I'm looking to build a practical precision custom rifle under 12lbs for both hunting and NRL Hunter Open Light division competition. I'm looking for suggestions or recommendations on what would make an ideal build for my requirements plus evaluations on what I'm thinking so far. I'm a very longtime hunter and been competing in PRS matches for several years now. I'd like to move into a custom light practical rifle, but am not sure about all the compatibility detail gotchas I might run into, especially since my plan is that it should be a No Gunsmith Required build. We live in the world of prefits now, I'd like to prove that we don't need gunsmiths, bedding compound or shop lathes to build reliable precision bolt action rifles anymore.
Here's my requirements:
- NO GUNSMITHS! I need to be able to assemble this in my garage with basic tools, a torque wrench, a barrel vise/wrench and some gauges and NO STOCK BEDDING COMPOUND and expect it to be within 90% of the potential of a gunsmith-barreled and blueprinted action.
- Chambering suitable for thin skinned north American or African plains game, mostly whitetail and mule deer out to 400y in a commonly available factory chambering. I intend to reload, but for an explicitly practical non-gamer rifle, I'm thinking 6.5 Creedmoor is the best compromise. No barrel burner 6mms.
- Must also be suitable for NRL Hunter Open Light division (under 12lbs total) should NRL Hunter decide to have any matches in Central or South Texas in the future
- As such, its going to need a lighter barrel, I'm thinking 22" Proof carbon fiber Sendero profile.
- Going to need a lighter carbon fiber stock, but here's the trickiest part of my build...it MUST be a traditional stock profile NOT a "modern" AR style pistol grip chassis. Its a practical rifle, not a gamer race gun. Yes, I'm a Fudd at heart and set in my ways about certain things... pistol grip chassis bolt guns are a bridge too far for me. Ideally it should have adjustable LOP (pad spacers ok) and comb, though. In order to stick with the NO GUNSMITHS rule, its probably going to have to be a mini-chassis of some sort, so I'm thinking something like a Manners MCS-LRH with their mini chassis.
- Action and bottom metal needs to be AIAW magazine compatible with a standard integrated 20 moa pic rail. I intend to use AIAW mags exclusively but AICS compatibility would be a nice to have as well. I really like the new ARC Coup de Grace, but I don't know for sure if I can get a truly prefit Proof carbon barrel for it nor an inlet for manners MCS-LRH with mini chassis. NO GUNSMITHS rule trumps all.
- Needs an FFP mil/mil optic appropriate for both hunting (up to 400y) and occasional competition (out to 1200y) but on the lighter side. A Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44 would make more sense for ultra weight savings but given that I intend to compete with it as well, I think a MARK 5HD 5-25X56 w/PR-2 reticle would be the best compromise.
- Once piece mount. I've given up on two piece rings forever. You won't convince me otherwise. I'll happily eat the weight and shave it somewhere else, even if I gotta dremel it. Its Spuhr or nothing.
- Bipods should be mentioned here I suppose but I don't think they're critical unless I'm so near my 12lb limit that I need something special. I'm pretty partial to my old Arca Harris, but I might be convinced to go Atlas or Spartan Javelin if I have to shave weight. I'm only mentioning it here because its part of NRL Hunter weigh-in.
- I suppose if I have to also mention it for the sake of weight here, I'll say that as long as I can afford the weight, I'll probably put an EC tuner brake on it because I'm lazy and would prefer to tune barrels instead of tune seating depth. Yeah, its a little gamer, but I've seen the light and hate fiddling with seating depth for the sake of group size when I can just dial-a-group, especially if I need to tune for factory ammo.
Any suggestions that meet the criteria or gotchas that I may not have thought of?
Here's my requirements:
- NO GUNSMITHS! I need to be able to assemble this in my garage with basic tools, a torque wrench, a barrel vise/wrench and some gauges and NO STOCK BEDDING COMPOUND and expect it to be within 90% of the potential of a gunsmith-barreled and blueprinted action.
- Chambering suitable for thin skinned north American or African plains game, mostly whitetail and mule deer out to 400y in a commonly available factory chambering. I intend to reload, but for an explicitly practical non-gamer rifle, I'm thinking 6.5 Creedmoor is the best compromise. No barrel burner 6mms.
- Must also be suitable for NRL Hunter Open Light division (under 12lbs total) should NRL Hunter decide to have any matches in Central or South Texas in the future
- As such, its going to need a lighter barrel, I'm thinking 22" Proof carbon fiber Sendero profile.
- Going to need a lighter carbon fiber stock, but here's the trickiest part of my build...it MUST be a traditional stock profile NOT a "modern" AR style pistol grip chassis. Its a practical rifle, not a gamer race gun. Yes, I'm a Fudd at heart and set in my ways about certain things... pistol grip chassis bolt guns are a bridge too far for me. Ideally it should have adjustable LOP (pad spacers ok) and comb, though. In order to stick with the NO GUNSMITHS rule, its probably going to have to be a mini-chassis of some sort, so I'm thinking something like a Manners MCS-LRH with their mini chassis.
- Action and bottom metal needs to be AIAW magazine compatible with a standard integrated 20 moa pic rail. I intend to use AIAW mags exclusively but AICS compatibility would be a nice to have as well. I really like the new ARC Coup de Grace, but I don't know for sure if I can get a truly prefit Proof carbon barrel for it nor an inlet for manners MCS-LRH with mini chassis. NO GUNSMITHS rule trumps all.
- Needs an FFP mil/mil optic appropriate for both hunting (up to 400y) and occasional competition (out to 1200y) but on the lighter side. A Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44 would make more sense for ultra weight savings but given that I intend to compete with it as well, I think a MARK 5HD 5-25X56 w/PR-2 reticle would be the best compromise.
- Once piece mount. I've given up on two piece rings forever. You won't convince me otherwise. I'll happily eat the weight and shave it somewhere else, even if I gotta dremel it. Its Spuhr or nothing.
- Bipods should be mentioned here I suppose but I don't think they're critical unless I'm so near my 12lb limit that I need something special. I'm pretty partial to my old Arca Harris, but I might be convinced to go Atlas or Spartan Javelin if I have to shave weight. I'm only mentioning it here because its part of NRL Hunter weigh-in.
- I suppose if I have to also mention it for the sake of weight here, I'll say that as long as I can afford the weight, I'll probably put an EC tuner brake on it because I'm lazy and would prefer to tune barrels instead of tune seating depth. Yeah, its a little gamer, but I've seen the light and hate fiddling with seating depth for the sake of group size when I can just dial-a-group, especially if I need to tune for factory ammo.
Any suggestions that meet the criteria or gotchas that I may not have thought of?
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