12-02-2021, 06:23 PM
I had a smith stuff a 24" proof carbon sendero contour barrel onto a cz 527 American, did the stainless and the Leupold scope in a medium grey cerakote and it was shooting hornady black into 2.5" pretty easy at 500 yards for 3 shot groups. It was also a fast barrel, spitting them out at 2605 fps, rated at 2580 fps but the factory 23.5" barrel only spat them out at 2552 fps. My smith was a wizard with the channelling of that fat barrel in that skinny stock, work of art. Trigger at 2 3/4 lbs only hint o creep, not noticeable in field conditions, pillar bedded and I worked the action over a few hundred times with jb bore paste to slick it up. Then decided the dang thing was entire too fancy for me and sold it after a couple kills. Now I run Ruger American Ranch in MDT Chassis and love it, no gunsmith required, built the thing on the kitchen table, shoots 3/4 moa to 500 with same ammo. You could get timney trigger and proof carbon barrel for that and in a chassis be pretty sweet semi custom. Lots you can do with the Howa, Pendleton stock, hinged floor plate bottom metal or cz magazine conversion bottom metal, timney trigger as well and you'd have a major ultralight with the right barrel. The problem with full size actions then you can do aics mags with the kits I believe.
If you're after a longer bomber bean field go Ruger, 24" proof barrel, mdt chassis, timney trigger, custom cerakoting when done, be a sweet set up.
My cz American with that barrel and Leupold 4.5-14x40 (30mm tube side focus) was exactly 8.0 lbs fyi, it was a beauty.
Other idea I've had is watch for the old Ruger M77 boat paddle stock 7.62x39's and a simple rebarrel and restock to make an awesome stainless 6.5g. Trick is finding those. Any 7.62x39 is just a barrel swap away. Savage had some, Ruger had some, I believe Sako had a 6 ppc pretty sure that's just a barrel swap also as same parent case. There is one outfit that will do custom Sako's on their .223 length (XS action) in 6.5 Grendel...googe sako 6.5 Grendel and it should pop up.
I wish sako would chamber their 85 XS action rifles in 6.5 Grendel, a finnlight or carbon light or even walnut stainless would be incredible and drool worthy little rigs.
I'm not giving up my 10 round mags with the Ruger Ranch though so it's my platform now, will finish one custom Howa but I'd bet anything it'll be just for fun and I'll sell it and keep the Ruger. Oh and the new CZ 600 will be a platform to watch going forward, they haven't chambered the Grendel yet but they will, it could be a good place to do a custom barrel and set up on?
If you're after a longer bomber bean field go Ruger, 24" proof barrel, mdt chassis, timney trigger, custom cerakoting when done, be a sweet set up.
My cz American with that barrel and Leupold 4.5-14x40 (30mm tube side focus) was exactly 8.0 lbs fyi, it was a beauty.
Other idea I've had is watch for the old Ruger M77 boat paddle stock 7.62x39's and a simple rebarrel and restock to make an awesome stainless 6.5g. Trick is finding those. Any 7.62x39 is just a barrel swap away. Savage had some, Ruger had some, I believe Sako had a 6 ppc pretty sure that's just a barrel swap also as same parent case. There is one outfit that will do custom Sako's on their .223 length (XS action) in 6.5 Grendel...googe sako 6.5 Grendel and it should pop up.
I wish sako would chamber their 85 XS action rifles in 6.5 Grendel, a finnlight or carbon light or even walnut stainless would be incredible and drool worthy little rigs.
I'm not giving up my 10 round mags with the Ruger Ranch though so it's my platform now, will finish one custom Howa but I'd bet anything it'll be just for fun and I'll sell it and keep the Ruger. Oh and the new CZ 600 will be a platform to watch going forward, they haven't chambered the Grendel yet but they will, it could be a good place to do a custom barrel and set up on?