buildin' guns

[FN_Project90]

I am going to build a nice rifle soon
I need to know where I can buy a Remington 700 7mm mag or 300 rem mag action (same thing). thats for starters, I want to get an aftermarket fluted bull brl. mcmillan stock, and the rest of what I need to make it into a nasty tac driver.

[inplanotx]

I am going to build a nice rifle soon

Sounds like quite an endeavour there FN_Project90! I wish you luck.

I need to know where I can buy a Remington 700 7mm mag or 300 rem mag action (same thing)

Depending on the cartridge that will be the action you require. long or short is what it is usually called. They are classified long and short actions. A little money can be saved by buying a Mauser 'BYF' large ring action. It is usually cheaper.

I want to get an aftermarket fluted bull brl. mcmillan stock

All major barrel makers make barrels and stocks for the Mauser action.

and the rest of what I need to make it into a nasty tac driver.

Here is where the tools alone can break the wallet. You are talking a lot of bucks for the tools that will be needed to finish this up. You will need action wrench, barrel vise, finishing reamers, go/no go guages, thread chasers, barrel inletting tools......etc. Then the tools to true up the action. A one time layout will really dent the wallet.

You might find it cheaper to have a gunsmith build it for you since he probably has the tools needed to do the job.

Good luck and keep us informed!

[FN_Project90]

I am going to do some of the work, I should have mentioned I was gonna have a smith do the "big" stuff and I may do alot of that up at my uncles in MN, he has the tools. I just read that earlier today, I decided to use a mauser action and adapt it to the .338 lapua magnum.

[45Smashemflat]

Keep us posted - that .338 is a sweet long range round. Gives the .300WinMag a run for its money in long distance sniping. MUCH better downrange energy.

Does it require a funky bolthead? Its not belted is it?

[CountryGunsmith]

The .338 Lapua is a huge case, about the size of a .416 Rigby. Case head diameter is .588, much larger than the standard belted magnum bolt face. Overall length is almost 3.7", about 0.2" longer than the .375 H&H which requires a special magnum-length magazine box in the 98 Mauser action. A military K98 action will not work for this cartridge without extensive modification.

Stick with commercial actions designed for the .416 Rigby class of cartridges. There are newly manufactured Magnum Mauser actions available, or possibly something from CZ or Ruger.

[stash247]

You might want to take a look at the ZKK 602 actions Brno/CZ produce; they are the longest, affordable actions on the market, and come with a square bridge from the gitgo.
The .338 Lapua is one heck of a cartridge; a .338 Win, or a .375 Improved, will do as much, cheaper, by the time the rifle is built.
In all fairness, the .375 H&H is a ballistic clone to the 30-06, and will, literally, kill anything on earth, with factory ammo. How much more is necessary?
Anyhow, son, call or write if you have issues.

[FN_Project90]

call you up, how? you can call me Eric, I would prefer that

I want the round for LOONNNNG range shooting or anything really. I plan on reloadin' it so no biggie.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys, it REALLY helped. I knew you could help me along with my vision.

I think I might go with the AI Acuracy International barrel. That is suposed to be really awesome. The AI guns are amazing weapons used by LE and military worldwide for sniping.

I am getting a little collection of sniper weapons going and I thought building one would be just a really neat thing, priceless to me at least.

[45Smashemflat]

Well then, give a peek at the others - just being nosy. I've got a Blaser R93LRS - first model - in .308. Its a sweety!!! It will put 3 into one raged hole at 200 - and I have one 2.5" group at 436 yards that I'm proud of. This is with factory ammo - FedGMM or some moly coated super match stuff from Georgia Arms. Luepold M1 glass, by the way.

Blaser makes this rifle in 338 Lapua, if you want to just up and buy one.

Use the mauser action...it is what everything else is based on...and as Andrew said...parts are worldwide and readily available.
Personally I favor a .300 win mag if I decide I want to"reach out and touch something " at long distance. 1000 yard matches are won by .300 winmags regularly.
two bits of advice:

1) get hold of your .338 lapua or something similar...take it out and shoot it. I personally get tired of getting myself knocked around every time I pull the trigger, especially after the first 20 rounds.

2) Consider porting it to reduce recoil. I know that every he man on this board can take the recoil...but why do it if you dont have to? It is a lot easier to watch the shot and it helps your follow through. You are gonna probably shoot at the range anyway and if you are hunting you wont notice it. ( By the way...there is a rumour floating around that guides out west wont take you if you bring a ported rifle. Dead wrong...last thing a guide is gonna do is critisize your choice of firearms. This is his living and he wants your money. If they dont like your firearms then they dont like your money and take your business elsewhere.)

Congratulations on your decision to build a rifle. I know that you can buy a factory rifle cheaper and it may cost more to do it this way...but you will have the satisfaction of having a one of a kind that is suited to you alone. That my friends is intrinsic value!!! And a heirloom to pass down to your kids.

Dont ever attempt to sell one...you will never get your money back out of it. Thats the bad side of a custom unit. hope this helps...

swede

[FN_Project90]

Blaser R93LRS this is what I am looking at down the road actually. An Acuracy International match sniper as well.

I know all about the 300. I just wanted to build the rifle with a "newbie" cal and make it for more of the future of sniper weapons. And I wanted a gun that fit me perfectly. I detest any porting on rifles, I may try to get a muzzle break/flash hider similar to the the british marines use on their rifle, but really don't want to pay insane ammounts just to have one, damn ban. I would rather have the flash hider screw on, and then have a reg flat peice to screw over the thread for when I don't want it on. I don't know the final details. The rifle want fully be done till around next year most likely.

I am going to use my weaver 4-16 from my pss on it and get a better hunting scope without peralexing, thats annoying when hunting.

[stash247]

Hey, Eric- see, I didn't use that B-B nickname- Let's think about this project.
You want an accurate rifle; that's a good thing. Consider:
(1) a rail type action- Mauser, pre64 Winchester, whatever, is, only by accident true and straight. The very design encourages distortion, in heat treat(Warpage), since the action is thick and thin in various areas.
(2) The Rem 700, 40X, et al, are run as a pipe, i.e., cylindrical, for a reason- consistant section. They are "push feeders", not "controlled round" actions, but for an accuracy rifle, that is no compromise. A controlled round/feed action, in a dangerous game rifle, is good because no matter what attitude the rifle is in when the bolt is cycled, the next round is captured and fed to the chamber. While the push feed rifles don't capture the next round, they work REAL good, right side up, which is how an accuracy rifle is customarily used. Add to that the fact that their consistant section (No Mag cut) allows them virtually no opportunity for distortion in heat treat, and you end up with a straight, square, ACCURATE, action.
(3) IMHO, in order, the most inherently accurate actions would be: Rem 40X, SS; Rem 40X, magazine; Rem 700(ADL preferred); Sako, SS; Sako, magazine.
(4) You don't give up much, to use the .338 Win Mag, from the .338 Lapua, since bullets are the limiting factor. If you REALLY need more juice, consider the .375 H&H, or the .375 H&H improved. All three are capable of much better than MOA accuracy, and will shoot 'store bought ' bullets, in a pinch.
(5) Spend your money on the BEST barrel and smith you can afford, a benchrest 'smith would be my choice, and listen to his advice. His reputation depends on your results, his experience and expertise limits the same. THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD!

[stash247]

Oh- G'nite, son!

[45Smashemflat]

If you go with the Blaser in .300 you can swap back and forth between .300 Win, .308, .22-250, and .223. You just swap out the barrells and bolt heads as needed. Unfortunatly, the Lapua is different enough that if you go that route, you can't swap barrells - just and FYI.

BTW, the Blaser is a push feed straight pull action very different than any other "bolt gun." The trigger is awsome, no sear, has be felt to appreciate. The LRS comes with a muzzle brake, but you can easily take it off. The whole damn rifle comes apart with a couple of Allen keys. I could go on and on, and apparently I already have.....

[butch lambert]

Terry, you advice is right on. A Jewel or Shilen trigger, a Shilen barrel, and a good quality stock, properly bedded would make a great tactical rifle. Most tactical rifles used by the various police agencies are 40x based. Thebarrelman

[stash247]

Just a small point of reference:
I can and have built rifles of this ilk for under $1500 US, owing to a tired old Sheldon lathe setting out in the shop, and a modicum of tooling.
What's that Blaser sign in at, In US dollars? And just for my own info, how much shift in point of impact do you see in a caliber switch? Meaning barrel and bolt face. Cost of caliber conversion parts?
Not ragging, just trying to get the whole picture.
Thanks in advance.

[45Smashemflat]

I bought mine for $2400 tax, tag, title, and valve stems

The unique thing about the Blaser design - granted, costing more cash - is that the scope is mounted directly to the barrell. When performing swaps, the scope and barrell come off as a unit. Two screws and your outa there. Thus, with a appropriate torque wrench and a zero'd scope on each barrell, your POA/POI shift is pretty much nil.

I have not priced a conversion kit for my LRS, as I'm happy with the .308, but a conversion kit for a "Standard R93" i.e. a hunting rifle runs in the $800-$1,000 depending on calibre and barrell profile.

The normal frame rilfles are convertable to a huge range of calibers - .222Rem to .416 Rem Mag. The LRS only goes .223, .22-250, .308, .300 Win. Seems you used to could go .243, but that's been dropped, or so it appears. The LRS in .338L is a stand alone.

I looked at the SIG202 and this rifle and felt the Blaser design was more rugged and repeatable should I ever go for a swap.

[FN_Project90]

OMG my whole msg just got deleted SH*T
this sucks oh well forget it
argh
great suggestions
I like the lapua, popular in my area, and my regular shop has lots of bullet choices.
man this sucks frickin internet explorer
*SHAKES HIS FIST AT MICROSOFT!*

[stash247]

See if they have anything longer/heavier than 250 grains.
That's a heavy, for the .338 WM; it's only a starting point for the Lapua.
Consider a barrel with a 10" twist; if you're gonna deliver the mail way out there, make the trip count. A .338, 250 gr, sierra spitzer boattail has a BC of.570; a .308, 190 gr Matchking, .561.
Those are the numbers the BIGGER bullet has to beat, to be an improvement. For reference, a 7mag/175 gr, SBT has a BC of.654, and is the killingest long range bullet I've ever shot, in part, because it works, as a bullet, but mostly, 'cause it's really EASY to hit with.
If I had the desire to build such a rifle, the first thing I would look for is a relatively permanent supplier of bullets in the 300-350 gr range; less bullet makes it an expensive .338 WM.

[CountryGunsmith]

Gotta say it, Stash is right on.

If I were starting from scratch I'd go with the CZ action both from an availability and affordability standpoint. The Remington actions are good, but you're still going to have to blueprint and true the action for maximum accuracy. Plus, I'd want a little more length...

For the ultimate class no-budget rifle, I'd start with the Magnum Mauser action (new). You just cant beat the lines of that double square bridge action, quarter rib, rust-blued, bedded into a Circassian walnut stock.

Are you absolutely married to that caliber, because it does create some limitations...

[FN_Project90]

I have been researching the 7 mag and I think I may just go with that. After all what stash says just cannot be argued with it has the solid numbers. There are some 7 "haters" out there but I think it was merely a case of shooter sucking more than the bullet.
I think in part my love of the round was that I had been reading stuff that unbeknownst to me was written to raise the 338 LpM to look like the "round of the future." Besides being 400% easier to do all the work for it will be considerably cheaper.

this thread has given me LOADS (that statement hits on two levels, get it? ) to think about. I usually prefer a lighter grain bullet and like you said you want it to "count" when the mail gets there. I will have to read the long range ballistics tests that I requested from AI.

[Txquadhunter]

Since you'll be loading your shells there is another .30 on the market you could look into. Everyone I've talked to has loved it. .30 cal bullets can be had in many diffirent styles, grains ect. thats the .300 Jarrett round.

[FN_Project90]

good suggestion know of any texts?

[Txquadhunter]

FN, I don't know to much about the .300Jarrett round. I know my gun builder Said it smokes the .300 Wig on the charts and is highly accuracy is superb. I know the shell is base on the 8mm Mauser. If I had a dig. camera I could snap a Pic of the .300Jarrett dummy round I have next to one of my .300Win shells. I'll email my Rifle builder to get some specs over it. I had a Realplay file he sent me, The impack it had made my .300 seem weak.

Maybe some of the other might be able to file you in more until I can get a email reply back from my builder or some others i know.

[Txquadhunter]

FN,

Here is some of the Info I got over the .300 Jarrett round, Ya might try the for evedn more info over it. Hope this helps.

The .300 Jarrett is actually made from 8mm Rem. Magnum brass necked down to
.30 caliber and fireformed to blow out the body and the shoulder, You can
also use 7mm STW brass. I shoot 24" barrels almost exclusively and get 3450
fps with 165 gn. bullets and 3070 fps with 200 gn. bullets. I really like
the cartridge, have probably shot 4000 rounds thru the 3 barrels I've had.
John Lewis, my partner at Carolina Precision Rifles - cprifles.com - was
heavily involved in the original development of this cartridge and knows as
much about it as anyone

[FN_Project90]

awesome, you guys rock !,,!