Off the shelf Precision Rifle under $2K recommendations

[Ape_Factory]

I'm 100% new to bolt guns, been lurking and reading over the past week and overall, the forum is excellent at helping me drain my bank account. I already have my eye on things like a KRG Whiskey chassis, Zermatt action, solid barrel, things of that nature. And then I come back down to earth and realize I'd probably be over-gunned with a Ruger precision rifle.

I've really decided I don't want to fool with building one. I've built a few gas guns with great success but I don't know what I don't know about bolt guns so I'd like to spend time behind one that I know is solid out of the box and not that expensive.

A few things to consider.
-I don't have any ranges, within reasonable driving distances, longer than 300 yards, that I could visit as regularly as the ones I currently frequent.
-I'm sticking to .308. I already have an AR10 and I reload for .308 and am set up for it and have numerous loads that are sub-MOA (will need to tweak for new rifle).
-I'm also sort of leaning towards the hunting/tactical end of things as that would be more practical. And again, nothing longer than 300 yards near me.
-I'm a modaholic and like to tweak things so really looking for the precision rifle chassis look as opposed to a regular stock and one with lots of aftermarket support.

I see most PR's are fairly heavy, the RPR being no exception at right around 10 pounds in .308.

I saw the Sig Cross, both the 16" barrel and the 24" model but the 24 comes in at a whopping 14+ pounds. I'm not sure the 16" will really be that much different from my AR which also features a 16" barrel. I do like the weight of the 16" model which is under 7 pounds.

The Christensen Arms MPR is interesting, a bit ugly, but there's a 24" version that's under 8 pounds. Not sure I'm 100% convinced on the carbon/heat transfer thing as I'm involved with a few products which use carbon as a heat conductor and the construction and manufacturing is waaaaay different than what I see on their barrels. The 24" might be a bit overkill for both the ranges I have to work with and hunting but I did find one for just over my price range.

So that sort of leaves me the RPR with a 20" barrel. I could see adding say a Proof barrel later on along with a new carbon hand guard (CODA most likely) to take a bit of weight off if I want to go that direction. I'll likely find it fine as is though.

Anything else I should consider that's readily available?

 

[Mr. F]

Under 2k the Seekins Havak is what id go for.

Seekins Havak Bravo Rifles

Optics, scopes, & more for the precision marksman and serious hunter - Nightforce, Swarovski Optik, Vortex, Sako, Leica, Sig Sauer, Tikka, Trijicon, & many more.

www.eurooptic.com

 

[AleksanderSuave]

Rifles - BadRock Rifles

badrockrifles.com

Just under 2k, and will be nicer than 80% of what you can find on the market in that price range.

 

[Ape_Factory]

KRG chassis, dead sexy in green too....If only they'd used the Whisky-3 chassis.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

If you are staying under 300. Save yourself a ton of money and get a .223. It will cost half the amount of a .308 to reload.

 

[Skeptic1]

In my opinion looking for a precision bolt action rifle under 10 lbs is counterintuitive. There is a reason extremely accurate rifles are heavy. Also, having a rifle that will be accurate well beyond 300 yards will in no way impede your intentions at a range that only goes out to 300 yards

 

[Ape_Factory]

In my opinion looking for a precision bolt action rifle under 10 lbs is counterintuitive. There is a reason extremely accurate rifles are heavy. Also, having a rifle that will be accurate well beyond 300 yards will in no way impede your intentions at a range that only goes out to 300 yards

I agree on the weight thing and have read about that extensively which is why I mentioned leaning towards the tactical/hunting end of things. I'd like some practicality other than paper punching. And if I ever manage to get to a longer range, having accuracy beyond 300 would be a bonus

I'm capable but not prepared to spend $5K on a rifle just yet. I want to get my feet wet and see what I like and don't like first rather than making an even more expensive mistake.

 

[Ape_Factory]

If you are staying under 300. Save yourself a ton of money and get a .223. It will cost half the amount of a .308 to reload.

I considered that. I find it more challenging to shoot the AR10 than my .223 which is part of the equation plus I already have a 7.62 suppressor. Plus I've gotten very good at .308 loads and I have a bit of arthritis which makes the smaller cases a literal pain to process. But admittedly, it's far less expensive to run a .223 than a .308.

 

[Ape_Factory]

Rifles - BadRock Rifles

badrockrifles.com

Just under 2k, and will be nicer than 80% of what you can find on the market in that price range.

I saw those. Didn't really know much about them to be honest but will look into them more.

 

[Skeptic1]

Your budget is enough to get an extremely capable rifle that can serve you now and be able to serve you later as you grow into it. In my experience a rifle that can "punch paper" can also punch other things so the "practical" criteria will be covered.
I personally would watch the for sale section here and try to buy a good rifle that someone has built and needs to sell. I would begin studying optics as well.

 

[UpSideDown]

Choose whether you're building a hunting rifle or a range rifle, and ditch the 'tactical' idea. 'Tactical' to me means a reliable fire control group when dirty and a trigger that isn't too light. Otherwise you're just considering gun weight and barrel length because you've already picked out the caliber.

If hunting rifle:
I really like regular stocks. I actually really like the factory Tikka CTR stock or a Manners EH1. Whatever the stock is, I don't want my hands to touch any metal if I can avoid it. Lightweight AR-10's are more handy, ergonomic and shorter than bolt actions are; they don't suppress as well and need either carbon handguards or a simple wrap over the aluminum handguard to help with heat transfer into your hand on cold hunts.

If bench rifle:
Chassis are sweet. If you're shooting 300yds on a bench I don't think there's going to be much to mod on it, you aren't using fancy bag spigots and arcalock stuff. I think the ARC Xylo is the nicest chassis out there but for 300yds I don't know if I'd really want that expensive of a gun. You could pick up a Tikka .223 and drop it in whichever KRG chassis you like best and be done with a very precise, good feeling gun.

 

[Wannashootit]

Rifles - BadRock Rifles

badrockrifles.com

Just under 2k, and will be nicer than 80% of what you can find on the market in that price range.

So, that rifle includes barreled action w/ trigger, MDT LSS-XL and the skeleton rifle stock ($400)- all for $2K?
Pretty amazing price, considering the chassis and buttstock alone are worth nearly half of that price.

 

[Ape_Factory]

I have the optics covered and I've been looking here for something used, trust me I've seen a few chassis that were interesting but I don't want to build at this point as I just don't know enough.

 

[b6graham]

zermatt origin
proof prefit (223 would be my choice at 300y)
krg bravo
trigger and brake of choice

btw 10 pounds without scope...is super light for a precision rifle

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I was in the same boat except I’ve been doing this for quite a while and have owned a shit load of different precision bolt guns. I’ve been without a bolt gun though since selling my Accuracy International PSR a little over a year ago though and it’s time to have something in the safe for when I want to go out and bang some steel.

I’m at the point where I just can’t justify have $20k wrapped up into a bolt gun or even $10k and I know how capable some lesser expensive rifles are and how little extra you’re getting for added cost.

I was pretty set on a Bergara Wilderness HMR in 308 but actually ended up ordering a Sig Cross in 6.5 since it’s more practical what I’ll be using it for which is a mix of casual LR as well as hunting and I know that they cross that gap very well. I’ve owned a couple fixes and love them and one with a 20” Proof CF 6.5 barrel is my perfect rifle I think but I just can’t justify the price for something I’ll rarely use anymore when I can do the same thing with something that costs 1/3 of the price.

I can’t recommend the cross as my only time with one is handling them a few times in gun stores, but just saying that’s the route I just went.

You really can’t go wrong with a RPR, Bergara, Tikka CTR, Howa KRG or a handful of others.

Just stay away from the Remington and Savage junk and you’ll probably make a fine choice.

 

[Ape_Factory]

Choose whether you're building a hunting rifle or a range rifle, and ditch the 'tactical' idea. 'Tactical' to me means a reliable fire control group when dirty and a trigger that isn't too light. Otherwise you're just considering gun weight and barrel length because you've already picked out the caliber.

If hunting rifle:
I really like regular stocks. I actually really like the factory Tikka CTR stock or a Manners EH1. Whatever the stock is, I don't want my hands to touch any metal if I can avoid it. Lightweight AR-10's are more handy, ergonomic and shorter than bolt actions are; they don't suppress as well and need either carbon handguards or a simple wrap over the aluminum handguard to help with heat transfer into your hand on cold hunts.

If bench rifle:
Chassis are sweet. If you're shooting 300yds on a bench I don't think there's going to be much to mod on it, you aren't using fancy bag spigots and arcalock stuff. I think the ARC Xylo is the nicest chassis out there but for 300yds I don't know if I'd really want that expensive of a gun. You could pick up a Tikka .223 and drop it in whichever KRG chassis you like best and be done with a very precise, good feeling gun.

Appreciate the input and definitely understand the tactical side. I only mentioned as to try to differentiate my leanings at this point. One question...if you could pick the action, why go with one over another? Say a Rem 700 vs. Savage or Tikka? I've also noticed there are often "hunting" actions and precision actions from the same manufacturer. I'm guessing weight is the primary difference with the precision actions being one piece machined or just generally more stiff/heavy vs. a hunting action? Hunting action might tolerate more contamination? There just seem to be so many options which is why I don't want to build until I've gained more knowledge and experience.

 

[b6graham]

Appreciate the input and definitely understand the tactical side. I only mentioned as to try to differentiate my leanings at this point. One question...if you could pick the action, why go with one over another? Say a Rem 700 vs. Savage or Tikka? I've also noticed there are often "hunting" actions and precision actions from the same manufacturer. I'm guessing weight is the primary difference with the precision actions being one piece machined or just generally more stiff/heavy vs. a hunting action? Hunting action might tolerate more contamination? There just seem to be so many options which is why I don't want to build until I've gained more knowledge and experience.

tikka if going factory. r700 and savage are trash

building is easy. i did it for you in my post above

 

[UpSideDown]

Appreciate the input and definitely understand the tactical side. I only mentioned as to try to differentiate my leanings at this point. One question...if you could pick the action, why go with one over another? Say a Rem 700 vs. Savage or Tikka? I've also noticed there are often "hunting" actions and precision actions from the same manufacturer. I'm guessing weight is the primary difference with the precision actions being one piece machined or just generally more stiff/heavy vs. a hunting action? Hunting action might tolerate more contamination? There just seem to be so many options which is why I don't want to build until I've gained more knowledge and experience.

You are correct in that the biggest difference is based on weight. I built an Origin rifle and decided to sell it and go back to building my Tikka. Some of the factors were that the Tikka bolt locks when you engage the safety, the factory trigger is discernably better than the Triggertech I had in the Origin, and the Tikka bolt is more forgiving and flat out won't bind.

There's lots of great rifles out there now, it's almost difficult to go wrong. Actual Remington made actions are questionable from the factory because Remington does a mediocre job. Savage rifles shoot really well but they're ugly and clunky. Tikka's are like using cheat codes, they just shoot. Origin's are cool because barrels are very available and they feel smooth as glass and have interchangeable bolt heads, controlled round feed and can be single fed.

 

[AleksanderSuave]

So, that rifle includes barreled action w/ trigger, MDT LSS-XL and the skeleton rifle stock ($400)- all for $2K?
Pretty amazing price, considering the chassis and buttstock alone are worth nearly half of that price.

correct, which is exactly why I got one. Its Defiance's rifle brand so not like its a no name shop either.

You can also easily swap in a folding stock adapter and a whole host of other MDT Goodies.

If I were OP, I would honestly start with a tikka/bergara and a used chassis to figure out what I like and dont like for 300 yards, then get into something else.

However, that requires tinkering, buying, parts swapping, etc.

the Badrock off the shelf is a shooter. Doesnt really need anything other than a scope, and a bipod. My first 4 at 100 were literally into the same hole, sighting the scope in.

 

[Mxridr]

Find a used stock on here, tenacity action, prefit barrel from some of the vendors on here. Gun will shoot very well. Under 2k

 

[Mxridr]

That tenacity is an excellent value. Very smooth action

 

[RFutch]

You're gonna get 100 different answers in this thread by all of us and what we like to use. You're not gonna know for yourself until you play with a bunch of different rifles.

Do you have any local matches you can go to and see a bunch of different rifles at once?

 

[GMZ]

If you are staying under 300. Save yourself a ton of money and get a .223. It will cost half the amount of a .308 to reload.

This is the best option given the state of things, though I could go a step further and recommend a 22lr like a CZ457 chassis model which is a blast out to 300.

 

[DangerRanger]

I have a bergara bmp that I’m very impressed with, I’m building a custom to replace it but nagging wonder if I’m just wasting money. They are discontinued so not the easiest to find but it’s a nice rifle

 

[65x55guy]

My 2 cents- make the $2k your budget for the barreled action. Different level of actions at that range and prefit barrels are abundant. Start with an MDT or other budget chassis for $500. Grab a used trigger tech on top for $175.

I’m not guaranteeing it’s going to show up immediately on paper with accuracy, but you’ll have resale value and you can play legos with your rifle.

 

[Ape_Factory]

This is the best option given the state of things, though I could go a step further and recommend a 22lr like a CZ457 chassis model which is a blast out to 300.

I did think about a 22LR as I have a suppressor coming but it doesn't fit my needs for hunting and I really do enjoy shooting the AR10, much more so than anything else I own. But I do giggle when I buy 22LR ammo. It's almost seems like you're stealing! Got four boxes of Federal Punch in today to try out.

You are correct in that the biggest difference is based on weight. I built an Origin rifle and decided to sell it and go back to building my Tikka. Some of the factors were that the Tikka bolt locks when you engage the safety, the factory trigger is discernably better than the Triggertech I had in the Origin, and the Tikka bolt is more forgiving and flat out won't bind.

There's lots of great rifles out there now, it's almost difficult to go wrong. Actual Remington made actions are questionable from the factory because Remington does a mediocre job. Savage rifles shoot really well but they're ugly and clunky. Tikka's are like using cheat codes, they just shoot. Origin's are cool because barrels are very available and they feel smooth as glass and have interchangeable bolt heads, controlled round feed and can be single fed.

Any downsides to Tikka? I really should have given the T3x Tac A1 a harder look as it checks off a lot of boxes and I can get it in a 20" barrel. Under $2K as well. Not sure how I overlooked it. The specs are very similar to the Ruger. Do most consider Tikka to be a bit more consistent than the Ruger out of the box? Better action and trigger?

correct, which is exactly why I got one. Its Defiance's rifle brand so not like its a no name shop either.

You can also easily swap in a folding stock adapter and a whole host of other MDT Goodies.

If I were OP, I would honestly start with a tikka/bergara and a used chassis to figure out what I like and dont like for 300 yards, then get into something else.

However, that requires tinkering, buying, parts swapping, etc.

the Badrock off the shelf is a shooter. Doesnt really need anything other than a scope, and a bipod. My first 4 at 100 were literally into the same hole, sighting the scope in.

Definitely one I was considering as well and good to hear on your experience. I did look at the MDT chassis initially when I thought about building. The KRG really caught my eye though and I see they have the new C4 chassis coming out soon albeit more than I want to spend. But damn is that sexy.

Find a used stock on here, tenacity action, prefit barrel from some of the vendors on here. Gun will shoot very well. Under 2k

Super tempting. Decisions! I did see the tenacity. Assuming I'd go with the short action for .308? I see it has mag options for DBM or BDL (no idea the diff but will google). Always thought an integrated rail was better though. The scope rings are sort of interesting though, cuts down on weight. Guessing there are pro's and cons to that sort of setup.

You're gonna get 100 different answers in this thread by all of us and what we like to use. You're not gonna know for yourself until you play with a bunch of different rifles.

I hesitated to even post a thread because of that very reason. But...it does have me at least asking questions and learning a bit.

Do you have any local matches you can go to and see a bunch of different rifles at once?

I just started to look up long range shooting matches and there's actually a club where I am (San Antonio) so I'll start to see if I can pursue that avenue for information. I have a few big box stores that have multiple rifles in stock as well. My neighbor is a bolt rifle guy but he's very much into Savage. I'm sure he's reading this right now and cursing me. He does have all the tools necessary to service Savage but if I move or he moves...plus the ugly factor.

 

[Ape_Factory]

My 2 cents- make the $2k your budget for the barreled action. Different level of actions at that range and prefit barrels are abundant. Start with an MDT or other budget chassis for $500. Grab a used trigger tech on top for $175.

I’m not guaranteeing it’s going to show up immediately on paper with accuracy, but you’ll have resale value and you can play legos with your rifle.

What's going to be the easiest action in terms of setup with a pre-fit barrel and NOT needing to use a gunsmith? I did look at Defiance and noticed their headspace tolerance was within .001. When I started looking in earnest, my thought was just that, spend the money on the barrel and action but felt I didn't know enough to go that route initially. Read a ton of threads on various actions (with 100 opinions either way of course) and looking at the options, just didn't even know where to begin.

 

[65x55guy]

What's going to be the easiest action in terms of setup with a pre-fit barrel and NOT needing to use a gunsmith? I did look at Defiance and noticed their headspace tolerance was within .001. When I started looking in earnest, my thought was just that, spend the money on the barrel and action but felt I didn't know enough to go that route initially. Read a ton of threads on various actions (with 100 opinions either way of course) and looking at the options, just didn't even know where to begin.

There are some absolute experts around here, but I went with an impact 737r. I think a TL3 is also a good setup.

Recently I bought a well used 737r action for about $1150 and then had a smith chamber a carbon 18” 6.5 CM for me. But I could have easily gone online and found a steel prefit from a half dozen other smiths for $500-600.

If I had done the most cost effective route and built a bench gun then I would have $1150 in action, $500 in a prefit, $200 in a trigger, and $600 in a stock.

6 and 6.5 Creedmoor prefits abound.

 

[b6graham]

tikka ctr and chassis/stock of choic > tac a1

budgt action with prfits its hard to orlook th zrmatt origin from front rang prcision

$1400 for a barrld action and its an incrdibl action. its all i run and id pay way mor for thm

 

[hafejd30]

I like the Tikka CTR idea. Then a MDT chassis. I handled the Tac A1 and recalled not liking the chassis as much as I hoped. Same for the RPR. Didn’t care for the buttstock/cheek piece. I definitely enjoy MDT and XLR I’ve used. MDT ESS being my favorite.

Keep an eye on the px. Regardless of what you choose. Lots of precision rifles both custom and factory come up. As well as actions and barrels should you choose that route. Good way to make your $$ go further.

I know LRI and others also have sales and what not on just barreled actions. Then just pick a stock or chassis. KRG bravo is a good starter if your looking to save money on that end right away to invest elsewhere in the rifle

If you choose a R700 platform the px here is usually plastered with chassis. So you can buy/try/sell at minimum losses if you try something else

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Dude I hate to break it to you, but if you’re not serious enough about LR performance to choose something other than 308 then you’re also not going to see a difference going to a semi custom vs a factory rifle.

Those suggesting to buy a CTR and drop it in a chassis you want are giving you spot on advice. FWIW the SS barrel tikkas seems to be quite a bit faster than the chromoly versions plus easier cleaning make them worth the extra $100.

 

[hafejd30]

Dude I hate to break it to you, but if you’re not serious enough about LR performance to choose something other than 308 then you’re also not going to see a difference going to a semi custom vs a factory rifle.

Those suggesting to buy a CTR and drop it in a chassis you want are giving you spot on advice. FWIW the SS barrel tikkas seems to be quite a bit faster than the chromoly versions plus easier cleaning make them worth the extra $100.

To be fair he did list 300 yard range and some other points about sticking with the 308. Which is a decent choice yet

Personally for 300 yards and if not hunting deer I’d choose a .223

 

[Rocketmandb]

To be fair he did list 300 yard range and some other points about sticking with the 308. Which is a decent choice yet

Personally for 300 yards and if not hunting deer I’d choose a .223

And he has a 308 AR10 already and reloads for it, so has a bunch of the components.

However...

@Ape_Factory

Don't think you can automatically and interchangeably use the same brass in each, nor can you use the same die setup for each.

- You want to bump the shoulders back .004" or so for semi- and .002" for bolt.
- Your seating depth will far more than likely be different between the two.
- You might well have chamber differences between the two, which could cause extraction issues, especially if the AR is a smaller chamber
- The above three items mean you'd be constantly changing die setups as you load for each rifle AND possibly have extraction problems. Not something I'd like to do as it's an opportunity to screw up a dialed-in config.
- Because of that, you'd probably want to get different dies, and mark them clearly
- AND you'd want to keep your brass separate - better yet, use different brands so it's easier to sort

 

[hafejd30]

And he has a 308 AR10 already and reloads for it, so has a bunch of the components.

However...

@Ape_Factory

Don't think you can automatically and interchangeably use the same brass in each, nor can you use the same die setup for each.

- You want to bump the shoulders back .004" or so for semi- and .002" for bolt.
- Your seating depth will far more than likely be different between the two.
- You might well have chamber differences between the two, which could cause extraction issues, especially if the AR is a smaller chamber
- The above three items mean you'd be constantly changing die setups as you load for each rifle AND possibly have extraction problems. Not something I'd like to do as it's an opportunity to screw up a dialed-in config.
- Because of that, you'd probably want to get different dies, and mark them clearly
- AND you'd want to keep your brass separate - better yet, use different brands so it's easier to sort

I 100% agree with that. Hope the op doesn’t intend to make one load for both rifles. I just assumed he’s wanting to use the same bullets, primers, powder etc. Not having to change shell holders, trimmers etc etc etc

Otherwise yes your post is excellent info for the op

 

[Simonsza1]

Spend just a few hundred over your budget and get an American Rifle company complete nucleus rifle in the xylo and you’ll have a sweet ass rifle right out of the box without doing a thing.

 

[M4orturnate]

I'm 100% new to bolt guns, been lurking and reading over the past week and overall, the forum is excellent at helping me drain my bank account. I already have my eye on things like a KRG Whiskey chassis, Zermatt action, solid barrel, things of that nature. And then I come back down to earth and realize I'd probably be over-gunned with a Ruger precision rifle.

I've really decided I don't want to fool with building one. I've built a few gas guns with great success but I don't know what I don't know about bolt guns so I'd like to spend time behind one that I know is solid out of the box and not that expensive.

A few things to consider.
-I don't have any ranges, within reasonable driving distances, longer than 300 yards, that I could visit as regularly as the ones I currently frequent.
-I'm sticking to .308. I already have an AR10 and I reload for .308 and am set up for it and have numerous loads that are sub-MOA (will need to tweak for new rifle).
-I'm also sort of leaning towards the hunting/tactical end of things as that would be more practical. And again, nothing longer than 300 yards near me.
-I'm a modaholic and like to tweak things so really looking for the precision rifle chassis look as opposed to a regular stock and one with lots of aftermarket support.

I see most PR's are fairly heavy, the RPR being no exception at right around 10 pounds in .308.

I saw the Sig Cross, both the 16" barrel and the 24" model but the 24 comes in at a whopping 14+ pounds. I'm not sure the 16" will really be that much different from my AR which also features a 16" barrel. I do like the weight of the 16" model which is under 7 pounds.

The Christensen Arms MPR is interesting, a bit ugly, but there's a 24" version that's under 8 pounds. Not sure I'm 100% convinced on the carbon/heat transfer thing as I'm involved with a few products which use carbon as a heat conductor and the construction and manufacturing is waaaaay different than what I see on their barrels. The 24" might be a bit overkill for both the ranges I have to work with and hunting but I did find one for just over my price range.

So that sort of leaves me the RPR with a 20" barrel. I could see adding say a Proof barrel later on along with a new carbon hand guard (CODA most likely) to take a bit of weight off if I want to go that direction. I'll likely find it fine as is though.

Anything else I should consider that's readily available?

Just get a quality cust9m barreled action used off here for 1800ish anf a krg bravo for 350. Light years ahead of the off the shelf guns youre looking at and you wont have to waste money upgrading later

 

[Hog Hunters]

Can’t go wrong with a Remington 700 or Winchester 70, they’ll last your entire life if you somewhat take care of them.

 

[hafejd30]

Can’t go wrong with a Remington 700 or Winchester 70, they’ll last your entire life if you somewhat take care of them.

There’s so many better options for his price range. The only thing Rem 700 he should be considering is an action based of the platform. Simply for the trigger, base, chassis uses. In this day and age I wouldn’t consider anything factory Rem 700 or even blueprinted for that matter

 

[KZP]

And he has a 308 AR10 already and reloads for it, so has a bunch of the components.

However...

@Ape_Factory

Don't think you can automatically and interchangeably use the same brass in each, nor can you use the same die setup for each.

- You want to bump the shoulders back .004" or so for semi- and .002" for bolt.
- Your seating depth will far more than likely be different between the two.
- You might well have chamber differences between the two, which could cause extraction issues, especially if the AR is a smaller chamber
- The above three items mean you'd be constantly changing die setups as you load for each rifle AND possibly have extraction problems. Not something I'd like to do as it's an opportunity to screw up a dialed-in config.
- Because of that, you'd probably want to get different dies, and mark them clearly
- AND you'd want to keep your brass separate - better yet, use different brands so it's easier to sort

Agreed. I reload 308 for AR10 and bolt action. Only thing I share is powder and primers. Every other component is unique to the rifle. Two sets of dies to keep bump consistent, same seating die so that saves a smidgen of money. If you're shooting 300 yards you won't need the heavy bullets that work well in longer barrel bolt actions, so those could be shared between rifles, but other than that it's like getting a new caliber.

 

[jbuck88]

What weight are you hoping to shoot for?

What is your primary purpose, and secondary purpose? How much range use? Any chance you're going to take it into field?

I had a Ruger RPR that my kid shot and it performed close enough to my AI's. It lacked fit and finish, but if you like to tinker . . . Just understand that you could be close to the cost of a AI AT by the time you are finished modding it.

I kept mine stock and sold it for a 16" Sig Cross 308 and like the cross better. The cross is very accurate with factory ammo and has been flawless. I would buy a Cross again long before I'd buy a Ruger, buy I already have a few heavy range toys.

This is rounds 2, 3 and 4 out of my cross and is fairly typical.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

Tikka ….hands down

 

[Sniperwannabee]

Can’t go wrong with a Remington 700 or Winchester 70, they’ll last your entire life if you somewhat take care of them.

This Has to be a joke

 

[Ape_Factory]

tikka ctr and chassis/stock of choic > tac a1

budgt action with prfits its hard to orlook th zrmatt origin from front rang prcision

$1400 for a barrld action and its an incrdibl action. its all i run and id pay way mor for thm

I had a chance to examine a 24" 6.5 Tac A1 tonight and I was underwhelmed with the overall finish. Overall, it felt a bit basic but it's action felt great in comparison to the Christensen Arms MPR that they also had. The MPR was far, far lighter with better fit/finish but the action wasn't on the same level as the Tikka. It honestly made me want to build my own.

I like the Tikka CTR idea. Then a MDT chassis. I handled the Tac A1 and recalled not liking the chassis as much as I hoped. Same for the RPR. Didn’t care for the buttstock/cheek piece. I definitely enjoy MDT and XLR I’ve used. MDT ESS being my favorite.

Keep an eye on the px. Regardless of what you choose. Lots of precision rifles both custom and factory come up. As well as actions and barrels should you choose that route. Good way to make your $$ go further.

I know LRI and others also have sales and what not on just barreled actions. Then just pick a stock or chassis. KRG bravo is a good starter if your looking to save money on that end right away to invest elsewhere in the rifle

If you choose a R700 platform the px here is usually plastered with chassis. So you can buy/try/sell at minimum losses if you try something else

Same here, just didn't like the chassis, forearm, as much as I thought I might. The MDT ESS is in range but not sure if it's a folding stock which is what I'd prefer to have.

Dude I hate to break it to you, but if you’re not serious enough about LR performance to choose something other than 308 then you’re also not going to see a difference going to a semi custom vs a factory rifle.

Those suggesting to buy a CTR and drop it in a chassis you want are giving you spot on advice. FWIW the SS barrel tikkas seems to be quite a bit faster than the chromoly versions plus easier cleaning make them worth the extra $100.

I get it. I just don't want to add another caliber at this point and the 308's barrel longevity is worth the other tradeoffs. I'll look at the CTR option.

Spend just a few hundred over your budget and get an American Rifle company complete nucleus rifle in the xylo and you’ll have a sweet ass rifle right out of the box without doing a thing.

Part of me loves the xylo chassis. If the grip came in wenge instead of walnut I'd be sold. All kidding aside, I'm looking at $500 over not including any accessories. I really want a forend and a folding stock.

Agreed. I reload 308 for AR10 and bolt action. Only thing I share is powder and primers. Every other component is unique to the rifle. Two sets of dies to keep bump consistent, same seating die so that saves a smidgen of money. If you're shooting 300 yards you won't need the heavy bullets that work well in longer barrel bolt actions, so those could be shared between rifles, but other than that it's like getting a new caliber.

Aware the "recipe" would be different between the two. I'd definitely have to tweak the loads and would have a separate toolhead (Dillon) and dies for the bolt action 308. I have enough brass, primers, bullets and powder to reload for both with bullets in a number of weights. Plus my suppressor is a 7.62 which would obviously work with smaller calibers but not be optimal.

Anyway, taking a look at the Sig Cross and Ruger Precision tomorrow.

 

[GMZ]

Building a bolt action is easier than building an AR these days.

Call Keystone or PVA and get an Origin barreled action, add TT trigger of your choice and drop it into a W3. Done.

If in the future you want to change calibers it’s a bolt head and phone call away.

 

[Ape_Factory]

Building a bolt action is easier than building an AR these days.

Call Keystone or PVA and get an Origin barreled action, add TT trigger of your choice and drop it into a W3. Done.

If in the future you want to change calibers it’s a bolt head and phone call away.

PVA=Patriot Valley Arms?

Keystone...have a link for them? I only came up with Keystone Sporting Arms who makes rifles for tiny people.

 

[tomcatmv]

OP, lots of good advice here. But also take a look at a Thompson Center venture in weather guard. It has 5R rifling and an adjustable trigger and a 60 degree bolt throw. I have one (.308) in a XLR OD green chassis with a 16x SWFA mil/mil optic and I also installed a KRG bolt knob and a Harris bi-pod.
It's a good shooter and is MOA like T/C advertises. I've shot it out to 600 yards+ and it does work.
Highly recommend XLR for a chassis.
Also looks like the latest version comes with a threaded muzzle so your suppressor should be good to go.

 

[Ape_Factory]

What weight are you hoping to shoot for?

What is your primary purpose, and secondary purpose? How much range use? Any chance you're going to take it into field?

I had a Ruger RPR that my kid shot and it performed close enough to my AI's. It lacked fit and finish, but if you like to tinker . . . Just understand that you could be close to the cost of a AI AT by the time you are finished modding it.

I kept mine stock and sold it for a 16" Sig Cross 308 and like the cross better. The cross is very accurate with factory ammo and has been flawless. I would buy a Cross again long before I'd buy a Ruger, buy I already have a few heavy range toys.

This is rounds 2, 3 and 4 out of my cross and is fairly typical.

Thanks for that, going to look at the Cross/Ruger here shortly. Right now I have a fairly good stock of 150, 180 and 200 grain bullets and also have hundreds of the 190 grain sub-x bullets so there's potential to develop a subsonic round as well. The 180/200 grain bullets were more of an experiment as my AR10 seems to love everything between 148 and say 169. It's a 16" 5R stainless nitrided barrel with a 1:10 twist. The entire rifle naked is sub-7 pounds and I have taken it hunting.

If you really had to nail me down, I'd be looking in the same range, say 150-169 as there are so many options available. And even though I'm limited to 300 yards locally, at some point I'm sure I'd drive a bit to find something longer.

I'd like to be able to take the bolt gun into the field and not just relegate it to paper and steel plates, hence why the Cross was a potential purchase but was also hoping to try a slightly longer barrel than what I currently have with the AR10. If regulations for gas guns change, then it'd be doubly important that I be able to use it for hunting.

 

[jbuck88]

Sorry I was asking what you wanted the rifle to weigh. If there is a chance you are taking it in the field then then that would make a difference.

At 300yds the 16" 308win isn't a handicap. I was getting 2495fps with factory FGMM 168gr.

But there are more upgrades you can do to the Ruget RPR and until someone figures out the barrel extensions on the Sig the barrels are easier to swap on the Ruger as well.

In my experience they both shot excellent. So if the sig doesn't fit you you are stuck only being able to change the grip. While the Ruger is very modular.

 

[GMZ]

PVA=Patriot Valley Arms?

Keystone...have a link for them? I only came up with Keystone Sporting Arms who makes rifles for tiny people.

Yes PVA is Patriot Valley Arms and Keystone is Keystone Accuracy. Either will be able to spin you up a hammer of a barrel for a good price, and quickly (relatively).

Gunsmith Services – Keystone Accuracy

keystoneaccuracy.com

 

[NewsShooter]

zermatt origin
proof prefit (223 would be my choice at 300y)
krg bravo
trigger and brake of choice

btw 10 pounds without scope...is super light for a precision rifle

Ain't that the truth, just weighed my Bergara b14r 22LR, with arca rail, bipod, and scope it's 13lbs. Centerfire is going to have a longer heavier profile barrel and the chassis is probably heavier too.