Bench rest .223 Rifle Build

[11Charlie]

Bergara makes their BMR or BHR (whatever it is) in .308 Winchester. My friend from high school has one that printed under .200 MOA (from 200 yards) the first time he had it out. He had a used, lower-end Nightforce on it; said the whole rig was just under $1300.

How do the Bergara's compare to Tikka?

 

[Ura-Ki]

So, WHO was this "Person" who put the idea of building a rifle in your head? T'wasn't I was it?

 

[11Charlie]

NO it was fricken DB!!! Damn you guys!!!

 

[Ura-Ki]

I was gonna to guess ether DB or No-Regerts! LOL

 

[11Charlie]

If I could be all in for the price of a Tikka then I would do this in a heart beat. Thinking all in $1500 would be feasible?

 

[Ura-Ki]

Speaking of which, @DB Wesner , you get that Tikka Yet?

 

[nvshooter]

How do the Bergara's compare to Tikka?

No idea. I read a few years ago that Bergara rifles were four and five thousand dollars each. The BHMRLGBTQ models (whatever they happen to be) are a ton less. The link directs you to models costing around $1300 MSRP. The actual street price would be a few hundred less.

I have a lefthand '06 T3 (in another State) that I got for $600 'cause it had been on the racks forever and a day. Very smooth action, and I like that the owner can swap-out bolt handles, add metal bottom and screw on a Picatinny rail that anchors in the precisely-drilled holes in the top of the receiver.

I like Howa because they're made in Japan, arguably the most technologically-advanced nation on the planet when the discussion is about manufacturing things that are super-precise and provide for a long service life. The design is taken from a SAKO model, the exact number of which escapes me right now. The 85, I think it is. I have an M1500 in .223 in a lefty thumbhole; love that little batsard. Great fun to shoot. Cheap, too, because I handload only for it.

 

[CAMPMEAT]

By the time I shipped it and paid FFL fees it would be cheaper for me to find something here. On the other hand when I get my AZ ID I could buy one in AZ but I won't be there until December.

It might be. It's about $35 for my FFL and probably $25 in shipping.and whatever you FFL guy charges..

 

[nvshooter]

Tikka benchrest rifle. Pricier than the others about which we've conversed, but it's all already there for you. Worth a click on the link, in any event...

Tikka TSR-1 Precision Bolt-Action Rifles | Cabela's

With guaranteed MOA accuracy on three-shot groups, the TSR-1 Precision Bolt-Action Rifle from Tikka is the perfect platform for the long-range shooter. An Ergo grip, folding stock with fully

www.cabelas.com

 

[Ura-Ki]

Look around on line for a Remington 40X in .223, most had HART barrels from the factory, and are the gold standard for early intro Bench Rifles!
Here is Mine in .222, 100% factory and it shoots bugholes at 600 yards!

 

[nvshooter]

Here is Mine in .222, 100% factory and it shoots bugholes at 600 yards!

Looks like a BSA scope. The rubber around the forward focusing ring looks familiar. I have heard a lot of snooty "scope snob" idiots say bad things about BSA scopes but I have an 8-32X Platinum that's clear, sharp and satisfies my demands quite well. It's all about if the equipment meets your needs, not who says what about it or how much it cost.

 

[nvshooter]

Thinking all-in at $1500 would be feasible?

I think about that would be your minimum. You know it's going increase as you get closer to writing the check. It always does.

Best thing to do is to fry your mind doing research before you whip-out your credit card. The Savage action allows you to install and headspace your own barrel. Saves money. A chassis negates glas-bedding and pillar-bedding. Saves money. A chassis will never warp or twist if it lingers too long in too much humidity. Saves the money for a new stock or having the buggered-up one repaired. Savage actions are known for being very accurate right out of the box. Saves gunsmithing dollars. You can change-out Savage bolt handles at home-- a little one for a big one. Saves money.

 

[runeight]

I bought this the end of 2018. Found a pretty good deal. Still expensive, still unfired.

Discontinued for 2019.

Premier LRP Elite Rifle - Bergara USA

The Premier Series LRP Elite Rifle features a Premium 416 stainless steel Bergara barrel, which receives a proprietary honing process at our barrel-making facility, and then continue through another four stages of production to produce the most accurate production barrel we could possibly make.

www.bergara.online

 

[11Charlie]

I bought this the end of 2018. Found a pretty good deal. Still expensive, still unfired.

Discontinued for 2019.

Premier LRP Elite Rifle - Bergara USA

The Premier Series LRP Elite Rifle features a Premium 416 stainless steel Bergara barrel, which receives a proprietary honing process at our barrel-making facility, and then continue through another four stages of production to produce the most accurate production barrel we could possibly make.

www.bergara.online

View attachment 4691

Well get to shooting so we can have a range report!!!

 

[11Charlie]

Look around on line for a Remington 40X in .223, most had HART barrels from the factory, and are the gold standard for early intro Bench Rifles!
Here is Mine in .222, 100% factory and it shoots bugholes at 600 yards!
View attachment 4689
View attachment 4690

Good Lord man those are expensive!!!

 

[DB is Here]

Speaking of which, @DB Wesner , you get that Tikka Yet?

Nope, the one that guy saw on sale was in OR, when I called someone had already locked it up. So I'm building one because I'm an idiot...LOL

 

[nvshooter]

Good Lord! Man, those are expensive!!!

They're expensive because they're no longer made. They have a storied reputation, and the people who have them are not going to surrender them for a low-ball price. I think the technology available today can put together a rifle of even greater capability than what was built when the 40X was being sold NIB. The snag is the cost but if you're hungering for a rifle that will put bullets into the same hole over and over and over on the same target, you're going to have to pay for it.

Again, do tons of internet research before you plunk down Dollar One. My big target rifle has a heavy, stainless Hart barrel on it. They're button-rifled, but mine is accurate as hellsinki. It's deeply-fluted with six w-i-d-e flutes; looks dam-ned good. It was $510 total (flutes were an additional $180 over no flutes) when it was delivered in Spring of 2012. Threading, chambering and installation was another 300-some bucks.

I think your rifle is coming together, now. Savage action, Hart barrel, CAMPMEAT's aluminum chassis, precision trigger and a Ken Farrell scope base (I have his 10 MOA bases on both of my mildcat rifles). Nightforce scope if the money is to be had; a Vortex PST if you want to save a thousand bucks over the Nightforce. I can almost see this rifle in my mind's eye, right now. It looks exceptionally good...

Something I think really helps accuracy is to have a really close-tolerance chamber. SAAMI rifles, in the instance of the .30-06, have 0.006 inches of total clearance around the neck. A high-quality target rifle has half of that. I got lucky and my target rifle has a total clearance of 0.001 inches around the unturned neck of the case. I doubt any gunsmith can get it lower than that. A tight chamber situates the round really close to on-center down the bore; precludes the bullet from knocking its way down the bore. The close chamber in my rifle took it from half-minute when it was a 300WSM SAAMI to quarter-minute when it became my 300NDM. I designed the reamer to have 0.002 inches total clearance and expected to turn the necks. I did so on a bunch of the first cases formed, then wondered if I could avoid the step. Turned out I could. The rounds fit just fine and the accuracy increased as so stated.

 

[11Charlie]

Nope, the one that guy saw on sale was in OR, when I called someone had already locked it up. So I'm building one because I'm an idiot...LOL

I think its back up for sale. You might want to check the classifieds. The buyer backed out.

 

[11Charlie]

They're expensive because they're no longer made. They have a storied reputation, and the people who have them are not going to surrender them for a low-ball price. I think the technology available today can put together a rifle of even greater capability than what was built when the 40X was being sold NIB. The snag is the cost but if you're hungering for a rifle that will put bullets into the same hole over and over and over on the same target, you're going to have to pay for it.

Again, do tons of internet research before you plunk down Dollar One. My big target rifle has a heavy, stainless Hart barrel on it. They're button-rifled, but mine is accurate as hellsinki. It's deeply-fluted with six w-i-d-e flutes; looks dam-ned good. It was $510 total (flutes were an additional $180 over no flutes) when it was delivered in Spring of 2012. Threading, chambering and installation was another 300-some bucks.

I think your rifle is coming together, now. Savage action, Hart barrel, CAMPMEAT's aluminum chassis, precision trigger and a Ken Farrell scope base (I have his 10 MOA bases on both of my mildcat rifles). Nightforce scope if the money is to be had; a Vortex PST if you want to save a thousand bucks over the Nightforce. I can almost see this rifle in my mind's eye, right now. It looks exceptionally good...

Can you buy just the Savage action or is it cheaper to buy a rifle and break it down?

 

[11Charlie]

. It looks exceptionally good...

I hope so I love a good looking rifle!!!