Posted: 2/9/2026 3:19:25 AM EDT
[Last Edit: tarheel7734][Edited]
|
I have a few great rifles here. My custom 6.5 creed built by altus on a tl3 action, bartlein barrel and manners stock that is my primary long range bolt action. A savage 10 fp 308 in a hs precision i picked up for my daughter because it brought back a lot of memories from my early days after sniper school as a young e4 on a budget in the army And a Remington 700 police in 300wm that is my 1500-1 mile gun currently. I'd love to build a precision bolt gun for my step dad so he could join us in the sport as he currently only has a 5.56 16" ar, shotgun, 10mm handgun and a breakdown 22. As my daughter is living with me now, my budget is pretty tight and it will take time to save up or I could give him my 300wm, but I don't think that would be a good option for a starter long range rifle. So what I am thinking is possibly purchasing a hiwa 1500 barreled action for under 500 from brownells and slowly building him the rifle. Option 2 would save up a bit longer and picking up a bergara b14 her and slowly fitting it out. Option 3 would be sell or try and trade someone the Remington 700 300wm for something more suitable or rebarrel the 300wm for 308. Oprion 4 I have a vortex inoact 4000 that i have never used and just mounted for oictures i could trade or sell towards a rifle. So what do you guys think |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Originally Posted By TargetShooter2: pick up another savage 10 fp 308 they can share the 308 ammo for the money hard to beat. Could do that if I can find another one, but then would have to do the whole bottom metal and inletting again, and that's another extra 500 or so. Only decent bottom metal for the savage is the atlas worx or pt&g. With the howa or bergara could go 6.5 creed and he and I could share ammo . Both are something to really think about. I was looking at the savage 10fp and 110 fcp on gunbroker |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Originally Posted By sigman68: Don't overlook a 223. Loaded with heavy bullets, they can be fun to shoot and have light recoil. we all have enough 5.56 rifles, and we are not trying to take .223 or 5.56 out 1k+ ranges we are going to go out to a mile. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Originally Posted By xCLAYBUSTERx: There's currently a Tikka CTR .308 in the EE It's going to be a bit before we have the funds for something. Thanks though. Also looking at the super varmint. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
I’d go 6.5 Creedmoor for the glut of cheap accurate ammo, and less recoil than .308. I actually love .223 bolt guns but for a beginner, you can only stretch so much distance out of it. Sure, it’ll do 600 once you’ve gotten the hang of wind but 6.5 defeats wind in a way that makes the sport more approachable. Runner up would be 6 Creedmoor to me. I’d buy a Tikka CTR before building up a Howa. Bergara quality has been hit and miss in my experience. |
|
Originally Posted By CanNevrHaveEnuffGuns: I'd go 6.5 Creedmoor for the glut of cheap accurate ammo, and less recoil than .308. I actually love .223 bolt guns but for a beginner, you can only stretch so much distance out of it. Sure, it'll do 600 once you've gotten the hang of wind but 6.5 defeats wind in a way that makes the sport more approachable. Runner up would be 6 Creedmoor to me. I'd buy a Tikka CTR before building up a Howa. Bergara quality has been hit and miss in my experience. If I went with a tikka , I think the super varmint is more appealing. A bit heavier contour barrel. I think all the tikka stocks suck ass though. So at 1600 for the rifle if have to sink another 3m400 for a krg stock. that puts me up to 2k without anything else. I kinda wanted to be close to 2k if possible for the full build. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
| Take the 300wm and buy a pre-fit barrel in 6.5PRC which shares bolt head diameter with the 300wm, only thing you would need is a barrel... with a pre-fit with a savage nut you can even do the work your self with a barrel vice, an action wrench and a go/nogo gauge for 6.5prc...likely the cheapest way to get a lighter shooting rifle..Or simply put a good muzzle brake like the 419 or a gen 3 fat bastard on the 300wm and let him shoot it, recoil will be about the same or less than the 308 and the brake and threading the barrel will be cheaper still over another rifle or a pre-fit barrel and tools...Especially a good idea if you have lots of 300wm ammo/brass to load... |
|
Originally Posted By AKSnowRider: Take the 300wm and buy a pre-fit barrel in 6.5PRC which shares bolt head diameter with the 300wm, only thing you would need is a barrel... with a pre-fit with a savage nut you can even do the work your self with a barrel vice, an action wrench and a go/nogo gauge for 6.5prc...likely the cheapest way to get a lighter shooting rifle..Or simply put a good muzzle brake like the 419 or a gen 3 fat bastard on the 300wm and let him shoot it, recoil will be about the same or less than the 308 and the brake and threading the barrel will be cheaper still over another rifle or a pre-fit barrel and tools...Especially a good idea if you have lots of 300wm ammo/brass to load... The 700 police is already threaded and has a surefire sfmb on it as i use my 300sps on it as well when it's not on the other rifles. I need to get a few more of them. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Originally Posted By tarheel7734: the 300wm is a Remington 700 police not a savage. The 790 police is already threaded and has a surefire symbol on it as i use my 300sps on it as well when it's not on the other rifles. I need ti get a few more of them. Yeah, I know its rem 700, but the savage barrel nut works with the pre-fit barrel to set the head space correctly, other wise on a rem- 700 a machinist has to machine the chamber/barrel action/bolt to get the head space right..the savage barrel nut(called a remage barrel nut) allows you to do it with just a nut wrench, a barrel vice and a go/no go gauge..Its not hard to do, and the tools aren't horrible expensive, I think I paid about 250 bucks for everything to do my defiance action(I don't use a barrel nut), Defiance controls their bolt face to action relationship so you can screw shouldered pre-fits on them....Same deal, basically except the nut replaces the shouldered barrel and allows adjustment of the head space by screwing the barrel in/out then locking it down with the nut... This is what most of the remage(rem700 threads using a savage type barrel nut)barrels and nuts look like....That is a nut not a shoulder, the barrel is the diameter of the threads and the nut covers all the threads and makes it look stock at a glance... Attached File |
|
Originally Posted By AKSnowRider: Yeah, I know its rem 700, but the savage barrel nut works with the pre-fit barrel to set the head space correctly, other wise on a rem- 700 a machinist has to machine the chamber/barrel action/bolt to get the head space right..the savage barrel nut(called a remage barrel nut) allows you to do it with just a nut wrench, a barrel vice and a go/no go gauge..Its not hard to do, and the tools aren't horrible expensive, I think I paid about 250 bucks for everything to do my defiance action(I don't use a barrel nut), Defiance controls their bolt face to action relationship so you can screw shouldered pre-fits on them....Same deal, basically except the nut replaces the shouldered barrel and allows adjustment of the head space by screwing the barrel in/out then locking it down with the nut... This is what most of the remage(rem700 threads using a savage type barrel nut)barrels and nuts look like....That is a nut not a shoulder, the barrel is the diameter of the threads and the nut covers all the threads and makes it look stock at a glance... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/404934/Image_jpeg-3710746.JPG Gotcha. It's something I'll have to consider and price out. Would i have to change out the dbm as well ir do the 6.4 prc rit the aics 300wm and badger dbm? If it's anywhere close to 1k for the barrel and tools, it might be better to go with the howa route and jrg Bravo. I could always capitalize the scope, bipod off the 300wm of i needed to. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Originally Posted By tarheel7734: Gotcha. It's something I'll have to consider and price out. Would i have to change out the dbm as well ir do the 6.4 prc rit the aics 300wm and badger dbm? If it's anywhere close to 1k for the barrel and tools, it might be better to go with the howa route and jrg Bravo. I could always capitalize the scope, bipod off the 300wm of i needed to. I honestly don't know, the 6.5 prc is shorter I do believe, around 3" OAL, versus the 300wm at 3.35" I believe but I don't know for sure, my guess is they would work but I do not know for sure a call to accurate mags or one of the other mag makers would likely get you a for sure answer.......As far as cost, I think the pre-fit remage type pre-fits run anywhere from 400 bucks and up depending on who is doing the barrels...I have never kept up on them, I once considered going that route but instead went with the defiance action, and I run bartlein barrels, so I just but their 30cal rifled barrel blank in the twist I want with the contour I want and have it shipped direct to my smith who machines it to fit the defiance action and chambers it for my cartridge requirements, he then ships me the barrel and I just pop the barrel off and screw the new one on and verify head space...My barrels run me about a grand but that is for the best stuff bartlein builds, I know others make much cheaper ready to go pre-fits for my action, but I want my barrels to meet my needs, biggest issue is I run a 30" barrel, all the pre-fits I have seen only go to 27" or less...... |
|
Originally Posted By AKSnowRider: I honestly don't know, the 6.5 prc is shorter I do believe, around 3" OAL, versus the 300wm at 3.35" I believe but I don't know for sure, my guess is they would work but I do not know for sure a call to accurate mags or one of the other mag makers would likely get you a for sure answer.......As far as cost, I think the pre-fit remage type pre-fits run anywhere from 400 bucks and up depending on who is doing the barrels...I have never kept up on them, I once considered going that route but instead went with the defiance action, and I run bartlein barrels, so I just but their 30cal rifled barrel blank in the twist I want with the contour I want and have it shipped direct to my smith who machines it to fit the defiance action and chambers it for my cartridge requirements, he then ships me the barrel and I just pop the barrel off and screw the new one on and verify head space...My barrels run me about a grand but that is for the best stuff bartlein builds, I know others make much cheaper ready to go pre-fits for my action, but I want my barrels to meet my needs, biggest issue is I run a 30" barrel, all the pre-fits I have seen only go to 27" or less...... I run bartlein on my zermatt tl3 build. It's around 1k or so as well, so I feel you I do 24" m24 contour. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Originally Posted By tarheel7734: I run bartlein on my zermatt tl3 build. It's around 1k or so as well, so I feel you I do 24" m24 contour. Yeah, I run their medium Palma, but in 30" length, with a 9 twist so I can run the 30 cal heavies..mine shoots the 230 Berger HT @ 3220fps... |
|
Originally Posted By AKSnowRider: Yeah, I run their medium Palma, but in 30" length, with a 9 twist so I can run the 30 cal heavies..mine shoots the 230 Berger HT @ 3220fps... My daughter's gun we run aac 175gr smk most of the time but also run federal 175 smk. One day id love to move and be able to reload. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Originally Posted By tarheel7734: I don't have room to reload, so I run stock hornady 147 eldr 6.5 creed most of the time for my custom. My daughter's gun we run aac 175gr smk most of the time but also run federal 175 smk. One day id love to move and be able to reload. I used to load on my kitchen table when I lived in a small apartment, just had my press mounted on a hunk of wood that I would clamp to the table so it didn't damage it..worked fine but it was a pain versus having a reloading bench ready to go at any time ...I feel ya for sure sucks not having the room to do things...Luckily the 6.5cm has some pretty good ammo available for it....Am off to bed, hopefully someone with way more knowledge then me post up...You maybe right, might be cheaper to just get a savage rifle or a how barreled action and drop it in a stock...I don't know, never really mess with any of that stuff other then helping a buddy out here and there when they have issues..Good luck, will keep checking the thread and see how its going for you... 
|
|
Originally Posted By tarheel7734: If I went with a tikka , I think the super varmint is more appealing. A bit heavier contour barrel. I think all the tikka stocks suck ass though. So at 1600 for the rifle if have to sink another 3m400 for a krg stock. that puts me up to 2k without anything else. I kinda wanted to be close to 2k if possible for the full build. That’s fair, as it’s exactly what I did. You can get a CTR for $950 if you search, plus you can get KRG Bravo for a few hundred more and have some leftover for glass. But I agree with your sentiment to budget enough for good glass. Have you picked out the scope first for the new build? That’ll let you know how much is left. The super varmint eats up most of that budget surplus so you have little for glass. Honestly it sounds like you’ve done good research and a Howa barreled action build will check every box. Be sure to post pics once you get it setup. |
|
Originally Posted By CanNevrHaveEnuffGuns: That's fair, as it's exactly what I did. You can get a CTR for $950 if you search, plus you can get KRG Bravo for a few hundred more and have some leftover for glass. But I agree with your sentiment to budget enough for good glass. Have you picked out the scope first for the new build? That'll let you know how much is left. The super varmint eats up most of that budget surplus so you have little for glass. Honestly it sounds like you've done good research and a Howa barreled action build will check every box. Be sure to post pics once you get it setup. For glass I'm thinking a vortex strike eagle. Brand new with mil discount they can be had for under 700.90 and seen for around 500 quite often in market places. I have one on my daughter's howa and we are pleased with it. a viper pst gen ii second hand is another option. I configured the build through brownells this morning and total came out to 2135.25 and that includes everything except magazines. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Originally Posted By taliv: my advice is not to buy more rifles. you can share at the range. buy a decent spotting scope and tripod. you will both learn as much spotting for someone as actually shooting. get your impact 4000 sorted out and get proficient with it. it's a decent lrf We don't live in the same state as he doe, so he would need something he can shoot when I am not present and he shoots with others. I have a decent spotting scope and tripod.. With 23 years in the service and multiple deployments and instructor time , I have plenty of time behind a spotting scope. that being said, we all need to jeep at it to keep our skills up. Hell I have gotten lazy with range estimation and ballistic math without using software. I need to do for more of that. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
| If you can find a good deal on a savage 10 FCP, get it. It’s a sweet bolt action. I have the SCP SR in 308. Just had the barrel chopped down from 24 to 20 inches. One accurate rifle. Picked up a seekins HIT so that’s why I chopped the savage. Knocked down the weight a little. Have thought about selling it since I picked up the seekins but it’s so accurate that I can’t sell it. Shooting 200 gr ELD X. Did pick up a GRS chassis for it but accuracy goes to shit with it. Have to put the original back on to get my accuracy back. |
|
Originally Posted By tarheel7734: We don't live in the same state as he doe, so he would need something he can shoot when I am not present and he shoots with others. I have a decent spotting scope and tripod.. With 23 years in the service and multiple deployments and instructor time , I have plenty of time behind a spotting scope. that being said, we all need to jeep at it to keep our skills up. Hell I have gotten lazy with range estimation and ballistic math without using software. I need to do for more of that. Right on. I was thinking learning wind watching trace. Which rifle are you leaning toward? |
|
Originally Posted By taliv: Right on. I was thinking learning wind watching trace. Which rifle are you leaning toward? Right now the howa barreled action and a krg bravo is really tempting. I think that is top interest currently.. Second would be the Bergara b14 hmr wilderness. Thought about a tikka t3x super varmint, but don't like the stock and that plus a stock would be the price of the others fully built. If I could find a sig ssg 3000 that would be amazing, but that won't happen. Looking at a few savage 10 fcp on gunbroker, but they are a bit over 1100. Looked at Remington 700 police as well, but they are 1500 or so. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Two way to look at it from my pov. You don’t know if he is going to get bit by the bug. So with that in mind: Buy a good, inexpensive rifle that will get the job done in your normal ranges. Ruger and savage have good options. This’ll get him started and can grow over time. Buy a rifle you want to fill out or build on your quiver. He uses it and if he doesn’t get bit by the bug you have something you want. Calibers are open for discussion. Lots of good options. |
|
Originally Posted By SpeyRod: Two way to look at it from my pov. You don’t know if he is going to get bit by the bug. So with that in mind: Buy a good, inexpensive rifle that will get the job done in your normal ranges. Ruger and savage have good options. This’ll get him started and can grow over time. Buy a rifle you want to fill out or build on your quiver. He uses it and if he doesn’t get bit by the bug you have something you want. Calibers are open for discussion. Lots of good options. Thats a great idea, both of them....
|
|
Well talked to my dad and asked him to research 6.5 creed and 308 and see what he would go with if he was buying. He said he would buy a 308 and asked if i was looking at purchasing another gun. I had to say I was looking at ar10s eventually and wanted his opinion. So I know to get a 308 for him. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
I took my Remington 700 police in today and sold it to my local. I cannibalized it , so I have a basically new burris xtr iii and Harris bipod for my father's build. Im pretty sure we are going 24" 308 howa action on a fde bravo stock. I showed some pics to him asking what he liked better and he said fde. I really like the tikka t3x supervarnint action and barrel, but hate the stock. The tikka and a krg stock would be double the price of the howa and krg stock. I don't think I could swing it, nire am I sure the tikka would be 2x better . |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent
|
Originally Posted By GlutealCleft: How far are you shooting, and are you shooting paper or steel? Edit: Nevermind, I see you decided on a .308. Yep, I tried to get him to go fir 6.5 creed, but he chose 308 if he were going to own one. I figured that was the route he would want, but tried to make the 6.5 more appealing. |
Don't ever think the reason I am peaceful is because I forgot how to be violent