD 5-25x56 PR2
Cykepod double pull
MDT ACC (pirated this off my 6GT for now)

This is intended to be my NRL Hunter Open Heavy rifle. Weighs 15.8 lbs as shown with the MDT ACC plus a couple of internal weights for balance. I have a XLR Envy Pro on order, which should save 1/2 lb or so depending on the weights needed for balance.

I broke the barrel in by shooting 150 rnds with some 6.5CM reloads I had left over from my old RPR. MV seems to be settling in (gained about 40-50 fps) and accuracy is coming together nicely. I saw some vertical stringing in the first 30 rnds I shot but the groups I shot today (after 140 rnds) were much better (plus this is old ammo). It was a windy day today but hits on an 8” plate @ 550 yds was not a problem either clipped into the tripod or off the Schmedium git-lite bag (had to hold anywhere from .8 to 1.5 of wind).

Now that the velocities seemed to have stabilized I started doing load development with 140 ELDMs and H4350. I also have some 147 ELDMs and have access to some 140 and 153 Bergers. I found a node with the 140 ELDMs that was around 2,750 fps, which will make PF for NRL Hunter quite nicely. Glad I went with the 24” barrel.

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A few shout outs:

1) Thank you Zermatt Arms for sponsoring the match where I picked up the cert for $400 off an Origin action. I was on the fence on what action to build this rifle around, but the ZAI cert pretty much answered that question!
2) Thank you XLR for your Black Friday sale. Saved a few Benjamins on the Envy Pro chassis which I really like since I run my Vudoo in one.
3) Thank you A419 for your Black Friday sale where I picked up the Hellfire Match brake.
4) Thank you Andy (local gunsmith) for torquing the barrel onto the action and Go/No-Go check.
 
TL3 I have had for about 7 years on the tripod currently sporting a .223 barrel.

Origin LA on the deck breaking in the new 7mm PRC barrel.
 

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Finally got my build where I'm happy with it.

Zermatt Origin SA
Proof Research CF .308 20" prefit barrel
Area419 Universal Muzzle Device w/ Thread Protector (for now)
Triggertech Special
Grayboe Hunter Bottom Metal
Grayboe Phoenix 2 stock
Nightforce NX8 2.5-20x50 Mil-C F1
ARC MBrace Medium height rings
Atlas CAL bipod w/ quick detach picatinny mount

Rifle, without bipod and with a loaded 5 round MDT mag weighs just under 10 lbs.

Thanks to everyone on this forum, as well as my buddies who sent me here initially and got me turned on to the Origin. There's a big wealth of knowledge on here and many people supplied suggestions that helped me build this rifle.

This is my do-all, western hunting rifle that is sort of a "jack-of-all trades, master of none", but its my first build. Thanks for reading
 

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6.5 creedmoor
Zermatt origin action
22 inch CBI barrel
Trigger tech special
Mdt xrs chassis with mdt Arca rail
Harvester 300 suppressor with area 419 adapter or area419 match brake,
Atlas cal bipod with leg extension and spikes
Burris xtriii 5.5-30 in Nightforce rings
Swapped out the 16 inch barrel for a little longer one. Also dropped some weight with the xtriii over the Razor
Weight ended up being 15.6pounds.
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My two Origin builds.
Rifle on left:
Origin SA
22 GT
Bartlein 24” Rem Varmint 1-7.5” twist
WTO Switchlug
Manners EH-1A
Hawkins Precision dbm
Jewell trigger
Leupold VX6-HD 3-18x44
Seekins scope rings

Rifle on right:
Origin SA
22 Creedmoor
Carbon Six 20” 1-10” twist
WTO Switchlug
Manners CS
Hawkins Precision dbm
Trigger Tech Special Flat shoe
Pulsar Thermion in ADM mount

Just got each build finished recently and only have some quickly worked up loads to shoot to break in the barrels and until I have more time for load development. 62 gr ELD-VT in the 22 GT and 60 gr V-Max in the 22 CM. Both show promise of being good shooters.
 
View attachment 8371429
My two Origin builds.
Rifle on left:
Origin SA
22 GT
Bartlein 24” Rem Varmint 1-7.5” twist
WTO Switchlug
Manners EH-1A
Hawkins Precision dbm
Jewell trigger
Leupold VX6-HD 3-18x44
Seekins scope rings

Rifle on right:
Origin SA
22 Creedmoor
Carbon Six 20” 1-10” twist
WTO Switchlug
Manners CS
Hawkins Precision dbm
Trigger Tech Special Flat shoe
Pulsar Thermion in ADM mount

Just got each build finished recently and only have some quickly worked up loads to shoot to break in the barrels and until I have more time for load development. 62 gr ELD-VT in the 22 GT and 60 gr V-Max in the 22 CM. Both show promise of being good shooters.
Awesome looking builds. Hows the gt do with 7.5 twist and lighter bullets, 53gr vmax or similar?

Currently working on a 22grendel build thinking 20” 1:7.5 twist also, for 53 vmax-75gr eld ms
 
Awesome looking builds. Hows the gt do with 7.5 twist and lighter bullets, 53gr vmax or similar?

Currently working on a 22grendel build thinking 20” 1:7.5 twist also, for 53 vmax-75gr eld ms
The 62gr VTs are the only bullets I’ve tried in my gun. I have seen multiple people post about shooting 53gr and 55gr vmax in a 7 or 7.5 twist barrel in multiple cartridges with zero trouble. I would think you’d be ok in the 7.5 twist or a 8 twist would probably work for the range of bullets you posted
 
Bighorn Original Long Action
PVA Osprey 300PRC 1:9 26” M24 Barrel
MDT ACC Premiere Chassis with tons of weights (weighs 26lbs unloaded with the suppressor)
S&B PMII 5-25 H59 Reticle
Nightforce Magmount Compact w. RAP-i Bridge

I am 90 rounds into the barrel and it hammers. Velocity (10 round strings) was 2782fps SD of 9 (virgin brass) when I chronographed on rounds 20-30 during load dev. I checked another 10 round string yesterday (rounds 77-87) and it is 2788fps with an SD of 6 (still on virgin brass). Not the fastest, but super consistent and a laser (0.4-0.6” @100yds). I did confirm I could go about 78.5gr of Retumbo with no pressure signs and bet closer to 2850fps, but why bother 🤷‍♂️

Load:
ADG Brass, chamfered and deburred
78gr of Retumbo
CCI Large Rifle Magnum Primers
Hornady 230gr A-Tip (0.100” jump)
0.002” of neck tension
 

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Well I updated my thread on the Hunts Long Range lug that allows you to use TL3 shouldered prefits on an Origin and figured I would pass the info here in case anyone was interested or possibly didn't know about it. Here's a link to their site. $35 well spent if you also have a TL3.



Here is my post from the other thread:

Well figured I would update after getting to the range with the rifle. The HLR lug worked great! From factory ammo the shoulder only grew .002" so very minimal. My older prepped brass shoulder was .004" longer than factory so .002" over but still worked although a little more snug on the bolt drop as you would imagine. All in all very happy with the HLR lug.

I will mention some info if someone is searching for HLR info or TL3 barrels on Origins and finds this post. I had done a quick search before posting and found one post and someone mentioned the engraving on a TL3 barrel is off when on the Origin and it was said that the TL3 threading starts at the 12 o'clock position and the Origin starts at the 6 o'clock so when screwing on a TL3 barrel don't use the location of the engraving as a reference point. Mine is off. The PVA engraving that is usually at the 3 o'clock position is now near 9 o'clock. Just wanted people to know this.
 
@Rob01, what are your thoughts between your tl3 and the origin? I recently picked up 2 origins but won’t see them first hand until end of the month.

I replaced my TL2 with the origin since it was the last rifle I had that didn’t have readily available prefits. Hope it wasn’t a mistake :)

Here is the complete origin I bought. Proof 223 prefit. The second I bought a 223ai barrel off here and a Xlr element chassis to put it in.
 

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Honestly I can't feel a difference when behind them. Both are well made and the only real differences is the recoil lug and the bolt handle angle. I know TL3s can take AW mags but I never use them so as long as an action can take AICS mags I am happy. It will be a little while before I get a solid comparison and get the Origin run in a match but I don't think you will be disappointed at all.
 
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I joined the Origin club a few weeks ago as well.
I wanted a rifle with affordable prefits that I could make weight and caliber requirements for NRL Hunter matches, then switch out barrels and add weight for PRS.

15.5 lbs as pictured with a 6.5 creed barrel in an MPA Hybrid chassis.
After my hunter match I'll screw a 6GT on and add 7lbs of weight.

On another note that mpa recoil lug wedge block thing is total crap..
I bedded the lug with JB weld over the weekend and it's shooting bug holes now.
20240416_195401.jpg
 
Apart from not being a single shot feed, is there a reason why Origin won't be ideal for F-class? Is it "heavy duty" enough?
 
Apart from not being a single shot feed, is there a reason why Origin won't be ideal for F-class? Is it "heavy duty" enough?

You can single feed the Origin and TL3. I have done it in matches. It’s CRF but not like the old style and allows for single feed.
 
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I joined the Origin club a few weeks ago as well.
I wanted a rifle with affordable prefits that I could make weight and caliber requirements for NRL Hunter matches, then switch out barrels and add weight for PRS.

15.5 lbs as pictured with a 6.5 creed barrel in an MPA Hybrid chassis.
After my hunter match I'll screw a 6GT on and add 7lbs of weight.

On another note that mpa recoil lug wedge block thing is total crap..
I bedded the lug with JB weld over the weekend and it's shooting bug holes now.
View attachment 8398367

What contour and length is the 6.5 barrel?