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Project rifle

Gogga

Private
Minuteman
Jan 31, 2022
51
24
Sunny England
Just wanted to run an idea past those more experienced than me. I fancy a project rifle, something I can buy for a reasonable price but has potential to be tinkered with for fun.

I was considering a Tikka Super Varmint in either 7mm Rem Mag or 6.5 PRC. The idea being it could perhaps later be rebarrelled to 7mm SAUM, a chassis added etc. I'm thinking of casual target shooting up to 1 mile that didn't break the bank. Could a 7mm Rem Mag run 180gr VLD Berger's?

Any obvious problems with this idea?
 
6.5 prc will have better factory ammo(optimized for better projectiles) and you can also add another barrel in anything 7mm, .308 cal, .338 cal

The most important question, and one that I’m beating everyone else to is, do you reload? That and getting barrels throated longer will get the most out of your project
 
6.5 prc will have better factory ammo(optimized for better projectiles) and you can also add another barrel in anything 7mm, .308 cal, .338 cal

The most important question, and one that I’m beating everyone else to is, do you reload? That and getting barrels throated longer will get the most out of your project
I did wonder about that with 6.5PRC. It would be a better option out of the factory with the longer throat. I'd imagine I'd have to get a 7mm Rem Mag throated longer which would add more cost. Burn out the 6.5 PRC then get rebarrelled to a 7mm of some sort?

I had read 7mm might have more legs on it at longer ranges? I reload everything mostly pistol calibres but I do own a 308 20" that I shoot 155.5gr Berger's with.
 
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what's the ammo/component availability for 6.5PRC in England? if the answer is available i think that's the easy choice here based on twist rate alone

6.5PRC will hold up enough for casual shooting to a mile, especially inside 1200 or so. Tikka will limit something like a 300PRC on mag length for a rebarrel but if single feeding NBD
 
If you reload you can make these decisions as simple or as complicated as you want. There are legitimately hundreds of options to choose from. Especially since LRI sells replacement Tikka bolts in .473 & .540

If I’m spending your money I’d start with the Tikka in 6.5 prc. Shoot some factory options and some different reload recipes. If you wear the barrel out or just want to try something else, start buying barrels in whatever intrigues you. Some options would be; 7 saum, 300 prc, 338 edge. Some .473 options would be .30-06(very versatile when hand loaded), 280ai, .260, 6x47, 22br

Bolt guns are firearm legos now, just like the AR platform
 
what's the ammo/component availability for 6.5PRC in England? if the answer is available i think that's the easy choice here based on twist rate alone

6.5PRC will hold up enough for casual shooting to a mile, especially inside 1200 or so. Tikka will limit something like a 300PRC on mag length for a rebarrel but if single feeding NBD
Availability isn't too bad over here, not as many shooters as in the US and more restricted so no casual shoppers! I had looked at 300PRC but then found a lot of ranges owned by the Ministry of Defence have a 4500J energy limit, about 3,380ft/lbs. Staying under that would be less hassle and give me more choices. We do have ranges you can shoot .50cal on but they are mostly a few hundred miles away.

I'm surprised at Tikka not making the mags long enough for the heavy 300PRC bullets but as I understand it they aren't really long actions, sort of medium?

I'd like to go beyond 1200 as I could just rebarrel my Tac A1 to 6.5 CM otherwise, but I like .308 for the 0-800M shooting. Learn a bit more.
 
If you reload you can make these decisions as simple or as complicated as you want. There are legitimately hundreds of options to choose from. Especially since LRI sells replacement Tikka bolts in .473 & .540

If I’m spending your money I’d start with the Tikka in 6.5 prc. Shoot some factory options and some different reload recipes. If you wear the barrel out or just want to try something else, start buying barrels in whatever intrigues you. Some options would be; 7 saum, 300 prc, 338 edge. Some .473 options would be .30-06(very versatile when hand loaded), 280ai, .260, 6x47, 22br

Bolt guns are firearm legos now, just like the AR platform
I think you could be right with 6.5PRC. Unfortunately things are a bit more difficult in sunny England. Barrels, receivers etc are all classed as restricted parts so you'd have a job buying and doing all the paperwork. Generally you're reliant on a gunsmith for rebarrels, hence having to plan ahead a bit. I wish I had all your options, quite jealous! If happily move to somewhere like Montana.
 
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Availability isn't too bad over here, not as many shooters as in the US and more restricted so no casual shoppers! I had looked at 300PRC but then found a lot of ranges owned by the Ministry of Defence have a 4500J energy limit, about 3,380ft/lbs. Staying under that would be less hassle and give me more choices. We do have ranges you can shoot .50cal on but they are mostly a few hundred miles away.

I'm surprised at Tikka not making the mags long enough for the heavy 300PRC bullets but as I understand it they aren't really long actions, sort of medium?

I'd like to go beyond 1200 as I could just rebarrel my Tac A1 to 6.5 CM otherwise, but I like .308 for the 0-800M shooting. Learn a bit more.
300PRC isnt even close to fitting in a tikka. i dont see them making a new longer action

medium length in the US is a tikka long

play with ballistics. see if a 6.5PRC is really going to get you what you want over a 6.5CM (what 200-300 fps?). same with a 7RM in the 9.5" twist range bullets
 
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300PRC isnt even close to fitting in a tikka. i dont see them making a new longer action

medium length in the US is a tikka long

play with ballistics. see if a 6.5PRC is really going to get you what you want over a 6.5CM (what 200-300 fps?). same with a 7RM in the 9.5" twist range bullets
Yes I had looked at Bergara before I found out about the muzzle energy limit. My thinking is the initial factory barrel would be a stop gap until I burned it out or got bored. 7SAUM, 284 Winchester seem to be about on the limit of the energy budget whilst still performing well up to and past 1500yds. Just a matter of finding that sweet spot...
Once at the point of a barrel swap as long as the new cartridge fits in the magazine with the heavy bullets it can be throated to suit. I'm thinking a 6.5 PRC Tikka would have room to fit a 7SAUM with just a rebarrel. I can learn more about 1K+ shooting on the 6.5 whilst saving the funds for the replacement?

It all makes sense in my head, probably seems an odd way to go about it to a US shooter!
 
I think you could be right with 6.5PRC. Unfortunately things are a bit more difficult in sunny England. Barrels, receivers etc are all classed as restricted parts so you'd have a job buying and doing all the paperwork. Generally you're reliant on a gunsmith for rebarrels, hence having to plan ahead a bit. I wish I had all your options, quite jealous! If happily move to somewhere like Montana.
Yeah, I noticed where you live after I wrote that and someone else mentioned it.

So if I were in this situation, I’d choose a new barrel and components to shoot 7 saum. @Steel head has good info about his 7 saum shenanigans
 
Yeah, I noticed where you live after I wrote that and someone else mentioned it.

So if I were in this situation, I’d choose a new barrel and components to shoot 7 saum. @Steel head has good info about his 7 saum shenanigans
Yes, good advice I think. I'll look up Steal head. Looks an interesting and accurate calibre. I was always a pistol shooter until they were made illegal over here, this rifle game is quite a different beast but a very interesting one. I appreciate everyone's input.
 
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