Long Range Project 6.5 SAUM

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

That is a great question Don and I don't have an honest answer yet.

The rifle will be capable of dispatching animals beyond 1K yards. I think with lots of practice my target yardage to become proficient will be 750 yards. Who knows, after I start shooting it I will find out what my skill level is over time. Getting lucky one weekend when there is no wind factor or under ambient conditions does not make you a consistent long range shot.

What a lot of folks think is - if they have a capable rifle they can make the 1000 yard shot (long range Holy Grail). The fact of the matter is, there are very few folks capable of consistently hitting a 12" plate at that distance on a regular basis (day in - day out). It isn't a rifle thing, it is a skill set thing. Understanding wind and mirage at distance isn't something you get out of a book or mathematical equation. It is flat out experience - period.

None-the-less, I am very excited to be working on this project and look forward to easing my way into the long range game!

I have found myself turning into a long range rifle homework junkie. Need sleep - need sleep...

 

[El Matavenados]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

That is a great question Don and I don't have an honest answer yet.

The rifle will be capable of dispatching animals beyond 1K yards. I think with lots of practice my target yardage to become proficient will be 750 yards. Who knows, after I start shooting it I will find out what my skill level is over time. Getting lucky one weekend when there is no wind factor or under ambient conditions does not make you a consistent long range shot.

What a lot of folks think is - if they have a capable rifle they can make the 1000 yard shot (long range Holy Grail). The fact of the matter is, there are very few folks capable of consistently hitting a 12" plate at that distance on a regular basis (day in - day out). It isn't a rifle thing, it is a skill set thing. Understanding wind and mirage at distance isn't something you get out of a book or mathematical equation. It is flat out experience - period.

None-the-less, I am very excited to be working on this project and look forward to easing my way into the long range game!

I have found myself turning into a long range rifle homework junkie. Need sleep - need sleep...

I agree. And practicing at a range (very few 1k yard ranges around here!) probably wouldn't be enough either. There are some videos on YouTube that illustrate your point very well. Long Range Shooters of Utah https://www.youtube.com/user/buryceberg has a series of videos called the "milk jug challenge", in which shooters have something like 5 minutes to hit a milk jug in 10 shots or less, at 1000 yards, then 1250. I think I've seen a couple where the guys hit it on their 2nd or 3rd shots, but never the first. This illustrates the difficulty of a first-shot hit on the vitals of a deer-sized animal at 1000 yards.

But if you want to get stoked about long range hunting, check out Dartman and the neighbor capping coyotes out to a mile https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDartman76.

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

"Dartman and the Neighbor" are a pretty cool duo. There gear is good and they are pretty entertaining.

The Vectronix rangefinders are amazing - the real deal. They use a very narrow laser which is extremely accurate at distance.

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

Project update:

Tim "Moon" Roberts signed for my package today. This means my parts are in his hands and the clock has started to tic. Hopefully it won't take 3 months!

I also ordered some Nosler 7mm SAUM brass (took the Norma brass back). Should hit the Fine Firearms dock sometime next week.

 

[Bonejour]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

My Rem 700 Sendero came in at FF last week. John put a rifle basix trigger (2.5lb) on it and I'm waiting for a badger ordnance 20 MOA rail. Still deciding between Bushnell Elite LRHS scopes; either the tried and true 3-12 or the 4.5-18 which ships April 1. Either way the GH2 reticle (FFP) which has a big following among long range shooters according to precisionrifleblog.com
I really like everything about the LRHS, from the glass to the reticle to the turrets. Can't wait... Once the rail is in, I may just go w 3-12 since I'll be hunting large game w it and I prefer lower power for following up my shots anyway. Plus low end of 3 is better than 4.5 for versatility.

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

My Rem 700 Sendero came in at FF last week. John put a rifle basix trigger (2.5lb) on it and I'm waiting for a badger ordnance 20 MOA rail. Still deciding between Bushnell Elite LRHS scopes; either the tried and true 3-12 or the 4.5-18 which ships April 1. Either way the GH2 reticle (FFP) which has a big following among long range shooters according to precisionrifleblog.com
I really like everything about the LRHS, from the glass to the reticle to the turrets. Can't wait... Once the rail is in, I may just go w 3-12 since I'll be hunting large game w it and I prefer lower power for following up my shots anyway. Plus low end of 3 is better than 4.5 for versatility.

It sure is one heck of a nice rifle Don. And an amazing caliber to boot. With the new Remington (RR) action your rig should be a ragged one hole rifle!

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

To my amazement, the 6.5 RSAUM 4S project has mades some more forward progress. Barbara at McMillan Stocks called today to let us know the HTG Edge stock is finished and will be shipping to the shop tomorrow (Friday).

We placed the stock order on February 8th with a 4-6 month lead time. They finished it in 3 months. So I thought the stock was going to be the gating item holding up the build. I was wrong. So now we are waiting on Cresent Custom to finish chambering etc. I am hoping to get rifle back into the shop next month. This will put me in the possibility of having the rifle done sometime in June - if all goes well!

Things to do:

Get rifle back from Tim Roberts
Fit and finish Holland muzzle break
Cerakote rifle (Fine Firearms)
Install Jewell Trigger (or Shilen still have not made final decision) - Help!
Bed Rifle into stock
Mount scope onto rifle
Work up loads

 

[El Matavenados]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

To my amazement, the 6.5 RSAUM 4S project has mades some more forward progress. Barbara at McMillan Stocks called today to let us know the HTG Edge stock is finished and will be shipping to the shop tomorrow (Friday).

We placed the stock order on February 8th with a 4-6 month lead time. They finished it in 3 months. So I thought the stock was going to be the gating item holding up the build. I was wrong. So now we are waiting on Cresent Custom to finish chambering etc. I am hoping to get rifle back into the shop next month. This will put me in the possibility of having the rifle done sometime in June - if all goes well!

Things to do:

Get rifle back from Tim Roberts
Fit and finish Holland muzzle break
Cerakote rifle (Fine Firearms)
Install Jewell Trigger (or Shilen still have not made final decision) - Help!
Bed Rifle into stock
Mount scope onto rifle
Work up loads

Now that's exciting!

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

Very excited! My McMillan HTG with Edge carbon fill showed up at Fine Firearms today and could not be happier. This is 1.5 month's ahead of schedule. Already checked the Seekins bottom metal and it fits incredibly perfect. I can't wait to get my rifle back.

I am not convinced i like the finish so I will probably be Cerakoting the stock...

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

More great news. Tim Moon called JP today to veriify specs on the rifle prior to working on on it. He will have it done this week! So another item checked off the the long range rifle project list!

Pictures to follow next week.

Very - very excited!

 

[Snake Charmer]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

Can't wait to see you fire it up on an big game animal in the field, should be pretty effective !

 

[Lungpopper]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

Getting close. Have you decided on barrel break in or not?

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

Getting close. Have you decided on barrel break in or not?

No on the barrel break in. But I will be careful not to heat it up.

 

[Bonejour]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

That's great John. It was fun handling the stock yesterday. Very light, beautiful mill work. I like the (semi)wide fore end and the grip is very comfortable.

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

Thanks Don! The rifle shipped this afternoon. Hope to have it in the shop Friday or Monday... 8)

 

[Lungpopper]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

Thanks Don! The rifle shipped this afternoon. Hope to have it Friday or Monday... 8)

That's cool

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

 

[NBK]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

Ok..took a step forward and two steps backward today. Good news is, my rifle was completed by Tim Roberts and landed in the shop this morning. The rig looks awesome! The bad news is, I did a dry fit into my McMillan HTG Edge stock and it doesn't fit correctly. The CNC machined the stock to fit the older 1st generation BigHorn Tactical actions. No Bueno!

So after a long but pleasant discussion with Lynne at McMillan Rifle Stocks we have hammered out the details. We sent my rifle, stock and bottom metal back to McMillan (in transit to arrive on their dock Monday). They are building me a another stock from scratch. Apparently they do not have a CNC program to run the 2nd generation Bighorn TL2-SA action so my rig will be their new pattern. This is a good thing as they will get the exact fit with all of my parts on their bench. Looks like another 4-6 weeks out now. :'(

I did take some pictures before sending it off though -

 

[Aeon]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

that is one sick rig buddy.....

 

[Snake Charmer]

Re: Long Range Project 6.5 RSAUM 4S

Very cool wish I had time to build one, too busy...