Thread: What would your ultimate Bush Pig rifle build be and what NZ gunsmith would you use?

I am looking at the option of building a true dedicated NZ bush rifle as a one off keep for a life time type rifle,mainly for Sika as well as other deer in the bush,so l am looking from input especially from you blokes who have tried a few different options over the years and have had things work and things that did not work.I am now semi retired so am finally going to be able to do some extended back country hunts and extended rafting hunts etc so the rifle needs to be able to take the knocks.I am looking at basically a accurate work gun capable of handling everything from 10mtrs to 300 which is about as long a shot as we have where l bush hunt and what l have encountered over the last 15yrs hunting where l do in the south isle.

So l am leaning towards having a good handling gun, that points well off hand and has been blue printed/free floated/pillar bedded etc,in my own mind l am looking at a stainless SA in 7/08 or 308 with a 16 inch barrel and recommendations on a good quality suppressor that will take the knocks. l am not really fussed on looks more the functioning and handing (so not sure on bolt fluting etc), my favorite go to guns for this type of work over the years have been a Rem 600 Mohawk in 308 a model 7 243 (both now sold)and my current 30/06 rem mountain rifle in stainless/laminated which has basically been my go to NZ rife for 7 years now.I have never had much to do with a NZ gunsmiths and have not had a suppressor on the 06 for the last 7 yrs so am not up on the latest suppressors designs(definitely need one that can handle bush bashing etc)so recommendations on who to do the build,fitting etc would help as well,l have been bitten hard by the Sika bug so l imagine the gun will mainly be used for hunting them for the most part and my 06MR and my old Sako 270 will handle the other hunts.So come on you blokes who have set up specific bush pig rifles over the years what would you build now from lessons you have learnt?.TIA

One of these. Similar weight as a AR15, 30 cal goodness.

New Zealand Repeating Arms Co Ltd | DPMS GII 308 Hunter, Rifles

T3 in 308

As above , factory t3 in 308, cut at 15 or 16" suppressed .
If you had kept your Mohawk rifle, then getting it blue printed and rebarrelled in 308 would have made sense.
But buying a second hand Remington seven, doing all the custom work and rebareling is going to bring you between 2000 and $2500 at least. It will be good gun.
Other option could a a sako or kimber factory, cut down and suppressed. But again, you are looking at the above figures or more.
Maybe get to your local gunshop, and have a feel of the different rifles to see what you like best. And there might be some good buggers on the forum living nearby that could let you shoot their rifle?

I have a 16" T3 suppressed 308 and find it hard to fault as a "bush pig". If I could improve it in any way to make it my ideal bush pig, I would go for the same thing in .338 fedral.

They may be common and boring but the std 7-08 or .308 T3 Bushpig will fit your bill perfectly. I'd be doing a DPT can now rather than the Hardy.

Helmet on and awaiting incoming...

dedicated bush rifle.....SxS Bakail in .45/70 get one barrel to shoot a hot load to known points of impact at range for the very odd long shot and have 2nd barrel with a big soft lead slug shooting mild enough to happily use.
no scope to knock/fog/crap out and anything with a .45 cal hole in it isnt going far.
thats the fairy tale
reality is a cheap as chinese made 7.62x39mm with a gunworks can right up hard against stock with 2" taken off that and a fixed 4 power loopy scope....now wearing my classic old 3x9x40mm gold crown (the best field of view of any scope Ive tried)
it goes bang with supersoniC and phiit with subs and animals seem to just give up and fall over LOL

Originally Posted by 6x47

They may be common and boring but the std 7-08 or .308 T3 Bushpig will fit your bill perfectly. I'd be doing a DPT can now rather than the Hardy.

Helmet on and awaiting incoming...

Nah you are bang on there mate.

99 % of all my hunting is bushstalking. Ive never found the need to do a "bushpig build"" as such. Using a standard 22 inch barrel in a 243 has been my go to rifle since i started out and its been great. People chop their rifles, suppressor them and chop as much weight of them as they can. They also tend to want to go to a bigger Cal . Its their choice, and thats all fine.Nothing wrong with it, i handled mates rifles that are deemed "bushpigs"but does nothing for me.
I find the longer barrel length no problem what so ever, even my back up 308 is 24 inches and i use that often in the bush and again no problem. Getting a lighter stock prob makes sense if you really want save weight, bolt fluting etc is just a look thing and waste of money. The 243 is awesome in the bush, esp for those ranges, underrated in my opinon. Certainly doesnt lack any fire power at all for the bush. Still, if you want go the Custom "bushpig way"" others on here will be able to help you out. Everyman and his dog has a "bushpig"if a bush hunter, i just find theres no real need if you cant be bothered.
Just going a standard 22 or 20 inch, maybe a light weight stock and use a light weight scope and you good to go.
No need to go 308 or bigger, something lighter is find but you not going wrong thou using a cannon lol instead of a "ratgun"like me. Theres always times where a longer shot in some country comes up, hence why i have a 308 as well, as the 243 is darm awesome but i limit it to 250 tops so the 308 has more options and works well if its chopped so its the popular choice

Zastava M85 Stainless 308 and 16" Trueflight and Zeiss Terra 2-7 or.... Weatherby 16" Trueflight, Fluted, DPT and Vortex Diamond Back 2-7. It sounds like we're in similar situations for the intended use of a bush pig so relating is easy. I've actually gone for a Marlin 336 30-30 and popped the diamond back as above on it for a pig but I am limiting myself to 220 as opposed to your 300

For me it would be a Sako 75 .223rem rebarreled with a 12" 1:7 twist carbon or fluted stainless barrel, a Stug or simular carbon stock with a Nightforce NXS Compact 2.5-10x42 scope and a ODL can.

Oh yes and calibre: 300aac blackout, I know it works as I have the Tikka T3 version accounted for dozens of deer and pigs or maybe a Sako 75 .308win with same specs as above, I don't need long barrel to get to 300m.

Originally Posted by tikka

For me it would be a Sako 75 .223rem rebarreled with a 12" 1:7 twist carbon or fluted stainless barrel, a Stug or simular carbon stock with a Nightforce NXS Compact 2.5-10x42 scope and a ODL can.

Oh yes and calibre: 300aac blackout, I know it works as I have the Tikka T3 version accounted for dozens of deer and pigs or maybe a Sako 75 .308win with same specs as above, I don't need long barrel to get to 300m.

Nice sounds boar from the looks?

Yeah sounds boar at 800m asl.

Just go and buy a Ruger American Ranch rifle in .300 Blackout! It is the right length (16.5" barrel) and already factory threaded. Get a trigger job, a bolt polish, a good suppressor, and a Leupold 1-4x20 VX-Hog, and you will be good to go for under $2,000. You don't need to be spending big $$ on a custom rifle that is going to be hacked around in the bush, and it would only shoot as well as the Ruger in the end anyway.

You could save quite a bit of cash and buy a Ruger American Predator 308
18" and threaded from factory ready for a suppressor. Don't let the reasonable price fool you, very good rifles. Maybe throw an aftermarket timmney trigger, but factory one is ok for short to medium shooting.