Guys,
I'm a novice to the Long range rifle & shooting and for some reason I have gotten the itch to build a rifle. I have done a little internet research & came to the conclusion that of 2 things. 1) I want a .300 win mag with a heavy barrel. 2) Either a Bell & Carson or McMillan stock. Not sure yet on a scope, however, I am leaning towards a zeiss 5x25x50. I'm wanting to stay under $2k for the rifle minus the optics. My question to the gurus is would I be better off buying one from one of these sniper rifle shops/companies found on the web or would it be possible to build it myself by buying the pieces independently, assuming that I don't have any gunsmith tools, just basic shop tools.

NO!! Have it built buy a good gunsmith. I have had GAPs, GA Percision, and Louisiana Precision and can tell you from experience their is NO reason to spend the extra money on a big name brand. Dont get me wrong Will Rosco Builds a fine rifle a LPR but i have a gunsmith in Annistion that will build me a gun the way I WANT it built. Unlike GAP, who think that they no more than EVERY customer that calls. Do you research and find a good local smith and save your self some money AND get a Nightforce!

Thanks for the advise Shooters. Thats the other problem I have, I only know of two gunsmiths here & around Mobile and know nothing about either or their work. I agree with you on the Nightforce, I just may have to wait a while longer & build up the funds for one of this instead.

i agree on the nightforce. also look at the vortex line if you don't want to spend the money for a NF. if it doesn't have target turrets and doesn't track true it will be useless for longrange hunting/shooting IMO

I agree with shooters but it can b built yourself with optics and stay under your budget.

I built one last year on a savage long action in 6.5-284. It wears the same scope you want and shoots sub 1/4" groups at a 100 yards. All for about $1500.

Shooters,

Who your gunsmith in Anniston?

1st, what's do you call long range? Will this be a hunting rig or for punching paper?

Nightforce if you can afford it. SWFA SS 3-15 if on a budget. Bushnell 6500 if on an even tighter budget.

Jody Perry = JP Precision 256 282 5388. Does all my work I cant do myself. Builds my rifles the way I WANT them built. Every gun he has built me shoots 1/4 MOA at 100 Yards

I sold Jody his first machine.

He has bought several machines from me over the years.

He does good work with them!

You don't have to get one built. I've heard a lot of good reports on the Remington 700 with the 5R rifled barrel. I've got a model 700 VLS with a heavy barrel and ive grouped 1/2" at 200 yds.

Thanks for the input guys

THIS! What are you going to do with it. You can buy a Remington Sendero, have a little work done and shoot 1,000 yards. If you want a Nightforce and a McMillan stock, just buy and put it together.

If you want to shoot competition get ready to spend a lot more money.

Another big question is do you reload??? If you Buy = spend money on a High dollar rifle AND DONT handload OR have someone load for it your not taking full advantage of the gun accuracy. Dont get me wrong, you can buy really good ammo at HIGH prices that will shoot good. Like HSM and that brand that = Best of the West loads for YOUR gun . They will be 80-100 dollars a box. Best Advice is start reloading OR find a friend that does!

Another good point Shooters. I'd learn to reload before I got into long range shooting.

If not consider this...I learned to shoot with a HBAR Mod 70 in .30-06, 10x Unertl, feeding it military match ammo. Was not real bad expensive a long time ago.

Consider a .308 with match ammo. Will be much cheaper than .300 Win Mag and still good out to as far as you'd probably need to shoot.

308 Rem 700 AAC woould be a great starter gun! I must admit, some of the best factory 308 ammo I ever shot was = M118 Lake City Longrange. I THINK you can still buy this stuff at SPortmans Warehouse? I have shot several groups that where 3/4 to 1 MOA at 1000 yards on steel with this load. AND IT doesnt cost an arm and a leg!! AND you could but it in bulk!

Like someone else said what are you planning on doing with the rifle? Are you hell bent on 300 win mag? How far are you going to be shooting? Is there a range in Alabama over 1000 so the 300 can really stretch out? If you're trying to save money go with a Savage action and get a prefit barrel and change your caliber. Do you reload? If not look at some Hornady 140amax in 6.5 Creedmoor. Off the shelf it will be as accurate as you want and it will get you to 1000 all day long.
For a scope under $2k I've look at the Bushnell DMR 3.5x21($1200), a Gen 1 Vortex Razor 5x20, or Bushnell XRS 4-30

Thanks guys for the continued input. My objective of this gun is to be able to hunt with it as well as shoot at a range. Where I hunt, we have some pasteur's and probably the longest shot that I could take would be in the 600-650 yds. range. Everything I've researched has lead me to believe a .308 wouldn't have enough down range ft-lbs. to take down a deer with one shot which was my reasoning for deciding on a .300win mag. For the record, there is only one range within close driving distance that has 1,000 yds. to shoot. I currently do not reload, although my BIL dad does but I have been contemplating it.

A 308 will kill the sheit out of stuff at 600 yards.