Noob needs help on a new bolt action rifle

[ichigo]

Howdy all,

Hope everybody is doing great amidst this rona that’s is going on. I would like to your opinion and experience on quandary that I’m currently in. Since I have some free time while working from home, i was sparingly reading some forum in the web for reloading, bolt action and long range shooting. Before realizing it, I was already doing some more reading on bolt action rifles and how to build a custom bolt action or just buy a budget one. With some information in mind about bolt action rifle and Memorial day is coming, I was planning to start buying (sale) parts for a custom build or keep an eye for a budget one that is on sale.

I’ll be using the rifle for punching paper up to 1k yrds (that’s the plan) if I can find a range near Austin that is not only for members and does not require certification to shot beyond 100 yrds. I have a 308 in semi and i’m debating if the bolt action will be on 308 or venture to 6.5 CM but don’t have information on how much it will cost for adding a new caliber in my collection.

Can you kindly recommend which direction should I take for a budget rifle and not the buy once cry once direction. Currently, base from my research here’s the following that I came up with:

Custom:
Howa 1500 barreled action - 308 or 6.5CM
Bighorn TL3 barreled action - waaaayyyy out of reach
ARC Nucleus - ?????

Chassis/stock:
Boyds at-one or pro varmint
Bell and Carlson
KGR Bravo
LSS gen2

Finish rifle:
Savage 12FV
Tikka T3
Ruger American predator


Thanks in advance,

 

[jcmullis2]

What’s your top dollar?

 

[moaorbust]

Have a Howa 1500 barreled action in 6.5. It’s a tack driver out of the box. No regrets. The Boyd’s stocks are very competitive price wise and my instructor uses them. Don’t forget to bed it.

 

[ichigo]

If I can piecemeal the parts, budget is $800. I was watching a barrel bedding in youtube on a Boyds stock and there are some parts that you need to be really careful.

 

[jcmullis2]

I like the krg bravo and 6.5cm. Brownells has blued heavy barrel actions for $525 and krg bravo’s for $440. You might find a used krg here on the Hide. If not save a little bit longer. You’ll have a new rifle that’ll shoot groups inside your best .308 groups. It doesn’t get any easier than that.

 

[Vodoun daVinci]

$800 for a shooter to 1000 yards? Does this include glass?

VooDoo

 

[King_beardsly]

That sorta a tough price point, either you get something mildly lackluster or you have to save a little more to get something nicer. I’d personally recommend a barreled zermatt origin from keystone accuracy and drop it in a KRG bravo with which ever trigger you like.

 

[Vodoun daVinci]

I started 3 years ago with a cheapo/low budget rig just so I could play with my brother and nephew who are long range/precision shooters going way back. I bought a Savage 10 FCP-SR with 24" barrel threaded for a muzzle device. It came with the AccuTrigger and a plastic stock with a 0 MOA rail on top with Savage Rebate I paid $400 ish for the gun and topped it with a Vortex 6-25X50 Crossfire that I paid like $200ish for and cheap Vortex vertically split rings.

The gun shot sub MOA like this out to 600 yards with factory Hornady ELD-M 147 gr. I added an Atlas BT10 Bipod for another $220 which made my starter gun about $820....

Shoots very well but if I ever wanted to resell the Savage I'd not get much return....I did sell the original stock and bottom metal and magazine for $130. I upgraded the rifle as I gained some experience with MDT LSS-XLGen2 chassis, 20 MOA rail, Athlon Agos BTR 10-40X56 scope, XLR buttstock, Area 419 brake, etc and it became FrankenGun to my Family and shooting buddies.

I'd recommend you at least look at Savage base rifles and Ruger Precision Rifles in your range of price. My $800 base gun shot as well as some pretty expensive rigs but would never make it for competition or resale.

VooDoo

 

[Chickentoast]

Tikka Varmint in 6.5 given the price point. Otherwise, 700 action, KRG, Barrel with nut, Triggertech, but that's more like 1.2K. Watch Gunbroker - you can grab a new 700 5r or Savage LRP, etc. for your price point - just need to wait. I'd go Tikka if you want to shoot, or Rem if you want a project.

 

[wrightjr]

The Savage would be my pick off of your list due to the budget. The Ruger is a good shooter too (I owned one) , I just prefer a heavier barrel. Although a lot of people despise them (Savage), they are hard to beat for the price. But as said above there is not a very good return on them if you decide to sell. But IMO you could buy one and a decent entry level scope ($300 ish range) on that budget to see if this is something that you want to persue, then upgrade later if the bug bites harder. All that being said I took in a SPS AAC-SD .308 on trade to get my feet wet and upgraded parts (stock, rings, scope) as I went along for about what your budget is due to shopping around for deals on used parts.

 

[Harman117]

Check out the Ruger American Hunter. Called that because of the Magpul hunter stock.

What's your scope budget? That should receive the left over budget from the rifle

 

[Jabot]

Tikka Varmint in 6.5 given the price point. Otherwise, 700 action, KRG, Barrel with nut, Triggertech, but that's more like 1.2K. Watch Gunbroker - you can grab a new 700 5r or Savage LRP, etc. for your price point - just need to wait. I'd go Tikka if you want to shoot, or Rem if you want a project.

This is probably your best option .don't do the savage

 

[groves]

I started 3 years ago with a cheapo/low budget rig just so I could play with my brother and nephew who are long range/precision shooters going way back. I bought a Savage 10 FCP-SR with 24" barrel threaded for a muzzle device. It came with the AccuTrigger and a plastic stock with a 0 MOA rail on top with Savage Rebate I paid $400 ish for the gun and topped it with a Vortex 6-25X50 Crossfire that I paid like $200ish for and cheap Vortex vertically split rings.

View attachment 7331155

The gun shot sub MOA like this out to 600 yards with factory Hornady ELD-M 147 gr. I added an Atlas BT10 Bipod for another $220 which made my starter gun about $820....

View attachment 7331144

Shoots very well but if I ever wanted to resell the Savage I'd not get much return....I did sell the original stock and bottom metal and magazine for $130. I upgraded the rifle as I gained some experience with MDT LSS-XLGen2 chassis, 20 MOA rail, Athlon Agos BTR 10-40X56 scope, XLR buttstock, Area 419 brake, etc and it became FrankenGun to my Family and shooting buddies.

View attachment 7331146

I'd recommend you at least look at Savage base rifles and Ruger Precision Rifles in your range of price. My $800 base gun shot as well as some pretty expensive rigs but would never make it for competition or resale.

VooDoo

Is it me, or does your rig look extra "cheapo/low budget" with that leopard print fabric? Well done.

 

[Vodoun daVinci]

Is it me, or does your rig look extra "cheapo/low budget" with that leopard print fabric? Well done.

LOL...yer the only one so far that picked up on that prop and the significance.

I wanted to add that I was fully prepared to lose my cheap investment due to the fact I invested in Savage and was told repeatedly "Don't buy a Savage - Wait and buy better/spend more" but I have two standing offers for this build that give me back 80% of my total investment. I'll just shoot this barrel out and rebarrel it when needed. I can't imagine selling it. I'm looking at another build in .338 Lapua and will likely build on a Savage action again. Some dummies like me never learn....

VooDoo

 

[Chickentoast]

Is it me, or does your rig look extra "cheapo/low budget" with that leopard print fabric? Well done.

That's a beach set - towel came with matching banana hammock, $3.99 @ Walmart - I've seen him wear it to the range. Dude is such a copycat - I had mine waaay before him.

 

[BikePilot]

I'd do the Tikka, I think it'll have the smoothest operating action and best accuracy in this price point. Also easily upgradeable if/when you want to go that route.

 

[ichigo]

Thank you for sharing your opinions. I'll probably have to keep saving a bit more or stretch the project time longer until I can find the parts on sale at my price range.

——> VooDoo
$800 for a shooter to 1000 yards? Does this include glass?

I have a budget scope on my 308 semi (Vortex strike 6-24 SFP) bought it when it as on sale last year. I’ll just have to share the scope on both rifle, will just have to record the zero setting for both rifle.

——> Chickentoast
Tikka Varmint in 6.5 given the price point. Otherwise, 700 action, KRG, Barrel with nut, Triggertech, but that's more like 1.2K. Watch Gunbroker - you can grab a new 700 5r or Savage LRP, etc. for your price point - just need to wait. I'd go Tikka if you want to shoot, or Rem if you want a project.

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll keep an eye on the Rem 700 or Savage LPR when they go on sale. I was considering to make it as a project since, I can’t drop that amount of $$$ at one time.

——> Harman
Check out the Ruger American Hunter. Called that because of the Magpul hunter stock.

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll keep an on the Ruger American for sales during holiday promos.

 

[Vodoun daVinci]

Thank you for sharing your opinions. I'll probably have to keep saving a bit more or stretch the project time longer until I can find the parts on sale at my price range.

——> VooDoo
$800 for a shooter to 1000 yards? Does this include glass?

My first post breaks it down - $400 for the rifle, $200 for a Vortex Crossfire II 6-24X50, $220 for the Atlas bipod - about $820 invested for the rifle in the second picture minus the scope caps and Bear Creek Riser. The first picture is of the base gun and scope....$600 and we shot the dickens out of it to 1000 yards.

VooDoo