1st rifle, 2k budget, build or buy?

[Sutherlandsd]

Hunts has the origin and TL3 in stock at least did a few weeks ago. The krg and trigger can get from Brownells. Keystone had a two week turn this past week when I called on barrels.

Theoretically could have it all in two weeks.

Could also get a proof stainless Savage prefit in stock at stocks or maybe even Brownells haven't checked. Hell of a nice barrel.

 

[One1Bravo]

If you buy the parts new online, and go for an in stock prefit barrel and a bighorn action, wouldn't you in theory have all the parts on your door step in about a month?

Easily. The only thing I'll be waiting on for my current build will be my glass. Everything else delivered within two weeks.

 

[stello1001]

If you buy the parts new online, and go for an in stock prefit barrel and a bighorn action, wouldn't you in theory have all the parts on your door step in about a month?

If you buy the parts new online and they're in stock yes...

If you have to scavenge the parts from the hide AS IT WAS MENTIONED would you be able to find them all today? Probably not. My reply was to a suggestion about looking for used parts in the PX.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

A little off track, but i just saw this on cabelas
Ashbury Precision Ordnance Saber® M700™ Precision Bolt-Action Rifle 6.5cm and .308
Regular Price:
$1,699.99
Sale Price:
$999.88

I know it's no tikka but....

 

[chavezz556]

You should check out the Premier action from Bergara.. I put one together for $1700 with a MPA BA chassis, seekins break, timney 517


Me personally would rather have cut rifle over cold hammer forged and tikka mags blow! I'm shooting a 140 grn eld @ 2810 with 1/2moa (when I do my part)

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

You should check out the Premier action from Bergara.. I put one together for $1700 with a MPA BA chassis, seekins break, timney 517


Me personally would rather have cut rifle over cold hammer forged and tikka mags blow! I'm shooting a 140 grn eld @ 2810 with 1/2moa (when I do my part)

I've looked at Bergara at the local gun shop they're a nice factory rifle. I would definitely consider one if I bought off the shelf.

 

[260284]

From what I understand, the action is more of a standardization and manufacturing tolerance issue. The reason the TL3 is set up for barrel swaps is that it's thread diameter is the same as for Savage pre-fit barrels, which are widely available. The tolerances on the TL3 are good enough that you can even have shouldered prefits that can be screwed in without a barrel nut to be able to pass go/no-go gauges. Then, for different sized cases, you can swap the bolt head without needing to purchase a new bolt body.

If you take the typical Remington factory action, I don't know if you can. However, the higher quality custom actions and tikka actions can all use prefit barrels, just not necessarily the savage small shank. See, for example the offerings from bugholes.com, PVA, criterion. Also, I don't know if their short action bolts will work with the long action receivers.

Besides the TL3, the Arc actions such as the nucleus and the mausingfield also take savage small shank and have swappable bolt heads. The main difference there I think are the wait times on your order.

Another choice is a tikka. The tikkas are all long action as others have pointed out. If you choose to build Tikka somebody on the hide did a 300 win mag build recently:

https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/tikka-long-action-caliber-stock-chassis.6904155/

I believe Pva, criterion and bugholes can all do prefit tikka barrels that work with a barrel nut. Not sure where the guy got his carbon barrel from though.

The new smaller BugNut for Tikkas from SPR uses small shank Savage barrels. Carbon6 is making pre-fit shouldered barrels for Tikkas now.

 

[physguy88]

The new smaller BugNut for Tikkas from SPR uses small shank Savage barrels. Carbon6 is making pre-fit shouldered barrels for Tikkas now.

Has there been any user reports on the carbon 6 barrels and dealing with carbon 6 in general? I couldn't find anything last time I looked.

 

[260284]

Has there been any user reports on the carbon 6 barrels and dealing with carbon 6 in general? I couldn't find anything last time I looked.

I have a friend that has used them for hunting rifle builds and every rifle has been 1/2 moa or better. He is using Remington actions. There is a Tikka with a Carbon6 .300 PRC on here somewhere.

 

[Sutherlandsd]

Not to sidetrack this thread but I picked up a proof carbon and although it's not the fastest barrel I've had it's an absolute tack driver. If a veteran, mil or leo the expert voice site has these at an exceptional price.

 

[SwiftScope]

Bergara BMP would be a great factory option, R700 footprint and can be had for around $1400

 

[Precisiondada]

A little off track, but i just saw this on cabelas
Ashbury Precision Ordnance Saber® M700™ Precision Bolt-Action Rifle 6.5cm and .308
Regular Price:
$1,699.99
Sale Price:
$999.88

I know it's no tikka but....

There is a new one created in conjunction with Frank as well. See the sticky

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

There is a new one created in conjunction with Frank as well. See the sticky

I contacted Ashbury and they stated that the cabelas version goes through the same selection and gauging process. At under $1000, I could upgrade my optic and have a complete package sending rounds downrange under $2k.

 

[patriot07]

You'd have to be holding a gun to my head to buy anything at $1k that started it's life as a modern R700. JMHO.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

You'd have to be holding a gun to my head to buy anything at $1k that started it's life as a modern R700. JMHO.

Lol, to each his own. I get the whole Chevy, Ford, Dodge thing.

Just thinking at the same price of almost any custom I could be better scoped, setup to load a new caliber, and shooting.

Besides if down the road I want to go custom, I could just drop the action into a $200 magpul and sell it for almost what I paid, and still have a $600 chassis to build off.

To put together what I want at the price I want will take a lot of time scouring the internet and PX for the right deals. When I can be shooting.

The way its looking, I will ultimately end up with 2 rifles. One long and one short.

 

[patriot07]

The modern R700 has a long history of quality issues. That's my reasoning. The Tikka has a better action and will likely be more accurate. The more you start looking at building, the more you need to focus on the action and that's where I'd consider a Tikka even more strongly.

But yeah, a $1k R700 with a factory Rem barrel - hard pass. If it came with a Bartlein or something on it, then it'd be a slightly different story - I'd still take the Tikka but at least the Rem has something going for it.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

It has a couple things going for it. this is basically the same rifle minus a few bells and whistles recommended by official Snipershide and one they are putting their name on. For what it's worth, it's been hand selected and quality inspected tested by Ashbury precision. So in theory it's not the same gamble as just any off the shelf action would be. It's under $1k and has a quality folding chassis. I could get get a quality remage barrel and upgrade the trigger and still be competitive with most store guns.

 

[Steel Rain]

Tikka CTR + aftermarket chassis would allow for AICS pattern mags if that's a concern.

Also, I agree with others on here I think you'll be happier going 6.5Creed over 300WM.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

Tikka CTR + aftermarket chassis would allow for AICS pattern mags if that's a concern.

Also, I agree with others on here I think you'll be happier going 6.5Creed over 300WM.

Narrowed it down to 2 options and its leaning toward #2 because option 1 will take a while to put together.

#1) build a 6 or 6.5Cm in long action leaving open the option to expand to larger, thinking now maybe a 7mm instead of 300WM. Most likely second hand parts.

#2) APO M700 from cabelas. it's a decent entry level with everything I think I want at $1k, and put the rest into a build fund for piecing together the custom long action.

 

[Steel Rain]

Several multi caliber setups available now, i.e. AI, DT, and the custom actions with floating bolt heads. Would def cost a little more upfront, but prob save money in the long run vs 2 or 3 seperate rifles.. Just another option.

 

[physguy88]

Narrowed it down to 2 options and its leaning toward #2 because option 1 will take a while to put together.

#1) build a 6 or 6.5Cm in long action leaving open the option to expand to larger, thinking now maybe a 7mm instead of 300WM. Most likely second hand parts.

#2) APO M700 from cabelas. it's a decent entry level with everything I think I want at $1k, and put the rest into a build fund for piecing together the custom long action.

If that's what you are thinking I say go for it. If you are anything like me a lot of "well it doesn't do X or Y perfectly" can be countered by the thought of "but I got a great deal for it".

If down the line you need to build another rifle that better suits your evolving needs, that will just be part of the fun of this hobby.

 

[patriot07]

If that's what you are thinking I say go for it. If you are anything like me a lot of "well it doesn't do X or Y perfectly" can be countered by the thought of "but I got a great deal for it".

If down the line you need to build another rifle that better suits your evolving needs, that will just be part of the fun of this hobby.

My thoughts exactly. Getting into the game, I absolutely would not go either of the routes being considered. But if that's what the OP wants, he should go for it and when he inevitably wants something different later, he can get something different.

 

[BallisticPrimate]

Tikka > Remington, and by no short distance...regardless of what the rem is dressed in.

 

[Weatherby_Eyebrow]

I snagged one of those M700's from Cabelas last night after a call to APO. Customer Service was top notch, very impressed. They were willing to work with me on changing out the stock out to the same one that SH edition comes with. I'm going to learn /train with it for a year or two and when I'm ready to upgrade to a Tikka, AI, custom action, whatever I'll cut down or replace the barrel with a shorty 16" or something and make a truck/backpack gun with a folding stock.

I was planning on buying the SH edition but I'm pretty sure I can build something similar to the SH edition with the parts I want for around the same or less $$$.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

I snagged one of those M700's from Cabelas last night after a call to APO. Customer Service was top notch, very impressed. They were willing to work with me on changing out the stock out to the same one that SH edition comes with. I'm going to learn /train with it for a year or two and when I'm ready to upgrade to a Tikka, AI, custom action, whatever I'll cut down or replace the barrel with a shorty 16" or something and make a truck/backpack gun with a folding stock.

I was planning on buying the SH edition but I'm pretty sure I can build something similar to the SH edition with the parts I want for around the same or less $$$.

That was sort of my same thought process, I pick mine up tomorrow. What kind of deal did they work out for the stock? If you can say. I was thinking of grabbing a luth-ar or similar.

Also picked up a nice timey trigger, Burris xtr2, rings, rail, and some ammo all for under $2k.