I've been reading the forum posts a lot, but don't think I've ever posted. I figured I would wait until I had something worth posting.
I built my first rifle and right now it's low end, but when it's completed, I hope to have a good one. I want to make sure I'm not screwing anything up, so let me know what I've already hosed or got wrong.
The rifle is a Remington 700 SPS Varmint. 26" heavy barrel w/ 1 in 12 twist. Blued finish. I have not yet replaced the non-free-floating stock.
The rail is a cheap $30 cast picatinny rail, but it fits very well. The screws that came with it are basic flat screwdriver screws that I don't particularly like. Unfortunately, it was a difference of $100 to pick up a proper rail. How much of a difference, and what advantages will I get by going with a better rail?
The rings are Leupold PRW 30mm Medium 0.97" rings. The rings I think I did well in buying. http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shoot...tems/prw-rings/
The scope I know wasn't the best choice, but it comes down to money right now because my wife and I are buying a home. http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-viper-6-5-20x44-pa-riflescope-dead-hold-bdc-reticle
The specs on the scope in my opinion are incredible for the price point of $399 that I got it for. Probably a more expensive than if I hunted online for one. Eventually, it will be replaced with something much better like a gold ring Leupold. Mk IV looks really nice, but very pricey. I'm ok with that, just not yet.
I got a very low end stock bag that also raises my cheek weld maybe a quarter inch, but more importantly the fabric on top keeps my face from slipping around and does give a lot of comfort. It's also got 5 slots for spare ammo on the side.
The bipod is also a low end because I'm not sure at all what I really need to look for. It's a cheap $40 bipod that mounts to the sling's swivel mount. It's padded so as not to mar the finish of whatever gun it's on. The length is 9-13 inches which seems to do ok. What's normally used for prone shooting? I also picked up a beanbag from Caldwell that cost $15 or so. It's good enough to pull the rifle into my shoulder and keep it there. Should I get a larger one to use instead of the bipod or should the bipod fill the bill?
The first thing I noticed is that I've seen the gun advertised as having 5+1. With snap caps, I can manage to shove a 5th round into there. With live ammo, I can't. It's the top lip near the ejection port that's preventing it. Is this normal? I'm not too worried about that, and here's why...
The stock sucks. It's not free-floating and it's fairly unergonomic for me and doesn't feel natural putting my hands on the grip and firing. The angle feels slightly wrong. I AM going to replace the stock. They're expensive, but the McRee stocks really appeal to me. Adding to the 5+1 detail in the previous paragraph, I don't think it's an issue because I'd planned on the detachable mag stock from McRee.
Right now, I can comfortably take it to 6-700 yards if I wanted and I know I can put rounds on target with 1 MOA accuracy if not less. Granted, I haven't hardly shot any rifles since I got out of the Corps, but I'm ok with that for now.
I built my first rifle and right now it's low end, but when it's completed, I hope to have a good one. I want to make sure I'm not screwing anything up, so let me know what I've already hosed or got wrong.
The rifle is a Remington 700 SPS Varmint. 26" heavy barrel w/ 1 in 12 twist. Blued finish. I have not yet replaced the non-free-floating stock.
The rail is a cheap $30 cast picatinny rail, but it fits very well. The screws that came with it are basic flat screwdriver screws that I don't particularly like. Unfortunately, it was a difference of $100 to pick up a proper rail. How much of a difference, and what advantages will I get by going with a better rail?
The rings are Leupold PRW 30mm Medium 0.97" rings. The rings I think I did well in buying. http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shoot...tems/prw-rings/
The scope I know wasn't the best choice, but it comes down to money right now because my wife and I are buying a home. http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-viper-6-5-20x44-pa-riflescope-dead-hold-bdc-reticle
The specs on the scope in my opinion are incredible for the price point of $399 that I got it for. Probably a more expensive than if I hunted online for one. Eventually, it will be replaced with something much better like a gold ring Leupold. Mk IV looks really nice, but very pricey. I'm ok with that, just not yet.
I got a very low end stock bag that also raises my cheek weld maybe a quarter inch, but more importantly the fabric on top keeps my face from slipping around and does give a lot of comfort. It's also got 5 slots for spare ammo on the side.
The bipod is also a low end because I'm not sure at all what I really need to look for. It's a cheap $40 bipod that mounts to the sling's swivel mount. It's padded so as not to mar the finish of whatever gun it's on. The length is 9-13 inches which seems to do ok. What's normally used for prone shooting? I also picked up a beanbag from Caldwell that cost $15 or so. It's good enough to pull the rifle into my shoulder and keep it there. Should I get a larger one to use instead of the bipod or should the bipod fill the bill?
The first thing I noticed is that I've seen the gun advertised as having 5+1. With snap caps, I can manage to shove a 5th round into there. With live ammo, I can't. It's the top lip near the ejection port that's preventing it. Is this normal? I'm not too worried about that, and here's why...
The stock sucks. It's not free-floating and it's fairly unergonomic for me and doesn't feel natural putting my hands on the grip and firing. The angle feels slightly wrong. I AM going to replace the stock. They're expensive, but the McRee stocks really appeal to me. Adding to the 5+1 detail in the previous paragraph, I don't think it's an issue because I'd planned on the detachable mag stock from McRee.
Right now, I can comfortably take it to 6-700 yards if I wanted and I know I can put rounds on target with 1 MOA accuracy if not less. Granted, I haven't hardly shot any rifles since I got out of the Corps, but I'm ok with that for now.
