Mid-Range Rifle Build Questions

[djb]

Hi All,
I've been thinking about building a rifle for myself in the not too distant future.

I should state up front that I don't currently have a rifle and hence this will be my first.

The kind of shooting I envisage myself doing is a mix of range50% (F-Class, just for fun) and Hunting, 50% (Kangaroo, white-tail dear, goat, wild pig/boar, feral dog, fox, feral cats, rabbits). My preference of shooting distances is 150-500m. I've been known to lay prone on a mockup range for hours plinking cards and bottle tops at 70-120m with the 22 and find it really really relaxing (hence don't want a big kicker of a rifle).

I've taken dear at 140m, roo at 180m. If we're out spotlighting for rabbits and maybe fox, we tend to use my mates CZ. When we're out walking the country for the other, but my rifle of choice is my mates dad's Rem700 in 243Win. I've trialled my mate's 300WM and other mate's 270 and in all honesty I feel they kick to much. I usually shoot with ~75gr bullets. For the game we take, I'm thinking realistically 90gr round at 3000fps should be the ticket. I've been tossing up cartridge though.

I'm leaning towards the 6BR or even BRX over the 243, as I can see I'll end up reloading either way and with the amount of time I can spend shooting targets on the last day of our hunting trips, barrel life does come into play as a concern.

I've read that have been some issues with the feeding of 6BR.

The features that I'm after in a stock/rifle combination are:
- synthetic stock fully floated
- stainless action/barrel
- detachable magazine preferably 10rd
- bipod capable
- under 7kg (~15lb) loaded with glass.

Other facts:
- I'm mechanically minded and like working on my own stuff (hence looking at save to do the barrel switch myself)
- trying to keep the total build under 2KAUD.

I'm contemplating purchasing a Savage 16FCSS, adding a karsten cheek piece, bipod and scope 6-18ish in a 30+ tube (yet to finalise choice). I'd immediately look to switch out the barrel for a 6BR.

Can I please have some advice on the best way to go about this:
- What chamber should I order the Savage in to get the right bolt face?
- What is meant by no-turn neck?
- Anything else you guys think would be relevant.

Cheers
Darryl

ps. incase you haven't picked it I'm an Aussie.

 

[Bruiser_Joe]

do a lighter weight 6cm build DONE! order a 308 savage and have benchmark spin you up a barrel

 

[djb]

6cm??

What doe no-neck turn mean?

I was thinking 1:9 twist rate so that I have the option of going upto 105gr bullets, does that sound about right?

Do you guys know of a barrel-maker who ships to Aus?

For my requirements, does anyone have any recommendations or differing suggestions to my plan thus far?

Cheers
Darryl

 

[WhiteDingo]

double-tap. ignore.

 

[WhiteDingo]

6mm Creedmore is what he's referring to.
No-neck turn means that the neck area of your chamber is a large enough diameter that you don't have to turn (remove material from) the necks on your cartridge cases before loading them. Neck turning is used quite alot in high accuracy bench rifles, and in precision tactical guns to a lesser extent.


The 6BRX can be a pain to get to feed from a detachable magazine system properly. I've done it a couple of times; I found it much easier to get it to work with a coned-breech design as you don't have to be quite as picky with where the magazines lets go of the cartridge.
The chambering of your Savage would depend on which cartridge you end up using. If you're going to use a .243 or 6BR/X, or even 6/6.5 CM all use the .473 (.308/-06) diameter bolt face.

Additionally, depending on your wind conditions, you may want to consider a 1:8 or even 1:7.5 twist rate for stabilizing the heavier 6mm bullets, as they will be less effected by wind across the distance. Not a huge consideration given your average shooting distances, but should you want to stretch the rifle's legs it would be beneficial

 

[jwf100p]

i would do a prefit barrel in 6br or 6x47 lapua with a 1/8" twist.

 

[dlouie87]

Sorry but I don't mean to thread jack. When you say the 6/6.5cm uses the .308 bolt face, what work needs to be done by the smith with changing calibers in the bolt action? Is the same bolt being used with the new barrel or are there some modifications to the bolt face?

 

[jwf100p]

Unless he went down to a .223 or such he wouldnt have to. 6br, .308 win, 6xc ect all use the standard bolt face. No work needs to be done by the smith as far as the bolt face goes.

 

[Delta4-3]

All of the above are terrific for comp, but in my lowly opinion I feel they would do nothing for you that a tikka t3 in 6.5x55 wouldn't, for a whopping $500.

 

[djb]

So my criteria were:
- Long barrel life
- low recoil
- accurate at distance (I have a 900m range, 2Km from my home).
- cheap to put together
- detachable box mag
- able to work on myself (nearest smith is 450Km+ away (300miles in old speak))
- Available in Australia

Tikka T3 here in aus is approximately the same cost as a 16fcss (~1300AUD). It doesn't have a detachable box mag and I can't switch out the barrel on it myself.

Also with the figure I've read on 6.5x55, explain to me how barrel life would compare as well as recoil?

.223 is too small for what I want to do.

To rebarrel a 16FCSS easily what calibre should I order it to start with so I get the right size bolt face?

Also, how easy is it to change bolt faces on a Savage?

Cheers
Darryl

 

[TRTAC]

I'm a fan of the 243 if you want a DBM. It makes life easy. I'm a firm believer in cleaning up your necks with a turner. I have tight necked rifles and I have no turn rifles and they both produce exceptional groups.

 

[Defusion]

I'd probably go for a 6.5x47 lapua with those criteria.

- Long barrel life
-> longer than 6mm, not as much as a .308 though. I feel it's the best trade-off in barrel life, reloading cost, efficiency at range.
- low recoil
-> depends, more than 6x47 of course. could add a brake if you insist.
- accurate at distance (I have a 900m range, 2Km from my home).
-> run some numbers, but supersonic at 1000m shouldn't be a problem.
- cheap to put together
-> same bolt face as .308, but hard to find in factory offerings.
- detachable box mag
-> if it works with .308, it works with this

Sorry, no specifics about which rifle to get, anything that starts out as a .308/.243/.260 will do.
You could go for .243, shoot out the barrel, replace with the x47

 

[Jedi]

6.5x47 brass is $$, i will not build another
6XC, 6.5XC
6cm 6.5cm
6SLR, 6.5SLR
All of these would work

I would run a plain jane 284 on a long action
In fact whatever i built would be on a long action
6.5x55 is a fine round and excellent lapua brass is cheap

$$ spent on quality glass is never a mistake
Do not go cheap on glass
buy once, CRY once