Want to build new rifle. Help!

[docsven]

Second what Hyde said.  You can save money building something and get a lot of what you want but you won't necessarily get that value back out of it.  So if you want to build one just to build one and don't have to justify the cost, build your own.

[300wsm]

I'm liking the idea of taking an off the shelf gun and customizing it.  Question, what is "blue printing"?  Hyde, do you have Dan Cowen's #,  I would like to at the least talk to him.  After doing some research, I see I would need a 40 pound gun to get my 1/4" MOA, but 1/2" to 3/8" will be obtainable with the right loads/bullets/gun. 
Now that I'm day dreaming, maybe my first project will be changing out the barrel and stock on my Tikka.  I'm assuming it will take a gun smith to fit the barrel correctly???  The reviews on the Benchmark barrels are great.  robescc, p.m. sent.  What is a good stock?  I like the olive/black that H&S have.  Thanks again for all the help.

[haugenna]

Mcmillan edge or lone wolf carbon fiber. Great stocks.

[Tony 270]

I'm liking the idea of taking an off the shelf gun and customizing it.  Question, what is "blue printing"?  Hyde, do you have Dan Cowen's #,  I would like to at the least talk to him.  After doing some research, I see I would need a 40 pound gun to get my 1/4" MOA, but 1/2" to 3/8" will be obtainable with the right loads/bullets/gun. 

Like I said, a friend has the Defensive Edge Canyon Rifle and his test target measured 0.117 inches @ 100 yards. Not 40lbs either, about 13. Thing is crazy accurate at long range too.

[Lightning_Rider]

I have a buddy who had a Mcwhorter rifle built and i've never seen anything as accurate in my life, but they come at a great price too.

[high country]

if you want to build a gun that will ring the bell at huge distances for a fair price, it is tough to beat pacnors prices. send them an action and have it trued and barreled.....odds are good it will go very much sub moa. I have a gre-tan and a bisen both shoot well under an inch.  do not forget you live near jim cloward who is quite famous for building money winning rifles.

[rbros]

I'm liking the idea of taking an off the shelf gun and customizing it.  Question, what is "blue printing"?  Hyde, do you have Dan Cowen's #,  I would like to at the least talk to him.  After doing some research, I see I would need a 40 pound gun to get my 1/4" MOA, but 1/2" to 3/8" will be obtainable with the right loads/bullets/gun. 

Like I said, a friend has the Defensive Edge Canyon Rifle and his test target measured 0.117 inches @ 100 yards. Not 40lbs either, about 13. Thing is crazy accurate at long range too.

Shawn builds a good rifle and is a good friend of mine as well.

  You don't need a 40lb rifle to shoot a 1/4-1/2moa groups.  I have built several 8lb and up that will do it.  I will be honest, the number of people that are capable of shooting a 1/4moa group consistently is pretty small.  I compete and shoot close to 20k rounds a year, and I have days that 1/2moa is about it.  I have other days that are smaller...338 Edge group at 300yds measures .403" outside to outside....thats .065" ctc folks.  That particular rifle will shoot in the .1's and .2' pretty consistently and weighs 13lbs.  My lighter weight rifle weighs 10lbs with a scope and shoot about the same size groups in 7 wsm.  Most of the 7-8lb rifles that I have built will print 1/2moa or less, a guy just has to pay more attention to form when shooting them.  Good barrels, machining, loading, and most importantly the shooter goes along ways.  Pic components of good quality, has them assembled properly and you won't be sorry.

[FC]

I will be honest, the number of people that are capable of shooting a 1/4moa group consistently is pretty small. 

You are being extremely modest, 1 MOA is unattainable for the majority of shooters, a TRUE 1/4 MOA shooter is extremely uncommon.

[coachcw]

wow you guys are very knowegleble here. I don't shoot enough to get those groups . I love to shoot differnt angles and elevations , cross winds and such . If your a snipper/ hunter i'd recomend that you get another tika and make both guns the same practice in the field and have one for a back up . my question is what happens when your 3k 1/4 moa riffle is put into a real life situation seems to me that the guy behind the gun makes the difference more than the gun does.

[rbros]

wow you guys are very knowegleble here. I don't shoot enough to get those groups . I love to shoot differnt angles and elevations , cross winds and such . If your a snipper/ hunter i'd recomend that you get another tika and make both guns the same practice in the field and have one for a back up . my question is what happens when your 3k 1/4 moa riffle is put into a real life situation seems to me that the guy behind the gun makes the difference more than the gun does.

In all situations, the shooter makes a difference.  An accurate rifle to start with builds confidence, but if you don't shoot well, or get nervous, then it doesn't do any good at all.  Practice is the key.  Most guys are lucky to shoot 50-100 rounds a year through their hunting rifles.  If you practice, have an accurate rifle...when put into real life situation, your results will generally be pretty good.

[300wsm]

RBROS, I agree with you 100%.  Hitting the range today with some family that I hunt with each year.  They are usually shooting for the first time of the year and are happy to hit the target at 100 yards.  I'm hitting it for the 12th or 13th time and getting mad when I don't group them in a golf ball.   I think if I build a great rifle, get a lot of rounds through it, I can achieve what I want and feel great about going hunting and knowing I won't miss an opportunity due to a lack of practice.
I've decided I will keep my Tikka like it is because it has done exactly what I have needed to do.  I talked to a buddies dad that made a 270 wsm for deer and pronghorn.  I think I'll go that route so I don't have a redundancy in calibers.  His gun is light and shoots flat.  I'll just have to add that caliber to my reloading bench.  Good luck to anyone going after deer this weekend! 
I'll post what I end up with.  Maybe there should be a post on the steps it take to build a rifle???  If I have time maybe I'll start that post when I begin??  I'll probable start this project after around Christmas after my muzzy bull hunt.

[haugenna]

300WSM,

I will say this, the rifle is one of 3 components in accuracy.  Too many people put it all on the rifle.  Spend some of that money on measuring tools, comp dies, and case prep tools and you will turn that gun into 1/2 MOA.

The other two are, shooter and precise reloads.

[300wsm]

Here's what I ended up with.  I decided that my 300wsm Tikka was just fine for bigger game, so I went with a 257 Weatherby.  Found a guy on Gunbroker that builds a clone of the Alaska Ti.  It has the 26" barrel that was frozen(forget the term crono-something), I also had the stainless barrel Cerakoted.  Had them put a Jewel trigger set at 2.5 lbs. and put a Bell and Carlson olive w/ blk spider web to finish it off.  They send you a target that shows it is a Sub MOA gun before they even ship it.  Redhawk Rifles is the name of the dealer.  Great to work with and they make a great looking gun.  They are also a dealer of Zeiss.  I put a 4x14x42AO to top it off.  The price of the scope beat Cabelas by $160.  Now I need to find some yotes to break it in on.  Next year the deer are in for a deadly surprise!

[ribka]

Here's what I ended up with.  I decided that my 300wsm Tikka was just fine for bigger game, so I went with a 257 Weatherby.  Found a guy on Gunbroker that builds a clone of the Alaska Ti.  It has the 26" barrel that was frozen(forget the term crono-something), I also had the stainless barrel Cerakoted.  Had them put a Jewel trigger set at 2.5 lbs. and put a Bell and Carlson olive w/ blk spider web to finish it off.  They send you a target that shows it is a Sub MOA gun before they even ship it.  Redhawk Rifles is the name of the dealer.  Great to work with and they make a great looking gun.  They are also a dealer of Zeiss.  I put a 4x14x42AO to top it off.  The price of the scope beat Cabelas by $160.  Now I need to find some yotes to break it in on.  Next year the deer are in for a deadly surprise!

what did you end up paying for the build?

[littletoes]

wow you guys are very knowegleble here. I don't shoot enough to get those groups . I love to shoot differnt angles and elevations , cross winds and such . If your a snipper/ hunter i'd recomend that you get another tika and make both guns the same practice in the field and have one for a back up . my question is what happens when your 3k 1/4 moa riffle is put into a real life situation seems to me that the guy behind the gun makes the difference more than the gun does.

In all situations, the shooter makes a difference.  An accurate rifle to start with builds confidence, but if you don't shoot well, or get nervous, then it doesn't do any good at all.  Practice is the key.  Most guys are lucky to shoot 50-100 rounds a year through their hunting rifles.  If you practice, have an accurate rifle...when put into real life situation, your results will generally be pretty good.

THIS being said by one of the top Shooters in the Nation, at a Tactical Level, with Rifles He builds, Himself.  I've watched him shoot on several occasions, and win.