Poor man's custom rifle?

Anyone have a Red Hawk rifle or Nosler rifle? Any other brands you have experience with? Just don't want to spend 4 or 5 grand or more on a custom rifle. This would be solely a hunting rifle, deer, hogs etc ..... probably go back with a 300 Win mag and I don't reload. I do know that these are not true customs but more like "customized". Thanks for the help.

Buy a $550 Tikka and upgrade the stock.

Work it like a rented mule.

Oh, and spend some of the budget hiring Chad to work up a custom load for the rifle.

After all that it'll shoot tighter than you expected.

What stock? Arthritis dictates either something to soak up recoil or a brake .... or both. Love the 300 WM though.

More aftermarket bolt on type stuff for the Remington 700. Then grab yourself some spray cans or an airbrush and paint it however you would like.

Pricey, but Mcmillan or Manners is quality. For a hunting stock I ordered and recieved a Manners MCS-EH1 for a friend's .300 Win Mag. Crazy light, narrow forearm that is just wide enough for a bipod, and the all important vertical grip.

There is plenty of aftermarket support for Tikkas, every modification you could ever want.

Send Derrick at horizon a remington action and a manners stock. Give him about some money and you Candace a solid semi custom.

Should be less than 2k

Add Cooper to the list. I've shot all three. All have pluses and minuses IMO. The Cooper and RedHawk where top accuracy with the nosler a few tenths behind but all three where different calibers. Liked the Nosler action better then Cooper, but Cooper shot better. RedHawk is just a re barreled and trued Remington. He use to be a steal for what you got but he has gotten up there in price.

I have a trued remington revarrled rifle that Derrick@ horizon built me and its hell of a gun

All good advice guys, thanks. Given me something to think on.

Boom.

Drop it in a B&C stock for around $250.

Work up a load for it and go play.

Hey fireman do you know any stocks being made for the tikka CTR yet

Same action as the T-3, right?

Then the big boys have the programs built into the mills, just tell them barrel contour.

Whiskey X-ray etc is drop in I believe.

I would recommend cooper at around 2500, that gives money for scope and load work-up. Before deer season I shot a quick three shot group with hornaday sst box ammo out of my cooper and it was 1/2 moa, and when I mean quick it was shoot as quick as it could be loaded and no cool down or anything. With a load build up by chad I bet that would cut in half again, at a minimum. With all the factory ammo I tried I was moa or sub moa with the gun, but the hornaday sst seemed to be the best.

Although would be fun to have a custom build, but those seem to be a little more money in the end.

Having the budget you have gives some flexibility

What do you expect to gain from a custom rifle over a factory rifle with a few upgrades? Accuracy wise, a Savage, Remington or tikka in a barrel contour of your choice, with a quality aftermarket stock, trigger, and optics would likely shoot just as well (or absolutely close enough for hunting with) and be thousands less. For a few hundred more you could replace the barrel with a great aftermarket barrel, and have everything you could want.

I have a tikka CTR I've been very happy with it. The CTR has a detachable mag but I'm not sure it fits the typical t3 stocks

I have 2 tikkas and love shooting those over anything else!

Alamo Precision, here in Texas, is doing the same thing as Redhawk for allot less

I DONT GET the cooper craze... Why pay that much... you can have a real custom built for that.

http://www.aprifles.com/pages/apr-rifles

Call Jason and Robert... they will take care of you

yalls poor man vocabulary is pretty fancy

Been hearing a lot of good things about their work

What goals are you wanting this gun to accomplish that a tika, savage, Remington, wby, ruger, etc. factory rifle cant other than cost more money?

A simple semi "custom" rifle would be the Tikka T3 builds we have done. Buy a new Tikka T3 and take off the factory barrel, and chamber a custom in a caliber you want with a precision barrel. We have built these for about $1600-$1700, depending on a few factors. I will guarantee less than 1/2 MOA with my custom ammo with these rifles. They are a very good build with a great rifle platform for precision shooting. I know shooters who have competed with these rifles.

This...

I bought a Tikka. Kept the action. Replaced the barrel and stock. I think I'd buy the less expensive stock from KRG on another build though.

Looked at their website, that is pretty much what I'm wanting. I like the spiral fluting etc.... I know it doesn't make it shoot better but a little "bling" is good sometimes lol.

Thanks for all the help/advice everyone, really appreciate it.

No matter which direction I go, a trip to Chad for load development is already planned.

Chad
Is that price "all in" or is it cost of the donor action plus $1600-1700? I'm also thinking about a semi-custom build and I'm a huge Tikka fan.

That is new donor also

I know Alamo will do a barrel upgrade for a little extra. I think it's well worth the extra $50-75 to upgrade. Douglas barrels are light years ahead of factory barrels but not quite in the same league as some of the other makers. I have two rifles built with Douglas and some others built with Hart/Schneider for comparison.

I'd like to hear more on this as well. I didn't realize you did this too. 1/2" MOA guarantee is about as good as it gets.

For those kind of bucks, I'd be looking at a Sako 85, of maybe a Mauser M12.

- Just go ahead and get something that is really top-notch to start with.

Your heirs will thank you, and remember you for it. Between now and then, you'll be enjoying something truly outstanding.

I have one of those Tikkas that Chad had set up. I couldn't buy what I wanted, which was a T3 Lite Stainless in 260, and Chad said he'd build it. I went for it. In a reasonable amount of time I had the T3 in 260 with a #4 Brux barrel at 20 inches. Still has the original stock, because I like it. And...oh brother will that gun shoot. I got exactly what I wanted, and at a reasonable price. I would do it all over again if I had another caliber I needed.

Hot or cold, it shoots to the same place every time. The other morning I decided to check the POI. One cold bore shot. It was exactly where it should be, though I could argue that maybe it was 1/8 inch left of perfect. Maybe it's the #4 barrel that lets me hold it so steady, but it's just so easy to shoot well.

May sound funny but some of you will get it, the most important thing that I'm buying will be confidence that it will hit where I aim it.

That is job one of any rifle, in my book. Give a damn how the rifle looks or feels if it shoots like chit.

Are the Tikka barrels installed like a normal Remington 700 requiring a gunsmith or are they a more simple install like a savage barrel?

Need a smith with a lathe, no barrel nut.

That's total. I quated a ghuy $1600 yesterday for a 6.5 Creedmoor. I buy the new Tikka T3 rifle, purchase the new custom barrel, and you tell me what caliber you want. I have my gun smith chamber it up and install the barrel on the Tikka. The Tikka trigger gets tuned up, and we reuse the existing Tikka magazine and stock. The many rifles I have done have all shot easy sub moa, and most are sub 1/2 moa. With the custom load work up I have done on all Tikka builds, they come in at 1/2 moa or better. The key is getting a quality barrel that is slightly larger than the factory barrel (#3 or #4 contour) and installed by a quality gun smith. Then, feed it good ammo. I don't promote that I do these, but I do have a lot of customers looking for something that shoots better than a factory rifle, but not a full on custom build. For the money, it's very hard to beat the price for what you get.

Does anyone other than B&C make a stock for a sporter weight barrel that a left handed shooter can shoot?

Manners Composite Stocks

If you order today, you will have it in 6-8 months.

I built a 6.5 Creedmoor semi-custom rifle off a Savage action. I love it, I paid 300 for a used Savage 16, sold the barrel for 100, and bought a Manners stock for it. For the new barrel I bought a CBI light varmint contour.

I had to buy the action wrench and vice, plus the go gauge, but all in all the project cost me a little under $1,000 for just the rifle. I put a Vortex Viper PST FFP 4-16x50 scope on top which I bought used for 600.

I have since bought a used Tikka .243 because when I took Fireman's shooting class he recommended them and I found a T-3 for $350 bucks. It is completely stock, I took it to the range and did some load development. Out of the 8 loads I tested 3 of them had all the bullets touching. I was very impressed to say the least, plus the action is incredibly smooth and I like the drop magazine.

I will most likely buy Tikka rifles in the future, shoot out the barrel, then get them re-chambered in whatever I want.

Have a couple Tikka T3s and the way they shoot without any modifications no work needed IMO. I will never shoot the barrel out on them 338 Federal and 270WSM, just do not shoot those enough to worry about shooting out the barrel. But when one gets a Tikka try it before doing work to it. The 2 I have also will group with touching clover leaf groups which is good enough for me. If I ever were to shoot out a barrel on one then it would just get a new one.

The custom rifles I have are in calibers you cannot buy without going custom accurate yes but no more so that I can tell from the Cooper. Factory rifles Cooper has impressed me with accuracy and handling, wish I had more of them.

The little CZ527 that Scott put together for me is the best handling and one of the most accurate rifles I have ever owned. Know that little gun can shoot better than I can, but working on that again.

If you get a Remington used for 350. You can have it rebarelled for 800-900. Be at 1100-1200 than add more if you want a manners or dbm or whatever

If you decide you want to go full custom I have a great deal for you on a bighorn action and benchmark barrel. It will be a fairly heavy rig though.

Very nice parts there.

Not a custom, but I have been happy with my 300 Win Mag Montana Rifle Company X2, which is stainless and synthetic for $1100 +/-.



Here is a recent 100 yard 4 shot group, checking the zero. The stray (not much of one) was my fault for poor form, for not having firm rearward pressure, still tight enough though.



200 yards, with a minor adjustments between groups of four shots each.

And I got them for a dang good price. Just decided to go with a slightly different route on this build.

My CTR sits in the B&C medalist varmint stock (wider forend, vertical grip, straighter comb, and two foreend swivels) I think I paid around $250 shipped from redhawkrifles.com

More great info, thanks guys. Jeff, I sold a new Montana Rifle Co. 300 WM on here awhile back, walnut and stainless. Like a dummy I never even scoped it and shot it.

OOPs, might should have at least shot it.

lol

up so I can find this again

Moderators, please change the name of this chat room to

"Texas Tikka Forum"

thank you

or
"Poor Man's Sako"
finding out since I just bought two scopes I'll probably be looking at 2 new rifles so Tikka is starting to sound like MY only option.
maybe a 7mm-08 and a 300 WM
Guess it's time to start another thread about scope weight/rifle weight

I still stand by my Savages, easy to modify/build yourself.
There, it is no longer a Tikka Forum

Be advised the feed ramp on a Tikka 300 Win Mag will limit your O.A.L. to 3.350". No problemo on a short action cartridge.

Be advised the feed ramp on a Tikka 300 Win Mag will limit your O.A.L. to 3.350". No problemo on a short action cartridge.


What about a 300WSM, is that pretty close to the ballistics of a WM?

I don't think it makes as much velocity. Chad says they're picky to make shoot. He has experience with it.

Another reason to stay with the WM then I guess, thank-you.

Ruger Precision Rifle
Burris XTR II

Done.

^ You just did ^ LOL!

Seriously though, knowing this is an option with you is great. And to back up Chad's statement that he does not promote or pitch complete builds, I have not seen him do so. I guess he's humble like that.

<Adds Chad to list of options>

Thanks - Mickey

right on, I would add Savage w/accu trigger

I'll 2nd the Savage even though this is a Tikka thread.

Not necessarily.

There are some of us with literally thousands of rounds behind a Savage and thousands of rounds behind a Tikka, and have seen how the Tikka is a better action, and better bolt, with less issues. Barrel quality is probably equal, I'm not a hater of the Accutrigger and kept them on the Savages, but the Tikka has a nicer factory trigger.

Just like everyone else, I have to pay for my rifles and my money is better spent on a Tikka after lots of experience with both brands.

Alright, I'm sorry I brought up Savage as possibility. I'll go kill myself now.

Can I have your Savage?

Yes, you were just in time. I put you in the will.

No need for that. I was just explaining why Savage lovers seem to have hurt feelings with all the Tikka suggestions, calling it a Tikka thread, and why the Tikkas are suggested.

Jason, having fun with a little sarcasm. I'm not really butt hurt.

I do not associate Savage or Tikka with custom rifles. - Though these more than others tend to wind up being customized.

My idea of a custom rifle would start out with a premium action, a Win model 70 or a Sako for example.

The line I'm talking about here is the line between 'custom', and 'built up' rifles. - I see a clear difference between the two.

Technically, one could call either one by the others name and not be wrong - but there are some of us for whom the difference is glaring, one definitely standing out from the other.

It's funny how different forums have different "cool" rifles everyone loves. Thf it's tikkas, tbh it's rem 700's, snipershide is in absolute love with the ruger precision rifle, the guys on longrange hunting will laugh at anyone not shooting a custom.

Every forum you go too seems to have a small handful of guys who basically "control" the group about what is "best". When in all reality the best is a individual opinion. A tikka, remington , ruger etc with a little work will all shoot better than 99.9% of the shooters out there. Just depends on whicH one feels good to you. I personally hate tikkas. They feel like plastic crap to me. But every one I've ever shot has been a really good shooter. Just can't spend that much money on something I don't like the feel of. So there's my opinion and it's worth about as much as yall paid for it. Nothing

I've never fired, or even handled a Tikka. What I hear about plastic parts is not encouraging, but a lot of shooters are very happy with them, and that says a lot too.

I have savages, marlins, Remington, and rugers all are fine guns. I don't consider it a true custom if its built off a factory action. To me a custom has a custom action. My savage 257wby is a semi custom. Also who wants to say "I took my tikka to the the stand." tikka, tikka sounds like your calling a little dog with a bow in its hair. Here tikka, tikka.

I get it.

I've tried lots of em. Still have one Savage, and one Rem 700. The Savage may get sold one day and replaced with a Tikka. The Rem 700 won't get sold, ever, I'm way too invested in the build. But each time I cycle the Rem 700 and the Savage I compare them to the Tikka. The Savage is sloppy, often requires a double feed, and the ejector usually does not work. The Rem 700 is a 90 degree bolt throw as compared to the 60 degree of the Tikka, that's about the only negative to it. Looking at extractors and ejectors of all three, there is a clear winner in my opinion. And that's all this is, my opinion, and it's not worth any more than anyone else's is as far as I'm concerned.

Live long and prosper

My 2¢... Buy a Steyr Mannlicher Pro Hunter. A great rifle that shoots as good or better than custom-made rifles. I sold two rifles and a shotgun to buy one. I have never owned any other rifles than Steyr since. Straight out of the box with any ammo... deadly accurate with impressive workmanship. The problem with custom rifles is that if you ever want to sell it, you rarely get your $$ back...

That's right about not getting anywhere hear your money back on a custom rifle. - I learned this lesson the hard way with hot-rods and Harleys.

The only fellow who might make a buck is the fellow who puts one together for a client. After that it's depreciation Baby, all the way.