Bighorn origin/ hunting custom rifle

Joko111

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 25, 2021
179
52
Maryland
hey I’m new to the group, this will be my first post !
So I’ve been looking to get a hunting rifle with a proof barrel and custom action.... I’ve been looking at the proof elevation rifle and it seems like a good deal..... what actions do you guys recommend and what do you think about the bighorn origin action?
 
I built my son a shorty 6.5 cm hunting rifle off a origin, with 16.5" carbon barrel, think a trigger tech special (maybe diamond), in a grayboe ridgeback stock. He was 10 the first year using it and it worked well for him and should be able to adjust as he grows.

The origin is a solid action in my opinion. There are tons of nice actions available in the office range now though. Don't think you would be disappointed with the origin, just a lot of others available for around the same price.
 
I built my son a shorty 6.5 cm hunting rifle off a origin, with 16.5" carbon barrel, think a trigger tech special (maybe diamond), in a grayboe ridgeback stock. He was 10 the first year using it and it worked well for him and should be able to adjust as he grows.

The origin is a solid action in my opinion. There are tons of nice actions available in the office range now though. Don't think you would be disappointed with the origin, just a lot of others available for around the same price.
I built my son a shorty 6.5 cm hunting rifle off a origin, with 16.5" carbon barrel, think a trigger tech special (maybe diamond), in a grayboe ridgeback stock. He was 10 the first year using it and it worked well for him and should be able to adjust as he grows.

The origin is a solid action in my opinion. There are tons of nice actions available in the office range now though. Don't think you would be disappointed with the origin, just a lot of others available for around the same price.
Thanks andrewsben! The big reason i am leaning towards the origin is the proof elevation consists of the same parts I will use to make a custom rifle .... but at a slightly lower price than if I bought the parts and sent it to a smith
 
The Origin is an excellent action at a good price. Lots of great features and also the ability to change the bolt head so later he can add a short magnum barrel or a .223 bolt faced barrel. Good versatility.
 
The Origin is an excellent action at a good price. Lots of great features and also the ability to change the bolt head so later he can add a short magnum barrel or a .223 bolt faced barrel. Good versatility.
Good to hear ! Seems like a great action .... know anything about the elevation rifle ?
 
Thanks andrewsben! The big reason i am leaning towards the origin is the proof elevation consists of the same parts I will use to make a custom rifle .... but at a slightly lower price than if I bought the parts and sent it to a smith
I went this route because I had a couple origins on hand and got a smoking deal on the barrel. Had all the gauges and whatnot to throw together in an evening. If I was planning something out, instead of just throwing something together after realizing hunting season was coming up and all my rifles had huge bull barrels (like the 6mm cm I built for son to shoot off bench, and had sent him to his grandpa's with the year before that he couldn't even hold up), would probably still end up with a similar rifle.
 
I wo
I went this route because I had a couple origins on hand and got a smoking deal on the barrel. Had all the gauges and whatnot to throw together in an evening. If I was planning something out, instead of just throwing something together after realizing hunting season was coming up and all my rifles had huge bull barrels (like the 6mm cm I built for son to shoot off bench, and had sent him to his grandpa's with the year before that he couldn't even hold up), would probably still end up with a similar rifle
I went this route because I had a couple origins on hand and got a smoking deal on the barrel. Had all the gauges and whatnot to throw together in an evening. If I was planning something out, instead of just throwing something together after realizing hunting season was coming up and all my rifles had huge bull barrels (like the 6mm cm I built for son to shoot off bench, and had sent him to his grandpa's with the year before that he couldn't even hold up), would probably still end up with a similar rifle.
i hear you.... having actions on hand would be pretty nice .... I have yet to build a rifle on my own tho .... trying to get into the custom rifle world tho
 
I started as a savage fanatic, still have a bunch of them, but sold off all my extra savage actions, and some completed rifles I wanted to redo with custom actions, to fund higher end builds when I realized I needed yet another safe if I put together or buy anything else. But after shooting my first .1 group (yes 5 shots, yes 100 yards, yes I have pics, furthest edges minus the bullet diameter, no I am not looking back through my photos for a picture from 5 or 6 years ago) and realizing that some rifles, although I could get good results with after load development, chasing the perfect group usually meant swapping out the factory barrel.

The barrel nut and prefit systems make it fairly easy to put together a rifle, but shouldered prefits with the tighter tolerances seen nowadays are also a viable option for the hands on type that like to out things together themselves. Have only done a few shouldered prefits, 260 ai on a kelbly blackbear which once properly torqued showed good on both go and no-go gauges, a rim-x prefit from keystone which I didn't check but shoots like it is good, and I want to say a 300wm on a bat action which also tested good.

Anywho, just rambling while walking baby to sleep. Going with a professional usually guarantees a safe, top level rifle, but for the tinkering type a small investment in some tools and gauges, plus adequate research and precautions, allow for getting your feet wet with putting a rifle together.
 
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I started as a savage fanatic, still have a bunch of them, but sold off all my extra savage actions, and some completed rifles I wanted to redo with custom actions, to fund higher end builds when I realized I needed yet another safe if I put together or buy anything else.

The barrel nut and prefit systems make it fairly easy to put together a rifle, but shouldered prefits with the tighter tolerances seen nowadays are also a viable option for the hands on type that like to out things together themselves. Have only done a few shouldered prefits, 260 ai on a kelbly blackbear which once properly torqued showed good on both go and no-go gauges, a rim-x prefit from keystone which I didn't check but shoots like it is good, and I want to say a 300wm on a bat action which also tested good.

Anywho, just rambling while walking baby to sleep. Going with a professional usually guarantees a safe, top level rifle, but for the tinkering type a small investment in some tools and gauges, plus adequate research and precautions, allow for getting your feet wet with putting a rifle together.
I feel like for the first rifle I get that’s somewhat custom I should go with a rifle built by professionals .... to see what I am getting or should be getting .... I will for sure be building my own in the future but now as. 19 year old I would rather get one made by a professional and not risk messing it up myself.... thanks for the message again!
 
I feel like for the first rifle I get that’s somewhat custom I should go with a rifle built by professionals .... to see what I am getting or should be getting .... I will for sure be building my own in the future but now as. 19 year old I would rather get one made by a professional and not risk messing it up myself.... thanks for the message again!
Yeah you aren't going wrong there. And the components you are looking at should work well for you. My biggest hurdle was the stock, but was building for a 10 year old where weight, and adjustablity, was my major concern.
 
Yeah you aren't going wrong there. And the components you are looking at should work well for you. My biggest hurdle was the stock, but was building for a 10 year old where weight, and adjustablity, was my major concern.
That’s is one damn lucky 10 year old! Pretty cool.... and yeah it seems like it should be a nice rifle I just hope the origin is as good as I hope .... I’ve heard about some slop when the bolt is all the way back .... and is there any cons to it being chrome molly as apposed to stainless
 
Honestly there is nothing to “building” now with shouldered prefits. Can you screw a bolt on a nut? If so then you can put together a custom rifle with a shouldered prefit. I wouldn’t mess with barrel nuts and gauges now. No reason to.
 
Honestly there is nothing to “building” now with shouldered prefits. Can you screw a bolt on a nut? If so then you can put together a custom rifle with a shouldered prefit. I wouldn’t mess with barrel nuts and gauges now. No reason to.
Lol that’s what I meant ! More like assembling
 
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That’s is one damn lucky 10 year old! Pretty cool.... and yeah it seems like it should be a nice rifle I just hope the origin is as good as I hope .... I’ve heard about some slop when the bolt is all the way back .... and is there any cons to it being chrome molly as apposed to stainless
Yeah, it can bind when all the way back and force is put on it in specific ways but after a little bit of time cycling it neither I nor my son have had any issues with quickly getting a second shot off if needed on any of the origins I have/have had.

As for the barrel nut vs shouldered, I did start getting shouldered on rifles that I knew would stay in the same configuration. I like the barrel nut for when I'm not sure something will stay in the exact configuration, e.g. if I don't feel like keeping a specific barrel with one of my nicer actions, and threading allows, can drop into one of my savage actions and use for a plinker. I'm a little more indecisive than most though.
 
Yeah, it can bind when all the way back and force is put on it in specific ways but after a little bit of time cycling it neither I nor my son have had any issues with quickly getting a second shot off if needed on any of the origins I have/have had.

As for the barrel nut vs shouldered, I did start getting shouldered on rifles that I knew would stay in the same configuration. I like the barrel nut for when I'm not sure something will stay in the exact configuration, e.g. if I don't feel like keeping a specific barrel with one of my nicer actions, and threading allows, can drop into one of my savage actions and use for a plinker. I'm a little more indecisive than most though.
Yup that is a little bit of a downfall imo but with a bit of practice sounds like it should be just fine ....