Build advice on first 6.5G bolt gun

[Old Bob]

Heh, heh... try shootin' a 45-70 blackpowder rifle in a 1000yd match. That'll humble you big time. Talkin' about peep sights & a mid range trajectory arc of 47 to 49 feet!

[JSH]

An interesting thread gents.
I have little to add that has not already been mentioned.
In my findings, going transonic made little difference of what caliber or of what distance. The transition seemed to have no given ending. One day it would look promising, only to have the next outing be 180 degrees different. Lesson in frustration at least for me.

[LRRPF52]

[Rteague77]

[Oso Polaris]

Thanks for qualifying your skills level... that helps us understand that you understand all of the other variables and have well-grounded understanding/expectations of variable at distance.
You made no mention of budget so I am going to give you best answers... not most economic or bang for your buck... call it $3500... this is all custom... lots of ways to do it for less. People doing it with factory rifles... pick your poison.

Quality Premium barrel... Kreiger or Bartlein are hard to beat (more national championships in everything). $450
Premium R700 clone action - Defiance, Bat, etc... There are half a dozen great actions that are machined true and some feature all the bells and whistles (oversized bolt knob, integrated scope rail, fluted bolt, etc.) $1000 - $1500
Precision trigger (Jewel, etc) $250
Quality Stock (Manner, McMillan, HS Precision) or Chassis (MDT, AI, etc) and pick bottom metal based on if you want a blind internal magazine or DBM .... $800-$1500 all in

Steel components are better than aluminum and there is a cost differential of 2x-3x for steel scope base (20MOA) and steel trigger guard/bottom metal, such as Badger Ordnance. Depending on the action you may not need to buy separate, and if you go with a Chassis then no need to purchase bottom metal.

Don't forget your gunsmith bill to install the barrel (cut, chamber and crown and maybe thread for suppressor) and the bedding job $750-$1000
Did you want Cerakote... $300

Hopefully this gives you a ball park to start researching various products. I have built several guns on trued factory Rem 700 actions, and at end of day I was within a few hundred dollars of price of a Stiller or Big Horn action. I have learned to spend once and get what I want from onset without need for gunsmith to correct manufacturing imperfections of lesser actions. Buying a premium action doesn't guarantee accuracy, but it does eliminate one major variable. Based on your background you should be able to tell the difference in performance...

Good Luck

[riuma]

I bought the CZ Varmint as my second CZ bolt gun. I bought the standard American first. The rifle gave me minor fits: The trigger was terrible and was replaced with a Timney. The bedding was off so I pillar bedded and free floated. All this combined to make a rifle that delivers accuracy better than my shooting skills. With the right load it shoots clusters at 100 yards. It is a joy to carry and kills deer handily. I still have it and will hunt with it this fall. I di want to hunt with a suppressor so I bought a CZ American Varmint. (Not the MTR. Can't stand that canoe paddle stock) I dreaded the renewal of the bedding issues and ordered a Timney the day I ordered the rifle. The Timney is a good addition because it moves the trigger rearward in the trigger guard. I was surprised to find that CZ changed their bedding system. The rifle has a steel V-block (ala Ruger) and the recoil lug is bedded. This rifle delivers mesmerizing accuracy and did so right out of the box. It is a pound and a little heavier than the standard American and is also comfortable off hand. I have been shooting 123 Custom Competitions from it for target work and switched to Sierra PH 120's for hunting. I got my hunting zero last Sunday in a snow storm, resting the bipod on frozen snow/ice I got four of five to cut each other at 100 yards. I have actually fired sand bagged, benched groups like that at 200. Both of these rifles are unerringly accurate or, rather, shooter capable. ( I always do my part to destroy a good group.) I can't recommend them highly enough.

I had a Ruger Predator and other than being so rough I could barely cycle the bolt, it was a very accurate rifle. A good friend of mine did me a large favor so I gave it to him. He loves it but I don't miss it.~Riuma

[7mmtcu]

my best advice is to buy the rifle i have forsale in classified all set up ready to shoot half moa no testing just load and shoot!

[Rteague77]

[Rteague77]

Thanks for qualifying your skills level... that helps us understand that you understand all of the other variables and have well-grounded understanding/expectations of variable at distance.
You made no mention of budget so I am going to give you best answers... not most economic or bang for your buck... call it $3500... this is all custom... lots of ways to do it for less. People doing it with factory rifles... pick your poison.

Quality Premium barrel... Kreiger or Bartlein are hard to beat (more national championships in everything). $450
Premium R700 clone action - Defiance, Bat, etc... There are half a dozen great actions that are machined true and some feature all the bells and whistles (oversized bolt knob, integrated scope rail, fluted bolt, etc.) $1000 - $1500
Precision trigger (Jewel, etc) $250
Quality Stock (Manner, McMillan, HS Precision) or Chassis (MDT, AI, etc) and pick bottom metal based on if you want a blind internal magazine or DBM .... $800-$1500 all in

Steel components are better than aluminum and there is a cost differential of 2x-3x for steel scope base (20MOA) and steel trigger guard/bottom metal, such as Badger Ordnance. Depending on the action you may not need to buy separate, and if you go with a Chassis then no need to purchase bottom metal.

Don't forget your gunsmith bill to install the barrel (cut, chamber and crown and maybe thread for suppressor) and the bedding job $750-$1000
Did you want Cerakote... $300

Hopefully this gives you a ball park to start researching various products. I have built several guns on trued factory Rem 700 actions, and at end of day I was within a few hundred dollars of price of a Stiller or Big Horn action. I have learned to spend once and get what I want from onset without need for gunsmith to correct manufacturing imperfections of lesser actions. Buying a premium action doesn't guarantee accuracy, but it does eliminate one major variable. Based on your background you should be able to tell the difference in performance...

Good Luck

Thank you. Researching it now!

[Rteague77]

my best advice is to buy the rifle i have forsale in classified all set up ready to shoot half moa no testing just load and shoot!

[GradyWarren]

Sorry for bringing up an old thread, but I'm searching for similar information. It's interesting to read your recommendations.

[VASCAR2]

[SDguy]

Spot on in my opinion.

I wanted a 6.5 G bolt action hunting rifle 7 years ago or so. I had purchased a factory CZ527 to be re-barreled. My goal was 300 yards not 1000 yards. Would my 22" barrel do 1000 yards. Possibly, though if the intent was 1000 yards I expect a 26" custom barrel would be the way to roll. If accuracy is your goal at 1000 yards, the 20lb space gun on a heavy chassy may be in order.

When 6mm ARC came on the scene in 2020 I just knew Id prefer this chambering over the 6.5 Grendel for what I do. For 1000 yard target work. the 6mm ARC will offer an advantage over the 6.5 Grendel IMHO. Perhaps some day Ill give 1000 yards a try, though not on a priority list for me as of yet.

So, I have done 6.5 Grendel & 6mm ARC in A CZ527 & I prefer 6mm ARC. Have a Howa 6mm ARC in the works as well & I am liking that nearly as well as the CZ 527. YMMV

[Stinky Coyote]

Agree with the ARC lining up better with shooters desires. barrel life and hunting are the balance points lost going to 6mm over the 6.5, but splitting hairs between these two grendel's

As for coatings, if not going stainless then look at nitride for regular steel, apparently it's better protection with that combo than stainless is, but don't nitride stainless, doesn't have same effect and speeds up corrosion on stainless, so bare stainless or nitrided regular steel. At least my limited research into coatings goes, I have done cerakote before and it's just 'ok', that's why I looked into things because if I do again it will be nitride. (HOWA comes to mind)