Custom Rifles

[Blackduck]

As stated above, a custom rifle is many things to many people but for me, it's a John Bolliger.

Those are beautiful. I'm not smart enough to figure out where the price jump is. Walnut stocks ?

[hillhunter]

As stated above, a custom rifle is many things to many people but for me, it's a John Bolliger.

Those are beautiful. I'm not smart enough to figure out where the price jump is. Walnut stocks ?

Those are beautiful, and too pretty for me to really want to hunt with. They would never be in my price range.

However, whoever posted about the McWhorter rifles, I now hate you. One of those would be my dream hunting rifle after looking at them.

[CW]

As stated above, a custom rifle is many things to many people but for me, it's a John Bolliger.

Those are beautiful. I'm not smart enough to figure out where the price jump is. Walnut stocks ?

I think it's the name more than anything. The materials are all top shelf and the fit, finish, checkering, jeweling, etc are all as good as it gets. Stock work is what he is known for but they are made to hunt with and shoot super good. That said, if you look around they are selling for 1/3-1/2 of the new price on the used market.

[DanP]

Don't mean to hi-jack but I have a related question. I have a family gun in 30-06 with a HVA Mauser style action. Built in 59' the barrel has seen a lot of lead and is on the downhill. This has been my go to gun for 15 years, I am very comfortable with the gun and want to keep the stock and action. Considering re-barreling in 6.5/06 AI or .280 AI. From what I've learned so far, the .280 AI has the advantage >140 gr bullet and the 6.5/06 AI has the advantage =< 140 gr. This will be my go to hunting rifle, mostly white-tail but I will want to take larger game from time to time. Not too concerned with a lot of target shooting, this will be a work gun.

Thoughts?

[DanP]

Also, I hand load and I'm not worried about fire forming brass.

[Blackduck]

There aren't hardly any .264 bullets that are>140g. A .260 will push a 140 Berger at 2650 which is ok but not great. If you really want to shoot lighter bullets then the 6.5x06 would be my choice. I personally shoot a 280ai with 168 vld. 2835 fps. I'm not a big fan of necking up or necking down and the neck turning it usually requires. You can't go wrong with the 280ai, nosler brass, 140-168 bullets.

[BLOOD DOG]

If you are looking into a .308, a few ideas as I went this route about 5 years ago.....

1. That is by far the most popular long range gun over the past say 30+ years, however it's currently not the "hot" item in long range shooting. There are TONS of .308 rifles for sale on many of the forums I listed above. I would get a used one of your choice for likely less than 3K and then figure out what you like and don't like from there.

2. With a .308 I love the round, it's a great round, however I almost got rid of mine as post panic getting bullets or reloading parts were next to impossible. It is just too popular of a round if we have another scare. I would consider a different round for that reason only. .260, any of the 6mm rounds, would be more available IMO.

Lastly as expected Blackduck is once again a wealth of info on this topic, +1000 on the Mcmillian Stock, surgeon action, Jewell trigger (timmney is a close second) and I like Krieger barrels although admittedly I haven't tried a ton of them only about 4 different makes.

X1000 On the Jewel Trigger. -1000 on the Timmney. Second to the Jewel IMO would ne a Ted Blackburm.

The 308 is so popular in long range rifles is because the balistics are highly predictable and proven over many years. NOT becaues it is ballistically superior at all. For a mid range rifle it is hard to beat tho.

Take an old model 700 you have laying around. rebarrel it with a good quality CUT rifled barrel (Krieger, Badger, or Hart) accurize the action and true all the contact points and mount quality glass on top. You can glass and pillar bed any stock even the factory one and it will vastly improve. I prefer Pacific Research stocks for a light weight gun but they are pricey. Any quality stock you buy will still need to be inletted and glass bedded by a professional anyway. A drop in stock wont do you any better.

[mshunter77]

As stated above, a custom rifle is many things to many people but for me, it's a John Bolliger.

Those are beautiful. I'm not smart enough to figure out where the price jump is. Walnut stocks ?

That is kind of like Perazzi shotguns. They are beautiful but to dang nice to take out and hunt with.

[mshunter77]

As stated above, a custom rifle is many things to many people but for me, it's a John Bolliger.

Those are beautiful. I'm not smart enough to figure out where the price jump is. Walnut stocks ?

Those are beautiful, and too pretty for me to really want to hunt with. They would never be in my price range.

However, whoever posted about the McWhorter rifles, I now hate you. One of those would be my dream hunting rifle after looking at them.

Sorry. Those things are tack drivers and just wonderfully balanced.

[jsthntn]

If you don't handload, your wasting your money with a full custom. I would suggest getting you a Remington 5r in 308 and try several types of ammo until you find one that shoots good. If you do decide on a custom rifle, use someone in Ms so if something goes wrong or needs teeaking you can take it to them. The only two gunsmiths in Ms that would touch anything of mine is Dixie Precision in Brandon and Bills Customs in Shelby, both of those guys shoot completions and know what they are doing.

[deltadukman]

Blood dog, what's wrong with a timney trigger? I'm actually fixing to buy one for a ruger. Apparently Jewell doesn't make one for a plain M77.

[Jeff]

Not sure... I have both a Jewell and a Timmney, I like both but do prefer the Jewell.

[BLOOD DOG]

Delta, Nothing wring with the Timmney just not the same quality as the others. They are MASS produced and you never know what you are gonna get.