Re: Sniper's Hide Bolt Action Rifles
It seems to me, you have a realistic budget.
I went the route of the 5R and have been very pleased, but after adding to it here and there, I will give you some free advice, which is worth exactly what you paid for it.
Go to your local mega-sports store or wlly world that sells firearms. Buy a short action ADL model rifle with a .473 bolt face, this will cost you about 370 dollars.
Schedule work with a smith here on the hide, such as RW Snyder, William Roscoe, Mark Gordon etc... (there are quite a few excellent smiths that inhabit the hide).
Remove the stock and send the barreled action in for truing and barrel install. This will set you back about 550 to 650 dollars. Have that smith install a Shilen, Timney or Rifle Basix trigger set to 3.5 lbs (about 150). While the action is at the smith, buy a bell and carlson M40 style stock, send it to Jeff at CDI, have him inlet the stock for his excellent bottom metal and buy a 5 round AI magazine. Let him know you are LE.
So, add it all up and you are talking about 1800 or so dollars. You will have a MUCH better rifle than a factory rifle that you will be happy with.
I bought my 5r, installed a new trigger, had a side bolt release installed (not "neccesary") and replaced the admittedly very good stock with an XLR chassis. I'm into the rifle a bit over 2,000 now. It is an excellent shooting rifle, but I still plan on having the action trued and a match grade barrel installed in the future.
You CAN forego the DBM amd buy a cheap SPS model hunting rifle with a BDL floorplate, do everything else. It will be about 200 less all told.
When I attended sniper school, the guy I partnered with had sent a barreled action off to Hart Barrels. They trued his action and installed one of thier excellent barrels for 600 bucks. He had it bedded in a McMillan stock. That damn rifle shot bugholes.