Build your ultimate rifle

[blackhawk2000]

I'm interested in everyones opinion of what their ideal rifle would be. If you are into military/target/hunting/etc. I want to know what pieces of what rifles you would scab together to make your ultimate rifle.


I think mine would be like this: (Keep in mind I'm not as proficient on rifle design as a lot of you guys.) My likings lean more towards the military style rifles. AR15 basic design. I like the A2's handle over the flat tops, even though I could put a handle on that looks darn near the same. I don't know if this is possible, but I'm thinking an FAL gas adjustment, but with a direct gas impingement like the AR. I was kind of depressed when I cleaned my new AR after shooting it the first time. It was pretty dirty after only about 200 rounds of PMC. Even still I wonder if the FAL adjustment would overcome any malfunctions from the gas/gunk in the chamber. IF it would then I would do that. If not then FAL gas adjustment with AK style gas tube. AK style mag. AR mag release, although ambi. Same with the safety AR, but ambi. AK bolt. AR sights. Put a free float rail on it with an Eotech. I'm torn on the caliber though. 5.56 lacks some oompfh under certain conditions, but is small and light and no recoil. 7.62 x 39 also is not ideal for accuracy, a little big, and possibly not ideal ballisticly. .308 is nice, but is a little big, and a little heavy on the recoil. I'm thinking maybe the new 6.5 or 6.8 offerings might be about right. Give me a bayo lug, and a good flash hider, and I think I'm good to go. So does anyone make such an animal?

 

[Justin]

For an AR, I'd just call up JP Rifles, order a JP15 and be done with it. 18 inch barrel, flat-top for a Trijucon ACOG...

*sigh*

 

[Farnham]

I don't need to, Sako already did. The AI that our own Zak Smith has comes in a close second to one of these, they're both beautiful rifles.

But, if I was designing something, I would definitely like to have an AR in .308 that utilized the gas piston upper made by H&K. Sort of Galil-esque, only bigger. Include the .308 ACOG, and a suppressor, and I'd be pretty happy for a long time. Not very groundbreaking, I know, but I'd like to have one.

S/F

Farnham

 

[CaesarI]

Kimber 84M in a left handed action with a stripper clip notch machined into it and a hard-chromed polygonal .308 20" barrel. Their synthetic stock is preferable.

I keep dreaming. Prolly gonna settle on a Montana Rifle Company 1999 with a stainless polygonal barrel (Pac-Nor) and a custom lightweight stock by API.

-Morgan

 

[Strongbad]

I already built it. (although... there's always the next "ultimate rifle" ) The only thing I really want to change on it is to upgrade the scope to a Nightforce 5.5-22x56 w/ the ranging reticle.

338/378 Wby Mag w/ 29" Shilen Select Match barrel - Pushes 210 gr. bullets over 3500 fps. and it recently got some Barnes 160's over 4000 fps.

 

[MachIVshooter]

My perfect North American hunting rifle would be a Remington 700 LSS 26" chambered in 8mm Rem Mag with a satin silver Leupold VX-III 4.5-14x. I guess I'll have to live with my 700 BDL SS .375 Ultra with silver Leupold VX-II 4-12x.

 

[BusMaster007]

To answer the Topic question: some kind of AR10

MachIV:

How's the first shot ever out the .375 ULTRA?
I've got one I haven't fired yet... ...but I'm almost ready to.
Any advice? ( mine wears the Leupold Vari-X III 4.5-14x40 so I've got the eye relief ).

 

[Powderman]

Ideal precision rifle?

Winchester M70, 30" medium/heavy contour Kreiger barrel in a McMillan A3 stock, Canjar single set trigger, chambered in 6.5-06, 30-06 or even .300 Win Mag, with a Nightforce 8-32x56 with NP1 reticle.

My version of a perfect military battle rifle?

Rifle, 7.62x51 NATO, M14. Only thing I'd do is to get the National Match version. Nothing else. How can you improve perfection?

 

[Campusninja]

A CZ 550 FS in .308 with a short action and a fixed magainze. Topped with a Kahles 4x scope.

 

[dakotasin]

ultimate hunting rifle:
remington 700 ti action, lilja fluted #4, 27" long, rifle basix trigger (for weight savings over factory - they aren't better than a factory rem) set to 1.5#, chambered to 7 rum, talley lightweight rings, leupold 6x42 fx-3, butler creek flip-ups, bansner hi-tech stock, sims pad, pierceision shroud and pin, and the whole works cerakoted. the scope would be sent off to premier after dope was analyzed and sent in, and new reticle would align my actual data up to 600 yards, instead of a generic crosshair.

ultimate prairie dog rifle:
remington 700 action, lilja hv taper at 28", jewell trigger at 4 ounces, chambered to 308 win, badger max-50 rings, badger 20 moa 1-piece base, base and action opened to 8-40 and then bedded to each other, leupold 8.5-25 lrt vx-3, butler creek flip-ups, mcmillan a-series stock w/ heavy fill -swirly (probably red and white or blue and yellow... would look nice w/ that big stainless pipe)-, sims pad, pierceision shroud and pin, badger bottom metal, and the whole works cerakoted.

 

[bogie]

Benchrest Competition: I'd go with a BAT action, and give it to Billy Stevens for the smithing. He'd screw on a Hart 13 5/8" twist barrel and a Jewell trigger, and probably put it in one of Kelbly's stocks. Sightron scope with Hoehn mod.

Varmints: Remington 40x solid bottom action. Give it to Billy, and get a .222 chamber cut. Jewell trigger, set a little heavy - maybe 4 oz. or so. I'd go with one of Kelly McMillan's or Bill Shehane's laminated stocks for that one... Leupold scope.

Big critters, short range: Enfield P17, go Jim Borden, chambered for .458, in one of his stocks. Leupold low-magnification scope.

Big critters, long range: One of Jerry Stiller's actions, in a McMillan stock - probably chambered for something like a Boo-Boo... Nightforce.

Big critters, really long range: Call Kelly, tell him I wanna McBros, and ask him how long. Nightforce.

 

[No_Brakes23]

AR-15 with a 6.8 upper and 6.8 mags in addition to the normal upper and mags.

or

A Saiga/Krebs AK variant.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

For hunting medium game, I'd love a left-handed No.4 Mk.2 in a classic stock and chambered for 7x57mm Mauser.

For SHTF a LH No.4 Mk.2, cut down to No.5 Jungle Carbine size but with a decent recoil pad fitted to a butt with the same dimensions as a Garand, chambered in 7.62 NATO and a 2.5x scout scope up front.

I can dream, can't I?

 

[rick_reno]

I like Nesika Bay actions, left port, right bolt. Hart or Lija barrel, Jewell trigger.

 

[bogie]

Yeah - pretty much anything that Jim Borden touches is a Good Thing.

 

[Dionysusigma]

And Now for Something Completely Different

Dream Rifle No.1:
- Mosin Nagant action in .308, everything machined forged steel.
- Bolt handle turned down 60 degrees.
- All internal surfaces, including the bore of the 1" OD barrel, are chrome-lined and mirror polished. No bayonet lug.
- Picatinny rail is permanently attached to the top of the receiver, with a see-thru channel to allow use of the AR15A1 emergency peep sight built into the rear of the rail.
- Front sight is based off the M1/M14/AR15 front sight.
- Stripper clip guide is machined at an angle, allowing use even with the scope attached directly over the bore axis.
- Stock and upper handguard are solid Engish oak, and finished with a red mahogany stain and BLO. Cheek rest height is fully and quickly adjustable.
- Trigger is a Savage Accutrigger.
- All metal is finished in black Duracoat over parkerized except for the buttplate, which is a stainless steel cup a la German Mauser.

Dream Rifle No.2:
- Hk 93 or 53 in .223 Wylde with a machined receiver
- Takes AR-15 STANAG magazines
- Weaver rail built into top of receiver
- Second set of wooden furniture (English oak with red mahogany stain and BLO)

 

[Bigfoot]

Short action, control feed Savage in 300WSM in a 22 oz McMillan stock. Should weigh 6.5 lb with a Lupy 3-9 scope. With extra barrels in 30BR, 6.5 WSSM Imp. and 338 WSM.

 

[12-34hom]

Rifle.

Iron Brigade Armory - Chandler M-40 precession rifle chambered in 300 Winchester mag.

12-34hom.

 

[Correia]

Building mine now as fundage allows. Bit at a time.

The Race/3gun AK:

Vepr K .223. Barrel threaded to M4 specs. Tactical Innovations .223 suppresor, or swappable to JP Enterprises brake. (ain't seen that on an AK before have you?) Ultimak rail system, top, and three sided rail bottom. EO Tech 512. Stock converted to adjustable AR stock. Extended mag release. Manual bolt hold open. Custom backup iron sights mounted on a trick custom dustcover.

Why? I like to be different.

 

[Brian Williams]

1. A scale 1885 Win Lo-wall in 357 with a 20" tapered octagon barrel. Using today's metals it could be made smaller and still be able to hold the pressure of a 357. Shotgun butt with a skeleton metal buttplate, tang rear sight, straight stock and schnabel for end. Finish would be rust browned.

2. A Charles Daly Mini Mauser in either 6.5 Grendel, or 25-222mag with a Boyd's Walnut stock and Leupold Compact 2x7 scope.

 

[Fletchette]

Well, for a combat rifle it would have to be reliable, accurate, durable and light weight. Preferable compact as well.

Reliability:

I am wary of the direct gas impingement, as it does dirty up the action. For a rifle like the MAS 49 (original) this is not a problem because of the abundance of power to cycle with the 7.5 French (almost as powerful as .308) and the fact that this gun uses a tipping block locking mechanism which is at the rear of the bolt away from the dirt.

Most of the semi autos known for reliability use a short stroke gas piston, the notable exception being the AK (long stroke). Gas systems also have the ability to have adjustble regulators for bad condidtions (as opposed to roller-lock designs).

I'd design a short or long stroke gas system with a tilting bolt design.

A forward bolt assist is necessary. Not like on the contemporary AR-15, but like the original, where the charging handle reciprocates and is shielded by the carrying handle. The AK has an unshrouded charging handle. Something to grab onto and rip the bolt back and forth if necessary. The original AR-15 shrouded design is ambidexterous.

Accurate:

Mostly a function of a quality barrel and its mounting to the stock.

Durability:

Robust parts are a requirement. This favors big and heavy designs and is at odds with light weight at times. Again, the MAS 49 has very robust parts (firing pin looks like a roofing nail!). No little thingies clipped into place. All parts are beefy and secured properly in place.

Compact:

This tends to push towards a bullpup design. However, particular attention needs to be paid to trigger pull. A "pull-rod" as opposed to a "push-rod" is preferable to avoid mushiness.

Also in the compact area; a side fed magazine, or angled down slightly, would allow for bottom eject (ambidexterous and doesn't potentially give your position away). This also lets the user hug the ground better.


Light Weight:

Aluminum where necessary. Bolt must be steel due to design. Composite or plastic everywhere else. This is also good in cold weather. Plastic or composite is much easier to touch in cold weather than a metal surface.

So there you have it. A gas operated, tilting bolt, bull-pup design with a shrouded charging handle within the carrying handle, side mounted magazine with bottom eject. Composite stock, no small clipped parts. All big and durable parts.

Can you make one for me?

 

[1911 guy]

My dream rifle is...

.308 Win., bolt action, controled round feed, 20 in. bbl., composite stock, 4 lb. trigger with no creep, detachable magazine, conetrol mounts with a swarovski scope, tilt/pan capable bipod, sling and weight no more than 7.5 lbs. Cost? I dunno, but may have to start looking at parts lists.

 

[CaesarI]

CampusNinja offered a nice one too. I'd like mine in a LH action of course (which CZ hasn't yet deigned to build), but otherwise sounds swell. CZ 550FS are purdy. :drool:

-Morgan

 

[Gewehr98]

Already been built. Bogie, I got some work to do.

5 rounds of 6.5x284, 1.56" group, 1000 yards:




DeSimone's Dynamic Duo
1000-Yard Record Rig (Reborn) and Classy New Curly Ash 6.5 Super
Other Guns of the Week >
The Benchrest record books list many impressive feats of marksmanship. But Rich DeSimone's 1.564" five-shot 1000-yard group is such an amazing achievement that it stands head and shoulders above most other long-range records. It is the 1K equivalent of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game--a record that may not be broken by mere mortals. When you talk about long-range accuracy--that group by Rich sets the standard for all to emulate. This week we feature both the rifle with which Rich set his 1000-yard IBS record, and his new 1K machine, an ultra-accurate 6.5 Super featuring a Viper action and stunning hardwood stock.

 

[MachIVshooter]

How's the first shot ever out the .375 ULTRA?

In a word; brutal. At least off the bench it is. It's not too bothersom off hand or sitting with a bi-pod. I have not (and will not) shoot it prone. Factory loads are fairly mild compared to what can be done (my top loads launch 300 gr. Sierra's @ 2972 FPS). Just remember, the .375 Ultra produces more than 3 times the recoil of a .30-06. Get a good recoil pad for sight-in

Two things I quickly learned:

1: Watch the position of your trigger finger, or the knurling on the bolt will peel back some skin.

2: Against everything you've learned about accuracy, do not shoot this rifle on the bench with your body relaxed, or the scope will get you.

I am 5'11", 180 lbs. I have 3-1/4" of eye relief and I got tapped by the blizzard cover when I tried to shoot it from sandbags as I would my .25-06 or .30-06. I learned to keep my body rigid and maintain forward pressure with my off-hand when benched. Subsequently, I have never been able to shoot fantastic groups with it (read; sub-MOA). I am sure the rifle can. I have owned the gun for 2 years and have only put 67 rounds through it.

Have fun