Well, some of you may remember a while back when I asked for recommendations about a custom build.

I decided to take FiremanJGs advice and build on my Tikka action. It is done now, so I figured I would give you all an update. Here are the pics.





Specs:

- Tikka stainless steel receiver
- Glades Armory bolt handle
- Mountain Tactical bolt shroud
- Bartlein 8.7" twist 7mm barrel, Remington Varmint profile, 20", 7 spiral flutes, threaded 5/8-24
- Chambered in 7mm-08AI
- McMillan Game Hunter stock - edge fill, grey paint with black specs, decelerator recoil pad
- RedSnake Tactical bottom metal (I am changing this out for Mountain Tactical BM, which is a bit more quiet for hunting)
- Harris bi-pod
- Mountain Tactical 0MOA mount
- Burris XTR Signature rings
- Burris Veracity 3-15X50 scope

I broke in the barrel yesterday while doing some fireforming. It looks like it is going to be a shooter!

Love that.❤️ I want to build one very similar .
R

Congrats!

Very nice

great looking. Big Tikka fan.

Congrats, Very nice rifle

Ought to be a tack-driver. Let us know when you get a load worked up for it - definitely want to see some groups.

Love the spiral fluting on the barrel!

Very nice build...ought to be a darn good shooter!

LOve it !!!

where is that range, ? looks really nice?

It is Benchrest Rifle Club of St. Louis. http://www.shootingstl.com/

I joined as soon as I moved up here. It is a really nice range, but can get busy on nice weekends (we have over 1500 members). The only other thing I am not really a fan of is that you have to "qualify" to shoot over 200 yards. That means you have to take a class and do a shooting practical. I completely understand why they need to do it as they want to make sure that every bullet fired stays on club property, but with my travel schedule, I just can't seem to get synced up and get it done, so I am limited to 200 yards unless someone who is qualified is there and allows me to shoot under their flag.

Looks beautiful! Congratulations! What are you planning on using it for?

you should have no problem qualifying with that fine rifle. Great range, you're lucky to have it. Good luck !!

Primary application will be hunting from fixed blinds, however it is small enough and light enough (although not mountain rifle light) for antelope, mule deer or elk hunting in the low lands. I would probably want to shed a bit of weight if I was to backpack with this for a while, so sheep and high-country hunting are not in the plan for it (and not really in my plans right now anyway).

Secondary will be to bang steel at 600-1000 yards. I also just built a 6.5-06 on a Savage action that will be my primary for that purpose until I burn the barrel out on it, at which time I will screw a 6.5-284 barrel on it and start all over again.

Just a quick update on accuracy, I took it to the range again today to do some more fireforming. I was shooting 5-shot strings at 100 yards and shooting them "rapid-fire" (shoot, work the bolt, get back on target, shoot), as I was really just interested in getting the brass formed. With a thrown together load (book max load for a 7-08) using left over bullets (Hornady 139 grain SSTs), I was able to shoot a 25-shot group (five 5-shot groups at the same dot) into just a bit less than 1.25". This was just using a bipod and rear bag as well. I am really excited to see what a carefully worked up load will do in this rifle.

Lookin good!!

Can you tell me what the finished weight of the rifle is all up? Also, who did the 'smith work? Really, really nice.
Thx, R

I am traveling right now, but if I had to guess, I would put it right at 10 lbs as pictured. Most of that weight is barrel.

Southern Precision Rifles (bugholes.com) did all the barrel work. I bought the barrel from them as well.

Thank you very much.
R

NICE.