What goes into building a highly accurate working Rifle?

[usmcveteran]

I am just curious what type of rifle one would build in order to get a highly accurate "working rifle". What I mean by a working rifle is that it can not only be used for target shooting but also taken into the field for hunting and what not.

Which platform would be the best and which one might give you the most bang for the buck?

What other considerations are there and what types of things must be done?

I have heard of bedding a barrel where I think there is supposed to be a slight gap between the stock and barrel so it doesn't throw off the harmonics of the barrel?

[GUNSICK]

Use Remington 700 action as the base and you can build a sweet rifle. You want to bed the action and free float the barrel so nothing is touching it.

[GUNSICK]

If I was starting from scratch I would use a Defiance Machine receiver as the base. http://defiancemachine.com/custom-bolt-actions/

[usmcveteran]

Wowser! That's a bit pricey but for quality you have to pay for it. Which model would you get and why?

[GUNSICK]

Wowser! That's a bit pricey but for quality you have to pay for it. Which model would you get and why?

I like the Deviant Hunter in the pic. No real reason other than I like the lines of it, sexy.

[prambo]

I like the Deviant Hunter in the pic. No real reason other than I like the lines of it, sexy.

That's why you lke it - Deviant Hunter - a good "handle" for someone who hunts in a pink Realtree jockstrap and a clear raincoat.

Besides that, it looks like a great bit of kit.

[RandallOfLegend]

You need to sacrifice money to the rifle gods until they deem you worthy of 0.25 MOA.

[Tony]

Win M70, Rem 700, Savage 11/110 (not axis) series receivers will all be a good moderaterly priced starting point. Good rifle barrels are made right here in NY at Hart Rifle Barrels. Some of the stocks for the manufacturers mentioned have a type of bedding block built into the stock and shouldn't need to be glass bedded. Those with no bedding blocks should be bedded. At the very least, I like to bed the recoil lug and barrel just ahead of the receiver (about 2 "), the remainder is free floating with at least .030" clearance in the barrel channel. That should give you a good start on an accurate piece.

A target gun generally has a longer, very heavy barrel and a sporter for hunting a shorter, extremely light one. I am sure that I would not want to carry around my 14 lb. target rifle during hunting season. My 7.5 pound rifle gets heavy after a day of climbing/walking/still hunting but I am a not so young guy... Is a double duty rifle practical, that's up to you I suppose...

The trigger might be nice to adjust as well. IMO more important than an extremely light pull is consistant pull weight with no grittyness or creep. Over travel should be adjusted as well. I like about 3 lbs. for a hunting rifle.

Of course you could spend bucks on a fancy stock and trigger but the guns mentioned above have pretty good triggers as is. I like wood stocks, the old style M70 Win. triggers as well as the "Walker" trigger in many old er Remingtons.

I have had good luck getting Rem, Win, and Savage sporters with factory barrels to shoot pretty good just by doing what I mentioned above. By pretty good I mean under an inch at 100 yds.

As an edit...

I did forget to mention optics. Get the best scope you can afford. For me that would be a Nikon Prostaff or Leupold. However, I do have a rifle capable of 1/4" groups at 100 yds. if I can do my part and it sports a Bushnell Banner 4-12 x 40. The caliber is .243 RCBS, a wildcat, with a 24" Hart barrel on a Rem. 600 action. My best shot with that rifle was awhile back when I was deer hunting and shot a doe in the eye at 101 long paces. I have to admit that I was aiming between the eyes. Lost no meat on that one...
The most expensive scope I have is a Nikon Prostaff 4-12x40. I buy scopes that I can afford to replace without crying should I break them as I can be pretty clumsy in the woods...

Realistically speaking, I'd say most shooters would need to shoot alot, alot, alot to get good enough where their equipment was limiting them. Up to that point a moderately massaged factory rifle and moderately priced scope would probably be adequate.

And finally, I do handload and have worked up accurate loads for my accurate rifles. That helps alot...

have fun...

[dsdmmat]

Build an AR straight pull bolt action, free floated barrel, a nice round with good ergonomics and of course great glass would get you what you want for about 1K.

[Meketrefe]

One could find rifles that will do very well out of the box w/o the need to go for an accuracy international that at the other hand is not expensive if you think what you get
from a mass produced rifle.
But for those on a more reasonable budget and for the average working men consider an accurate rifle either custom built or some of the budget out of the box that can
do pretty well for a starting package.
But even with a full aluminum beded stock and decent trigger one needs to consider quality optics, and other equipment often overlooked.
And then after that the most overlooked item of all that has nothing to do with the rifle or the ammunition or any equipment that is some quality professional training and
the ammo to do your homework.

If one is on a budget for a decent patrol rifle one could use a remington SPS with a couple of upgrades like stock, trigger, etc.. or even a savage hog hunter with a B&C full aluminum bedded
and a decent entry scope that one can find for $900-1100 dollars these days.
Even an out of the box savage precission carbine will do for many people for many roles.

If one is serious about a competitive rifle either the AI or a custom remington 700 blueprinted with a match barrel, stock, timed bolt etc... And it doesn't have to be an expensive
surgeon but it will have to be well built.

[harleyhutch]

One of the better Savages to start with (you said budget), throw some more money at it with some attention to detail, add some good glass, rings and bases, play around with hand loads, get frustrated, figure out whats wrong, have fun, not be content with what you just accomplished, screw with it, back to frustrated, back to fixed, start the process all over again with another one. this will become one of two things, a habit or one time thing, it's all up to you.
Try it, have fun and figure out if it is for you and your bank account.