I'm here looking for expert advice.

[Festeraxp]

Hello gentlemen,
I posted yesterday in the Military/LEO forum. I am looking at either buying or making an M24 aka Remington 700 rifle. I do not have the resources to buy a $3000 rifle w/o an optic, first and foremost. I am wondering though. Can these rifles be purchased? (yes i know how much they cost), or should i just choose components one at a time over time and build one? I am looking at getting into long distance shooting, i have never done it before, and wouldn't mind getting into it. I love the .308/ 7.62 caliber. I am also looking at doing this as a project with my son. I am a Hangun/Shotgun Instructor for the state i live and work in. I am also on Special Teams for my department. So any gentlemen advice would be great. So, yes I'm on a tight budget, yes i would like this to be a project, yes i am a dreamer. However i believe that i can accomplish this mission. Thank you all for reading and thank the mods and admins for this site and forum. I spend way too much time on here, but its better than watching the corporate sponsored media. Thanks and have a great day. Any advice info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[1moaoff]

Probably best to post in other area. There are already a ton of threads covering this.

 

[fdkay]

Hello gentlemen,
I posted yesterday in the Military/LEO forum. I am looking at either buying or making an M24 aka Remington 700 rifle. I do not have the resources to buy a $3000 rifle w/o an optic, first and foremost. I am wondering though. Can these rifles be purchased? (yes i know how much they cost), or should i just choose components one at a time over time and build one? I am looking at getting into long distance shooting, i have never done it before, and wouldn't mind getting into it. I love the .308/ 7.62 caliber. I am also looking at doing this as a project with my son. I am a Hangun/Shotgun Instructor for the state i live and work in. I am also on Special Teams for my department. So any gentlemen advice would be great. So, yes I'm on a tight budget, yes i would like this to be a project, yes i am a dreamer. However i believe that i can accomplish this mission. Thank you all for reading and thank the mods and admins for this site and forum. I spend way too much time on here, but its better than watching the corporate sponsored media. Thanks and have a great day. Any advice info would be greatly appreciated.

You can build a clone correct or you can build an M24 inspired rifle.
The M24 was a capable system, it's abilities are far exceeded by other systems.
The .308 is a good round but is not a "long range" round. The army says 800 yards the Marines 1000, that is for consistent hits.
The .308 out of a long action is another issue.
I have an M24 inspired rifle, long action, HS precision stock, .473 bolt face. It's chambered in 6.5x55, which far exceeds the capability of the .308 and was introduced about 60 years before the .308.
Do what you want, but I would consider an M40 I inspired build in 6.5 creedmoor.

 

[JLP83]

Are you a collector or a rifleman? If cash is tight and you want to start shooting longer range just buy a Tikka CTR in 6.5CM. You can replace the stock later. The M24 is pretty fucking lame.

 

[Festeraxp]

You can build a clone correct or you can build an M24 inspired rifle.
The M24 was a capable system, it's abilities are far exceeded by other systems.
The .308 is a good round but is not a "long range" round. The army says 800 yards the Marines 1000, that is for consistent hits.
The .308 out of a long action is another issue.
I have an M24 inspired rifle, long action, HS precision stock, .473 bolt face. It's chambered in 6.5x55, which far exceeds the capability of the .308 and was introduced about 60 years before the .308.
Do what you want, but I would consider an M40 I inspired build in 6.5 creedmoor.

I like what you are saying here. Looks like I will have to do my research. Like I said that’s why I put the post out here. I appreciate all of you taking the time to reply. Can you give me some more details of your build.

 

[Festeraxp]

Are you a collector or a rifleman? If cash is tight and you want to start shooting longer range just buy a Tikka CTR in 6.5CM. You can replace the stock later. The M24 is pretty fucking lame.

Not a collector at all. Looking for something my son and I can build together and then give to him when he gets older.

 

[fdkay]

I like what you are saying here. Looks like I will have to do my research. Like I said that’s why I put the post out here. I appreciate all of you taking the time to reply. Can you give me some more details of your build.

Rem long action, trued and lugs lapped. Rifle basix trigger, Hart M40 contour 6.5 barrel, HS Precision PST 013, ptg bottom metal. It is very similar in all respects to an M24A2.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

@MarinePMI can you move this over to Vintage? All the right answers and folks are there to help this gentleman.

Cheers, Sirhr

 

[MarinePMI]

Done.

 

[Hateca]

My advise before you enter the money pit of building and feeding a custom or spec rifle is to get a factory rifle, say a Remington 700 Police or Tactical, new or used, good glass, good ammo, and go shoot. I’ve seen many of new shooters jump in with both feet and then decide it wasn’t for them. If you like it and will continue you can gather parts a little at a time and then use the receiver from the rifle you been shooting and get it built.

 

[Jigstick]

My very first rifle was a Rem 700 Police in 300wm. Had it glass bedded. Threw a leupold Mk4 scope on it. Hits at 1000yds we’re boringly easy. Kept it until I shot the barrel out. Then started building customs.

 

[Strykervet]

My very first rifle was a Rem 700 Police in 300wm. Had it glass bedded. Threw a leupold Mk4 scope on it. Hits at 1000yds we’re boringly easy. Kept it until I shot the barrel out. Then started building customs.

This. A PSS. It even came with a Harris stock IIRC. 26" bbl., it was a good rifle. I had one too, it was $900 I think back in the late '90's.

Somebody had M24 buybacks from the army for sale recently but I wouldn't buy one --I know what they've been through. Get a new rifle.

 

[theLBC]

nothing wrong with 7.62/.308, as long as you know up front that are easier calibers that remove much of the skill required to shoot long range well.
for one thing, you don't have to know how to read wind as well.
secondly, you don't need to know how to manage recoil as well.

so if you want to make the sport easy, like shooting free throws with a woman's basketball, get something smaller as suggested.

if you want .308 because you respect the history, availability and cost, and aren't interested in making shooting as easy as possible, go for it.
a .308 barrel will last a little longer, and if your son learns on it, he'll be able shoot well with almost anything else.
the same will not be true in the reverse.

PS: i also shot handguns and shotguns for decades, and only purchased a "long range" semi-auto rifle recently (because i still could).
i suspect if you are well practiced with hanguns, shooting long range will not be as difficult as you (or others) might guess.
trigger control and recoil management in a handgun is much more difficult than shooting a .308 rifle. jmo

if you had no shooting experience at all, i suppose others might be right to steer you toward a 20 cal, because starting out frustrated can lead to quitting. whenever possible i always started new shooters off with a .22lr pistol. this way they learn poa/poi and all that without having to deal with recoil. if i start people out with 9mm, they will hit the middle the first 2 or 3 shots until their brain takes over and starts anticipating the shot.