1st custom rifle w/ backstory

[azpredator@work]

So I have to start by saying I know very little to nothing about rifles. I've helped a lot of folks on their rifle hunts, but never got into it myself. My son was able to shoot a bunch of bulls with his rifle before graduating high school. His first bull was @ 78yds with a 7-08. He shot a couple more bulls with that rifle and we upgraded to a sako 300wm and that rifle was a shooter! He began to want to shoot further and further and became a really good shot. In order to continue spending time with him I eventually bought a rifle for myself. First time shooting a rifle for me in nearly 15 years. I was buying 5 boxes of ammo a month for him. We live 5 minutes away from one of our shooting spots so it was easy for him to set up and shoot. I enjoyed going out with him, but never enjoyed the shooting of paper much (kinda boring). For father's day last year he bought me a steel target. He took it out and shot it up a bunch before I went with him. The first time I shot steel changed my whole outlook shooting rifles. I was immediately hooked!! I was limited at first to 300-400 yards, but my boy was 800+ yds and consistently hitting the plate. After the last year and a half shooting I'm to a point where I'm very comfortable shooting the steel targets up to 650 yds w/ factory ammo (I still haven't started reloading myself yet). I decided it was time to turn a rifle (25-06 tikka) that I bought for my niece to javelina / deer hunt into a custom and so it began...

 

Just like most of you, I enjoy reading the other folks' stories about their builds so I figured I'd share what my choices were. I started by reading a lot of online stories about who different guys chose to complete their builds and eventually went with Eric @ Axisworks and wasn't dissapointed. Here's the build:

 

Action - tikka

Barrel - Benchmark #4 1:8 twist @ 22"

Caliber - 6.5 creedmore

Stock - McMillan gamewarden edge filled and bedded

Trigger - Tikka w/ Yo Dave spring installed

Cerakote - elite smoke

Brake - APA micro bastard

Bolt -Fluted

Picatinny rail 20moa

Scope - Vortex Razor hd 5-20

 

Stock Tikka 25-06 - didn't shoot overly well. Well beyond MOA, closer to 2 MOA with factory ammo.

 

After Axisworks did their part:

 

Now, it's my turn to do my part. Bought all the different kinds I could get my hands on to see which factory ammo shoots the best.

 

Each group was a different type of round. From right to left. Sig, Hornady, Barnes & Federal. Federal shot the best by far.

 

1.643" group @ 187 yds with federal premium 140gr factory ammo.

 

With my son now in Greece with the Navy I lost my shooting buddy, but have been able to get out 3 times with this new rifle. Each time, she shoots better and better (maybe it's me!). After 40 rounds down the tube now I think it's time to stretch her legs! I drew a unit 7 rifle tag. I'm pretty excited to have a tag with a weapon like this. Sure does inspire confidence. Thanks to those who have helped answer so many of my questions. I truly appreciate your knowledge.

 

Wade

 

 

 

[rcdinaz]

Great looking rifle, congratulations!

[firstcoueswas80]

I haven't read the post yet, so if this was addressed already please forgive me.

 

Having a custom rifle built and shooting Factory ammo is like driving a Ferrari with an automatic transmission!

[azpredator@work]

I haven't read the post yet, so if this was addressed already please forgive me.

 

Having a custom rifle built and shooting Factory ammo is like driving a Ferrari with an automatic transmission!

 

 

Haha! I'm cool with that. I'm an automatic tranny kind of guy

[lancetkenyon]

Wade, If you want some handloads built, let me know.

[Big Browns]

Sweet looking gun Wade!!!!!!

[Douglas-gun-guy]

Looks awesome! And the federal ammo definitely shows promise. When Im shooting factory ammo out of my custom 7mm Rem Mag I also shoot federal with good results.

[Saguaro]

Thanks for sharing. I like the honesty about not knowing a lot about rifles. I think that is important when doing a custom build. We all know enough basics about rifles but the expert builders know much more. I have a few custom builds and each time I get one built, I ask the gunsmith to advise me rather than me telling him how to and what to use to build.

[Hunterdan]

I seen your Gun over at Erics. Turn out very nice!! Congrats.

[no worries]

Great looking rifle. From what I've read about Eric's rifles, that group is going to get a lot smaller. Good luck on your upcoming hunt.

[Zeke-BE]

Loves the tikkas I have to customes built with a tikkas action and one from Axis

[mfernaz]

Great story, beautiful rifle.

[AZAV8ER]

How did the hunt go? What bullet in the FED PREM load? I just got out hunting with my son this year he was in the Army for 7 years.

[azpredator@work]

Don’t recall the fed premium load. Ended up shooting the hornady eldx. Shot my buck at 250 yards. Was a tough hunt for me. I drove up there with 102 fever. I had the flu and strep throat. My eardrum ruptured the night in my tent before I killed my buck as well which was quite painful. It was a fork. He went about 8 yards from point of impact. Didn’t matter much - just wanted to fill my tag, make a memory and plan my move to Maryland! 

[Mocha1545]

Congrats on the hunt. Great tenacity to stick with it when you’re that sick!