Semi custom or full custom build.

[Nuravictus]

Hi all!
The story: I am pretty new to the site, did a bit of narrowing down via this thread. Now I need to narrow things in a bit more for rifle #1 and maybe a bit for future builds.
Long story short my father, brother and I have long dreamed of a big game hunt. My dad has always put everyone else’s needs ahead of his own so we never got to go, I now have the means to make this happen. Things are planned for next fall but now my dad needs a rifle as a 243 deer rifle nor a 12g will work for this adventure. He has always wanted a 300 win mag so that is what we are sticking with. He wanted semi auto but they lack in the reliability and easily fixable department. We are all in excellent shape for our age. I know I can hand load the ammo down for a buildup over next summer to full power rounds without a flinch.

The rifle : A 300 winmag rifle gift for my father. Used for hunting the backwoods and mountains featuring a hearty hike in and several days out. This will also be used for range time long range shooting and classes. He wants to be able to send rounds out to 2000 yards and down animals within ethical and lethal limits if we can not otherwise close the gap. With a 300 win mag that is about 1200 yards or so? We run heavy for caliber rounds.
Budget: EDIT Healthy $4000 for the rifle, scope not included but can flex if I need to. $7-8k total for everything in the build, scope, case, accessories, anything I don’t own and can’t just toss in. Trying to think of it separate to make it more palatable. Lol
Requirements: Must be reliable to a fault, accurate, reasonable to carry deep into the back woods and up and down mountains days at a time. Stock must be fully adjustable.
Weight : 10-12 lbs complete
Suppressor : Rugged Surge 762 or Dead Air Sandman L? < I own both and wouldn’t cost me extra

Action: I want to run CRF so Defiance - Deviant Elite? or Big Horn SR3 or ARC Mausingfield/Archimedes? The Winchester M70 is nice and similar price wise but I don’t think it is nearly in the same class especially since it would be semi custom. For semi custom we really get limited Tikka, Savage 10/110 or CZ? I’ve looked at AI AXMC but they are push feed and they are crazy expensive. I’ve been reading that old Mauser actions or type action can have feeding issues without extensive work which is concerning????

Barrel: Bartlein, Krieger or something similar quality. Going for the best or nothing. Was thinking of standard 24-28” length with 1:8 twist.

Trigger : Triggertech Diamond?

Stock: I was looking at Foundation but I think that would get me to 10 lbs for just the rifle so to heavy. I like the McMillan A5 and Game *. I also like the MDT stocks. I also have been considering the classic wood stock. Been trying to avoid the aluminum stocks without a wrap due to temperature transfer. Should be fully adjustable ideally.

Scope : Nightforce ATAC 7-35 X56 with a 1 piece mount probably Spur or Masterpiece arms? Granted I do not like the minimum zoom for fast sighting in the woods type situation. They do make a NX 4-32x50 which is a good low end but smaller tide size and that could bite in lower light shots near dawn or dusk. Maybe add an offset red dot? I use that on my AR and acquisition is lightning fast but different animal.

Rifle wrap: no clue

Sling : Padded Blue Force Tactical

Accessories : Will need a level and can’t indicator.

This is all obviously pretty rough and needs a lot of help, none of it set in stone. I look forward to your thoughts and input.

 

[jcmullis2]

Get your dad the rifle he wants not the one you want him to have. Same thing with the scope.

 

[308Gunner]

I agree with this ^
Make it part of the journey with his input, that way he gets the rifle he wants. My .02

 

[FisherT&C]

Stick with 1-10 twist for 300 WM. If you are insistent on 1-8 go 300 Norma. Consider a Carbon fiber barrel. I would go ARC on the action, since it's a hunting rifle.

 

[Nuravictus]

Get your dad the rifle he wants not the one you want him to have. Same thing with the scope.

Since this came up in the other thread as well I will address it. I say this from experience.....

When I tell him about the hunt he will go buy a rifle unless I tell him not to worry about it. He will look at the price of the semi autos and promptly walk away. He would question how he is to get them fixed should it break, be irritated with the response of it is all proprietary and wasted money if the company isn’t there or discontinued that rifle. He would then, fondle a m70, walk over to the copper arms rack, admire them, decide its to much, proceed to the tikka rack, grab a 300 win mag and a cheap “I can’t see shit for the first hour of light and nothing on cloud day” scopes for about $100 to a garbage 2 piece mount calling it good enough. He would grab a box of ammo, go to the range, fire it once, hate the recoil which should be 45-52lbs with an impulse of 20+ft/s in that ultra lite rifle setup (take a 50lbs weight and drop it on your shoulder from about 4 ft up to simulate at home), be pissed about wasted money, maybe take a scope to the face because garbage mounts can not take that kind of recoil. He would then call me and ask for a recommendation of which if not cheap he won’t buy, citing it is not practical and will no longer accept that I will just take care of it even to the extent of trying to back out of the hunt. Of which if I was able to pull that rabbit out of my hat he would want to see a bill to reimburse me.

If I include him in deciding he won’t let me pay for it and stop it due to price and just get a tikka as he will at least look up the parts himself for research trust but verify....back to square one.

Alternatively if I just tell him I have a rifle he can use and once he uses it announce it’s a gift it will die there and he will be happy. Thus I am looking for pretty much a top grade rifle build of which I will never admit to the price and even lie saying I got an insane deal and my brother will back it knowing the truth. My father and I think similarly when it comes to reliability and practicality. He just is not that interested in researching any of this as he has lots of reading to keep up in his current field. If I could find a solid semi auto of which there is an active thread on, I will look at that.

I love my father by my brother agrees with my assessment here. Even my mother said I should just get something and not tell him anything else, let it be a gift......I won’t throw him to the wolves and I won’t buy him crap.... I won’t do that to him. No one is perfect, we accept what is there and work with it. I know what is coming on this train and am trying to work around it the best I can. For instance show him a picture of reticule and ask him which he would use because I am just curious. Or have him use my ar at the range to see if he likes the offset red dot. xD

Lets just go ahead and talk semi autos for a moment, as of this year there are now 4 AR style 300 win mags available, all proprietary. They have not been out long as I know none existed about 10 years ago. This started with a custom maker, then noreen, then Nemo, then POF and finally Falkor this year. How do I get it fixed should something go wrong? There is no standard yet but gaining in popularity, this is great news! Ok that leaves a $10k Barrett or the BAR that I know of so far. There is the browning lever action. I don’t know of any other non bolt action or break open. I am researching the BAR but I won’t hold my breath either since it must be sub moa or there is no point in the 300 win mag.

Unless that is you gents have an idea how I can get him to accept it is my treat? I warn you, we have a $100 limit on Christmas presents and he try’s to pay me for his every year......

 

[SonoranPrecision]

The ATACR will put you around $3k alone.. you’ll be well over 4K total. But here’s what I’d suggest:

Bighorn (Zermatt) TL3
Proof Or Bartlein Carbon barrel (to save weight)
PVA muzzle break
ARC m10 rings
Trigger tech Special (you don’t need the diamond on a hunting rifle IMO)
Manners carbon stock w/ mini chassis (best of both worlds, and light for a hunting rifle)

Scope of your choice (Nightforce, Khales, Minox, are all top of the line. Vortex Razor AMG would also make a nice light crossover long range hunting scope.)

 

[Nuravictus]

This is evil and down right dirty, but maybe I could get the shop of my choice to go in with me that he won a drawing for a free custom rifle of his choice. I pay for it, he gets to choose everything.....This could work. Or something similar lol......so terrible.

@SonoranPrecision Sorry 4k is just the rifle, no accessories or scope. My bad I was not clear there and is my error.

 

[Harman117]

Another potential option, if you can look pass CRF, is Defiance's AnTi (lightweight SS) action.

Put it in a AG composite stock or one of Manners/McMillan's lite weight stocks. (Bottom metal will be additional)

Add a Proof Carbon prefit barrel. (And a nice muzzle brake)

Trigger of your choice.

Hawkins one piece/integral scope mounts to keep it lite (they make ones specifically for defiance, you have to call them direct, I believe)

Defiance Machine anTi Action - Light weight bolt action

When weight matters, the Defiance Machine anTi action delivers and is built with a "no compromises" mentality to exceed users expectations.

defiancemachine.com

 

[UpSideDown]

I think there’s some overthinking going on with regards to the rifle and accessories and function, but that’s up to you to decide. .300wm is a cool cartridge and I get that you want to get him what he’s wanted, but if you’re talking 2,000yd at the range and 1,200 on game, I think I’d either take those numbers down and keep the win mag, or pick a cartridge that isn’t on the better half of a century old. Per your range the cartridge that comes to mind is 6.5PRC (or 300PRC if he wants a better version of winmag!). Others can give opinion on that. Better long range ballistics and less recoil with the 6.5. I recommend using something like StrelokPro and looking at the energy and velocity of different hunting cartridges at range and seeing how the winmag really does. I was set on a winmag until I determined I could take ethical 1900fps+/1,500ftlb hits at 700yd with a .308 with no less than 4 different cartridge options. Regardless of caliber I’m not shooting an animal past 7-800yd due to environmental factors and my personal skill threshold.

I think for $4,000 I’d want a rifle that didn’t weigh 10-12lb.

If I was building a fun hunting rifle I’d grab a Tikka, flute the barrel and bolt, cerakote it, put it in a nice Elite Manners stock with some nice accessories, make the thing look bitchin and enjoy that wonderful action in a cool gun that isn’t custom money. Or if you want custom there’s great options above and more to come.

 

[J Scott]

Just a suggestion and way under budget (if these ever make it to the U.S. market) https://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-s20/s20

 

[hereinaz]

TL3/ARC doesn't matter, pick between two or three lug
Proof
AG composite
TT special or primary (dad doesn't need a 10 oz trigger)
Vortex AMG or other lightweight hunting scope
ARC M10 rings

(Go with a heavy 7mm in 180 gr. Run the numbers, it is going to be less in recoil and better ballistics unless you go 30 Nosler/Norma. Go 7 Sherman Short mag if you load. It runs 8 grains less powder for more velocity than a 7 rem mag. Suorr easy to load for and shoot.)

 

[jcmullis2]

If the gun was for you or me I’d say custom all the way. Older guys were raised on brands like Remington or Winchester. Your dad is likely one of those type of guys and if so he’s probably not gonna appreciate a custom rifle as much as he would a offering from his favorite brand. Get the new catalog of his brand or go online and go through it with him and discuss the rifles that appeal to him. You’re likely to hear stuff like “that one sure is nice but I bet it’s way too much money”. You know your dad and you’ll get an idea of what he thinks is the really nice stuff. Then go buy one of those.
I suggest a scope from a company he’s always thought to be the best also. Probably leupold if he’s like most older shooters. Second focal plane might be best for him unless he’s already been converted to ffp scopes. I’d keep the reticle modest also unless he’s already use to the Christmas tree type. It’s hard to teach old dogs new tricks because they don’t wanna learn them so get him the moa/moa version of whichever one you choose.
I wouldn’t lie to him about winning something or whatever. Just tell him you wanted to give him something because everything he’s given to you and all the sacrifices he’s made so you could have the things you wanted and needed. He raised you to be an honest man so don’t bs your dad. He deserves better and tricking him could backfire on you.
You have a opportunity to make him very happy with all this. If it’s about him let it be something that he likes. If it’s about you being successful, he knows, and so does everyone else that’s close to y’all. Just saying

 

[Erhyne]

This week I finished building a 300WM for same purposes.
- Mausingfield Opentop LA (i.e., 300WM), 20moa (50mm scope) (45oz) (add ARC receiver wrench)
- Proof Research Sendero Carbon Fiber Savage Prefit 26” barrel, 1:9.4, muzzle thread 5/8-24 (2lbs, 12oz). Debated whether to use 24”.
- NSS Barrel Nut (60-65 ft lbs torque)
- Gen 3 Little Bastard Self Timing Muzzle Brake - 5/8x24 (not yet installed)
- Badger M5 Trigger Guard and Bottom Metal with AICS 5-round mag (hex screws for 700 BDL - 65 in lbs torque)
-McMillan HTG-Remington fiber stock, black, tac-edge fill w/ machined-in pillars w/ LOP spacer system, thumb wheel adj cheek piece, and rear flush mount cup (front mount included on rail), 4” picatinny rail (for Atlas bipod). 4-6 month stated lead time; received in 3 months (basic finish cuts production time). Order last so that you can provide information about all component. Josh was very helpful.
- Atlas bipod
- TriggerTech Rem 700 Special Trigger (no bolt release required)
- NightForce NX8 4-32x50
- ARC M-10 Scope Rings (30mm, 20moa, x-low)
- Belted magnum Go and No-Go Gauges from NSS

Less than an hour to put it all together; very easy. I have not weighed it yet, but it does not feel any heavier than my 7 mm mag Blaser R8 that has the same scope.

 

[mensajd]

Folks in my parents’ generation liked Cadillac luxury vehicles and Weatherby rifles. In general, whether cars, guns, or bicycles, boomers seem to have an affinity for the stuff they aspired to when they were younger. Maybe a Weatherby from their custom shop with a krieger bbl with custom twist/freebore? Anyway, good advice above regarding getting the recipient what he would like rather than what you would like.