Christensen arms help

[Bearhunter]

I am looking at purchasing a custom gun, Ive sold a couple so now I have enough money rat holed away for the purchase.  I really like the christensen arms for the light weight that they offer in the magnum catergorys.  I am going to get either the 300rum or the 30-378.  Does anyone out there own one?  What do you like or dislike about them.  I am thinking about getting the middle of the road the carbon one, or should I get the custom and have everything done.  I fiqured I could get a shillen trigger for it later at a cheaper price then the want.  What are the must for these guns, how about barrel length, also Im definetly get the muzzle break.  Or should I bag the idea and have a custom gun build, I need some help making a decision.  Thanks James

[jackelope]

bearhunter...have you ever been to 24hourcampfire.com?
next rifle i buy will probably be from there. check out the classifieds section. got to be one of the most active classifieds forums for firearms on the web.

[T-ROY]

James i had the quietest brake on the market (at least that's what they said any way) put on a 300 weatherby, and to shoot it with out ear plugs was unbearable, even shooting at game it was horrible, I sold that gun and have no intentions of putting another one on any of my guns, But that's just my experience and only with that brake, I can't remember the name of brake or I'd tell you. I"ll just take the recoil from now on, Some one else may have other experiences with other brakes, Just something to consider.

[actionshooter]

I'll back up T-Roy on that one I will not own a gun with a break that would be shot without muffs. I would look at other makers also, nothing wrong with Christensen but there are tons of good builders with other option out there.

[high country]

I had one in 300RUM, no brake. it shot a tuned load very well, factory ammo sucked. I broke a leuy, nikon, swarovski from recoil scope scrambling....I loved it to death, but I could not trust it as it bucked too hard for its own good. I would never own a custom that was not blueprinted....period. I would second a peek at the fire'.

If you want a sweet shooting rig that is light on weight go for a ti action with a light barrel from broughton, schneider, lilja, hart, pac nor, rock........pick a stock anywhere from a ti takeoff to a edge fill mc millian.

are you hoping for a super long range target gun or hunting? I ask because the twist rate you want is going to depend on your bullet choice. a gun that whips a big berger bullet may not do well with a ballistic tip....and so on.  If you are looking for a big and mean long range rig take a peek at shawn carlocks 338 allen stuff......pretty angry. I am a super magnum slut, but I have found my 257 wby kills everything from mice to elk just as fast as my ultramags.....and is a lot more fun to shoot. I myself am building a 6.5-284 for my next custom long range rig, I have a greg tannel built 6.5-06 that is amazing at ranges up to 1500 yds. a short action version is gonna be better yet.

[jackelope]

if you look around, i think you'll find the same thing i did. some speak very highly of christensen arms rifles, others don't think they're worth a nickel.

[Bearhunter]

Thanks for all the info.  The delima is I kinda just want a new gun a high end gun.  High Country, my main use for the gun is Mule deer in Montana with long shots, and black bear hunting in western washington.  I am debating taking a moose trip to alaksa next year.  I want the ultimate all around caliber and gun.  Something fairly light weight, I back pack hunt, but something that I can learn to comfortably shoot out to 500 yards if I feel like it.  I currently have a Sako finnlight stainless 300 wsm, maybe I should keep the action.  I was also thinking about getting a ti action and building a gun.  Getting a Mcmillian stock and put a gun together.  Whats your opinion on caliber, I love building things and this is just a start to maybe a new hobby.  Thanks

[high country]

ok, you have a sako in 300wsm, there is your moose gun. most guys, myself included, tend to buy way more gun than is necessary. think back 20 years and the 30-06 was a "long range" gun and the 7mm rem was out of this world. I have killed elk with a variety of calibers and lean tward fast rounds, The one thing you must consider is the weight of the gun is very important in determining recoil. my christensen generated as much free recoil as a 10lb 378wby mag and was a third faster in recoil velocity......not good if you have any recoil sensitvity. I would litterally bleed through my shirt after 5 shots.

If you consider how many moose have been killed by the 6.5 swede the 6.5-284 becomes pretty interesting. you can get bullets with BC's over .600 and still get good velocities. it takes a 300RUM class case in 30cal to push a .600 bullet as fast as a 6.5-284 or 6.5-06. the beauty of the 6.5 is the bullets, you can have high BC for long range or windy days, you can get bullets which have a SD that is almost impossible to find in other cals. and you have a good choice of hunting class bullets in the middle. the 284 can be built on a short ti action and come in pretty light. I have used my 6.5 to bust clay piegons at 1k yds and turn around and kill elk the nex day. I would have to say a 257wby is the best point and click 500yd gun you will find. 270wby is right in the hunt too. I get my 100gr tsx's up to 3700fps with good accuracy in mine. I still would go 6.5-284 for a light custom just because it offers way more options than the others, not faster, just the ability to shoot bullets that are amazing and unduplicated in sd and bc.

look at what the bench guy shoot, big 338's, big 30's and a few big 6mm's but by and large the 6.5 is the king. and for a backpack rig the 30's and 338's are gonna kill more scopes than elk.....BTDT. if the wind is blowing and it will, a 6.5 will drift way less then the 30's and most 338's. at 500 yds you are really looking at a chip shot for even a 7mm/08, just some practice.

good luck.

[Bearhunter]

Thanks for the info, very useful.  In the last 2 days worth of research off of 24hrcampfire I was actually contemplating the 257 wthby.

[Hunting Cowboy]

James, I'll PM you with the name of a guy I know who just purchased one for him and his son, I'm sure he can give ya some good info.

Mike

[high country]

I would suggest if you go 257wby that you go howa/vanguard or rem 700 and pass on the weatherby mark 5's. I have a wby ultralight in 257 and my custom is way more gun for the same money.....food for thought.

[Intruder]

I've never shot 1 but I know 2 guys that own guns from C. Arms.  They both speak very highly of them.

Shooting the calibers you mentions you may want to look at longer (and heavier) barrel options 26+" and definitely get a break.  If you stick w/ the 30 cals the RUM will be easier and cheaper to obtain ammo and or brass for.   I've shot both and when reloading there's not a ton of difference between em.  As some of the early posts suggest... there may be other cals to consider if muleys are your primary target.  7 STW is pretty sweet as is the 264 Wmag. 

Another option to consider is building a rifle yourself.  Lilja and Shilen offer great barrels and are easily matched up to any of the readily available actions out there... Rem and Browning are widely available and are rock solid.  HS and McMillin make great stocks and a 50$ trigger job and you're set. 

[GoldTip]

Anyone kicked around the idea of a 6.5 out a wsm case? Seems like that could be a good flat shooting cartridge with a great BC.  But I do wonder about the length of a 6.5mm 140gr bullet loaded into the wsm case and how much powder capacity that long bullet would take up. Anyone else pondered this?

[high country]

Anyone kicked around the idea of a 6.5 out a wsm case? Seems like that could be a good flat shooting cartridge with a great BC.  But I do wonder about the length of a 6.5mm 140gr bullet loaded into the wsm case and how much powder capacity that long bullet would take up. Anyone else pondered this?

6.5-284 is pretty much the standard in short/fat. many wsm cases are better than the 6.5 just because you run out of mag length. if you single load it does offer a bit more snort, but as a hunting round the 284 feeds better and is available in lapua brass, a big plus. but..........you can build anything.

[tlbradford]

Anyone kicked around the idea of a 6.5 out a wsm case? Seems like that could be a good flat shooting cartridge with a great BC.  But I do wonder about the length of a 6.5mm 140gr bullet loaded into the wsm case and how much powder capacity that long bullet would take up. Anyone else pondered this?

This is essentially the 6.5x.284.