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Custom Do it all gun?

J

JoshcBoucher

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 22, 2011
897
42
Northern Delaware.
I have been reading a lot. Here, and at ......Benchrest central.......sossorry .feeling like a traitor......anyway. It seems that one could get a NICE action ,BAT, Kelbly, Surgeon, etc. and a good stock, and have different barrels made in different chambers and just switch them out when I want to try something different. Bolt faces, too. Savage, on the low end, or BAT,, on the high end. Just thinking about a custom, that might serve a couple different calib
ers, instead of 3-5 custom guns. Seems the Benchrest guys do this all the time. I had,nt known that, until a few days ago. Lord knows I don,t need 5more guns, at least what my wife says. Thank Swagger for showing off his actions, and help kindle this idea, along with the Benchrest guys. Being able to use the short action some, or all the short action calipers, for the cost of a good barrel, seems....."...intriguing...intruding ins.....sh....fun!calibers! Calibers! I've been wanting to try 22-250, 22PPC, 6PPC, the 260s, and the 6-6,5s...so...any one done this? Or thought about it?
 
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Nope. I just pick a caliber, build a nice gun and move on. Not that I have several, but I did build two that cover 90% of everything I will shoot at.
 
Why would you need 5? I have 8 full custom builds, but that's over a 23yr period. Are you a whitetail guy? (.308) Benchrest guy (6BR/PPC) Elk (300WM) Varmint (Any of the above should get a ghog/pdog/coyote. I've got a custom 308 for F class, a 5R 308 for hunting, and banging steel, and several 243/6mm's, but I find myself shooting my 260 Beanland build, for just about everything now days. The 140 hybrids don't let the ghog crawl back into the hole, even @ 1340yds, and is good for anything I'd ever want to hunt, but I don't stalk, or hike hunt, so the 21.5lbs doesn't matter. I'm sure you can find a caliber that will cover 90% of what you wanna do. If not have a switch brrl built, or buy an AI, or JP AR and switch out uppers. I shot BR a long time, but you'll lose your ability to shoot over time. When I switched to LR comps, and hunting, my Smith said I had a case of " Get your a$$ off the Bench Syndrome" And he was right.
 
Then you have mood guns, AR's for when your non shooting friends come over and want to shoot, or to teach kids how to shoot for Zombie Day. Then you have your assorted bench guns when you hang out with your older friends who wear glasses. Then there is the tactical as fukk guns for sharing on the hide and shooting one inch groups at a thou with a 16 inch barrel. Ya gotta get a gun for every mood.
 
I think its a great idea. Not that this is the first time, but no doubt a sensible thing to do. And I wouldnt worry about it, BenchrestCentral is an awesome place. Id say it has just as many, if not more, highly experienced highly knowledgable people per capita as snipershide. Snipershide is still my favorite, simply because it has the most activity and topic-flow as some of the biggest yet at the same time it hasnt devolved into the dregs like barfcom. Its gonna rely on all of us to keep it that way. Ie the signature snipershide smackdowns whenever someone comes on here and says something absolutely stupid or comes here with the mindset of "there are no stupid questions", forget that. There are stupid questions, especially ones that could attract ANY unwanted attention when answered with any sort of seriousness. Everyone here knows that this site could easily be labeled a harbinger of "potentially dangerous people" and thats exactly what we need to avoid.

I also like the overall sense of competition-focused thinking here. Lack of competition breeds laziness. Similarly, barfcom does have some high level 3-gun competitors. However, the large majority are likely sitting on their hind end barely making it to the range. Im not saying you have to compete. But, whether you want to be one of those who "dont care about losing" or whatever, competition is how we get better. Check out how fighter pilots are constantly running drills, or doing mock exercises, etc. Another example would be the early UFC/MMA days. The martial arts styles that did not do live sparring, or full-resistance drills, however you wanna call it, were shark bait from day one for the styles which did do live sparring. Hence, those martial arts/sports which do the most live sparring and have the most competition in it, are the ones that dominate and are reflected in today`s fighter`s styles and training. Wrestling is huge. Boxing and Muay Thai are huge. BJJ is huge. In all of these, the practices are mostly live sparring when youre not running the drills to learn the techniques. Sure theres useful things from other MA`s to bring in, but those are the basic skills and techniques to build on precisely because their techniques were built out of techniques that work in a live spar/fighting situation.
 
6.5 Creedmoor bolt
308Win AR10
5.56 carbine AR

That's pretty much all you need unless you plan on hunting larger animals and/or at long distances.
 
I'm in process of a switch barrel build right now. 338 lapua for the "main" part but with a 308 bolt and barrel for FTR. The 308 with a long free bore FTR reamer and since it's long action no issue getting cases in or out. Obviously the FTR portion is a single shot. Had a hard time justifying a FTR only build when I could swap things on this one and be set up great. Will be 338 LM with 28" heavy varmint barrel and 308 with 30" heavy palma for comps. Other than some unneeded weight I doubt anyone could come up with a true downside to this as an FTR rifle, but it will still be below 18.18lbs so whatever. Idk about 5 different combos but 2-3 should be good and cover all you need!
 
Switch barrels are Fantastic, quick & easy! It is extremely versatile as I can accommodate any short action cartridge with a .473" or .550" bolt face for the cost of a barrel / barrel job / dies & components.. Thinking of a 7mm SAUM setup for the 180 hybrids..

This is my 6.5 SAUM / 6.5x47L setup on a 591R...








All you need to swap them out & its very inexpensive....







 
Of course If I could of afforded it I'd have safes full of all kinds of cool guns and scopes!

I've kind of gone that way you describe now but previously went through the process of owning a bunch of different kinds of guns then selling most of them and settling on the best ones.

I've got two nice bolt rifles, one short action repeater and one long action repeater including 5 barrels in different cartridges, lengths and contours for different purposes. Both have nice scopes on top too. I'd much rather do it this way than have a bunch of lower quality rifles with lesser scopes on top.

Done the same with the AR having a upper for long range and one for closer distances.

I do need a good single shot dedicated BR rifle again though.
 
THANK YOU BOB, for the input. A little of my history. I started shooting when I was 5-6, or old enough to hold a gun. When I was 30. I got married, built a house, and built a pistol range in the basement. Been reloading for 30, or so yrs. About 3 yrs ago I found this site, moved from strictly pistols, to long guns and pistols, to mostly long guns. I've also "collected" some guns over the years, that I just wanted to have. Various AR's. Older collectables. Modern bolt guns, etc. But mostly "box guns". I would like a custom, finally. Made the decision about 6 mos. ago, but can't decide on a caliber. So many choices, so little time. I like to shoot a caliber for a while, then shoot another for a while, and so on and so on. I got bit by the accuracy bug. I'm retired, and don't like golf. I also wear readers, when I load, Armyjerry. I'm not thinking of going "Bench", right now, just sliding that way a little. Recent health problems are precluding the "run and gun" thing. So I like the idea of a really nice action and stock with 3-4 great barrels in some different calibers. Running out of room in the safe. Again, thanks Bob and every one else.
 
JoshcBoucher said:
THANK YOU BOB, for the input. A little of my history. I started shooting when I was 5-6, or old enough to hold a gun. When I was 30. I got married, built a house, and built a pistol range in the basement. Been reloading for 30, or so yrs. About 3 yrs ago I found this site, moved from strictly pistols, to long guns and pistols, to mostly long guns. I've also "collected" some guns over the years, that I just wanted to have. Various AR's. Older collectables. Modern bolt guns, etc. But mostly "box guns". I would like a custom, finally. Made the decision about 6 mos. ago, but can't decide on a caliber. So many choices, so little time. I like to shoot a caliber for a while, then shoot another for a while, and so on and so on. I got bit by the accuracy bug. I'm retired, and don't like golf. I also wear readers, when I load, Armyjerry. I'm not thinking of going "Bench", right now, just sliding that way a little. Recent health problems are precluding the "run and gun" thing. So I like the idea of a really nice action and stock with 3-4 great barrels in some different calibers. Running out of room in the safe. Again, thanks Bob and every one else.
Click to expand...

Josh,

I love to help the community in anyway I can.. PM me and I be glad to help further.

All the best,

Bob
 
JoshcBoucher said:
THANK YOU BOB, for the input. A little of my history. I started shooting when I was 5-6, or old enough to hold a gun. When I was 30. I got married, built a house, and built a pistol range in the basement. Been reloading for 30, or so yrs. About 3 yrs ago I found this site, moved from strictly pistols, to long guns and pistols, to mostly long guns. I've also "collected" some guns over the years, that I just wanted to have. Various AR's. Older collectables. Modern bolt guns, etc. But mostly "box guns". I would like a custom, finally. Made the decision about 6 mos. ago, but can't decide on a caliber. So many choices, so little time. I like to shoot a caliber for a while, then shoot another for a while, and so on and so on. I got bit by the accuracy bug. I'm retired, and don't like golf. I also wear readers, when I load, Armyjerry. I'm not thinking of going "Bench", right now, just sliding that way a little. Recent health problems are precluding the "run and gun" thing. So I like the idea of a really nice action and stock with 3-4 great barrels in some different calibers. Running out of room in the safe. Again, thanks Bob and every one else.
Click to expand...

If youre looking for accuracy:

WITH the consideration that it sounds youre not in the shape of a powerlifter at the moment so I wouldnt go bigger than a Heavy Varmint contour, for pure inherent precision at close range = 6PPC/.22PPC/.220 Beggs/.22PPC-Short or maybe even 6mm Grendel/6mmAR for a little more horsepower, Ive read quite a few using 6 Grendel/6AR in a bolt rifle and getting PPC accuracy at the lower level matches. For pure inherent accuracy at close range = .30BR or .30 Grendel(not sure the wildcat name). Ie the first, smaller chamberings for group; and the second two, large chamberings for score. .30x47 Lapua would make a very nice Hunter Benchrest round.

If you wanna stretch out a little ways, and still have that close range accuracy = 6BR/6Dasher or 6x47 Lapua/6.5x47 Lapua. These two cases dominate 600yd BR and put up a damn good fight at 1000yd. Right barrel, right loads all of these mentioned so far will do .1 MOA to .25 MOA with regularity but the last two will take .25 MOA give or take out to 600yd. For 1000yd, as said these will still do the job but they get blown around. Seeing as how you can use a brake(in IBS), Id go for .300 WSM or .284/.284 Shehane for 1000yd. Really though, if the recoil can be managed, the .300 WSM is gonna take the cake for minimal ES/SD with 210 VLDs at ~2850fps mostly. If you can get a load that will do 4" or 5" 10-shot groups at 1000yd consistently, you will win matches. Easier said than done. Other cartridges can win at 1000yd too though, .300 Win Mag and .300 Wby/.300 Ack Mag. For that matter, Mr Danny Brooks whose record speaks for itself as can be seen here:

International Benchrest Shooters

Hes been known to run and win with a 7mm Rem Mag at 1000yd BR, which most wouldnt think of as capable of the accuracy needed to win.
 
Forgetful Coyote said:
I think its a great idea. Not that this is the first time, but no doubt a sensible thing to do. And I wouldnt worry about it, BenchrestCentral is an awesome place. Id say it has just as many, if not more, highly experienced highly knowledgable people per capita as snipershide. Snipershide is still my favorite, simply because it has the most activity and topic-flow as some of the biggest yet at the same time it hasnt devolved into the dregs like barfcom. Its gonna rely on all of us to keep it that way. Ie the signature snipershide smackdowns whenever someone comes on here and says something absolutely stupid or comes here with the mindset of "there are no stupid questions", forget that. There are stupid questions, especially ones that could attract ANY unwanted attention when answered with any sort of seriousness. Everyone here knows that this site could easily be labeled a harbinger of "potentially dangerous people" and thats exactly what we need to avoid.

I also like the overall sense of competition-focused thinking here. Lack of competition breeds laziness. Similarly, barfcom does have some high level 3-gun competitors. However, the large majority are likely sitting on their hind end barely making it to the range. Im not saying you have to compete. But, whether you want to be one of those who "dont care about losing" or whatever, competition is how we get better. Check out how fighter pilots are constantly running drills, or doing mock exercises, etc. Another example would be the early UFC/MMA days. The martial arts styles that did not do live sparring, or full-resistance drills, however you wanna call it, were shark bait from day one for the styles which did do live sparring. Hence, those martial arts/sports which do the most live sparring and have the most competition in it, are the ones that dominate and are reflected in today`s fighter`s styles and training. Wrestling is huge. Boxing and Muay Thai are huge. BJJ is huge. In all of these, the practices are mostly live sparring when youre not running the drills to learn the techniques. Sure theres useful things from other MA`s to bring in, but those are the basic skills and techniques to build on precisely because their techniques were built out of techniques that work in a live spar/fighting situation.
Click to expand...

Are you high?
 
The pbike257 (search his name) barrel vise is excellent.

Badger Ordnance M2008 and M2013 actions are also very good switch barrel actions. Like an AI, barrels are interchangeable from one to the next, so gunsmiths can chamber barrels without having action in hand. Plus, spare bolts are available so you can do magnums and non magnums on the same action.
 
I have a switchbarrel that should be done on Tuesday (Very excited). It's based on a Defiance Machine Deviant "medium" action, on a KRG W3C Chassis, and chambered in .260rem w/ a 24" barrel, and the other barrel is a .284 Shehane on 28" barrel. I was kinda thinking along the same lines you are, have the .260 for the majority of my shooting and is capable enough for 1,000yd and the .284 Shehane is for anything 1,000+ or if I want/need the extra benefits of a 180gr bullet. I figured it costs about an additional $1000 for the barrel/dies/brass/components, but i have a great all around cartridge in the .260, and that next step up in performance with the .284 Shehane. Shoot me a PM if you have any more questions, and as soon as I actually have the rifle I can send you some pics and details.
 
Exactly what I was thinking.

Svendogg said:
I have a switchbarrel that should be done on Tuesday (Very excited). It's based on a Defiance Machine Deviant "medium" action, on a KRG W3C Chassis, and chambered in .260rem w/ a 24" barrel, and the other barrel is a .284 Shehane on 28" barrel. I was kinda thinking along the same lines you are, have the .260 for the majority of my shooting and is capable enough for 1,000yd and the .284 Shehane is for anything 1,000+ or if I want/need the extra benefits of a 180gr bullet. I figured it costs about an additional $1000 for the barrel/dies/brass/components, but i have a great all around cartridge in the .260, and that next step up in performance with the .284 Shehane. Shoot me a PM if you have any more questions, and as soon as I actually have the rifle I can send you some pics and details.
Click to expand...

Most of the factory guns I have, run about 9-12 hundred each. A few nicer ones. Yeah, it's nice to have them. Some do better than others, but not great. The thought of a nice custom barrel and reload tools, for about that price point, is tempting. I'd like to try one of those 10 lb. barrels, but not be "married" to it. I'm more of the Light varmint thinking, with options. Maybe a heavy , in the future. Some one said .243 and done. I have been bouncing back and forth, with my .223s and .308s for a while. About 1000 rounds so far, this season. Getting a little bored. Got some load work for a 300 win mag to do, and a 300 weatherby, but after those I'm out of projects. Looking forward to seeing Svendog's new gun. Seems Bob is already where I'd like to be. Figured I have about 20 yrs. of retirement to fill ,if I don't do something stupid.
 
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JoshcBoucher said:
THANK YOU BOB, for the input. A little of my history. I started shooting when I was 5-6, or old enough to hold a gun. When I was 30. I got married, built a house, and built a pistol range in the basement. Been reloading for 30, or so yrs. About 3 yrs ago I found this site, moved from strictly pistols, to long guns and pistols, to mostly long guns. I've also "collected" some guns over the years, that I just wanted to have. Various AR's. Older collectables. Modern bolt guns, etc. But mostly "box guns". I would like a custom, finally. Made the decision about 6 mos. ago, but can't decide on a caliber. So many choices, so little time. I like to shoot a caliber for a while, then shoot another for a while, and so on and so on. I got bit by the accuracy bug. I'm retired, and don't like golf. I also wear readers, when I load, Armyjerry. I'm not thinking of going "Bench", right now, just sliding that way a little. Recent health problems are precluding the "run and gun" thing. So I like the idea of a really nice action and stock with 3-4 great barrels in some different calibers. Running out of room in the safe. Again, thanks Bob and every one else.
Click to expand...

Curious about the "older collectibles". Got any pics?
 
This old dinosaur I supposed to learn that, in the near future. Nothing that fantastic. Just some neat old guns. A Win lever action 55 take down, in 30-30. K98 War bring-back. A couple Remmy pumps in 30 rem. and 35 rem. 2 old German octagonal barrel target? guns. One is a 25 rimfire, I think, single shot. Never had it to a smith. The other is a bolt gun in an old black powder cartridge. 6X something you can have brass custom made for. On my to do list. . Some older sideXside shotguns. My father had the best" I found this old gun" story. He found the missing 3rd Parker Invincible. He kinda set the bar a little high, for me.
 
18" or 20" .308 or one of its offspring work for me. I have an 18" Bartlein hanging on a 700 action that is as close to "do-all" as I need. Put it in a McMillan M40 with PTG bdl bottom metal. Shoots lights out and is very handy.
 
Switch barrels look viable for a lot of people...cool!
But I find that if I change calibers,it is because I changed the purpose of the rifle,and in turn will more than likely change the stock and optics as well...
As a general purpose rifle,as mentioned earlier,a 20" 308, in at about 10 or 12 lbs,would cover most all bases...
And as to your wife thinking you don't need 5 new rifles...she is right...
A man never needs more than just one more rifle...lucky for us,a man will "always" need just one more rifle...
 
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TheGerman said:
6.5 Creedmoor bolt
308Win AR10
5.56 carbine AR

That's pretty much all you need unless you plan on hunting larger animals and/or at long distances.
Click to expand...

This is how I roll but with a .260 and had to add a 300WM for when you need that extra HP. Oh, and a .22 or 4
 
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