Beginner Target and Occasional Hunting Rifle Options

[ETXbeginner]

I'm in East Texas, between Houston and Dallas. Budget is roughly $2k, give or take a little for the right deal. Rifle would be used primarily for shooting steel. Obviously accuracy is a plus but being that I'm not shooting BR I can live with groups in the .75" to .5" range all day. Rifle will likely be a 6.5 creedmoor but would be open to other suggestions. Could be used for whitetail hunting (200-300 yards maximum range in the rolling hills/woods here). We have family in CO, if I ever get a chance I wouldn't mind doing a muley hunt there but would have similar range restrictions based on my experience. Target range would be 1000 yard maximum, I have other rifles if I really wanted to get out there. My question is, would I be better off building or buying with this budget and intended use? For reference, Alamo Precision Rifles has a 6.5 creedmoor with a 16.5" proof carbon wrapped barrel and an AG composites carbon stock (well out of budget but a gorgeous rifle that draws me like pandoras box). Rifle wouldn't be ideal for long range with the shorter barrel and loss of velocity but would be handy if i ever hunted with it. Recoil would likely make it hard to stay on the scope for bullet impact without a brake or can. On the other end of the spectrum I'm looking at the Tikka T3 Tac (in 308 sadly) package from eurooptic with the vortex viper pst gen ii. Rifle would be much more in budget and leave more room for practice/target shooting as well as potential upgrades. Other factory rifles I've looked at include the Christensen BA Tact (found one new right at $2000 in 6.5) but I've never shot anything nearly as nice as these so any input is greatly appreciated. If I would be better off with a build, action/barrel/stock suggestions would be great as well as Texas gunsmiths to put it all together. Overall, I would prefer a rifle with a comfortable stock, ideally adjustable. A shorter barrel would be great, as I said I don't need one hole groups and the short barrel makes for a good mobile hunting rig despite the trade-offs (or so I think?). Not planning on doing matches or anything special just plinking and occasional hunting if the rig works for both. I have other hunting rigs if I'd be better of with a more target dedicated rifle but if possible why not have a dual purpose? The Tikka seems like the best deal at under $1800 for a chassis gun with a decent optic (already have a pst gen ii so I'm somewhat familiar with the scope), but I would love a second opinion, or a hundredth opinion. Thanks for any help, I'm just getting in the game and fresh as a spring dandelion to all the finer things in shooting life.

 

[Southern Custom]

You don't mention glass so is your budget including glass or bare rifle. I gotta throw in Bergara if you need to fit glass in the budget. Sub .5 moa out of the box on mine and will double as a hunting rifle for long range box blind days.

 

[ETXbeginner]

You don't mention glass so is your budget including glass or bare rifle. I gotta throw in Bergara if you need to fit glass in the budget. Sub .5 moa out of the box on mine and will double as a hunting rifle for long range box blind days.

No optic included in budget, I knew I forgot something. The tikka package deal would be a good optic/rifle combo well under budget that is still supposed to be a shooter. Would probably throw a yo dave trigger spring in it and eventually a bartlein barrel but all in due time. If I go all out on the rifle it will be just the rifle while I recoup some funds for good glass for it. I have a spare Vortex Viper PA or Nikon Black X1000 I cold slap on whatever I end up with as a temporary fix while I save.

 

[spife7980]

Origin 850
Prefit barrel 450
Trigger 200
Bravo/xrs 350/550

It’ll use the full budget but you’ll get to choose exactly what bolt knob, chambering, twist, length, contour, trigger, and there’s way more than just the two chassis to choose from if you like b&c, grayboe etc.

 

[ETXbeginner]

Origin 850
Prefit barrel 450
Trigger 200
Bravo/xrs 350/550

It’ll use the full budget but you’ll get to choose exactly what bolt knob, chambering, twist, length, contour, trigger, and there’s way more than just the two chassis to choose from if you like b&c, grayboe etc.

I’ve looked into the origins. Any preferred supplier? NSS seems common and comprehensive, wouldn’t mind ordering from them. On the barrel I’ve read a bit on using a oh gain twist, any incentive in going that route?

 

[spife7980]

I’ve looked into the origins. Any preferred supplier? NSS seems common and comprehensive, wouldn’t mind ordering from them. On the barrel I’ve read a bit on using a oh gain twist, any incentive in going that route?

I’d order straight from zermett so you can choose the knob you want to come with it. Otherwise you have to mail them yours and they’ll send you the one you want. Easier to get it in the first place unless you get a discount somewhere else to make it worth it.

Don’t worry about gain twist, that would be a battle in and the blanks are 350 plus another 300 to chamber it. I’d get a cheap criterion nut barrel or a shouldered pva etc. that still shoot awesome.

 

[Bradv86]

I’ve looked into the origins. Any preferred supplier? NSS seems common and comprehensive, wouldn’t mind ordering from them. On the barrel I’ve read a bit on using a oh gain twist, any incentive in going that route?

I ordered my Origin straight from Zermatt. From time of deposit to estimated ship time is roughly 8 weeks for the LA Mag I am waiting on. LRI spun a shouldered prefit for it in .300 PRC and it was only 3 weeks.

 

[ETXbeginner]

I ordered my Origin straight from Zermatt. From time of deposit to estimated ship time is roughly 8 weeks for the LA Mag I am waiting on. LRI spun a shouldered prefit for it in .300 PRC and it was only 3 weeks.

Good to know. I’m not in a rush, just wanting to have one nice rifle in the lineup of otherwise bland rifles.

 

[Harman117]

The Tac A1 deal is hard to beat. Sell the scope off and maybe sell those spare scopes you have and maximize your optic budget as much as you can.

The Tikka is very nice, and will fill the "one nice rifle" well. BUT, isn't time you should also have "one nice scope" in you lineup? (Assuming you don't)

 

[ETXbeginner]

The Tac A1 deal is hard to beat. Sell the scope off and maybe sell those spare scopes you have and maximize your optic budget as much as you can.

The Tikka is very nice, and will fill the "one nice rifle" well. BUT, isn't time you should also have "one nice scope" in you lineup? (Assuming you don't)

I think for my purposes the PST gen ii is good. I’d love to have a nicer optic down the road but for inside 1000 yards the clarity is good and functions are familiar to me. Ideally I’d like to get the Razor Gen II 4.5-27 when I can afford to. I’m on the fence now about the Christensen BA because I was offered a decent trade deal on it that would save me money down the road to put towards a nicer optic. The Tac A1 does seem to be a good out of the box rifle to get me on the range, then I could put a barrel on it soon after and maximize my practice. I know a nicer rifle will shoot better than I can for the time being so maybe I’d be better of working up from the Tac A1 setup familiarizing myself with ballistics, comeups, dope, etc. then when my budget allows or a good deal comes through the PX I could upgrade and actually use a rifle of greater precision to a better extent.

 

[Hawk in WY]

Lots of good choices.

One other to consider is smoking deals on .308 customs rifles in the marketplace on this forum from time to time.

The enthusiasm for 6.5 has depressed .308 rifles to the point of being worth considering and you can rebarrel down the line.

There is nothing wrong with the .308 for your purposes.