featuresfor the ideal, rough use, high round count .308 bolt rifle

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bamaranger

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For a long time, I have pondered the idea of a custom, high round count/rough use bolt .308. The idea first started when I read an article as a kid concerning a rifle that was built for a fella, possibly in Australia, who was doing eradication of a pest species. Unfortunately, I was not savvy, too much of a kid still, to absorb the different features of the rifle that the hunter had created. But the idea intrigued me. Recent threads on the M40 and the M700 systems have rekindled my interest in such a build.

I've got some ideas:
-dimensionally, the rifle would be along the lines of the Savage Hog rifle, to include a barrel nut system for easier rebarrel, threaded muzzle, and blind mag, and 20" barrel for portability
-I'd want a CF action, a Mauser or CF M70 would be fine
-one piece steel scope base, HD steel rings, and a modest fixed power scope, say a Leupold 6x42mm
-some type of space finish on the metal....Black T perhaps
-tough synthetic stock, not too heavy, but beefy enough to absorb some recoil from long shooting strings.

If I could get a Hog Rifle, or the Remington 20" XCR ,with a Mauser action, , I'd be well on my way off the shelf.

Any other ideas, has anybody built such a rifle?
 
Model 70 Extreme Weather is stainless + synthetic, no nut.
$1269.99 and you buy the scope and mount.

A real Mauser would be either big bucks limited production or surplus makeover. Which is not cheap, either. All these Internet Makeovers are best left to the advanced DIY.

I found a guy on Savageshooters.com archives who said he could make a Mauser nut. I don't know how that will work with the Mauser internal receiver ring that the barrel normally butts up against.
 
Hmm!

Two quick responses, thanks guys.

I assume the M70 Extreme would be an FN built rifle, using the "new" M70 trigger. In an ideal build, I would want to avoid the small parts trigger, and have something down the lines of the original M70, or a Mauser type. Big threaded parts and washers, no pins, JC clips, etc.

What exactly constitutes a "M700 footprint"........

Going to the link now........
 
Mausingfield

Just looked at the link, yes, that is not cheap, but would be a basis as I described. Can an old school trigger/safety be fitted to that action?
 
Out of the box a Ruger Scout rifle in the synthetic stock comes the closest to meeting your criteria.

My personal go-to rifle is one of the Winchester EW's in 308. Mine has a McMillan Edge stock on it. Barrel is the full 22". The new Winchesters use the same safety as the older designs. The trigger is different and not interchangeable with the older version. While I prefer the simple ruggedness of the old style Winchester trigger the new trigger has given no cause for concern. They've been using them since 2008 and I've not heard of a single issue.

The Winchester Classics made from 1992-2006 are in my opinion the peak of the 70's. They are true to the pre 64 design including the trigger. But better built on modern CNC machinery. I don't think I've ever ran across one in 308, but 30-06 is probably the most common caliber they were made in.

A photo of my 70 EW, it weghts 7 1/4 lbs as shown. I've since changed to a different scope and current weight is 7 1/2 lbs ready to hunt. This is by far the best all around rifle I've ever owned.

 
bamaranger said:
What exactly constitutes a "M700 footprint"........

Just looked at the link, yes, that is not cheap, but would be a basis as I described. Can an old school trigger/safety be fitted to that action?
Click to expand...

M700 foot print means it'll fit any stock that is for a M700, takes M700 scope bases and mounts, also takes M700 triggers. The trigger is the only down side as you said having the small parts.
 
I think you're putting too much emphasis on the concern for "easy barrel replacement". A few years back, I was buying Parker Hale .308 take-off barrels pulled from British military target rifles. God only knows how many bullets went down those barrels and they're still more accurate than most shooters can challenge.
As far as CR vs PF feed: I've used both and still prefer the PF. The Remington and it's PF system has been challenged by most every condition on the planet over the last almost 1/2 century and does well enough for me.
 
"...with a Mauser action..." Win M70 is based on the Mauser. Mind you, an actual Mauser action isn't difficult to get. However, if "include a barrel nut system" is terribly important to you buy the Savage and build on it.
 
more ideas

I like the Scout Rifle, but never even considered the Ruger.........with a conventional scope, and relenting on the barrel nut, that's a thought, the LC6 Ruger trigger seems fairly simple. And Ruger solves the scope rail issue with their mounting system.

I knew nothing of the FN SPR.......and there indeed is a CF action with old school trigger......short barrel, , maybe a bit heavier than I envisioned, and again, if I nix the barrel nut, and restock ( the pics show a stock a bit more oriented to prone shooting than I'd like w/ the pronounced pistol grip) is much what I was thinking.

The barrel nut is not a game breaker.......but the beefy trigger would be something I would want.

Thanks all.
 
How about a Mauser? Like, you know, a real '98 Mauser.
Plenty of pre-Bubbafied examples around to take the rest of the way.
A set of 8mm dies would be cheaper than the boot to some of the guns and mods it would take to have a tough .308.
 
My high round count 308 is a sportierized Swiss 1911 straight pull bolt rifle converted from 7mm to 308 many years ago.
Cost me 15 bucks in 1968.
Still shoots great.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I think that the most logical reason to go with the 308 has to do with commonality with other weapons in 7.62 NATO. Other than that, There are three other calibers that would make more sense to me. Those would be 30-'06 Springfield, 8mm Mauser, and 270 Winchester.
 
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Back again to continue where I left off.....
I wouldn't care for the barrel-nut idea as I don't believe I would be able to wear out a 30-'06 or similar barrel.
I think the ideal, rough use, high round count, bolt action rifle would be very close to a 1903A-3 Springfield. The problem with the 1903A-3, is mounting a scope that is easily detachable and retaining the original iron sights. It's as-issued sights are fairly excellent and tempt one to forego a scope altogether. I don't like the forward-mounted scout-scope configuration at all.
The model 98K Mauser is another great platform to build from. The sights need to be improved and a quick-detach scope with back-up aperture sight added. But there is nothing wrong with the 8mm mauser caliber, except, perhaps, readily available ammo compared to 308 Winchester, etc.
Both the Mauser and the Springfield were designed for battlefield use/abuse, and thus set a standard for ruggedness that anything we would build should come close to for hard usage.
The Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle has some interesting features, like the aperture rear sight and scope mounts integral with the receiver. However, there are other features I don't like: The detachable box magazine; no thank you. I would rather have a standard integral box magazine, with or without a hinged floorplate, and a receiver milled for stripper-clips instead. Also, I want a 22" to 24" barrel, no pick-yer-nose rail on it, and lose the muzzle device, please. A Walnut handguard over the barrel to go with a Walnut stock would be good with me, though I could make do without as well.
And then there is the possibility of building this hypothetical rifle from a fairly common existing sporting rifle. What comes to my mind would be a model 70, or possibly model 54 Winchester. It would have to be a 30-'06 or even a 270, since they are so common. Of course, the desirable features would include a compact and rugged aperture rear sight that mounts on the rear scope mount, retains its zero well when dismounted and remounted, and is stored in the buttstock with the cleaning gear when a scope is mounted. The scope should be in a quickly detachable set-up that also does an acceptable job of retaining it's zero when remounted. Stripper-clip slots should simply be standard configuration.
So, there you go, that's my idea of a great, rugged, self-reliant, bolt-action rifle. But if they built them just like that, would enough people buy them to make it a successful product? We could all certainly dump a lot of money into creating our own ideal rifle, if we could afford it and justify such an expediture. So we dream on.....
 
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