Custom Tactical Build

[rv7pilot]

I'm building a 6.5 x284 custom tactical rifle. McGowen barrel, Choate tactical stock, Nightforce 5.5x22x50 NXS. I expect this rifle to shoot better than I can for sure. I'm quite impressed with the 111 Long Range Hunter I bought in 6.5x284 a few months ago. Using Lapua brass and Berger bullets, SMK's as well. Pretty accurate, sub MOA but not half MOA consistently, still working on the "perfect" load. It could be me, probably is me.

My question/observation is, when I tell guys at the range what I'm building I can immediately see that they aren't impressed with the fact that I'm using a Savage as the platform. These are usually the same guys with $1000 actions though. Why does the Savage custom build get looked down upon? Have I made a mistake going this route instead of from a Remington 700? How would you guys compare a custom "home" built rifle with a, let's say, a Borden action with a Brux barrel?

Thanks,

P.S. Money is a factor for me.

[r29l20]

The best part is, you can look down on them, when you kick there tail at the range. ;D You know he who laughs last. I know how you feel though,(my stuff is better than your stuff.) Your not making a mistake with a savage, your making a choice, and a very good one. I've found with a savage, you don't have to spend custom prices to get custom performance. Good luck and have fun.

[hank440]

WOW I'm about to build the same setup with the same caliber, My Long range hunter is on order, along with the Choate stock. I plan to use the NF 8-32X 56MM HS .1 mRAD MLR scope for it because I also plan to hunt groundhogs as practice. Forget those other guys work on your loads and then shoot some 1 hole groups then talk trash about how they wasted big bucks for nothing. That's what i did with my .308 tactical gun. I beat guys with Sako TRG22 and the AIAW. ;D

Show US Pics ASAP

[mytwo60]

I have shot with a bunch of "tactical" guys out to 1000yds. These guys have $3K scopes let alone their actions. Let me put it this way. I can out shoot 95% of the guys with my "cheap" Savage action.

I had one guy telling me "not bad for just your second time shooting". I had just shot a sub 2" group at 600yds and he's telling me "not bad". After looking at his target, which is ALL OVER the place and he tells me "not bad".

So don't think much of what these guys tell you. Just let your target do the talking. Do me a favor, when you shoot a really good group, make sure to say OUT LOAD that you are having a REAL bad day.

[hank440]

I think mytwo60 means OUT LOUD ;D

[jonbearman]

It is all about status for some,but for me it is living within my means and enjoying the fact that I can smith my own at home.There is alot of good feeling about doing your own work.You will have a good time with your rifle and kick some tail with it.

[rv7pilot]

Thanks for all the replies. I will post some pictures of the Long Range Hunter when I get a chance. The tactical rifle will be awhile, I probably won't get the barrel until sometime in June. I have all the other parts.

[Ackley Improved]

I'm building a 6.5 x284 custom tactical rifle. McGowen barrel, Choate tactical stock, Nightforce 5.5x22x50 NXS.

Got to admit, seems a bit odd (and I like Savages). You have a $180 stock, and a cheap barrel, coupled with an $1800 scope. I think I would downgrade the glass, upgrade the barrel and stock...

[rv7pilot]

$230 for the Choate Tactical. $1350 for the scope, used. I do see your point. What stock and barrel would you recommend?

[helotaxi]

As long as it's well bedded, the stock is 100% personal preference. There's nothing wrong with a McGowen barrel either. There's better out there (at around 2x the price and up), but no reason to even consider changing it if it's shooting well for you. The good and bad news is that if you shoot it much you'll need to "upgrade" soon because the throat will be gone in under 1k rnds.

The people looking down on Savages are almost always of the ignorant gear snob persuasion and a lot of them can't shoot worth spit as you've seen.

[Ackley Improved]

$230 for the Choate Tactical. $1350 for the scope, used. I do see your point. What stock and barrel would you recommend?

Stocks...McMillan if you can afford it, then B&C Medalist, or Stockade if not. Barrels...Shilen, Pacnor, Shaw, Douglas all sell decent barrels if on a budget.

[snipecatcher]

$230 for the Choate Tactical. $1350 for the scope, used. I do see your point. What stock and barrel would you recommend?

Stocks...McMillan if you can afford it, then B&C Medalist, or Stockade if not. Barrels...Shilen, Pacnor, Shaw, Douglas all sell decent barrels if on a budget.

I had a B&C Medalist and Choate Tactical for a while. Now I only have the Choate. Neither will be more accurate. They both use an aluminum bedding block. It's all personal preference, and I liked the Choate better. Also, people are shooting tiny groups with stock Savage barrels. Not trying to be controversial, but it's hard to have confidence in yourself and your rifle when people tell you that you should have spent more on the barrel, stock, etc. I'm sure it will shoot great!

[earl39]

I'm building a 6.5 x284 custom tactical rifle. McGowen barrel, Choate tactical stock, Nightforce 5.5x22x50 NXS.

Got to admit, seems a bit odd (and I like Savages). You have a $180 stock, and a cheap barrel, coupled with an $1800 scope. I think I would downgrade the glass, upgrade the barrel and stock...

the stock is 100% personal choice. As has been said if bedded properly there is no real difference in how the gun will shoot. Now how you hold the stock is a different matter altogether.
The barrel. Nothing wrong with McGowen barrels either. Saying you have to spend twice the money to get a good barrel is the same as saying Savage actions are not as good as Remington just because Remington cost more.
The glass. Now i am not a Nightforce fan but i have discovered that the better the glass on your rifle the better your rifle will shoot all other things being equal. just try to shoot a good group with a $@@@y scope and then with a great scope.
the caliber. Would not be my choice either but again goes back to personal preference. The smallest group i have ever seen shot at 1000yds was a 5 shot group a few thousants under 1 1/2 inches. it was done with a 6.5-284win.

I think you have a winner planed out but will be up to you to find a load that will make it stand out and pratice on your part to complete the package.

Gary

[hank440]

IMHO some of these aftermarket barrels shoot great but they aren't much better than a stock Savage barrel except for the crappy factory crown and sometimes the rifling looks like it was chiseled by hand by a 167 year old man with the shakes. ;D I have a stock .308 barrel that shoots 5 shot 1/2 groups after it had a proper crown cut.

[rv7pilot]

I really like my Savage 111 Long Range Hunter. It's completely stock and I plan to keep it that way. I've got a Weaver full length base, tactical rings, and the Weaver tactical scope. It shoots great. The shooter needs practice. :)

[BrettSass844]

$230 for the Choate Tactical. $1350 for the scope, used. I do see your point. What stock and barrel would you recommend?

http://mannerstocks.com/

[rv7pilot]

What I have so far..............

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[Hawk45]

There is nothing wrong with a Savage action for a build. The nice thing is you can build your rifle to your liking w/o having to pay a smith to do it for you. Now what sets rifles apart for me is the function/purpose of a rifle. If it is for a bench or square range, I think any quality factory action is more than fine. If you then step up to doing competitions in harsh environments, you will find that some actions work better than other and are purpose built (that includes expensive actions). Grit/grime of the real world environments can really show the function of an action. Then you get to "has to work" battle rifles where your and your team/buddies lives depend on your weapon working 100% of the time in any environment/conditions. This is limited to a very few purpose built rifles (AIAE/AIAW among the few).. some which are actually less than custom bench guns. So it really depeneds on the amount of dough in your pocket and the purpose of your rifle. I have two built up Stevens 200 actions that I did (.308 & .260) that shoot half moa if I do my part or better. A buddy of mine has a custom .308 based on a Rem 700 action that costs three times as much as mine and can maybe shoot a tad bit better...but not $2000 worth better.

[rv7pilot]

Done, well, I may add a tactical bolt handle.


Action: Stevens LA (CF)
Recoil Lug: NSS
Trigger: Rifle Basix SAV-1, 2-1/2 lb, polished to mirror finish
Caliber: 6.5x284 Norma
Barrel: McGowan 26", Heavy Varmint Contour, 1:8", 11 Deg crown
Scope Base: Nightforce One Piece Steel, 20 MOA
Scope Rings: Nightforce MED (1.0"), Steel
Scope: Nightforce NXS, 5.5x22x50
Stock: Choate Tactical
Bottom Metal: CDI Precision Gunworks Inletting & Fitting
Magazines: AICS 300 Win Mag magazines modified by CDI
Bi-Pod: Harris

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