I have a friend who is interested in getting a benchrest rifle made up. This is his first rifle. I have suggested at these starting points. If you can think of improvements please say them and why.

Rem 700 action
Hart or Shilen match barrel
Mcmillan Fiberglass (not a heavy benchrest style)
.308 win as he does not reload as of now
Scope the best he can afford.

Any other suggestions will be welcome.
Thanks

When you say benchrest rifle do you mean a nice accurate rifle he can futz around with at the range or is he hoping to compete?

If it is the former you comments are OK but if he wants to compete you need to revise the list of components and your pal needs to know how to reload. Go over to www.benchrest.com and take a look at the pull-down section on custom rifles and custom 'smiths if he wnts to compere.

does not want to compete

Even though your friend doesn't intend to compete, if he really wants accuracy, that is consistant tiny groups, he is never going to get there with factory ammo of any kind. Take it from a fellow benchrest wannabe, like myself, I've been there and done that. While the Rem M700 is a good platform for an accurate bench rifle, it will never be able to consistantly compete with a rifle based on a custom benchrest action. To get a M700 to be super accurate, the cost of the action, action blueprinting, sleeving, etc can be nearly as much as starting out with a Stolle Panda, Viper, etc action from the start.

Since there is a 10.5 lb weight limit, including scope and mounts, in BR competition (light varmint class), most rifles are built with the lightest possible components available, including the stock, reserving the weight for the barrel. A good quality BR stock will probably weigh less, not more than a varmint or hunting style stock and you will get much better accuracy. The flat bottom forend is important for consistant accuracy.

If the rilfe will be shot at short BR distances, like 100 and 200 yds, you might also have your friend consider starting out with a 223 instead of a 308 Win. Both are accurate cartidges, but the 223 is much easier to manage from a recoil standpoint and less expensive to shoot.

For a new shooter like this let me suggest he buy a reasonably priced used rifle from a reputable gunsmith...it will have all the bells & whistles and be the most accurate rifle he ever owned. He can shoot it until he wears the barrel out and go from there. Again let me suggest he go w to www.benchrest.com There is a dealer on the East Coast (think his name is White) who has a list of used benchrest rifles for sale all the time. Usually from shooters "up grading" their equipment. This would be a fairly inexpensive way to get into the sport.

Gonzolas,
You may want to haveyour friend contact Tony Gauthier in Strathmore. He has a good handle on who has what for sale in the area. Also Keith Skjerdal in Calgary.
Apart from that, if he wants to build a rifle from scratch your choice of components is not bad but not what I would choose for a competitive rifle except for Hunter class.
I think it is possible to build a rifle that will work fairly well for Hunter BR and can do double duty as an "F" class rifle (prone with a rest).
While there is some good match ammunition being produced, none will allow a custom rifle to really show it's stuff. Regards, Bill.

I have to agree with DB Bill. When I wanted to get into NRA High Power match shooting I was lucky enough to find a great used Model 70 match rifle built by a great riflesmith. It is competetive right as it stands, although not as high tech as the latest rifles. Spent about half as much on this rifle, complete with a couple of spare barrels as a new rifle would have been. A good used benchrest rifle has got to be a good way to get into the sport.

On the other hand your buddy might have a lot of fun building his own accurate Remington 700. Guy