Hi all,

I am building a varmint rifle. I am in Geelong, Australia. I am hoping to find a 2nd hand rifle that is what I want, or at least close.

Use: Shooting from a bench sometimes, wandering a bit, prone varminting a lot with a bipod for rabbits, foxes and feral cats out to 400m, skill permitting. Some during the day and some spotlighting. Don't mind a heavy rifle, accuracy is much more important than weight. I want to be able to shoot sub 0.25" groups at 100m.

Current build plan: 6PPC or 6BR, custom action, benchrest barrel (Maddco, Krieger etc), benchrest trigger, varminting or tactical stock, 8-25 scope (Leupold or Nightforce). I will reload of course.

I am looking at a benchrest rifle with a Shilen DGA action (discontinued 1990), Shilen trigger, Maddco barrel in 6PPC Leupold 24x and BR stock. I could use it as is, but would look to replace the scope and stock at a later date. Might be better to wait for something closer to what I want. I would love a laminated thumbhole stock

Another alternative is a tuned Rem700 action.

Are there many varmint rifles built on custom actions?

Any advice?

sure there are some, but not to many. takes a pretty serious varminter to spend big bucks on a custom action, when he can go out and buy a over the counter savage or remmy and spend the rest on ammo. That isn't to say they don't, but it's just not a common thing

I have one in 6BR on a Hall action. I got the action with Jewell trigger and stock for a decent price. Put a new barrel on it and you have a nice varmit/bench rifle. I am looking for another used custom now to build a fast 22 caliber varmit gun on. Nothing wrong with a trued remington but not as nice as a custom.

If you are looking for something other than a single shot custom it may be harder.

BigB

Single shot is fine for me. I am keeping my eye on usedguns.com.au to see if anything good comes up. Nothing so far....

I am steering away from a production rifle because the accuracy is such lottery. You might get a good one but probably not. I had a Rem 700 BDL Varmint in 22-250 years ago and I could not get it to shoot better than a couple of lucky groups at 0.5" and mostly just under 1". It shot well in the field out to 200m, but I want to go longer! And I want to be able to shoot some really small groups, so custom is the reliable option for me.

Hi David

I'm going thru the same process myself at the moment. I want to end up with a very accurate .223 thats light enough to walk with if nec, altho it will be used with a bipod either prone or from a bench mostly. My latest idea is a Surgeon action with a 22" fluted med weight barrel, Jewell trigger and Dave Kiff bottom metal in either a MacMillan or Manners stock.

Cheers.

GG

I did some calculations on cost today. It is a bit rough, but I worked out the following:

Buy a 2nd hand BR rifle, change the stock and scope $4300

Rem 700 action 2nd hand, tuned, new stock, barrel, trigger, rings and scope $3800

New Custom $5100

So for not much extra I get a new rifle where I know what the barrel and action has done. Sounds like the best idea to me.

Surgeon sounds good. I will probably go for 26" or 28" barrel as I will be doing less walking. I am also liking a laminated stock in either thumbhole or A5 shape.

GG, who is doing your gun smithing? I am going with Pro-Cal.

I think the prices in Australia are higher than the US for used bench guns.

Too bad you cannot just send one over from here.

BigB

They sure are BigB. With many products - cycling, photography, radio control (these are some I have been involved in) - it is much cheaper to buy from overseas websites than in Australia. Many times it is even cheaper to buy from overseas than WHOLESALE in Australia!! Crazy.

The difficulty with firearms appears to be export restrictions and possibly duties - not sure on duties yet.

Hi David

Not sure who will build it if I go ahead - possibly PSECO in Brisbane.

Have heard some good reports about Peters work tho.

Cheers.

GG

The classified adds on www.benchrest.com will always find you a few deals if you can figure out how to get it home.

BigB

This is a good place to look for used benchrest rifles.
http://www.benchrest.com/shooterscorner/
It's a long list. Great guy to deal with.
Just click on the box "click here for The List" upper right corner of home page.

muck

I went a different route when I "built" my walkabout rifle. I bought a new XR100 in 204, rechambered in 20VarTarg, made a new stock from standard grade quarter sawn,(and dropped a pound and a half from weight, and made it more comfortable to carry) scoped with a 4-16 Monarch, added a scope level and swivel Harris.
Longest shot so far has been 350yds on crouched rabbit but more than pleased with the result.All up cost,including Arbour press and Wilson dies but excluding scope was NZ$2900 (USD$2078)

Taking it out to a property where we can set up on the rim of a 350yd wide basin next week and has, along with a few others areas on the property, a large population af rabbit. Can have 200-300 targets for the day in some cases and the 35gn Berger over 19.2gn ADI2207 (H4198)at 3735fps makes a satisfyingly dead animal on contact.Have even taken a few goats as targets of oportunity. Have a target on the wall of .084 from load testing but most were in the 2's, admitadly with a 24x scope but field work is more suited to the 4-16 with 12 being the best power and also where the mil dots are calibrated.

Von Gruff.

Von Gruff, what size groups can your rifle shoot?

If it were me, I would start out with a new action of your choice, then purchase the Shilen barrel, Hart Barrel, Lija Barrel or Douglas Premium Barrel.

Then you select the stock you want, either wood or plastic etc. I like Hogue stocks for their reinforcement but I have an eye for good laminated hardwoods too. Then you will have your rifle when finished. I like the Bushnell 5 x 15 mil-dot with turrets and adj AO for what your wanting to do......they are far less expensive than a Leupold and just as accurate and Bright!

Von Gruff, I saw the answer to my question on another thread - mostly shoots in the .2s, and you have a 0.084 on the wall.

Muck,

I agree with you on dealing with Bob, I have a couple of rifles from him and more that he has worked on.

BigB

Unfortunately he does not ship overseas. That is a huge list of rifles he has available!

I am looking at an XR100 in 22-250 and possibly a dream rifle later (custom action, Maddco barrel, 6BR, Jewel trigger, Nightforce 8-32 scope, laminated stock in either thumbhole or A5 shape)

Got the XR 100. Just have to wait to get my licence and then the permit to purchase - 8 weeks!

David,
If I were to spend that sort or coin{$} I certainly would NOT get that Bloke from Geelong to assemble it, or get the bits you need, he charges like a wounded bull.Look up Shane Clancey, PSECO in Brisbane,or Dave Kerr, they are really 1st class smiths and don't rip your arms off.
In Victoria Kevin Grinter [Ballarat] does all my work and he's top notch, I just finished building a .17Rem {match chamber} on a Tikka M55 Delux action, MAB 26inch stainless heavy barrel. 5 shots on a 5cents piece all day.
That's my spot light gun

Useful info. I will broaden my search a bit.

Ballarat is only 45mins away, so that might be a good option.

Thanks

DavidR- I purchased a Sako Varmint rifle new when Sako 1st produced the 6PPC chambered rifle. Also purchased several hundred rounds of the Sako factory ammo.Very accurate out to 250 yds. Beyond that, it was probably just me, the groups opened up. I killed many woodchucks within that range and used it several times for deer on a farm that had detruction permits. Using the factory 70g bullets deer hit in the throat/head died as if struck by lightning. With my experience with this caliber, I would probably choose a different cartridge if wanting to shoot accurately out to 400 yds. Have you considered a Rem 40 X rifle? I own 2 -.220 Swift repeater and a 25-06 single shot. Both weigh around 11 lbs. with scope. Both are very accurate.
Jim

Jim M,

A 6BR with a fast twist using heavy bullets provides accuracy at longer ranges than the average 6PPC with a slow twist and light weight bullets. The 6BR also holds a tad more powder.

BigB

General consensus seems to be that a factory rifle is a lottery - most shoot okay (1" @ MOA), every now and then you get a good one that will shoot well - approaching custom action territory. If you want to be sure of good accuracy (1/3" for 5 shots at 100m consistently), you have to go custom. So I decided to go custom. Had all this money burning a hole in my pocket anyways.

I am getting a Surgeon RSR, A5 stock (desert camo), Lilja 6BR fluted, Nightforce BR scope, 20MOA picatinny rail, Jewell trigger, US Optics cant indicator and Harris swivel bipod. Shane Clancy is building it for me. Have not decided on twist yet.

David,

Mine is a 28 inch Hart 1-8 twist 28 inches long set up for the 105 Berger VLD. So far best group is about .350 at 100. But I only have about 70 rounds thru the gun and I have been doing some load development. Have not had a chance to shoot at 600.

BigB

I am tossing up between 105VLDs and 70-80 grains projectiles. I would prefer to spit out the lighter projectiles a bit faster, but that is not logical. I will be making elevation adjustments anyway and it does not matter if it is 4" or 6" (for example), so I might as well go for the more accurate projectile - the 105 VLDs.

I really need to select my projectile weights because that will determine the twist rate I select.

quote:

Originally posted by DavidR:
I am tossing up between 105VLDs and 70-80 grains projectiles. I would prefer to spit out the lighter projectiles a bit faster, but that is not logical. I will be making elevation adjustments anyway and it does not matter if it is 4" or 6" (for example), so I might as well go for the more accurate projectile - the 105 VLDs.

I really need to select my projectile weights because that will determine the twist rate I select.

You are correct. Picking the bullet weight from the game and range is the first step. Then look at the twist required to stabilize that configuration, and the length of barrel required to get to your velocity. 26" is fine for most high velocity rifles.

Then pick the action. Not a big deal here, but Remington seems to have the most aftermarket kit available.

Then it is a matter of machining barrel and action for concentric perfection of mating of barrel and action. I usually request facing of the action and checking the threads in the action for concentricity. Same with the barrel. This is where the great gun smith comes in handy. Reliable and crisp 1 to 2 pound trigger is the secret here. I like Jewel a lot, and set my triggers for a break at 1 pound that is like 1/32" glass rod.

Lastly, a properly inletted and bedded fiberglass stock with steel recoil ring. Free float, naturally. (Note I have purchased some of my stocks used and some from MACMILLAN's Web site where they offer specials.

Sweet looking rifle DMCI.

I am going with the build you are suggesting.

Range: 200-400m
Game: rabbits and foxes
Twist: 1 in 8"
Barrel Length: 28"
Action: Surgeon RSR
Trigger: Jewell
Stock: McMillan A5

...and now I wait....

David:

Might I suggest a Barnard action? I you choose the P modell, it comes with a Very good trigger. Also, since its made in New Zealand, its probably easier to get ahold of then the Surgeon.

Look here for some info: http://www.6mmbr.com/actions.html

Also, the McMillan comes inletted for it. Just a suggestion, but it might save you a couple of hundred.

DavidR-have you seen some of the rifles SAvage is putting out lately? Check out Gun Test magazine on line. The are the US Consumer Reports of firearms/no ads from anyone. In the recent past they tested 3 rifles in F-class, savage (under 1K) and 2 other over 3K, and Savage won by a mile! (no pun intended). You describe "walking around" guns, I've not been to Austrailia since Viet Nam (can't go back, my wife will kill me, God Bless your soul as a resident!) My current favorite varmint rifle is a Rem 788 in .222 that I free-floated the barrel, bedded the action with J-B Weld, and graphited the trigger group and mounted a Thompson/Center 3X9X40 scope. With Hornady VMAx 50 gr.Molycoated bullets over the preferred load of WW 748 it shoots sub-MOA groups all day long. My last shot, on a feral dog about German Shephard size was @ o/a 350 yds when he stopped to look back after trying breed my Beagle. That won't happen again! Case in point-Less that $600.US in the gun. Do you really need to spend that much to get something to shoot? I know this is an international -based forum and I reaaly need to be updated if I am wrong-Is the world that screwed up that we are at this point we are discussing? I can get a $300. rifle from a Gun Shop that with home ti kering shoots what you want to spend enough that someone could buy a car or mobile home for? We need to do more to reverse this process! Good luck, I'll be interested in your sucess.

There are quite a few Savage LRPV in 6 br, under VARMINT HUNTING conditions, that would not get many more misses than a custom rig. I am not talking paper punching guys, just shooting fur.