Its shooting .5s and .4s all day but i think i can get tighter conditions have been shitty and with the spuhr and bighorn rail the scope is still to high even with the kmw all the way up but i just ordered some "extra long columns" from @Terry Cross
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16-18 inch shorty rifles
- Thread starter DrDeath
- Start date
Because I still like to shoot my shortys at long distances and the bigger better scopes make that more enjoyable.
I’m really inspired by this thread. I have a Tikka .243 that I bought for a screaming deal. Really nice rifle, shoots really well if I do my part. I just ordered a KRG Bravo chassis, bought a Leupold vx5hd, an ADM mount and the Elay trigger spring.
Can any of you recommend a length to have the barrel chopped down to, it’s currently 22” I’m thinking 18” then have it recrowned and threaded. I shoot 80 gr TTSX.
Can any of you recommend a length to have the barrel chopped down to, it’s currently 22” I’m thinking 18” then have it recrowned and threaded. I shoot 80 gr TTSX.
700 "G" Prefix
PTG speedlock firing pin assembly
X Caliber 308 16.5'' 10 twist
APA Little Bastard
HS Precision Thumbhole Tri Color Desert 14'' LOP
Magpul Pro 700
700 Trigger 1lb 9 oz.
Murphy Precision 20 MOA Rail
Vortex 5-25x50
PTG speedlock firing pin assembly
X Caliber 308 16.5'' 10 twist
APA Little Bastard
HS Precision Thumbhole Tri Color Desert 14'' LOP
Magpul Pro 700
700 Trigger 1lb 9 oz.
Murphy Precision 20 MOA Rail
Vortex 5-25x50
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I am doing about the same with a Howa. Chopped it to 18.5" to run with a suppressor. I am in the middle of load dev now and will be running 70gr Noslers and 87gr V-max to start. I need to get a chrono to see how badly the the barrel chop neutered the speed.
Savage model 10 chambered in 308
Chopped the factory 20” down to 16.25”
XLR element chassis
Vortex pst gen 16-24
Griffin armament sportsman taper mount
I like it, no regrets. Very handy, still shoots 178 amax over 4064 lights out. Both pics are of the 16.25” barrel, with and without can for comparison. Gave me an opportunity to finally do a barrel swap on a savage, though it was more of a pull and reinstall of the same barrel. Easy peasy once o removed the stubborn smooth nut with a pipe wrench
Still thinking of putting the folding stock adapter on.
Chopped the factory 20” down to 16.25”
XLR element chassis
Vortex pst gen 16-24
Griffin armament sportsman taper mount
I like it, no regrets. Very handy, still shoots 178 amax over 4064 lights out. Both pics are of the 16.25” barrel, with and without can for comparison. Gave me an opportunity to finally do a barrel swap on a savage, though it was more of a pull and reinstall of the same barrel. Easy peasy once o removed the stubborn smooth nut with a pipe wrench
Still thinking of putting the folding stock adapter on. 
Can you guys give some recommendations on who can chop and thread a barrel for a reasonable price and a reasonable turn around? I also would like minimal damage to my current cerakote job.
Yea, maybe if you have a lathe? And appropriate fixtures and machinery capable of holding .0002? Most people don't have those.
I used Morgan Richey of class 3 machining. He’s in TX and I’m in CO. He charged me $85 to cut, thread, and ship it back. Turnaround was about a week iirc and he communicated very well. Barrel shoots as good as it did before I sent it and he didn’t mar it, although I’m not picky about that stuff so I didn’t inspect it with a magnifying glass.
Absolutely. That isnt run out. He dialed in the bore of the area he is working on to be straight which is the correct way. When the blanks are made the bores are not always centered perfectly and that is regardless of the brand. Some are more consistently better than others but they all have it.
Also...anyone run a 110smk through about an 18-19" in either 6xc, 6x47 or 6creed? Is it killing brass at that speed/weight? Hoping to get 2800 out of it in an upcoming build.
I think it be would fine considering my 6.5 creedmoor @ 18" runs factory federal beger 130s @2770-2800.
Youll probably be in 2850-2900 territory pretty easily.
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Thats what I'm hoping. 110smk @2800 doesnt really lose any wind to a 110 @ 3100. As long as I'm not blowing primers left and right to get 2800 I think I'll have a nice handy/suppressed rig for open class next year.
Good looking rig. Where did you get the stock? I've been looking for one just like it to go on a 26" 308 I have.
Put a new scope on this little guy, S&B 3-20 Ultra Short with MSR2 reticle. Badger rings and accuracy first level. Love this little rifle. Shoots 143 eldx's into .2's and .3's with ease at 2553fps according to the labradar.
I gave the "new" Prime 130s a try and my 18" runs them @2750 and gives nothing up to 143s or 140s as far as energy and wind out to 1k yards but in my opinion its a little more forgiving due to less come up needed.
It also shoots them in the .2s and .3s!!!
Might be worth a shot for you too.
Savage model 10 chambered in 308
Chopped the factory 20” down to 16.25”
XLR element chassis
Vortex pst gen 16-24
Griffin armament sportsman taper mount
I like it, no regrets. Very handy, still shoots 178 amax over 4064 lights out. Both pics are of the 16.25” barrel, with and without can for comparison. Gave me an opportunity to finally do a barrel swap on a savage, though it was more of a pull and reinstall of the same barrel. Easy peasy once o removed the stubborn smooth nut with a pipe wrench
View attachment 7132631View attachment 7132632
That's a beauty and i'm thinking of building something similar. Do you mind telling me the OAL from the threads of the barrel to the end of the stock? I'm assuming there's about an inch gap from the stock to the tube. Thanks!
I haven't seen were they say what bullet they ate using now, but I know my 18" 8 twist bartlein likes it. I was told it was spec'd by them to be identical to the old one they were using.
For anyone who has been on the fence about building a shorty, below is a heck of a deal. I ordered a 16.5" heavy palma for $417.90 shipped.
PVA 6.5 Creedmoor 16.5"" with Jet Blast
700 with Timney
Magpul
Vortex 5-25x50
28" folded.
700 with Timney
Magpul
Vortex 5-25x50
28" folded.
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Ok after following the thread for a short time I caught the bug and want to put together a shorty as a relatively budget friendly, portable, and compact rifle for practice and plinking. I just picked up an SRS A1, which is compact enough, but I don't want to keep it in the trunk on a rather permanent basis, which I intend to do with the shorty. I have a 40+ mile commute to work and have access to 4 ranges along the way, so I can go to any at a whim when I don't feel like being stuck in traffic. The longest distance I can shoot along my commute is 200 yards. However, I do go to Southern California quite a bit to visit my wife's family which gives me access to 600 yards so I intend to take this rifle during those trips. The closest long range to where I live is about an hour an a half north, but going there is a range day, and i'd bring my SRS A1 or Tikka T3X CTR. Yah, that's pretty much my justification for another rifle, but any justification for a new rifle is good enough right?
I tried to pick up a Remington 700 SPS Tactical in 16.5" 308W a few days ago from Sportsman Warehouse, but they wouldn't price match Cabela's sale price of $599. They said since there's no local Cabela's they wouldn't match it. Their price match guarantee didn't quite state that, but oh well. I was going to put it in a chassis, get a trigger, use an extra VG6 break I have and call it a day.
Since failing there i've decided to make it a goal to keep the rifle under $1000. I forgot to mention, I have spare glass and rings. Bass Pro has the Savage 12FV for $369 right now in 308 or 6.5cm so i'm thinking to go this route and chopping and threading its varmint barrel. I suppose if I stick with the accutrigger, putting it in a MDT or XLR chassis for about $400+ (using spare AR buffer, stock w/ cheek riser and grip), and a few AIC mags since I don't have any, i'll be well below my $1000 goal.
So, if I go the budget route, anyone that has gone through this path have any suggestions? Would you do it again if you had to do it all over again?
Any feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
I tried to pick up a Remington 700 SPS Tactical in 16.5" 308W a few days ago from Sportsman Warehouse, but they wouldn't price match Cabela's sale price of $599. They said since there's no local Cabela's they wouldn't match it. Their price match guarantee didn't quite state that, but oh well. I was going to put it in a chassis, get a trigger, use an extra VG6 break I have and call it a day.
Since failing there i've decided to make it a goal to keep the rifle under $1000. I forgot to mention, I have spare glass and rings. Bass Pro has the Savage 12FV for $369 right now in 308 or 6.5cm so i'm thinking to go this route and chopping and threading its varmint barrel. I suppose if I stick with the accutrigger, putting it in a MDT or XLR chassis for about $400+ (using spare AR buffer, stock w/ cheek riser and grip), and a few AIC mags since I don't have any, i'll be well below my $1000 goal.
So, if I go the budget route, anyone that has gone through this path have any suggestions? Would you do it again if you had to do it all over again?
Any feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Those Remington 16.5” rifles are definitely cool and worth the $600. For a budget build it’s perfect and there’s not much else to do to it. Barrel is already short and threaded. Do a stock upgrade and scope base and you’re off and running. You don’t need to spend a ton on a fancy chassis system with $75 mags if you’re doing a budget build. Pick up a used HS or B&C stock for cheap and go shoot it. You can pick up a better trigger and add a brake later. No need to do it all at once.
You could also consider picking up a 20” Remington SPS AAC-SD for about the same price or even cheaper and cut the barrel down to 18” yourself. Buy the muzzle crowning tools from Brownells to finish the job. You can still shoot rifles without threaded muzzles and brakes contrary to the popular belief.
You could also consider picking up a 20” Remington SPS AAC-SD for about the same price or even cheaper and cut the barrel down to 18” yourself. Buy the muzzle crowning tools from Brownells to finish the job. You can still shoot rifles without threaded muzzles and brakes contrary to the popular belief.
Thanks i'll definitely look into your suggestions. Sportsman Warehouse wouldn't sell it to me for $599 (Cabela's price). It was around $775.
$599 is a great price for those 16.5’s.
Bet you can find a 20” SPS Tactical for a bit less, they’re much more common.
Don’t know too much about the other rifles you listed but finding used stocks and parts for the 700’s will be much easier if you’re sticking to the budget build plan.
Bet you can find a 20” SPS Tactical for a bit less, they’re much more common.
Don’t know too much about the other rifles you listed but finding used stocks and parts for the 700’s will be much easier if you’re sticking to the budget build plan.
From barrel tip to recoil pad it’s right about 35”. That could vary, of course, based on a shooters individual LOP.
I wouldn’t hesitate on the savage if budget is a main concern. Get a few tools and you can do the whole thing yourself. Pull the barrel, have it cut and threaded, reassemble. Go shoot things. Done.
I posted this over on the custom shorty thread before I realized this one was here so I'll post it here too as this seems to have more exposure. Has anyone here had any experience with the Bergara B-14 Ridge SP in 6.5CM? If the thing only came with detachable mags it would tick all my off the shelf boxes I want since manufacturers still are working 6.5 in the 22-24" range sadly. I would probably throw it into a KRG Bravo just to give me the ability to use mags with it but it still seems relatively scare in the online world.
Bighorn TL3 with 16 inch 308 Bartlein by Altus(Core).
MPA chassis. TT diamond. Hellfire break.
NF NX8 scope
MPA chassis. TT diamond. Hellfire break.
NF NX8 scope
