Thread: New Project

Hi,
New here to the forum and new to long range shooting but not new to hunting.
i'm a keen deer and gamebird hunter.

For a while now i have been wanting to get into longrange shooting. Finally i have got to the point of committing to a rifle build and during the process have come across this great site! The wealth of experience here looks impressive both in the engineering and in the shooting department. It would be great to get some help or feedback as to whether or not i am heading in the right direction. Goal being targets then game at 600-800m

currently shoot a suppressed t3 in 7-08.

looking for an action to build on at the moment, and this is where the questions start.

i am looking at going with a 30cal.
either 3-08 for cheaper ammo, or 300 win mag. leaning towards the 300 win mag as a 3-08 is to close to what i already have.

Howa/weatherby action to start with, is this ok?
Remmington 700 action?

i can't afford to spend over $600 on the donor rifle. so will be looking second hand.

Any thoughts, traps or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Of those win mag 708 308 in that order.
Perhaps something in 7mm better bc projectiles available.
You can hit stuff out there with a 308 but its far from ideal its very easily affected by the wind(the slightest breeze)

Howa 1500 is a good action to build on. I wish they made them in LH. The Rem700 is fine as well and there is heaps of bits for both.
To kill shit proper @ 800m you will need something Magnum. The 300WinMag would be my pick of the two options.
A build is going to cost you a LOT more coin than $600.
Don't forget you are going to need good glass to shoot at range and you are going to need to drop at least 1K plus to do this. (Sightron SIII would be a good start).
Shooting at distance is an expensive hobby. Add to the glass department good bino's and a rangefinder too.

Without knowing all your circumstances I would say dont build yet .Getting to stage where you can consistantly hit what your aiming at at the ranges you mentioned requires quite a bit of time and money and the" $600.00 for a doner rifle" seems like you are on a tight budget .The least effective place you can spend money in the early stages is a custom build. Its also where the biggest loss will come from when you've learnt a lot more and change your mind on rifle or caliber.Tell us a bit more about what you have, rifle,binos rangefinder,rests and what distances you currently shoot,do you reload etc.If you are on a budget its important to sort out the need from the want.

I see you said you already have a 7mm08, you could always see it the bolt can be opened up and put a 7mmSAUM reamer through it. It might keep your costs down and give you the range you want

Thanks for the feedback so far,
When i was saying $600 this is for the action only. i understand that to build a rifle it is going to cost considerably more.

currently i reload, have a 7-08 put together as a bush rifle with a shortened barrel and light suppressor. Not keen to butcher this for long range as it is brilliantly light and a workhorse.

30cal was the intention because i have found a supply of cheaper 30cal barrels.

i understand that i will need a decent scope and range finder. Currently it is the rangefinder i am lacking but looking at a crf900 leica... ok to start with?

So why try and build something that has its form dictated by what you can get cheap? It just sounds like a money pit to me. Builds generally are driven by the need /want for something specific. A 300win mag ( a 7mm rem mag would be better) is available in many very competent factory rifles that will cost you less than a cobbled together build, probably shoot as well if not better and will have considerably better resale. I'm not saying you cant or that it wont work, I just think its not a very smart way of starting into the long range game.

Tikka T3 7mm rem mag ($1100)
162g A-Max mag fit
72g adi 2217 powder(3050fps)
Federal 215 primer
Dial up scope of your choice
Dead Deer out as far as you can see them.

Freezer, the longer you think about your LR build your list of wants can become more precise, you start to consider...

1 Light overall weight
2 A cartridge/caliber combination that pushes a high BC projectile fast -for top terminal performance
3 A portable rifle that can serve as a bush hunting machine as well
4 Low cost and good resale value
5 And, if "Impatient" is your middle name, the ability to purchase on a Thurs/Friday afternoon and be shooting Targets out to 1200yrds on Saturday afternoon.

The Tikka T3 in 7mm Rem Mag is one of a few rifles that fit the criteria well and most retailers have/can get one quickly. If you want to be a flash Harry then get the laminated stock, or carbon fibre, flute its bolt.
Put good money into good glass and ring mounts, tighten it all up well and true and it will serve you well.
Tune yourself and your ammo so you group its first two shots with a cold barrel inside an inch at 200yrds, put your 200yrd zero into your portable ballistic calculator (phone/Ipod)

PRACTISE at the distances and in the wind conditions you intend to hunt at, shoot little rocks on clay pans, shoot mossy dots on cliff faces, targets out on farms you have access on.
Write the shooting conditions and your shooting inputs for your calculator down in a shooting log book. Learn your and your rifles capabilities
Video your target shooting so you can watch it later at home on the big screen, your log book will be helpful if a shot/shots dont hit where intended.
Big screen TV's are great for showing you thistledown heading in a different direction than first thought.

Most of all have fun, team up with another LR Hunter, the learning curve can be the most exciting part.

Customs are cool and if thats what floats your boat then dont let anyone try and talk you out of it. BUT......

They ALWAYS cost more than you expect.

You will NEVER EVER EVER EVER get back what you put in if you decide to sell.

The end result can, and frequently does, NOT meet your expectations. Mag feeding in particular seems to have a nasty habit of being uncoperative on custom guns.

All that said, I love building customs and will keep doing them. You learn heaps and I personally love the build process and selecting the components etc

thanks 7mmsaum for your insight.
a tikka in 7mm rem mag was for a long time the road i was going to take, only recently after shooting rifles that have been built purposely for LR shooting had i starting to waiver in the tikka decision. The fit, finish, feel of the custom rifles i was shooting just put me off the tikka. I found i was shooting much better, or the rifle was, then i had before. they were a bit heavier, but the stocks fit perfectly.
i do agree that the tikka is the way to go as a portable long ranger, i'm just not convinced yet it's what i want to shoot.

the rest of your post is great, thanks for the tips. I have a farm i can shoot gongs out to 800m and goats at the same distance (one day) so lots of practice is the idea!

Originally Posted by Freezer

thanks 7mmsaum for your insight.
a tikka in 7mm rem mag was for a long time the road i was going to take, only recently after shooting rifles that have been built purposely for LR shooting had i starting to waiver in the tikka decision. The fit, finish, feel of the custom rifles i was shooting just put me off the tikka. I found i was shooting much better, or the rifle was, then i had before. they were a bit heavier, but the stocks fit perfectly.
i do agree that the tikka is the way to go as a portable long ranger, i'm just not convinced yet it's what i want to shoot.

the rest of your post is great, thanks for the tips. I have a farm i can shoot gongs out to 800m and goats at the same distance (one day) so lots of practice is the idea!

I am at the same cross roads you are. So far my research has led me towards a Rem 700 in 7mm Mag, with either a sightron, or a leupy scope. Where abouts in the country are you?

I'm going through a build at the moment and it is very expensive. I'll have a nice gun at the end but I could have bought a Tikka etc. and spent double on scope/accessories. Is a custom worth it? I'll let you know when it is finished.

Good luck with your decision making.

been there done that
Buy a tikka suppress or brake it and then spend what you would of on a custom to put into really good glass and then learn it inside out. NF is good bang for buck.
I learnt the hard way.
some great advice from you other guys
Good luck
Andy

I have 3 Tikkas and all of them shoot well enough to achieve what you are after, my 7mm08 has been cut to 19" and is suppressed with a super slam on top of it, I have shot it to 800yds at steel, its still doing 1800fps at 600yds, my 7mm mag does the longer stuff