Advice for a starter to building/customizing bolt actions

[juelz919]

You guys were great guiding me before so now I am back.

Background: bought and love a 6.5x55 Howa. Pencil barrel hunting rifle. Its great I love it.

Problem: now I want to start planning a "long range" 6.5x55 build. I know I'll have to handload differently but I am starting to think that a heavier barrel and build would benefit me for the usual range trip. My current setup easily hits 1moa at 100 yards. Ive farted around at different distances but after 5 shots it becomes impossible to practice and track the shifting point of impact from the heating barrel. As far as I know no one makes a heavy barreled 6.5 swede.

So im here for solutions. My thoughts:
1. Buy a used savage or remington long action and do the necessary work to swap barrels/necessary bolt parts (i dont know how)

2. Find another howa 6.5 swede and a local machinist told me he could take a rifled blank and cut the shoulder and thread it to perfection.

3. Give up on the match swede and build a .308 or something more accessible

Thank you in advance

[Jimmy's]

Use the Howa, just re barrel it and add a good trigger then get a decent stock no need for a chassis type stock for this.

[bsumoba]

the most economical way is to find a smith to chamber a new barrel on the howa. I like the 6.5x55 swede and I think a heavy palma barrel would be a good barrel contour.

don't give up on the 6.5 swede. I almost built one, but I couldn't justify shooting that over my current caliber for f class and it's probably a little much in the recoil category for tactical PRS style shooting.

[NorCalFocus]

Here's a 6.5mm barrel that is just a blank. http://direct.kriegerbarrels.com/col...tainless-steel

You take that barrel to your gunsmith of choice, and they will cut the chamber for 6.5 Swede.

Here's your cheapest action to get going on. If you get a used action and pay to have it trued, and get the one piece bolt, your well above this cost. http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/ptg-b...t-fp-assy.html

Your bottom metal http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/remin...tom-metal.html

Then what ever stock you want to drop it into. Get all those parts, take it to Randal, and you'll have a great shooting gun.

[ducky_0811]

Don't give up the swede!! That cartridge has been knocking down European stag since 1894! I also am contemulating a rebarrel on my parker hale 98 Mauser action from .30-06 to 6.5 swede. Get a 6.5 barrel blank and have it chambered and fit to your action. The right work will cost a pretty penny. Some barrel maker will take your action and rebarrel for you. Usually around 6-700 dollars.

[ar15barrels]

I have the standard 6.5x55 as well as 6.5x55 ackley improved reamers.
I can rebarrel a Howa action with a high quality heavy barrel.

[juelz919]

The problem i have heard is that howa is metric. My local machinist says it means nothing to him and can do both with ease. most gunsmiths are gonna charge me a decent sized premium for the "headache" from what ive seen/heard.

I can also sell this howa and get a heavy barreled creedmoor which would be just as good to learn with and go full custom once I'm established a little more? From what ive seen the ballistics are nearly identical. They also make a pencil barrel creedmoor OR i can get the savage predator for my hunting rig (not vital since i maybe go once every other year, always say im gonna go more often. Never do)

I do have a weird nostalgia with the 6.5x55 im attracted to it for some reason.

But if its gonna cost me $800 to buy a barrel and get mine redone i literally can buy a replacement gun for that.

Money isnt the hugest issue because i can just spend more time saving but for my skill level and realistic expectations of what im gonna do spending $700 on an action and bolt seems silly. With a scope stock and barrel im $2,000 deep probably. I'm sure itd be worth it but as of now im not competing Im just learning i dont even necessarily know what i like except i like 6.5 and its a blast and it doesn't kick.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/mobile/product/719008174/redirect

[ar15barrels]

The problem i have heard is that howa is metric. My local machinist says it means nothing to him and can do both with ease. most gunsmiths are gonna charge me a decent sized premium for the "headache" from what ive seen/heard.

I can also sell this howa and get a heavy barreled creedmoor which would be just as good to learn with and go full custom once I'm established a little more? From what ive seen the ballistics are nearly identical. They also make a pencil barrel creedmoor OR i can get the savage predator for my hunting rig (not vital since i maybe go once every other year, always say im gonna go more often. Never do)

I do have a weird nostalgia with the 6.5x55 im attracted to it for some reason.

But if its gonna cost me $800 to buy a barrel and get mine redone i literally can buy a replacement gun for that.

Money isnt the hugest issue because i can just spend more time saving but for my skill level and realistic expectations of what im gonna do spending $700 on an action and bolt seems silly. With a scope stock and barrel im $2,000 deep probably. I'm sure itd be worth it but as of now im not competing Im just learning i dont even necessarily know what i like except i like 6.5 and its a blast and it doesn't kick.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...08174/redirect

While not the cheapest method, rebarrelling or custom barrelling with a gunsmith fitted barrel gets you a far better shooting gun than the "factory" rifle that you can buy for less money.

[LynnJr]

The cheapest route to improved accuracy is to rebarrel and not change anything about your combination.
The next step up the ladder is a $350 Remington 700 off of gunbroker and a custom barrel. You can pick and choose your cartridge at will.

After that the steps get more and more expensive with everything being custom.

[NorCalFocus]

The problem i have heard is that howa is metric. My local machinist says it means nothing to him and can do both with ease. most gunsmiths are gonna charge me a decent sized premium for the "headache" from what ive seen/heard.

I can also sell this howa and get a heavy barreled creedmoor which would be just as good to learn with and go full custom once I'm established a little more? From what ive seen the ballistics are nearly identical. They also make a pencil barrel creedmoor OR i can get the savage predator for my hunting rig (not vital since i maybe go once every other year, always say im gonna go more often. Never do)

I do have a weird nostalgia with the 6.5x55 im attracted to it for some reason.

But if its gonna cost me $800 to buy a barrel and get mine redone i literally can buy a replacement gun for that.

Money isnt the hugest issue because i can just spend more time saving but for my skill level and realistic expectations of what im gonna do spending $700 on an action and bolt seems silly. With a scope stock and barrel im $2,000 deep probably. I'm sure itd be worth it but as of now im not competing Im just learning i dont even necessarily know what i like except i like 6.5 and its a blast and it doesn't kick.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...08174/redirect

Sure you can buy another factory gun for that price. But how do you know your not already out shooting a factory rifle? If all you've ever shot is factory rifles, you have no idea what your abilities are beyond that. If you get a custom barrel put on, you'll get better feed back from the rifle of what your doing behind the gun.

Also I'm trying to speak for AR15 barrels, but I do believe he said he has a second lathe setup just for metric threads, which save him all the headache.

[killshot44]

I'd say the first decision has to be; do you want to keep the Howa (stock, action and trigger)? If yes, buy 6.5 heavy contour barrel and have it chambered in 6.5x55 or 6.5Creedmoor.

If the answer is No or not sure (maybe keep the Howa as-is for hunting) then building on a PT&G action and adding a stock and better trigger and barrel of your choice will be pretty simple.

[waveslayer]

PM I have a guy that makes several rifles for the top 3, PRS shooters in the world. He's in Vegas. You just need a new barrel and a stock/chassis. His prices are perfect. He built me this sick beast for hunting season


My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

[juelz919]

thats a beautiful rifle mate.

You guys all have great advice. Reading through it all I think my problem is I don't know specifically what I want.

I don't plan on shooting any competitions in the near future. I would like to do the sac valley clinics this year so I need a gun for that.

I will be honest looks are important to me lol and I love the look of a heavy barrel.

That gun above is basically perfect but I am guessing it was $2k+ not counting the scope. For someone who doesn't compete it seems kinda extreme.

I know generally speaking if you want to customize you need to go 700, maybe savage but never howa.

But since neither savage nor remington make a 6.5x55 i'll have to go custom right out the gates no matter what vs having something I can make changes to here and there.

[milotrain]

Honestly don't buy or build anything. If you don't plan on competing and you don't know "what you want" then you are just trying to satisfy a "I wanna buy a new toy!" feeling. That's fine, you are an adult and can spend your money how you like but you'll regret it later because it will end up as a safe queen. Wait for the circumstance to dictate the rifle, then build that rifle.

[TMB 1]

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/97342/Remington+783+WSCP+270+22+MAT

http://northlandshooterssupply.com/match-grade-barrels-2/criterion-remington-remage/

http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/remington-783-bottom-metal-bdl/9356-remington-short-action-783-detachable-bottom-metal.html

http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/FindAStock?Make=3U&Model=A12&Action=4X&Shape=1G&Finish=2

http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/FindAStock?Make=3U&Model=A12&Action=4C&Shape=04&Finish=1

http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/FindAStock?Make=3U&Model=A12&Action=4X&Shape=1L&Finish=1