Bolt Rifle Purchase

[endurokids3]

I'm looking at a bolt rifle purchase for silhouette shooting up to 1,000 yds. but mostly to 540 yds.
Any recommendations on a factory rifle or do I need to build one?

[VASCAR2]

If I was only going to shoot targets and not hunt I’d consider a 22 ARC or 6 ARC. I have a Cz 527 American 6.5 Grendel and it is a fine rifle but not ideal as a straight target rifle. I bought the Cz 527 at a very good price from a friend and liked the commonality of ammunition since I own a few 6.5 Grendel AR-15’s. I haven’t bought any centerfire rifles since the release of the 6 ARC or 22 ARC. I’m drawn to the 22 ARC since I already reload for 5.56/223 and bullets are a little cheaper and more readily available than the 6.5/.264 bullets. The 6.5 Grendel brass can be used for 22 ARC and the 22 ARC can use the same powders.


If you wanted a top of the line bolt action Precision Firearms have a very good reputation for accurate rifles but they are not cheap. Uintah bolt action uppers get good reviews if you want to use an AR-15 lower instead of a chassis. If I were buying a new bolt action I’d probably buy a Savage or Ruger. In 6.5 Grendel unless you are at higher elevation the 6.5 Grendel is about an 800 yard cartridge with a 20” barrel and 123 grain match bullets. I like the 22 ARC as it would make a dandy varmint cartridge plus a good long range cartridge that has light recoil that I could afford to shoot. The easiest answer might to be buy a 6.5 Creedmoor if you don’t reload.

[biodsl]

I don't own a bolt and have no experience them.

If it were 2022, I'd point you to a CZ 527 MTR. They are vaporware now and way too much money. If I were looking to do what you're doing, I'd look at the Ruger American Gen II Predator. Adjustable length of pull and comb height, 22" barrel for velocity. Yes, it takes an AR mag and is therefore limited in overall length, but if you are single feeding (do they single feed in silhouette?), that wouldn't be an issue.

[Klem]

Enduro,

540 and 1K are two very different distances. At 540 you can get away with almost any off-the-shelf bolt gun hitting the target every time, whereas at 1K you have to be more particular. If using anything in Grendel you will struggle with the handicap of a relatively slow calibre (Grendel = transonic at 1K at sea level).

Unlikely you'll find exactly what you want off-the shelf, plus you pay for any marketing/branding associated with the total rifle. For example off-the-shelf AI's are excellent, but in the $10-20K price point. You're better off both in performance and price by talking to your gunsmith and collaborating on a build.

If shooting 1K then you want your residual velocity to be above transonic, so above 1,340fps at the target. You don't want there to be a mix of supersonic and subsonic airflow around the bullet which starts to blow out the group sizes as the bullet's centre-of-pressure shifts forward. You can shoot transonic, and even subsonic at range but the bullet becomes a victim of physics. It's going to be like driving jelly, with slower, lower BC bullets also getting pushed around by the wind. So check the numbers and choose a decent calibre. 6.5 Creedmore is a popular cartridge shooting a 21st Century calibre (308 is 20th Century and the poor cousin of longer thinner bullets at the same velocity). If you reload, which you should for 1K then the world is your oyster for calibre.You can find good compromise between recoil and BC in the 6.5 range: 6.5x47, 6.5 Creedmore, 6.5x55, 260Rem, 6.5PRC, and 6.5x284 - although the 284 is over-bore and burns barrels with higher recoil. If you don't mind changing barrel more often and lets face it, all barrels wear out, then the 284 is an option. 7mm is also decent for 1K. Then there are the magnum calibres which are not necessary to reach 1K.

As for accuracy you will need to consider in order of importance: barrel, scope and trigger. Whether off-the-shelf or building a Frankengun the barrel needs to be the right length, profile and quality. Bartlein, Krieger, Lilja, Shilen, Proof, or overseas manufacturers like Archer, Broughton, Maddco, and TrufFlite are top tier barrel makers. There are others that can shoot just as well like newcomers who have not seasoned their reputation yet. Check the trigger on off-the-shelf rifles as it is unlikely to be suitable for 1K. Triggertech, Timney, BixnAndy, and Jewel are used almost exclusively by long range and target shooters. I use a Triggertech two-stage 'Special' and prior to that a CG Jackson two-stage - I shoot long range every week. Barbour Creek long-range shooting school uses Triggertech 'Special' single-stage and Benchmark barrels in their school guns (never attended nor affiliated with them). Whatever trigger you get make sure it is adjustable and below 2lb all-up.

Are you shooting from a rest or bipod? This influences the stock you get. If exclusively from a rest then I recommend going 3" wide flat forward F-Class Bench-Rest stocks and 3" wide rests. The rest itself will cost $$$. As this is a practical forum I'm guessing you might prefer a bipod. For more practical type shooting then a decent McMillan, Manners, or GRS (Norway) stock will do. Unlikely an off-the-shelf stock will be bedded to the action so if going this way I recommend pillar-bedding. Synthetic or wood is up to you and everyone has an opinion. The modern skeleton frames work, using a v-bedding design so needs no glue/glass bedding.

Top tier $$$ actions like Defiance and Surgeon as far as I know don't sell complete off-the-shelf rifles. You could get a cheapo off-the-shelf like a Rem700 and have it blueprinted and bedded by a reputable gunsmith. Replace the internal magazine with 10rd bottom metal. Tikka/Sako (same factory, same owner) are excellent sub-MOA off-the-shelf rifles. Or for a Ferrari, a Surgeon action in maybe a AI AICS in AT or AX, or an MDT chassis with a stainless match barrel. There are other decent actions like the Weatherby Mk5 and Savage that will work with replacement match barrels.

So, as your expectations of long range performance accuracy increase the less likely you will find it in a total package off-the-shelf. Or if you do then prepare to pay. Also depends on your definition of accuracy at 1K.

One thing for sure, at long range we 'pay to play'.

[Sammy]

Howa Mini is a great option. Ruger American is another good one. if you want to go fancy, you can swap out the factory stock for Oryx chassis.

That said, Grendel slows below 1150ft/s at about 800-850yd. 1000yd might be a challenge. If 1000yd is a must, any 6.5CM rifle is an easy answer. They are supersonic out to 1300yd.

[endurokids3]

Thanks for the replies! Please keep them coming.
I reload for 6.5 Grendel and 6.5 Creedmore as well as other calibers. I will probably use the 6.5 C for the 1K as you suggest.
I've gone down the rabbithole of AR builds and am just getting in to the longer range bolt world.
I appreciate all of the great info am looking for a nice bolt in Gren for range fun, not competition at this time.