AK Moose/Rockies Elk Gun Build: Nielson Custom Rifles?

[Spicerack]

Any reports of experience with Nielson Custom Rifles? Finally to the point where I'm in a spot where I can start making plans for some hunting trips. I'm in WI and a seasoned whitetail hunter, and want to plan an elk hunt in 3 years then an Alaskan moose hunt in 5 years. Looking to get a gun built for these hunts since I don't have anything in the safe that is light enough with enough ass to make the shot count. I know, I know, shot placement blablabla, get stronger blablabla, but I can do all that and still want a lighter and better shooting rifle. The Proof Glacier Ti is prob what I want but can I save $3-4k and spend that on training and practice ammo?? I priced out parts for my ultimate dream build to do myself but then there's the lack of accuracy guarantee, time, tools, and doubt, plus the fact I've been a factory guy to this point. So with the time frame I'm thinking the custom or semi custom build is the way to go for me. I'd like to be sub 7lb rifle only, adding the fact that I have a LRHSi and Omega can which will being me up to around 10lb. I'm thinking some pro help might shave a few ounces and even more dollars. Where do I go from here? Who can build me what I want? How can I shave weight and money? Am I even thinking right here? Never been to AK, never been out west to hunt, looking for some help from the super deep knowledge base. Nielson may fit the bill? I have a Tikka CTR in .260 that is superb and I know exactly where my bullet will land at any range out to 500yd. Nielson will build off a Tikka action but how mush will a Lone Peak Ti action save me in weight compared to a Tikka action? Is it worth the dough? thinking 300WSM for chambering, I got time to source ammo and/or components. I reload as well. Want something that I can shoot 20-30 rounds at a range outing without turning my upper body into meat jello so I can get good practice in. Go easy fellas, I'm new to the out west stuff and genuinely looking for some real help.

 

[Aftermath]

Shed the bipod. I don't think I've ever been in a non-stand hunting situation where a bipod would have been better to use than my backpack.
Leave that can at home, too. You are going to pull the trigger maybe 2 times on each animal and you will be out in the wild without a blast wall and such to send that sound impulse back at you.
BDL is cool and all but the ADL saves you some weight.
Unless you are wanting to use this rifle in some other activity, consider a thin profile barrel. 1 or 2 shots won't heat that barrel up much.
The moose I have killed were all well within 100 yards. Try to be sure they don't die in a pond.
I have never shot at an elk beyond maybe 400 yards. Try to be sure they don't die at the bottom of a steep canyon full of thick growth.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

Do what I did. Buy a Christensen arms fft ridgeline in 300wsm (20" barrel"), for about $2,200 or so, sell the stock to recoup some money, and drop it into your stock of choice. Mine might be the most accurate rifle I own.

 

[jbuck88]

Surely there are more seasoned hunters, but I hunt Elk with a proof barreled 300wsm. I also use a omega and atlas PRS bipod. Although I'm set up to reload I am working thru a stash of factory TLR edge ammo that I ended up with in a trade.

The ammo came with a Christiansen 300wsm that I ended up selling. Nothing against rifle in particular it shot just fine. But I didn't like the stock and decided to cut my loses and get my dream rifle built.

I just got to play with a lone peak fuzion Ti and was very impressed.

I would definitely go bdl or dbm unless you are trying to built a Ultralight.

 

[DJL2]

I reminded of... hmm... Mark Twight? To paraphrase: 9.75 lbs of the most expensive, light weight shit you can get is still 9.75 lbs. You're buying down risk at the cost of weight in some cases (bipod, suppressor). That being said, I don't consider 10 lbs to be excessive - most women seem more than capable of carrying this weight near continuously for example, we just call it a newborn instead of a rifle. ;-)

 

[wpeach1912]

No experience with Nielsen rifles, but a 300 WSM with the components you listed will get the job done for sure. Hunting out west, I always leave bipod on my rifle and I've used it enough to be worth it. You can also look at getting a prefit barrel and making it yourself. I recently converted my Tikka from a 300 win mag to 300 wsm with a c6 prefit and a Mesa Precision stock. From my research, a Tikka action with a trigger is just under 2 pounds. My build with a 22" C6 sendero, Mesa Altitude, Burris XTR 3i, factory DBM, MTI mag, harris 9-13, and a cheapy steel brake comes in at 10.5 pounds.

 

[Obi-WanKannoli]

Here you go:

Havak Element

<p>Seekins Precision’s next phase of Unrivaled Innovation--the HAVAK ELEMENT. Drawing on years of precision AR rifle experience and the unparalleled success of our HAVAK line, Seekins Precision has created the hybrid, ultra-light-weight hunting rifl

seekinsprecision.com

 

[cjs88]

Idk if you're married to the Fuzion and don't want to wait but BAT might have some Bumblebees in stock if you call them. Practically same weight and price. They had Vampires in stock when I bought my action.

https://www.batmachine.com/batactions/bumblebee-sa/

 

[powdahound76]

It all depends……

A stock tikka will work. Mine does anyways.

30’06 with good loading will easily shoot MOA or better to 400 yds.

Invest in boots and fitness.
Decent gear that layers and is built for performance vs humid and cold midwest stand hunts is key.


If you really want light, a Zermatt Ti, 3b barrel from PVA, and mesa precision stock will get you light.
For not bad $.

 

[Spicerack]

Started a conversation with Mr. Nielsen yesterday via phone and followed up with a build wish list email. Got a decent vibe from him on the phone. He was patient with all my questions, had insight and advice on things to think about. Seems pretty legit. Will report back here with findings as we go forward. Thinking now about building off a Tikka action to save over $1k at the expense of a few ounces. Still thinking 300wsm too. Already have a Tikka CTR in .260 that is pretty wonderful to cycle and shoot. Trigger is decent enough.

 

[86alaskan]

your build looks really good. the weight will be far less of an issue than you think. I carried my 338 rum on my elk hunt in montana. gets you the horsepower you want, just weighs a little more. My rifle was 12.5lbs all in and rocks shit. as far as alaska, ss or ti, high quality carbon or fiberglass stock, maybe a nightforce 4-16. the weather can be worse than anything you've ever hunted in, for the entirety of the hunt. you don't want any part of your gear to let you down in those conditions. Like, i made a point of loading all my hunting ammo in nickel plated cases in AK to avoid another fail point, brass cases in a wet barrel for days at a time.

 

[Spicerack]

So I think I sorta hafta throw this guy my dough... the full custom build with the LP Fuzion Ti he quoted for less than I can buy all the parts. The build off a Tikka action saves $1300 and cost only 8oz so I think I have to go that way. Oh and the custom parts build doesn't count the 12 or so places that I would need to pay shipping to, plus all the tools, plus all the time. Almost seems too good to be true. From him:

 

[jbuck88]

So your going Tikka or lone peak?

 

[86alaskan]

So, if you're trying to save, use a ss tikka, and bypass the ceracoat. Sure it looks good on the internet, but won't really be necessary then. Also, look into a self timing brake. That's something you'll be able to take on and off easier as necessary, and could save a few more bucks. Amd the bedding isn't totally necessary either with a high quality stock. It's all down to how much you really want to save

 

[86alaskan]

Oh, and if you're trying to count ounces and dollars, skip the rail on the tikka and use the Hawkins or talley direct mount lightweight ri gs. They're plenty strong and very simple

 

[jbuck88]

I'm sure the $120 is for muzzle threading the timing is free if they have the brake. At least that seems inline with prices I've been paying.

 

[Spicerack]

Evening folks,

Ended up changing my mind. No one heard of Nielson, no reviews, small volume = too big a risk for me, would rather pay a little more for someone with a reputation. Contacted Travis at TS Customs that has history, plus a friend in South Dakota vouches for him. Had a real nice phone conversation with Travis and he quoted $5800 for the lone peak option listed above plus the same other stuff, except Benchmark barrel and their KS1 stock which looks solid.

I grew up a poor and can easily afford this. But, damn, that's a lot of dough. What if I hate it? ALL of the production rifles I have to make a concession on something. I do not want to go that way. I want this to be the perfect solution. Tikka barrel twist is to long. Seekins Element is not available (although the reports of customer service are superb), Christenson has spotty quality, Browning et al is meh on reviews and accuracy and not sold on modularity, will NOT buy another Savage (had one that worked but the action I thought was complete trash), Fierce has quality issues from many reviews. Suppose I just have to suck it up and cough up the lettuce.

 

[Buck300]

Go for it! You only live once. TS Customs will have good resale value, If you don't like it.

 

[86alaskan]

i'll second this, if you're counting the cons on any factory option, don't waste any time with one. Start shopping custom guns. you've already looked at TS customs. see if GA precision, Southern Precision Rifles, Alamo Precision or any other big name builder has what you're looking for. They all use top of the line components and stand behind their gear. Or, build it yourself. So many of the modern custom actions offer prefit barrels and are of the 700 action foot print. A friend recently built a Terminus Kratos LA 300PRC with parts he bought online. Action, Proof barrel, triggertech trigger, manners stock. All purchased online and spun together in his basement. The rifle shoots as if it was produced by a custom smith but was built with readily available bolt together parts.

 

[Spicerack]

Did it. Paid TS Customs the deposit for a build in 300wsm in a medium LPA Ti action, Benchmark Carbon Sendero 22" 1:9t, TT special 2 stage, dark timber instinct KS1 stock with arca rail, Hawkins BDM.

Now the wait.

 

[86alaskan]

Sounds like a nice build. I'm sure it'll be great

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

Alright, now that is settled, tell us about the hunt you have planned.

 

[Spicerack]

Alright, now that is settled, tell us about the hunt you have planned.

LoL... ya that's a different story. Three years from now is when I'm planning (will be 50th year on this rock). I don't have the first idea of where to start with this. I'm thinking a guided elk hunt to learn on my first one, pick up everything I can from guides, then maybe a drop camp for the next one if I feel like I learned enough. Don't know what state, what unit, what outfitter. Figure if I drop coin like this on a gun for it then I'll have incentive to follow through. But I feel like this may be a different thread. But as retired USMC I want to have the proper weapon system and time behind it before executing the mission. Spending the next 3 years training, range time, and researching where/how to hunt those critters.

 

[supercorndogs]

I have a thread going talking about lite bipods. There are a couple in there in 3-5oz range vs a 14oz atlas, or Harris.

 

[Painless300]

I can vouch for Travis as well. He builds a very nice rifle. This one is exactly the same as what he speced for you, except it’s a 300 NM. The KS stock is awesome. Came in just over 10 lbs.

 

[Spicerack]

Good evening,
Picked up the TS Customs rifle today. It is absolute art. Can't wait to get glass on it and get it to the range.

 

[BJames]

That’s awesome! Great looking rifle.

Just FYI, start sourcing your components now, brass is getting hard to find for the 300 wsm. I love the round, but I’m starting to think 6.5 PRC would’ve been a better choice for me. Just for the availability of factory ammo and quality brass.

Moose really aren’t all that hard to kill, my last year’s moose fell to a muzzleloader, one high lung shot. That and people shoot them with sticks

 

[jbuck88]

I have no experience with moose, but yes you should probably start looking for components.

I like my 300wsm, but took a while to find components.

 

[Spicerack]

On the waiting list for ADG brass. Got 3 different powders and a stack of bullets and a case of primers. Plus sitting on a a handful of cheap Winchester ammo for break in and emergency brass. So i think I'm doing ok on components. Patience has been critical.

 

[Buck300]

Nice rig!!