Build your ideal rifle (or maybe my ideal rifle)

[michael_aos]

You may have seen my posting regarding the Ruger Frontier rifle. It's based on Jeff Coopers "Scout" / general-purpose rifle concept. As I recall, his spec was a .30-cal, 3kg weight, and 1m max OAL.

1m max OAL sounds good.
I'm thinking 7-8lbs, scoped

Just for fun, not big-game hunting, so I'm thinking <.30-cal. -- .223, .6mm BR, 243, .260 Rem, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8SPC -- that sort of thing.

Magazine-fed would be a plus.

Bolt-action, lever-action, semi-auto OK.

1-2MOA out to 300yds.

The Remington 700P LTR has piqued my interest for a couple years. And of course AR's aren't excluded.

http://www.remingtonle.com/images/rifles/700pltr.jpg

[Great-Kazoo]

while these 2 rifles are a tad long bbl wise they are both a nice starting point. and the set trigger is real nice.
in .223

http://www.czusa.com/01.detail.php?id=13

in .308
http://www.czusa.com/01.detail.php?id=49

the LTR is a nice platform to work off of. i had the LTR in .308 .but do to shoulder damage my days of .30 cal shooting are over.
it was on the money.

[michael_aos]

:D

[michael_aos]

Badger Ord bottom metal that uses AI mags

Is that this one?

http://www.badgerordnance.com/products/306-82.jpg

[michael_aos]

Remington lists:

Model 700 SPS .22-50, .243 - 7.25lbs, 24" bbl, MSRP $520
Model 700 SPS Detachable Magazine, .243, 7.25lbs, MSRP $547
Model 700 SPS Stainless, .243, 7.25lbs, MSRP $613

Would any of these make a good starting point? I could start accumulating reloading components, chop or swap the barrel later. Swap the stock of necessary. Get the scope & rings, etc.

Sort of build it up slowly over time.

Mike

[michael_aos]

Leupold 4.5-14.

I see 3 4.5-14x40's.

13.2oz 1" ($500)
15.4oz 30mm side-focus long-range ($600)
16.0oz 30mm PR long-range with target knobs ($700)

Which one were you referring to?

BTW, Midway currently has a special $30-off scopes >$300 until 12/31.

Mike

[BadShot]

Yikes, now I know what I'm getting next for the remmy.

Anyway.. Look for 22" barrels, fluted is fine for weight reduction if you're not hauling it professionally.

Several great aftermarket stocks that will shave the weight down as well. I spend more time looking in the 3xx range for my rifles, so other than saying that GAP makes the best damn rifle out there, you look to be tracking in the right direction.

[Hoser]

Is that this one?

http://www.badgerordnance.com/products/306-82.jpg

Thats it. Mucho better than the HS version.

Any scope works really. Its up to you.

[Hoser]

Remington lists:

Model 700 SPS .22-50, .243 - 7.25lbs, 24" bbl, MSRP $520
Model 700 SPS Detachable Magazine, .243, 7.25lbs, MSRP $547
Model 700 SPS Stainless, .243, 7.25lbs, MSRP $613

Would any of these make a good starting point? I could start accumulating reloading components, chop or swap the barrel later. Swap the stock of necessary. Get the scope & rings, etc.

Sort of build it up slowly over time.

Mike
Hit the pawn shops. Look for any POS Remington 700 short action. If they want $350, offer them $300. All you want is the action anyway.

[michael_aos]

Noticed a Savage .243 w/accu-trigger and 3-9x scope combo at Wal-Mart for $349...

:P

[michael_aos]

chambered in 6BR, 243 or 6XC

Which would you pick, and why?

The 6BR is appealing. Small rifle primers, and no danger of mixing it up with .260 Remington brass / ammo. Less powder. Might be more efficient than .243 in a short-barrel. Also appears a little less potent than .243 (107gr SMK 200-250fps slower). Nice velocities with 85gr-100gr in a 20" bbl -- might work better in a lightweight rifle, and maybe wear a lightweight barrel less...?

Any problems feeding the shorter 6BR in .308 magazines?

The 6XC looks like a lot of work forming brass.

.243 isn't quite so "interesting", but it could do double-duty for antelope. Lots of options for brass.

Mike

[Hoser]

The 6XC looks like a lot of work forming brass.

Push a 22-250 case in a 6XC die and out pops a strange looking 6XC round. Shoot it and a completely happy case pops out. Not hard at all. Barrel life with 107s is 1500-2000 rounds.

Lizard has a ton of 22BRs and he just finished a 6BR. Give his ear a bend about it. I think he has a Lapua brass reamer. I think a 6BR would feed from a 308 mag. Might want to look around at http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html Barrel life should be close to 2500-3000 with mid range bullets.

Any of three are good choices. For a short barrel plinker, the 6BR would be the best, but with really expensive brass...

[michael_aos]

For a short barrel plinker, the 6BR would be the best, but with really expensive brass...

The Remington 6mm BR brass ($.34) brass is exactly twice as expensive as .308 Winchester ($.17).

It's not "insanely" expensive though.

The 6mmbr.com site highly recommends the Lapua brass. At $.45/pc.

6mm BR....hmm....

:twisted:

[michael_aos]

The 6.75lb Remington 700 LV SF in .22-250 caught my eye at first. Thought it would make a great starting-point.

But it's a blind-magazine.

:-(

http://www.remington.com/images/products/firearms/centerfire/lgsil_700lvsf.jpg

[Gman]

The AR platform is light and so flexible, why not go with something like a 16" 6.8 SPC upper on a lower with a collapsible stock?

[michael_aos]

The AR platform is light and so flexible, why not go with something like a 16" 6.8 SPC upper on a lower with a collapsible stock?

I was thinking the 6.5 Grendel for that very reason.

But I'm concerned I couldn't really get the overall weight down where I want it.

$750-$850 for a new upper suddenly sounds pretty good compared to the cost of a custom-built lightweight varmint bolt-action.

Mike

[Gman]

The 6.5 Grendel is a good long-range benchrest round. I just figured since you stated you wanted to shoot out to 300, the 6.5 would be overkill. I also know where to find a 6.8 upper, but not the 6.5.;)

$489
http://www.eaglefirearms.net/ef_upper_assy.htm

[michael_aos]

I'm leaning toward a 7.25lb Remington 700 SPS stainless in .243.

That way I can build it up over time (1 major purchase per month) and maybe even start shooting it before it's complete.

I think I want that S&W 357PD in January. So the rifle will have to wait until February. Scope in March. Rings & base & reloading stuff in April. Then I can start thinking about a different barrel or stock in May.

http://www.remington.com/images/products/firearms/centerfire/lgsil_700spss.jpg

[michael_aos]

OK, I put the Leupold 4.5-14x40mm PR scope on my wish-list.

Also added the Badger Ordnance 20MOA short-action 1pc base.

Leupold 30mm Mark 4 medium aluminum rings.

Redding Competition bushing 3-die set in .243 Winchester.

Winchester .243 brass (1000).

I think I'll start with the Sierra 85gr HPBT.

Mike

[michael_aos]

Remington 700 short action ... chambered in 6BR, 243 or 6XC ...

Laying awake last night, I was wondering which cartridge is a .223 Remington, necked-up to 6mm.

It's 6x45mm.

More of a "hassle factor" than .243 though.

Mike

[michael_aos]

Not necessarily "meaningful", but perhaps "interesting".

Midway lists 6 calibers of rifle brass as "Most Popular":

223 Remington
308 Winchester
30-06 Springfield
22-250 Remington
6.8mm Remington SPC
243 Winchester

Mike

[Hoser]

Leupold 30mm Mark 4 medium aluminum rings.
Mark IV rings are way overpriced in my opinion. Just some Leupold PRW rings are all you need unless you are planning on putting them on a 50 or kicking in doors with this.



Redding Competition bushing 3-die set in .243 Winchester.
Why a 3 die set? Re-size and seat should be all you really need.

[michael_aos]

Leupold 30mm Mark 4 medium aluminum rings.
Mark IV rings are way overpriced in my opinion.

I was thinking the aluminum would save me some weight. At 1/3 the price though, I think I'll give the PRW's a try.

Mike

[michael_aos]

I don't see anything on the Alexander Arms (http://www.alexanderarms.com/siteshopper.htm?cat=9) site, but there are supposed to be some new offerings in 6.5 Grendel for 2006.

$550 16" uppers $.35 factory ammo.

Mike

[Gman]

Isn't Wolf supposed to be making the 6.5 Grendel factory ammo?

[michael_aos]

Isn't Wolf supposed to be making the 6.5 Grendel factory ammo?

Yep, that's the rumor.

Brass cased. 1MOA. $5-$7/20.

Mike

[Gman]

I noticed that Wolf is getting into more brass cased ammo--they're calling it their "Gold" line.

[michael_aos]

I've been kind of eyeing the Lapua 90gr Scenar in 6mm / .243. It's got a BC of .420. At 3037fps from a 20 bbl, it looks pretty close

Interestingly, the 6.5mm 100gr Scenar has a BC of .444, and the 6.5mm 108gr Scenar has a BC of .478.

I had been thinking it'd be nice to duplicate or exceed the ballistics of my 24" 700P in 260 (123gr Scenar (.547 BC) @ ~2928fps) in a ~20" bbl.

The .243 (in the same weight) rifle should recoil ~25% less than the 260 Remington. It should be pleasant in a lightweight.

Mike

[michael_aos]

Interesting combination of features (http://www.czusa.com/01.detail.php?id=15)

http://www.czusa.com/images/products/15.jpg

[michael_aos]

I'm going to look for a Remington Model 700 LSS in .243 on Monday.

http://www.remington.com/images/products/firearms/centerfire/lgsil_700lss.jpg

[Marlin]

I just picked up a Rem. M700 in .243 Win. Friday night. I'll be trying it out tomorrow. :D I'll let you know if it is My "Ideal Rifle". :wink:

[michael_aos]

I was originally drawn to .260 Remington as the minimum caliber to "make major" and (since it's always windy at PWSA) something that would buck the wind better than a 69gr .223.

I still think that 6.5mm kicks-butt for long-distance stuff, but I'm finding I don't actually shoot at those distances that often anyway.

Mike

[michael_aos]

I just picked up a Rem. M700 in .243 Win.

What scope, or what magnification scope are you going to put on it?

I suspect I'm guilty of wanting to put "too much" scope on a rifle, but 3-9x just doesn't seem like enough magnification to small targets out a 200yds - 300yds.

I'm leaning more toward 4.5-14x.

Mike

[Marlin]

Well it's the one that Richard K had for trade. Came with a Leupold 3X9 on top of it. So if I can get it sighted in for My eyes, I think the Place that I'll be going to tomorrow can go out to about 200-225 yrds, so I try it out to that.