custom bolt

[newyork]

I'm looking for my 1st bolt again. I got side tracked and bought other things last time. I'm looking to shoot for groups, I'm a newb group shooter and only have 100-200 yards. Looking at putting a Nighthawk or Les Baer bolt on layaway or saving for a GAP for a long time. DTA is another consideration but $4k for just the gun is too much.
I'd like some guidance. Thanks guys,
Rich

 

[Speeddog]

Re: custom bolt

I can at least share my experience with one of Les Baer's bolt guns.

First, disclosure-he's an old friend who has been building me carry, competition and just plain fun guns for 20+ plus yrs. I'd been out of the bolt world for a very long time but decided to get back into it this past year. I spent a year lurking on the hide before I decided what I wanted to do. I then called Les and we worked out a plan. He built me a 24" .308 with his integral brake and topped it off with a Nightforce 5.5X22X50mm NSX. It came with a Harris non swiveling bipod which I replaced with GG&G's extreme duty bipod. I chose the brake because I have a profoundly messed up right shoulder and wanted to reduce felt recoil to the .223 level which I knew it could handle.

I've now shot this extensively. With 168 and 175gr FGMM loads it will shoot 100 yard bugholes off the pod and a rear bag. Will also shoot 1/4 to 1/2 MOA all day long to 500 yards which is as long as I've gotten to so far. I have a leg in a cast so am down and out for awhile. I have some of Brian Litz' new ammo on order and plan to go out much further once I'm back in business. I have no reason to suspect it won't do as well.

The intrinsic hardware on this gun is first rate. He cuts his own barrels and I don't think anyone will argue about their quality. The Stiller action, trigger and so forth all stand for themselves and are excellent. Fit and finish are fabulous as expected.

On the other hand I do have some issue with the stock and bottom metal that was chosen. The B&C stock works just fine and can be personalized nicely. It is a bit clunky and heavy, however. I suspect he chose this as the best deal available without waiting months for a Manners or McMillan (which seems a reasonable tradeoff for a non wait-forever-to-deliver semi custom rifle). The bottom metal from Wyatt's is an easy fit to the stock which supports the same theme. For me the mags were somewhat hard to fill though they did feed just fine once loaded. I found these two things annoying enough that I wanted to do different. With that in mind I ordered a significantly customized Manners T5a with AICS compatible chassis and will install the barreled action when they're available.

As a pure shooting machine I don't think you can go wrong with one of his bolt guns. You'll have to think about the tradeoffs inherent in getting a semi custom gun rather than a truly custom gun. Obviously I started with the former and have ended up with the latter, though I could have left the rifle alone for years since it shoots so darn well. From a purely cost based perspective I should do that. I just love fine tuning stuff so look forward to the new stock. Meantime I plan to enjoy shooting the he'll out of this terrifically accurate rifle.

There are a lot of good choices out there, from factory to pre configured packages to fully custom. You'll surely get lots of good advice from others who have more experience than I have. Take your time, read and listen well and I'm sure you'll get what you want.

Sorry to be so long winded. Hope this is of some value in your quest.

 

[Speeddog]

Re: custom bolt

I've been thinking about your question. There are a few other ways of going about this.

Buy one of the Remington 700 tactical oriented rifles, shoot the he'll out of it, then start customizing as your skill and knowledge change. Probably the most cost effective way to go.

Or buy one of the semi custom packages out there. Again shoot it until you're clear on mods.

Or spend some time talking with the custom houses, read the forums, lurk at some ranges (maybe try some guns) and then go for it.

The virtue of the first two is you get time behind the trigger. The strength of the second is you'll be closer to your ultimate choice without the long wait times of completely custom builds.

Lots of ways to go. Some of the choices become driven by what we want not by what we need.

Good luck

 

[newyork]

Re: custom bolt

Thanks for your time Speeddog. I was thinking of saving for awhile and getting the GAP Crusader, bipod and optic but I also have a dealer that I can do a 12 month layaway with who is a master Les Baer, Nighthawk and DTA dealer. After talking to Nighthawk, they can turn out a gun, bipod rings and NF 3.5-15 for around $5600 or $5700ish with 5.5-22. They were incredibly courteous and helpful. GAP was very nice and helpful as well.
The DTA will be around $8k and thats just soooo much for me. Hell $5700 is soooo much for me.

 

[SKS Guy]

Re: custom bolt

GAP is proven. I just got a Crusader and it is a hammer. No time behind the other two but for my money I'd go GAP.

 

[car2go4]

Re: custom bolt

i'd suggest you consider picking up something here with a low round count made by the likes of APA, Beanland, T Cross, Kirby Allen, GAP, or William R (im sure theirs more good ones, but these are folks who's products i have experience w). your advantages are many, least of which loads are figured out and you'll save major dollars- if you want something different in the future as the 2d owner generally you can get close to what you paid for it as long as you document rounds, loads, and accuracy is still above average. everyone here i've purchased a pre-owned custom bolt from has taught we something valuable and been willing to go above and beyond. Unlike some other internet sales site theirs very little junk for sale... just my 2cents

 

[uafgrad]

Re: custom bolt

Why not start with a Remmy 700 or a Savage and get the basics down and then upgrade in the future

With a max range of 200yds, start with a 223. It will allow you to shoot more for your money.

 

[ranger1183]

Re: custom bolt

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uafgrad</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why not start with a Remmy 700 or a Savage and get the basics down and then upgrade in the future

With a max range of 200yds, start with a 223. It will allow you to shoot more for your money. </div></div>
Oh thank God someone is talking sense! You want to save money for your "Uber-rifle" but you still want to shoot in the mean time?

A Remington 700 with a reasonablely heavy barrel, or a Savage with heavy barrel, or (my favorite) a Howa 1500 with a heavy barrel is the way to go. The less expensive the "training rifle" is, the quicker you can get to the range to both shoot and save your money for the custom rifle you want. For what it's worth, the Savage and the Howa 1500 are less expensive than the Remingtons and still shoot just as well.

The .223 cartridge is less than half the price of .308 when you're buying match ammo. I was buying 50 rounds of Black Hills .223 match ammo for the same or less price that I was buying .308 win Federal Gold Metal Match. Ok, not a true apples-to-apples comparison, but it illustrates the savings you can achieve when you buy something to get to the range while you save for something better.

here's the ammo "not quite true apples-to-apples" comparison

Black Hills Remanufactured Ammo 223 Rem 68 Grain Match Box of 50 $33.99
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=155863

Black Hills Remanufactured Ammo 223 Rem 75 Grain Match Box of 50 $33.99
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=985423

vs.

FGMM 308 Winchester 168 Grain SMK Box of 20 $36.99
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=358610

FGMM 308 Winchester 175 Grain SMK Box of 20 $36.99
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=728886

So, in this "un-fair" comparison, you get two and a half times of cartridges for about the same price. That's 2 1/2 times the live-fire practice very accurately shooting out to 200 yards for the same dough.

Buy yourself a new or used Bushnell or Super Sniper fixed 10 power scope ($200 - $300), Burris "Extreme Rings" ($35?) and mounts and you're off to the range.

I did a quick search and here's a couple available here on the Hide.
WTS Remington 700 .223 w/Varminter Stock

FS: Remington LTR 223

Here's a couple of rifles I found on the web that will at least get you to the range.

Howa 1500 24" bull barrel .223 rem

Rem 700 Varmint rifle 223

here's some more to look at:
Here's some remington .223's for sale.

Here's some Savage .223 Rem's for sale.

Here's some Howa .223 Rem's for sale.

 

[newyork]

Re: custom bolt

Good advice and thank you. I'm thinking if I stay with .223, why not put more magnification on my Noveske Afghan and call it a day.? I've barely used it yet and have been slowly building a supply of match ammo for it. I wanted to go up a caliber for the bolt but Damn those prices are high for the ammo. If I buy a scope with more magnification (I have a 1-4 NF on it now), I'd save a bunch of cash but I wouldn't have a bolt gun.

 

[ranger1183]

Re: custom bolt

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: newyork</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Good advice and thank you. I'm thinking if I stay with .223, why not put more magnification on my Noveske Afghan and call it a day.? I've barely used it yet and have been slowly building a supply of match ammo for it. I wanted to go up a caliber for the bolt but Damn those prices are high for the ammo. If I buy a scope with more magnification (I have a 1-4 NF on it now), I'd save a bunch of cash but I wouldn't have a bolt gun. </div></div>
Hey newyork, don't let logic and reason get in the way of buying a new rifle! Just think, you buy a rifle and then you <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">HAVE TO</span></span> buy a new scope to go with it! After all, what's a red-blooded American supposed to do without both an AR and a bolt gun? Heresy I tell you! Heresy!

 

[newyork]

Re: custom bolt

Ha! Funny shit man. Might as well buy both. Bad influence.

 

[rundm]

Re: custom bolt

John Beanland is building me a fully customized 243 right now and is very fast at what he is doing. It will be ready next week and he has only been working on it for 3 weeks total. He is very reasonable on his prices also. There are tons of ways to get the cost down on a build. Mine is a full build with surgeon action, fluting, cerakote, aics 2.0, cg jackson trigger and coming in under 4k. You could go without surgeon and fluting and you would be less than 3.5k. Still with the nightforce would be much less than the 5700 you were talking about before. Plus, the guy stays in touch with me constantly about what is going on with the rifle. I can't say enough good things about him. I would definatly use him again and will before long.

 

[newyork]

Re: custom bolt

I'm wondering 2 things: if I buy a factory rifle and want to put it in a new stock, is this something I need to send it off to do correctly? Also, is a SWFA 10x in BAdger rings and base good or a USO 10X a better idea? Should I be looking more at a 3.5-10 or even more magnification like 4-14 or 5.5-22ish for 200 paper shooting for groups?

 

[Dantrom]

Re: custom bolt

I recommend an sps tac and immediately replace the factory stock with anything else. Personally I chose hs precision, no need to send out to be installed. Bedding depends on your personal preferece, since it is not required with the hs stock!

10x is more than enough scope for 1-200 yards!

I personally prefer a variable scope though.
Since my intents are from very close (during deer season) to as far as possible I chose a 3.5-15…

But this all depends on your personal preferences, depending on the intended uses of the rifle!

This one suites me just fine for now:

Dan

 

[newyork]

Re: custom bolt

I don't intend on hunting or moving much with it. Just shooting groups from the bench and prone. BTW, I was leaning .308 because I own 3 Noveske AR15s, all in .223.

 

[newyork]

Re: custom bolt

So which HS Precision stock would you recommend for shooting from the bench and prone for a Rem 700? I just bolt it up and don't have to do anything additional or is it a complicated job? Sorry for all the questions. I see most of their stocks are $360 and $599 if it has adjustable butt pad and cheekpiece. All I know is Rem 700 and short action.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dantrom</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I recommend an sps tac and immediately replace the factory stock with anything else. Personally I chose hs precision, no need to send out to be installed. Bedding depends on your personal preferece, since it is not required with the hs stock!

10x is more than enough scope for 1-200 yards!

I personally prefer a variable scope though.
Since my intents are from very close (during deer season) to as far as possible I chose a 3.5-15…

But this all depends on your personal preferences, depending on the intended uses of the rifle!

This one suites me just fine for now:

Dan </div></div>

 

[Dantrom]

Re: custom bolt

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: newyork</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So which HS Precision stock would you recommend for shooting from the bench and prone for a Rem 700? I just bolt it up and don't have to do anything additional or is it a complicated job? Sorry for all the questions. I see most of their stocks are $360 and $599 if it has adjustable butt pad and cheekpiece. All I know is Rem 700 and short action.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dantrom</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I recommend an sps tac and immediately replace the factory stock with anything else. Personally I chose hs precision, no need to send out to be installed. Bedding depends on your personal preferece, since it is not required with the hs stock!

10x is more than enough scope for 1-200 yards!

I personally prefer a variable scope though.
Since my intents are from very close (during deer season) to as far as possible I chose a 3.5-15…

But this all depends on your personal preferences, depending on the intended uses of the rifle!

This one suites me just fine for now:

Dan </div></div></div></div>

Mine is the police model with the palm swell. It is as easy as it sounds! All you need to do is torque your mounting screws to the proper inch lbs setting (escapes me at the moment) and let her run. I had zero issues, very super easy!