Cheytac M200 - Advice / Opinions

[mrwhite1]

As a big bore enthusiast, and quite honestly anyone who has watched the movie Shooter, I was once interested in an Cheytac M200. Given the tremendous expense of them my interests kinda diminished while trying to save up for one and I never ended up getting one. It seems as if the company Cheytac had struggled several years ago... I had also researched the Thor 408 (my understanding of this is kinda fuzzy.. Did they make a copy of the Cheytac / rebranded / or what... I know I called them (Thor / Global Defense / Knesek) and the customer service I received was poor)

Now... jump to last weekend I saw they made an appearance at the IV8888 shoot. From what I heard from people (as well as videos / pics on social media) it was a bad ass machine and everyone was impressed. So naturally I had a tingling in my loins again and I'm considering ordering one. I actually spoke to them on the phone and they were very courteous and knowledgeable answering my questions. It was explained that they were under 'new management' and had made some slight upgrades to the platform this year.

So my question is two fold...
1. Anyone own a Cheytac M200? or Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they legit as being dead nuts accurate?...

2. 375 Cheytac vs 408 Cheytac: Pros / Cons? From my research seems as if most super long range is done with the 375... Now I want to preference this by the fact I will be using factory ammo and not reloading (Ammo recommendations would be good as well)

Thanks again, I appreciate any feedback you guys can provide!

 

[Supersubes]

I never owned one of their rifles, but I did have the cheytac software. Never had such crappy customer service from any company ever. There have been a few “My m200 doesnt shoot, help” threads over the years, and those seemed to involve a fair amount of shitty to no CS from Cheytac. That’s always kept me on the outside looking in, as I was fairly serious about buying an m200.

I believe Thor was licensed by EDM Arms to build some of their models. EDM being the very initial builder of the cheytac guns, until cheytac screwed them over(see a pattern here?).

Personally, I’d never touch a cheytac product, and my advice to you would be to simply move on. There are other large framed guns that will do what you need.

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

From a personal opinion from someone who has owned firearms from all mentioned....MOVE ON!!

I am not going to get into the history of cheytac, EDM, Thor, etc etc but you will be way better served at building a custom 375 if that is what you are after....
Define your intended goals and we can be of better assistance in regards to what components, etc etc for your build to obtain your goals.
BUT until you decide to reload you will be wasting your money on ANY big bore build. Just run the ballistic numbers of the distances you desire to shoot but change the MV by 20fps +/- for each shot and see how much you will be over/under your desired target. The best rifle and/or rifle components will never overcome that....

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[kthomas]

My as well through your money in a pile and light it on fire. You'll end up in the same place, without all the added grief and frustration.

If you have to have a .375 or .408, have Robert Vestal build you a custom.

 

[Mute]

I would consider a DTA HTI first if I were interested in shooting .375 or .408 CT.

 

[D46Infinity]

I owned the EDM XM408 as well as a few other Cheytac caliber rifles. The company known as cheytac is not the same company as the past.

New company different direction is what I have gathered. I tried to buy some brass from them but could never get them to allow me to place the order.

The original cheytac rifles were built by EDM for cheytac until cheytac and EDM split ways.

I spoke to Bill at EDM about the split and it was a very long story. As far as I know EDM still owns the rights to the design, but who knows now that Bill is dead.

As a matter of fact when I ordered my EDM I ordered it with a custom heavy barrel that was supposed to be fluted. I finally got the barrel but it was never fluted.


My personal take on getting a m200 is that they are cool guns but it’s a collectors item now of an outdated design. I never fired mine and it still sits Unfired.

I had a DT HTI in 375. It would not group under 2.00” at 100 when I was trying to get a base zero. This was with factory DT ammo. DT said that was normal as it would keep a 2.00” group all the way to 500. I never got that. The truth is the barrel twist of 1-11 was to slow to stabilize the factory solids for me.

I was able to get some Peterson Brass and load up some SMK’s to get a decent group with that barrel, but it defeats the purpose of an ELR rig limited to 250 gr SMK’s.

If I were to do it again I would get a dedicated ELR cheytac caliber rig built by a well known smith. Accurate Ordance or RWS are 2 that come to mind. I’ve never heard of Vestal. David Vers/black diamond rifles built Rifles but I’m not sure he is around due to health issues. He did make my reloading dies. CH4D will make you a set of dies as you will need them to make accurate ammo!

A Stiller 408 action, quality .375 blank from bartlein or Rock creek in 1-8 would be where I would start so you can run the large solids for the cheytacs.

You could get a manners stock or the CADEX chassis they now make for cheytac calibers.

I forgot one thing that slowed me down was the availability of federal large rifle magnum match primers. They were the only primer recommenced to light off 130 + grains of powder reliably. I have plenty now though, but I have pretty much lost interest to otherrifles I can shoot all day for a lot less.

Just my opinion.

 

[zinny]

Take everyone's advice and let this one go. Eurooptic stopped carrying them last year after offering them for a short period of time. They told me it was a plain business decision, but action speaks louder than words.

The hand guard caused some kind of resonance issue which affected the accuracy. Part of the reason edm never offered one for their rifles for the longest time.

 

[schmi015]

Run away and spare your wallet the pain of regret.

 

[THEIS]

The hand guard caused some kind of resonance issue which affected the accuracy. Part of the reason edm never offered one for their rifles for the longest time.

Hi,

That is incorrect. EDM took years and years to offer one for a couple different reasons.

1. Bill liked the "idea" that by not offering the hand guard it made his rifles "different" than they ones offered by Cheytac.
2. Bill was under contract to offer the hand guard (The one they eventually offered on their rifles) only to a particular potential customer as that customer pretty much funded the design for EDM.
3. EDM did not have business connections with Becker Machine (Whom made the original rotating, over barrel bipods for Cheytac) in order to get the rotating, over barrel bipod.
4. A few more that really do not have any need to be posted

Sincerely,
Theis