New Precision Build

[Bully 749]

Howdy All!

 

First things first:  I have to give a huge shout of appreciation to Michael at Tier1 Defense.  He has/is helping me thru this build more than I have ever thought anyone would help.  His advice has been direct and honest.  I truly respect that as I have seen the results of his shooting and trust his judgement.  Additionally his work is flawless.  He made my old rifle into a work of art and will be doing the same on this one.  

 

As for this one...  It started after i took a class with Black Hat Training Corps. in October i think.  I have never shot past 100yds and in the class I shot to 700.  Last shots of the day were on a head size target at 700.  It's a ton of fun if you haven't done it.  And while I loved my Ruger in 308, I began to see its limitations at longer yardages.  So, I began the hunt.  

 

I came across this action on a FB page.  I picked it up since Savages are known to be pretty accurate without a ton of work done to them, because of the way the bolt head is designed.  And, since it comes with a barrel nut, installing the barrel wouldn't be an issue either.  I have the tools already so when it gets to that point, it will go together easily.  My transaction went smoothly and caliber selection was next on the list.  

 

I went 6.5x47Lapua for it's inherent accuracy, awesome brass, and ease of reloading.  

 

Stock or chassis?  Ask Michael.  He'll tell you what a terribly indecisive guy I can be.  I finally settled on the McRees Precision chassis.  I went G7 with the level.  Folder.  PRS compatible.  It should be here shortly.  I can't be more tickled.

 

Barrel is a Criterion stainless select match from Jim at Northland Shooter Supply.  8 twist.  Varmint profile.  Currently it sits at 26" but will be cut and threaded for a brake to 23-24".  Going with a Surefire SOCOM 3/4-24 thread.

 

Harris bipod 'cuz, well, I have it.  

 

Glass is a Vortex 6-24x50 EBR2c mil/mil.  

 

I have some inexpensive 6.5 bullets for plinking and plenty of powder.  200 pieces of brass are sitting on the shelf as well.  Dies should be here by the 4th.  I went with the RCBS Gold Medal F/L Bushing dies.  Still need to order bushings.  

 

Pics of the completed rifle to follow.  Range report to follow that.  

 

Happy New Year to me!!!

[Bully 749]

Bolt handle is heading off the get threaded and a new bolt knob installed. It's gonna hit the Post Office monday. 

The rest of the parts are heading to Tier1 on monday as well for the cut/thread and possibly Cerakote. Chassis is O.D. Green. I'm thinking Patriot Brown on the barreled action. Suggestions welcome.

[Bully 749]

Parts are all at Tier1.  

 

Plans are made and 90% of what i need is in the house or in transit.  Just gotta wait on the bolt handle to have everything there.  

 

Paint is officially going to be "FDE-ish" whatever that means.  

 

C

[Eric. 9]

sounds like life is good, Chris.  I'm glad things are working out with Mike/Tier One.  I tried them for a similar precision rifle build last year and recommend them to everybody that will listen.

 

I'd love to see your finished build.  Hell, it'll be almost identical to mine.  I have a 6.5c, custom 700 short action in a fde McRee G7 folder.  I'm using a Surefire socom brake (newer version) too.

 

I'm running Vortex glass as well (gen I Razor).

[JimmyAGR 54]

I have a 6.5x47 and use the Lapua 136gr shooting them at 2650 fps out of a 22" barrel. Very mild loading so should last a long time. I have only loaded the brass once so far, have 400 of them and have been told you can easily get 12 or more loads on them. The cartridge will make you look good .

 

Enjoy the new rifle.

[Bully 749]

sounds like life is good, Chris.  I'm glad things are working out with Mike/Tier One.  I tried them for a similar precision rifle build last year and recommend them to everybody that will listen.

 

I'd love to see your finished build.  Hell, it'll be almost identical to mine.  I have a 6.5c, custom 700 short action in a fde McRee G7 folder.  I'm using a Surefire socom brake (newer version) too.

 

I'm running Vortex glass as well (gen I Razor).

Ah, the Razor.  Next time around it's on the list.  And for sure, I'll be posting pics when she's done along with a range report.  

 

I have a 6.5x47 and use the Lapua 136gr shooting them at 2650 fps out of a 22" barrel. Very mild loading so should last a long time. I have only loaded the brass once so far, have 400 of them and have been told you can easily get 12 or more loads on them. The cartridge will make you look good .

 

Enjoy the new rifle.

With annealing I'm hearing that 20-30 loading is not unusual.  Gonna build a little rig in the next few months to do mine.  

[Eric. 9]

Ah, the Razor.  Next time around it's on the list.  And for sure, I'll be posting pics when she's done along with a range report.  

 

With annealing I'm hearing that 20-30 loading is not unusual.  Gonna build a little rig in the next few months to do mine.  

 

In case you want a peek of what your rifle will look like:

 

http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php/topic/76178-65-creedmoor-build-just-done/

 

The only difference between yours and mine would be that you have the Vortex PST and I'm using a Vortex Razor.  I went with a Harris bipod too.  The one in the pic is the short one, typically, i go with the 9-13 swivel bipod.

[Bully 749]

In case you want a peek of what your rifle will look like:

 

http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php/topic/76178-65-creedmoor-build-just-done/

 

The only difference between yours and mine would be that you have the Vortex PST and I'm using a Vortex Razor.  I went with a Harris bipod too.  The one in the pic is the short one, typically, i go with the 9-13 swivel bipod.

Yeah, well the other difference is that you have as much wrapped up in that action as I do in most of my rifle...  That's beautiful.  I'm hoping mine will shoot as well.

[Eric. 9]

Yeah, well the other difference is that you have as much wrapped up in that action as I do in most of my rifle...  That's beautiful.  I'm hoping mine will shoot as well.

I'm sure yours will shoot sub MOA. 

 

Just one question that has been in my head... why didnt you go with a 6.5 creedmoor instead?  The ballistics and cartridge size, etc, are all almost identical, but the Creedmoor is a more widely used round.  For that matter (even though you reload), there is some really good factory match ammo that is widely available too...

[Bully 749]

I'm sure yours will shoot sub MOA. 

 

Just one question that has been in my head... why didnt you go with a 6.5 creedmoor instead?  The ballistics and cartridge size, etc, are all almost identical, but the Creedmoor is a more widely used round.  For that matter (even though you reload), there is some really good factory match ammo that is widely available too...

I was between the 6.5C, the 260R and the 6.5L.  I went with the Lapua because of:

Barrel life- 3-4000 rounds from everything i read

Brass life- I've heard of 20+ reloads being common with up to 45 with annealing.

Primer- It's a small rifle primer which helps with consistent ignition.  I don't claim to completely understand all the benefits, but I'm trusting some very good      shooters and rifle builders.

Inherent accuracy- Self explanatory

Shorter case- Longer bullets

Smaller case- Efficient case uses less powder for good velocities

Ease of reloading- Apparently VERY straightforward

 

And last but not least, the cool factor of shooting something that other's aren't.

 

I did think it through.  It overlaps with the other cartridges mentioned all over the place but it seemed to suit my needs well. 

 

C

[Eric. 9]

I was between the 6.5C, the 260R and the 6.5L.  I went with the Lapua because of:

Barrel life- 3-4000 rounds from everything i read -The 6.5C usually has better barrel life due to the hotter load pressure for the 6.5L

Brass life- I've heard of 20+ reloads being common with up to 45 with annealing. -I can't confirm that number but LApua supposedly has better brass

Primer- It's a small rifle primer which helps with consistent ignition.  I don't claim to completely understand all the benefits, but I'm trusting some very good      shooters and rifle builders. _I dont have enough info on this to comment.

Inherent accuracy- Self explanatory -This is a wash with the 6.5C

Shorter case- Longer bullets -the case length for the 6.5L= 1.9" and an OAL of 2.74".  The 6.5c has a case length of 1.92" and an OAL of 2.82"

Smaller case- Efficient case uses less powder for good velocities

Ease of reloading- Apparently VERY straightforward

 

And last but not least, the cool factor of shooting something that other's aren't.

 

I did think it through.  It overlaps with the other cartridges mentioned all over the place but it seemed to suit my needs well. 

 

C

 

Not trying to be argumentative...at the end of the day, the benefits vs the bad is real close, so i dont think there is a "wrong" choice.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the final pic and range report!

[Bully 749]

I'm looking forward to seeing the final pic and range report!

Me too.

 

I do have 20 rounds of factory ammo coming to me to get the scope on paper and I can use those cases to do some load development.  

 

C

[Old School 611]

Me too.

 

I do have 20 rounds of factory ammo coming to me to get the scope on paper and I can use those cases to do some load development.  

 

C

 

Give me a yell when you hit the range and I'll spot for you.

If it warms up I have some test firing to do too.

[Bully 749]

Hello gorgeous!

 

[Eric. 9]

Hello gorgeous!

 

image.png

Im foreseeing the kid's college fund taking a hit...

[Eric. 9]

Hey, just remembered something...

 

Maek sure you skim bed the chassis or check the clearances.  I used modeling clay.

 

I know some say that you dont need to bed a chassis.  I found that with my build, i had a large gap between the recoil lug and the chassis.  I would say about a 1/16" gap.  I wound up using some bedding material on the lug only.

[Shane45 807]

In the 6.5's you can pretty much through a blanket over the common 3. Its seems to be minor details that drive people to one over the other.

[Bully 749]

In the 6.5's you can pretty much through a blanket over the common 3. Its seems to be minor details that drive people to one over the other.

I'd agree with this 100%.

 

20 pieces of Lapua factory loaded 120gn Scenar ammo just showed up.  

 

Unfortunately it looks like Seekins is gonna hold things up a bit.  They are slow on the shipping and we won't see the rings for 3 weeks or so even though everything is in stock.  Blah!

 

C

[Old School 611]

In the 6.5's you can pretty much through a blanket over the common 3. Its seems to be minor details that drive people to one over the other.

 

Shane please explain... I'm following this thread, love it, but, have no idea what you're saying.

[Shane45 807]

Performance wise the separation between 6.5 Lapua, .260 Remington, and 6.5 creedmore is pretty small. But if you don't reload, 6.5CM gains a lot of ground due to its good factory match ammo availability. I believe 6.5CM is also preferred in semi's due to mag length/round OAL. If you want lapua brass based rounds then you may be heading for 6.5 Lapua or Rem .260. Inexpensive brass availability I "think" the nod goes to rem .260.

[Bully 749]

Performance wise the separation between 6.5 Lapua, .260 Remington, and 6.5 creedmore is pretty small. But if you don't reload, 6.5CM gains a lot of ground due to its good factory match ammo availability. I believe 6.5CM is also preferred in semi's due to mag length/round OAL. If you want lapua brass based rounds then you may be heading for 6.5 Lapua or Rem .260. Inexpensive brass availability I "think" the nod goes to rem .260.

Shane you're correct.  

6.5L has great brass and the small primer.

6.5C has awesome factory match and slightly cheaper brass although the quality peters out faster than the Lapua brass.

260R has real cheap brass.

 

Performance wise they are all a wash with the speed nod most likely going to 260.  All of them are great.   

[Bully 749]

I will say this as well, the 6.5L is one NIFTY looking little cartridge.

 

C

 

308 on the left

[Bully 749]

Tee-hee!!!

[Eric. 9]

Tee-hee!!!

image.png

Hmm, that must be a newer option with McRee; it looks like they have a Magpul PRS stock on there?  Cool.  With the older stuff, you had to buy the "AR style butt/extension", then mount your own PRS on there.

[Bully 749]

No idea how new it is. But yes, the PRS stock mounts directly up to the chassis. I haven't seen it in person. Mike said it's pretty cool. The PRS is mine. I picked it up used.

[Eric. 9]

No idea how new it is. But yes, the PRS stock mounts directly up to the chassis. I haven't seen it in person. Mike said it's pretty cool. The PRS is mine. I picked it up used.

That is cool.  As I mentioned, previously, you had to buy thei "AR style butt", add an AR buffer tube, then attach the PRS stock.  Yours eliminated the need for the buffer tube.  Nice.

[Bully 749]

That is cool.  As I mentioned, previously, you had to buy thei "AR style butt", add an AR buffer tube, then attach the PRS stock.  Yours eliminated the need for the buffer tube.  Nice.

Unfortunately I picked up a buffer tube not realizing this. Now I have to build another AR.

[Bully 749]

 

She's on her way home!!!  

 

[diamondd817 828]

Sounds like an expensive endeavor.

 

I have a new Remington 700 Police 5R Milspec with 20" barrel in .308 on the way to me. Comes with a HS precision stock. It will be fitted with a 10X fixed power SWFA SS scope. But I am only hoping to hit biological size targets at the 800yd-1000yd range with it.

[Bully 749]

It's not crazy expensive but it's not cheap either. You should be on steel with that set up without too much issue. Take the Black Hat class at CJ to get yourself set up on the gun. Mike from Tier1 will be there as well.

 

C