Handloader's

Custom loads for the lucky winner.

- John Haviland

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Handloader magazine, some lucky shooter is going to win an extensively customized rifle. The rifle passed through many hands during its creation to make sure it handles and shoots as good as it looks, and of course, it’s only fitting the rifle’s new owner will receive complete handloading information specific to the rifle.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is an appropriate cartridge choice for the rifle. Since Hornady introduced the Creedmoor in 2008, the cartridge has become quite popular, as this balanced cartridge performs well with a variety of powders and bullets for shooting everything from targets to varmints to big game.

The rifle started its journey at White City, Oregon, where Pacific Tool & Gauge (PTG) extensively modified a Remington Model 700 receiver into its Extreme Remington 700. PTG trued the action to ensure the receiver face, barrel threads, bolt lugs and bolt face were square to the center line of the receiver. An oversized recoil lug was also added. PTG fitted its one-piece bolt to the receiver raceway with a tight clearance. Inside the bolt is threaded a BR Precision Lite-Steel Fluted Firing Pin Assembly. The bolt received further work with the Model 700’s steel ring extractor replaced with an M16-style extractor, its body milled with spiral flutes and an oversized bolt knob threaded onto the handle.