First custom rifle build

[JFrank]

It took me a long time to convert to a custom action but one benefit is they (in my case Bat) are very precise therefore I can have a barrel threaded and chambered across the country and it will spin right on without the need for a go&no gage or dummy rounds. I can change a barrel in a couple of minutes to fresh one or a totally different caliber assuming the same bolt face all I need are the dies and component.
There are advantages in the ignition area although im not qualified to comment more than accuracy is apparent.

 

[The_shooter]

Welp I might of just stumbled across the holy grail of custom rifle actions went to local gun shop and noticed a Yugoslav Mauser in good condition then I continued to look around and found a German k98 in good condition There’s a price difference between the two What do you think I should go with

 

[Varminterror]

Neither of those are custom rifle actions. They’re Mil surplus Mauser actions. I wouldn’t spend money blueprinting and building a custom rifle on either of them. 30yrs ago, sure. Today, not a chance. Money better spent elsewhere.

 

[STI]

Would be money spent with no hope pf any return of it, if you want to use a commercial action get a short 700 or do it right and go with a real custom action one heck of a big difference with one. and will hold value.

 

[Llama Bob]

Thinking of building a custom rifle in 30-06 but I want to hear other ideas of what caliber,stock,finish and action you gentlemen would want to use if you were building your own.

jmr40 mentioned above that the New Haven "Classic" actions are the best Winchester M70s ever made. I've owned all major eras of M70s, and I think I agree with this although in any era there is some variance from rifle to rifle or action to action.

In terms of cartridge, the .30-06 is fine but would be way down on my list of choices for Western hunting. I currently prefer .308 bore to the alternatives because I think the 200gr Terminal Ascent is the best thin skinned non-dangerous game hunting bullet in the world. Incredible BC, incredible terminal performance, and perfectly acceptable accuracy. For most applications where there aren't many bears I think the .284 bore is technically better, but right now the bullets there lag .308 although not by much. The 175g A-Frame or 155gr Terminal Ascent would be my choice in .284.

In a long action if it's a true custom I'd go 30 Nosler. I think .300WMs convert well but I haven't actually done it. But I can't see any reason to stay in a long action when the 300 WSM is so well supported. It gives 300WM level performance in a lighter, shorter, handier rifle. That's a good deal as far as I'm concerned.

My current elk rifle is a New Haven classic in 300 WSM in a Bell and Carlson stock. It's the factory 24" barrel which shoots well. The optic is a Nightforce 2.5-10 second focal plane. It's currently getting NECG safari sights installed as backups and for brush/dark timber. Mounts are Talley bases and QD rings.

 

[horsemen61]

Neither of those are custom rifle actions. They’re Mil surplus Mauser actions. I wouldn’t spend money blueprinting and building a custom rifle on either of them. 30yrs ago, sure. Today, not a chance. Money better spent elsewhere.

This!

 

[STI]

My 1st build was on a Shilen DGA action from a retired bench rifle owned by a friend, Jewel trigger 1.5 oz, 26" Hart #6 1/12 profile barrel, Davidson bases, Kelby Rings, McMillian Marksman stock pillar bedded with a Leupold vx3 8x32 glass, it is on it's 3rd barrel and shot so well I could not keep from shooting it on paper, the caliber was 6mm Remington, that started my addiction, I finally had to get a retired bench rifle to shoot groups on paper to keep me from the others which it does well.

Another was a Stolle actioned retired bench rifle I redid to 6mm Ackley for long range Prairie Dogs which it excelled at. My #1 favorite is similar to the one described bit in 22/6mm or 22/TTH also on a DGA Action shooting 70 gr bullets.
Also a 40X single shot action will make a fine rifle with very little work needed.

 

[CraigC]

I can tell you exactly what I'd do and it'd be chambered in something more interesting than the plain ole `06.

 

[STI]

Almost all of mine are wildcats in 22 and 6mm calibers, at 1 time I had most all of the 6mm Ackleys. Another great round is a 6mm/284 which I built for the Sierra 107 bullets.

 

[LocoGringo]

You still haven't mentioned a budget but by the choices you're making it looks like a low budget. If that's the case, you're not going to come away with a "true" custom and you're still going to spend a lot of money to get things "right". There is no such thing as an excellent quality, cheap, custom rifle unless you have access to a lot of used components that people want to get rid of.

You also haven't mentioned intended use very much. You've said it will be for hunting, but are you hunting in eastern hardwoods from a stand or are you stalking the rocky mountains or are you on the Kansas plains? I may have missed it, but what are you hunting? I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it sounds like you like the idea of building a custom rifle, but haven't done any homework or put much thought into it.

When I built the custom rifle for my son, I have a couple of pages of notes of just thoughts before I ever bought the first component. I looked at actions, barrels, triggers and stocks before I ever paid the first dollar. I kept the entire file to pass on to him with the rifle. Since I live in Tennessee and because I wanted the rifle to be good for several different things rather than specialize, I ended up with a Defiance action, Krieger barrel, H&S pillar bedded stock, tuned Timney trigger and a Tract Toric 3-15 power scope. All of the metal is stainless with the fluting being cerakoted for appearance. To prove that it is FULL custom, the serial number is his initials and birthdate. It's heavy for a rifle to carry (9.5 lbs), but handles and balances VERY well with a 22" barrel and is chambered in 7mm-08. I know it's not a "custom" type caliber, but it can be loaded down while he's relatively small and loaded up later when he's able to handle more. The barrel is also threaded for a suppressor. For now, it's primarily a hunting type rifle, but with a couple of the components as the base, he can change things to go a different direction like long range/precision if he wishes with different components in the future.

My recommendation would be to think A LOT first, save money because it won't be cheap and do a lot of research before you ever buy the first thing. A lot of the fun for me was doing the research and learning.