AusVarmint

I'm seriously considering having a semi custom rifle put together to replace my sporter barrel T3 in 6.5x55. I like the caliber and I'm well set up with Lapua brass and quality dies. The plastic Tikka bits are functional but annoying. I would really like a double stack/top loadable mag. I only really do lying around and wait or ute shooting, so in hindsight the light barrel wasn't a great idea, and I fancy the extra heft of a heavier barrel and stock combo to make it easier to shoot.

I've been going round the options for a while, including re-barreling/re-stocking the Tikka, changing calibers and going for an off the shelf Sako 85 varmint in 260 or 7-08, or going full custom on a 6.5x47 or similar.

What I keep coming back to is picking up a IV action length Sako 75 on abused guns, 30-06's seem to be most common. This gives me a half decent action, mag and trigger for around the cost of just a custom action. Having a Kreiger/Maddco barrel chambered in 6.5x55 put on, probably something like a Remington varmint profile at around 25-26". Stock would probably be a macmillan Sako varmint.

The things I am concerned about are:
- Spending a heap of money on something which may be hard to sell, no plans to move it on but you never know... Selling a standard Sako Varmint in 260Rem would likely be easier.
- Feeding reliability of the 6.5x55 in a 30-06 action. The mags for both calibers share the same part number, but would there be differences in the action?
- If you are getting this involved anyway, is it worth spending the extra and going full custom?
- My T3 seems to have a long freebore, only 140grainers can get anywhere near the lands. Coincidently or not, the 140s shoot the best. Could I have a custom chamber cut so that I could shoot 140s and on occasion something in the 100g region?

No arguement from me

My only suggestion would be go 6.5x55 AI.

That's not a bad plan, but would much prefer to see you keep your 6,5x55 for a hunting rifle, and then build a real varminter, something in a fast 22cal or a 20, maybe even a 6mm.

You are correct, about some of the AI chamberings being hard to move on, not everyone wants to go to the extra effort of doing brass work, buying dies and so on, and they don't seem to pull the same money as a factory chambering, unless you find someone who really wants that set up.

The 30-06 action would handle the 6.5x55 very well, and I don't think you would have any trouble feeding the AI rounds through it either.

Free bore is something that I don't give much thought to, but if you are worried about it, why not chamber it with a reamer that is just right for a 120gn bullet, then you could just seat the 140s a bit deeper, and the 100 a bit more shallow.

My idea of a custom job, would be buying an action or donor, then adding new stock, barrel and other little bits that make it fit just right for you. Unless you are talking about getting a custom action as well, the the $$$$$$$ will stack up pretty quickly.

Just a few thoughts.

The full custom or semi customs is always a tough question. If your worried about resale go with a custom action as you loose a lot of money when you go to sell a semi custom. That's advise coming from a person who has spent a lot of money on winchesters and Stevens over the years. With a semi custom you spent exactly the same as a full custom but less on the donor. My last Winchester built started with a $400 action, by the time you add a trigger or trigger job, barrel and stock you have spent a lot of cash and you will be lucky to get half of it back. Now if you had spent the extra 1000-1500 at the start you will get more than that back.

If you don't want to sell the rifle or your a Winchester, sako, etc fan then do what you want.

I vote for the Ackley!

Good pick on calibre

Freebore is a funny thing, I shoot 95vmaxs and 140 sst's in my old swede m96, for the 95's I just seat so they can't be pulled out and they still shoot where as the 140's yes could be seated jammed or off the lands, as its hunting I seat them off the lands. I don't think the jump hurts really as it still shoots nicely with the 95's

My 358 based on the 6.5x55AI feeds fine from its stevens mag so feeding is not a drama and the 30-06 long actions you have plenty of room for the 140's.

In a strong modern action the standard swede will perform very well above most loading manuals due to most written for the older actions. You should be able to get your chamber cut to suit whatever pills you want maybe as Camel said set it up for 120's but this may depend on what your laying around to shoot. IF you already primary shoot 140's get it set for them.

My Ackley / improved version (don't think Ackley actually worked with the swede case) in my target action is simple but you do have to fireform etc I think with new powder and primer combo its working better than the first combo.

If you build it and ever need to sell it ..... you never know

Ryan

I agree with seddo, go a custom action , after building my first custom action rifle I've had 5 more and never once thought I should have used a factory action , it's like driving a hsv commodore to a v6 wagon , and you always lose money either way

I'm with Seddo and mistit, custom action all the way!
You buy the Stock, barrel and trigger anyway, why not screw it to an action that work better and has resale value.

I would stick with the 6.5x55.
It would feed very well with a long action.

There is a member here that built a 6.5x55 hunting rifle on a Surgeon action, he loves it.

The AI has my vote too!

Glenn

Thanks everyone, none of you are very helpful for my bank balance.

I'm surprised at the popularity of the AI, are there any big velocity improvements, or are all the advantages in extra case life, or something else?

There is an AI chambered barrel on used guns near me, but it's only 23" long, is this long enough to get any advantage from the extra powder used?

23" might be pushing it to get the most out of that much powder.

tripledeuce wrote:Thanks everyone, none of you are very helpful for my bank balance.

I'm surprised at the popularity of the AI, are there any big velocity improvements, or are all the advantages in extra case life, or something else?

There is an AI chambered barrel on used guns near me, but it's only 23" long, is this long enough to get any advantage from the extra powder used?

I would never consider second hand barrels unless you no how it shoots , and it's threaded for the action of my choice , in the long run much better to buy new in the profile and length your after , bank balance just went down again

Well here is my two cents worth, Ok, the semi custom rifle is fine as it allows you to use some components that you may already have and also it can appear to be the cheaper option as you can purchase the bits and pieces as you go. So here is the down side, yes as everyone has indicated the resale value of your semi custom is often not what you would expect seeing the effort and time you put into the build.........which is really only a problem should you actually ever sell it of course.
Now the custom jobbie, yes you may have to swallow hard when it comes to handing over the hard earned dollars initially but the resale value and pride in ownership is hard to beat, also once you have a custom in the safe it makes all the other factory rifle seem really average................it can be an incurable affliction .As to your choice of cartridge......................I love it!!,I pretty well sold all my factory hunting rifles and built just one and it is a plain jane 6.5x55 and it goes pretty bloody good in my opinion,pretty well everything I have shot with it has fallen over.................and they didn't die from fright.
If you do a swede please use a long a action,I have used short actions ,long actions and honestly think that the must have a short action for quicker bolt throw is a wank, yeah there is a weight saving but that has never really factored into it for me,build the rifle around the cartridge you want to use not the other way around.
In the end a semi custom is fine,as is a custom,it usually comes down to the $$$ in the end,and that concludes my ramblings for the day .

Regards Chris.

Head over to the following link there is 19 pages full of modern swede and AI chatter will five an idea of barrel lengths and velocities. In honesty I see no real reason to go with the AI for hunting, you should be able to push 140's around the 2800 -2900 with 2213sc with a modern/custom action. I will probably build an AI for hunting later but I already have AI brass etc so makes sense. I don't have a chrony so no velocity details sorry. I don know I have managed to get 54 grains of 2217 into the AI case with 140's with just slight crush. With my testing of 2213sc I got up to 50 with no major pressure signs and have further testing to go as I think it will be better with another grain. I am using russian primers too.

Have fun look forward to your build. My semi customs are a savage target action with a shilen and a wayne young stock and the 358 is a stevens long action with a second hand MAB so they are cheap but doubt they will be sold anytime soon.

Might try and load some up this weekend and have a test morning soon.

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If your going to do a LA have you considered a 6.5-06 or 6.5-06AI?

You blokes need to stop I am drooling.

I've done both. Have a few I will probably never sell(semi) which is just as well as when I sold a savage target action with a full custom treatment it took ages and I took a bath. When I posted on here I was thinking of selling practically the same set up rifle on a BAT action I had three offers near what it had cost and never needed to write the for sale ad.

I am patiently awaiting the arrival of another BAT for my next build