I’ve got a long term project going on. After JAE announced that they closed, I bought a JAE-700 long action chassis. I think I have about 9 rifles chambered in 308 already with one being a Savage long action and one being a short action.

I want this rifle to exceed anything I’d get out of a 308, 6.5C, 30-06, etc...

I’d like something that takes Magpul AICS 30-06 or 300 win mag magazines. I don’t care about barrel life. I might build on a Bighorn action or a Defiance.

Tony.

Plans with it? How far, how often....

Is the JAE long action chassis 338 CIP magazine compatible or 300WM?

Not sure what you plan to do with it. I would look at the .300 RUM or the .338 Lapua or maybe the 300 norma

I plan on shooting 600 yard matches and the occasional 1,000 yard match. I might fiddle with 1500 out in Eastern Oregon once a year or so. There is a 1,000 yard range within an hour of my house, so I can see myself shooting 1,000 on a regular basis and 600 on a more frequent basis since they shoot twice a week and that's only a 40 minute drive from my house.

I am not sure it will work with CIP mags.

Tony.

I would look hard at the .300 Rum

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
I plan on shooting 600 yard matches and the occasional 1,000 yard match.

What kind of matches?
Are your targets steel? One hit anywhere, scores one point?

Or are your targets paper? Shooting for groups or shooting for score?

What are the shooting positions? Bench, prone, variable positions, off barricades, sitting/kneeling/standing?

What are your time limits for strings? How many rounds are shot in a day's match?

Are brakes or suppressors allowed?

I can tell you right up front that a 30 Nosler won't be competitive at 600 yards against smaller bore rifles, with less powder in the boiler room. Same for any other 30 caliber magnum chambering. I have a buddy who shoots the 30 Nosler quite well in ELR matches. He shoots 6mm and 6.5mm standard case capacity (i.e. 308-ish case) rifles a whole lot better in a monthly steel match where target distances vary from 400 to 800 yards.

The 1,000 yard range (Douglas Ridge) is strictly paper, as far as I know. The last time I was there a couple of years ago shooting 600, there were no steel targets. Their 1,000 yard day is every Thursday.

Tri-county has 600 yard shoots every Tuesday and some Saturdays and that's strictly paper. One shot per minute pace for 20 shots on a F-class target. I just looked on the calendar and I don't see any long range precision rifle matches in the forecast. All the tactical matches are "tactical rifle" which are AR-type's inside 300 yards.

No restrictions on brakes or suppressors.

Shootings positions are limited to bench and prone at Tri-county and prone at Douglas Ridge.

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
The 1,000 yard range (Douglas Ridge) is strictly paper, as far as I know. The last time I was there a couple of years ago shooting 600, there were no steel targets. Their 1,000 yard day is every Thursday.

Tri-county has 600 yard shoots every Tuesday and some Saturdays and that's strictly paper. One shot per minute pace for 20 shots on a F-class target. I just looked on the calendar and I don't see any long range precision rifle matches in the forecast. All the tactical matches are "tactical rifle" which are AR-type's inside 300 yards.

No restrictions on brakes or suppressors.

Shootings positions are limited to bench and prone at Tri-county and prone at Douglas Ridge.

Tony.

For the above matches a 30 Nosler would be way too much gun especially for the 600yd match. Long action caliber for the above matches, straight 284 with a 28-30" barrel would be a very easy choice for me. Look at what calibers have been dominating 1000yd F-Class open for many years, mostly the 284.

The occasional 1500yd shot, a 284 will get you there.

I agree with offgrid's recommendation of straight 284.

On a little different venue, we have shot at a Wyoming ELR match for a few years. Steel targets, mainly prone field positions, target distances of 800-1800 yards -- with one target at 2100 yards.

This year the winds weren't too bad. A 6.5-'06 was used by the winner.

Last year the winds were more challenging. I believe a 7 SAUM was used by the winner and a number of the guys close to the top.

7mm chamberings do quite well at distance. There are very accurate bullets with high ballistic coefficients, and the bullets aren't so heavy as to require huge case capacity.

Okay, 284 it is then. If I get a Defiance action, I'll go with a Criterion Rem/Age barrel with Savage style barrel nut. If I go with a Bighorn, I may go with a Benchmark 5R barrel.

Thanks for helping me with this.

Tony.

For this kind of build, I would not go with a barrel nut! I've seen problems 1st hand, POI shifts. See any barrel nuts on F-Class guns, nope! Skim bed that chassis and use AICS brand mags only.

Gunsmith jelrod1 here on the board has a 284 reamer, most likely his reamer freebore is set up for Berger 180 Hybrids At my altitude (5000' is the lowest I shoot) a 9 twist stabilizes a Berger 180 Hyrbid. Your altitude go with a 8.5 twist.

I've never been to an F-class competition, so I wouldn't know.

I can do a traditional barrel instead. Maybe I'll go Kreiger 5R.

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
I can do a traditional barrel instead. Maybe I'll go Kreiger 5R.

From what I recall, Krieger tends to go with 4-groove barrels. Bartlein tends more towards the 5R.

I don't know that 4 vs. 5 makes any difference in accuracy, as both my Bartlein and Krieger barrels have been very accurate. I think the manufacturer and their attention to detail makes the difference.

I have 6-groove AR-15 barrels from Wilson Combat that are quite accurate, too.

Offgrid has burned up more barrels that I, and has more experience with the top barrel makers. Bartlein and Krieger aren't the only game in town, but they are good options.