New gun - maybe custom, looking for opinions and advice

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I’ve been shooting for over 50 years, everything from competition pistol (.45ACP) to 22LR to my 1894 Cowboy 45-70. My current rifles are all 5.56 & .308/7.62. The closest thing I have to a long-range hunting rifle (which was fine in WA) is my Steyr Scout (.308). Now that I’m in Montana, I’ve decided to get something with a bit of range. I’ll be hunting muley for sure, white tail, & pronghorn, and there’s a slight possibility of Elk, bear (only if it’s decided I might be lunch).

I’ve narrowed it down to 6.8 Western, .280AI, and 7mm PRC - which are all capable of my goals (500-600 yards max). As I will primarily be reloading rather than shooting factory. The current plan is to find the best shooting, solid copper, high BC hunting round (most likely the Barns 168 LRX, which is a personal favorite and should work beautifully in all three cartridges.

Feel free to express dismay at my choices of cartridge, and if you have a logical argument for why I should avoid one of them, I’m happy to listen. (Factory ammo availability is not an argument - I’ll be reloading regardless)

My Current thinking for the .280 AI and 7mm PRC would be built around the

Terminus Kratos Lite action, which is a 3-lug 60-degree bolt throw.

Probably with a 22” Carbon 6 barrel.

I’m open to suggestions on the barrel - as long as it’s single-point cut - I would be okay with a stainless fluted barrel in something like a Sendero Lite or other profile that still supports a muzzle break or suppressor. I’m shooting for around 5.5 - 6 pounds without scope -so weight matters.

I also need a good muzzle break - preferably self-timed.

OR:

The Tikka Barreled action from Oregon Mountain Rifle (along with a long list of options - everything but the suppressor), which brings it up to an eye-watering $2,922.00

The Manner’s MCS-PH-A or MSC-PH, or the MDT CRBN Stock. I’m open to suggestions here as well. I don’t want a chassis - I do want a “pistol grip”. Other than that, I just don’t have enough experience to know what’s useful and of good enough quality.

I’m debating if I actually need an adjustable - having never used one (well, the Scout has butt pad spacers), I’d rather avoid the weight and complexity if I can.

Probably Hawkins Hunter bottom metal on the Manners or MDT bottom metal on the CRBN

A Triggertech Special Trigger.

If I opt for the 6.8 Western, then I’ll use the Terminus Apollo Lite/Ti (which is weirdly named since it’s all stainless as near as I can tell) - everything else would be the same.

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Sounds like fun. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Handloading definitely helps, and makes all 3 viable.

For a 7mm mono, if you are considering any longer range stuff, then I’d look at the 160LRX. Despite being lighter, it’s significantly longer than the 168, with a higher BC also. It should be in its own family of bullets.

I was thinking it may be too long for the Ackley, but I just looked and there is load data for it, so the guys at Barnes got it to work.

I developed a load for 7prc with the 168, before the 160 was out. I got an accurate load, but it’s slower than it should be and it took forever to get it there. Then the 160 came out in factory load, and when I tried it out, it equaled or beat my handload. I said “darrn all of that work”.

Another member here has also had excellent results out of it, and there was a YouTube reloading channel that had excellent results from it beating what he created with hand loads

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I’ll definitely look at the 160. If anyone has other mono-metal hunting recommendations, I’d be interested.

The AI in most long actions with standard bottom metal can handle an OAL of a bit over 3.7”. You can get a CIP+ version that handles 3.8 something, but I don’t see the need.

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Wouldn’t you save a couple of hundred by buying a Tika online and shipping it to them? As a new tikka is in the $600 range (Scopelist.com)and lockloaded.com As OMR have the other option where you supply the action, and for $1595 they rebuild it.

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Works out about the same - most of that cost is in options (bottom metal, bolt knobs, knurling, muzzle break, etc.

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I love the 152g LRX in my fierce 280ai. Here’s my site test target and speed w factory loads (3 shots)

IMG_7206
IMG_72061920×1338 163 KB

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If you are now 100% sold on the 3 cartridges you mentioned, consider the Sherman Short cartridges. SS Cartridges

I am really considering one for hunting here in Alaska as they have the range and power in looking for in a short action. Reloading makes them very sensible.

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Well, the 7SS looks pretty interesting - I checked out the Forum (apparently it’s the Long Range Hunting Forum), I found a topic about compiled load data, but after 20 minutes of digging, I finally just did a DuckDuckGo search and found it.

I guess with a group named “Long Range Hunters,” I shouldn’t be surprised that they love long barrels - most of the 7SS entries were 24”-28” barrels.

I wish I could figure out my lifelong pattern of picking the oddball choice in almost everything. The .280AI may be the most mainstream of everything I’m thinking about.

As tempting as the 7SS looks I think I’m pretty much settled on the .280AI (at least for the next 2 hours)

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Ha!

There’s always 7 RSAUM too.

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I totally understand…I tend to do the exact same thing :joy:

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My custom 7PRC shoots lights out with Barnes factory LRX - so good I bought 15 boxes and have not even touched all the reloading gear I purchased last winter. Lone peak action, Proof barrel 22”, AG Composites stock (in retrospect I wish I had gone McMillan - the money I save went to a smith to bed the poorly inletted stock, Hawkins DBM and scope rings. Average velocity in 2,950 FPS.

I sent my action to Shoot Straight Guns in N.D., the ordered a Proof black, chambered in house and added a muzzle brake.

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After about 40 hours of chasing the 7SS down the rabbit hole, I’m pretty convinced that it’s the way to go. Just what I need - another oddball choice with marginal support - Ah, well, story of my life.

I need to chat with Rich Sherman about a few dozen things before I decide for sure, but it seems like the perfect choice.

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