Custom Build - what am I missing?

[762Armo]

Have wanted a customer built rifle for a long time and I'm finally pulling the trigger, pun intended.

This is the list I have so far. Am I missing anything as far as parts go? What would you change/Recommend/Add?

.260 Remington Build:
                                                                                          Weight
Action: Surgeon 591R                                                                 2.16 lbs
          - With Surgeon Tactical Bolt Knob                                       .14 lbs
Trigger: Jewell                                                                                .14 lbs
Bottom Metal/Mag: Surgeon BM, AI Mags                               .675 lbs, bottom metal with 1 5rd AI mag
Stock:      XLR Carbon Chassis                                                       3.75 lbs,                   
Barrel: Broughton                                                                        4-6 lbs, depending on contour                                                                             
Optic:  Still Undecided
Rings: Undecided                                                                           

To be used for long range shooting and hunting.

[jaymark6655]

Krieger 5R barrel and Nightforce scope 

[whacker1]

what rail or bases and rings will you be using?

[b23]

You say you're undecided on barrel but do you at least know what twist you'll want?  If you plan on shooting the full line of 6.5 bullets you'll want at least a 1-8 twist barrel.

Have you thought about what kind of finish you'll want on this build when it's all done?  You're spending a pretty big chunk of change to leave it unprotected with no coating.

[slm9s]

Barrel contour, length, twist, & threaded or not?

Bedded?

And optic is a huge decision.  Ffp vs sfp.  $600 or $3000?  2.5-10 or 10-50?

[762Armo]

what rail or bases and rings will you be using?

Base is milled into the action and I forgot about the rings. Thanks.

You say you're undecided on barrel but do you at least know what twist you'll want?  If you plan on shooting the full line of 6.5 bullets you'll want at least a 1-8 twist barrel.

Have you thought about what kind of finish you'll want on this build when it's all done?  You're spending a pretty big chunk of change to leave it unprotected with no coating.

Not fully decided on which particular bullet I'd like to be shooting, but swaying towards the heavier bullets.

I'm thinking a Cerakote finish.

Barrel contour, length, twist, & threaded or not?

Bedded?

And optic is a huge decision.  Ffp vs sfp.  $600 or $3000?  2.5-10 or 10-50?

Length I'm thinking 24''-26''  No more than that. Threaded just in case I wanna run a suppressor in the future, or maybe run a brake - although I don't think I will need the brake.

Will get it bedded.

FFP vs SFP. The more I read, the more indecisive I become.

[762Armo]

Added the rings, finish and bedding to my list. Will think more about the barrel still.
Thanks guys.

Adding this here for my future reference.
http://www.nosler.com/260-remington/

[rbros]

Definitely run an 8 twist. 24-26 barrel a brake will make recoil non existent but it depends on if you want to compete or just shoot. A jewel trigger would also be a must.

[high country]

Pick a target weight and start waiting.......pun intended.  I'd be less worried about who makes my barrel and more about who can sell me one first, and deliver it.

[762Armo]

Definitely run an 8 twist. 24-26 barrel a brake will make recoil non existent but it depends on if you want to compete or just shoot. A jewel trigger would also be a must.

Will a shorter barrel lose a significant amount of velocity?
Any particular barrel brand you recommend?

[Taco280AI]

Broughton

[rbros]

Roughly 25fps per inch. A 24" is handier if you want to run it suppressed.  All of our builds use Broughton barrels.

[b23]

Will a shorter barrel lose a significant amount of velocity?
Any particular barrel brand you recommend?
[/quote]

I wouldn't get to bogged down in getting "the best" barrel out there because there isn't one.  There is probably 8-10 top tier barrel manufacturers that can be called the best.  We all have our preference/s.  Including my dad's builds, I've personally had Hart, Broughton 5c, Lilja, Krieger, Shilen, and even a couple Douglas barrels on some builds from the mid 70's.  All of them were good and I couldn't say one was any better than the other.  I have a friend that has a 6.5-06 Ack. Imp. finishing up and it will be my first experience with a Benchmark barrel.  I actually ordered the barrel for him from Benchmark on a group buy they had going awhile back and they were great to work with and that barrel was delivered to his gunsmith less than three weeks.  I've never had a barrel delivered that fast, ever.

Also, don't get wrapped up in which rifling process, button cut or single point cut, is better.  If you already have a preference, great, but if you don't, don't get to concerned about it.  That debate is just like which company makes the best barrel, it's endless, with no clear cut winner.

[Cap.Silver]

Armo , I would get ffp scope even though it costs bit more .... and as far as brand ? S&B or NF maybe? the possibilities are many  Let me know if you need a spotter .

[mountainman]

Armo , I would get ffp scope even though it costs bit more .... and as far as brand ? S&B or NF maybe? the possibilities are many  Let me know if you need a spotter .

Be sure to look at the Vortex Razor!

[hunting4sanity]

I love my 260.  I've got a Rock Creek barrel; shoots great, but they were sure slow.  I'm using a Vortex Razor and really like that scope.  My rifle likes the 140 VLDs.  If you're thinking of a suppressor, the only down side is the expense and the waiting, once you have one you'll want another.

[carpsniperg2]

As far as barrels go. Krieger-Pacnor-Broughton have all been good for me. Krieger being my favorite. I am just starting to run benchmark barrels.

[b23]

If you're thinking of a suppressor, the only down side is the expense and the waiting, once you have one you'll want another.

And another and another and another and another.....

Those damn things are like potato chips, you can't just have one.

[762Armo]

Armo , I would get ffp scope even though it costs bit more .... and as far as brand ? S&B or NF maybe? the possibilities are many  Let me know if you need a spotter .

I'll definitely need a spotter when I finish this build.
I still have to get you the ammo pouch I made for you. I've been traveling, so I haven't been in the area.

Thank you everyone else for the opinions and suggestions.

[762Armo]

Found and added the weights of the parts to my first post.

Looking at the weights of the stocks, I'm pretty certain I will go with the XLR Carbon Chassis.
I'm looking at 6.865 lbs with the XLR carbon chassis, without the barrel, rings or optics.
I'm certain I will go with a Broughton barrel, but as High Country said, that might change, depending on delivery times. It will take me a little while to put all the parts together though, so we'll see what happens.

Another question in regards to the barrel, is the contour. Assuming I'm using a Broughton barrel, we'll use their statistics. Their barrel weights in different contours go from 3.25-9.4 lbs. Now, I don't need their "1000 yard F class" contour weighting 9.4 lbs, nor do I want to lug that around if I take this rifle hunting. But I also, don't want their 3.25lb Sporter barrel, as I think it will heat up fast, and not provide me with consistent outcome, if I were in a match, or just having a really long range day with lots of rounds fired.
Without having much experience with barrels before, and not having spent enough time researching them yet, I'm assuming the Palma light 4.5lbs, and maybe Heavy Varming Sporter at 5.6lbs might be a good choice and compromise between my two scenarios described......Or I could be wrong about everything.

When this build was happening in my head, and not yet on paper, I had imagined this build will be around 10-12lbs, fully done, with scope and all. Now most likely a 15lb+ rifle fully equipped, and bedded. Where can I save some weight?

Ok, too many ideas floating through my head, and I apologize if they are not reflecting well on here.
On the XLR Carbon chassis, the description states

"The integrated detachable magazine system allows the use of AICS style detachable magazines. "

  Does that mean, I will not need to purchase the surgeon bottom metal if I go with this chassis system?

Thanks

[b23]

Definitely run an 8 twist. 24-26 barrel a brake will make recoil non existent but it depends on if you want to compete or just shoot. A jewel trigger would also be a must.

Travis

In a 24in tube, how much are you picking up, on average, with a 260 ack imp vs straight 260?? 

Also, with a long throated chamber running 140's what kind of OAL do you have?  When you seat them out long do they need a long action?

[jaymark6655]

Light weight, I know a guy shooting a 338 Edge.  He used a Ti action from Xterme Shooting Products and a carbon fiber wrapped barrel from Proof Research.  That way you can go with the thicker barrel profile and keep wait down.  Another advantage is their resin pulls the heat out of the barrel leading to longer life or at least that is what I have heard.

[b23]

Looking at the weights of the stocks, I'm pretty certain I will go with the XLR Carbon Chassis.
 

"The integrated detachable magazine system allows the use of AICS style detachable magazines. "

  Does that mean, I will not need to purchase the surgeon bottom metal if I go with this chassis system?

If this is of any interest to you, here's a link to one that's for sale.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f42/xlr-tactical-lite-carbon-chasis-143441/

[high country]

Light weight, I know a guy shooting a 338 Edge.  He used a Ti action from Xterme Shooting Products and a carbon fiber wrapped barrel from Proof Research.  That way you can go with the thicker barrel profile and keep wait down.  Another advantage is their resin pulls the heat out of the barrel leading to longer life or at least that is what I have heard.

what is he running for a brake and scope? I did a 300RUM without a brake that was #7 ready to hunt. it was awesome when it wasnt broke.....it ate scopes and pooped rings. recoil was incredibly quick and not too light.

[rbros]

Definitely run an 8 twist. 24-26 barrel a brake will make recoil non existent but it depends on if you want to compete or just shoot. A jewel trigger would also be a must.

Travis

In a 24in tube, how much are you picking up, on average, with a 260 ack imp vs straight 260?? 

Also, with a long throated chamber running 140's what kind of OAL do you have?  When you seat them out long do they need a long action?

You can run a long throat and still use a Wyatt's mag box or aw mag if the action is cut for one. If I remember right it's about 2.92 with a 140 berger.  The 260ai gains about 75fps.  Most will run 2950 in a 26" barrel. I haven't built any with a 24 but it should be around 2900.

[jaymark6655]

Light weight, I know a guy shooting a 338 Edge.  He used a Ti action from Xterme Shooting Products and a carbon fiber wrapped barrel from Proof Research.  That way you can go with the thicker barrel profile and keep wait down.  Another advantage is their resin pulls the heat out of the barrel leading to longer life or at least that is what I have heard.

what is he running for a brake and scope? I did a 300RUM without a brake that was #7 ready to hunt. it was awesome when it wasnt broke.....it ate scopes and pooped rings. recoil was incredibly quick and not too light.

The brake he is using allows him to mount a surefire suppressor and I am guessing a NF scope since that is what he normal likes.  He makes up for some of the weight using a chassis stock that weighs in at about 5 to 7 pounds (not 100% sure on weight, he said 5 which seems too light).