Lightweight Pristine + Bix’n Andy + Carbon Six 6GT Build

Building rifles is my passion. I’ve traditionally used a few key components, but it was time for a change. This time I paired a Pristine short action with a Carbon Six 6mm barrel and Bix’n Andy trigger for a lightweight hunting rifle!

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Bill of Materials

The end-to-end build centered around a Pristine short action with .308 bolt face and 6mm 1:7.5 Carbon Six barrel. I recently chambered my first Carbon Six barrel in 6.5 Sherman Short for Piet Malan.

I used Alpha Munitions 6GT legacy reamers for chambering along with a Manson go gauge.

One thing that remained traditional for this build is the Hawkins M5 DBM bottom metal I use on almost all my guns.

I tried a new trigger, the Bix’n Andy two-stage TacSport PRO-X from Bullet Central. I borrowed my carbon fiber Benchmark stock from my 6.5 PRC build for this setup, including the Salmon River Solutions ARCA rail I had attached.

About Pristine Actions

Pristine actions feature a separate pinned recoil lug, roller cocking piece, SAKO extractor, and dual ejectors (except on .223 bolt face). They have a unique six-lug design, floating interchangeable bolt heads, removable bolt handle (5/16”), and are compatible with Savage pre-fit barrels.

All Pristine actions (short action and long action) come in a handy box secured by custom-cut foam. Besides the action body, my box contained a bolt assembly, pinned recoil lug, rail and mounting hardware, trigger pins, and lube.

Short action bolt face options include .223, .308, 6mm ARC, and magnum. Long action bolt face options include .308, magnum, and .338 Lapua.

From Pristine Actions:

The Pristine Action is meticulously crafted as a direct replacement upgrade for the Remington 700, ensuring a seamless transition. Say goodbye to the common oversize bolt issues found in other aftermarket actions.

- CNC machined from one solid piece of pre-hardened 416 Stainless Steel
- Ultra-smooth bolt cycling – less than 4 pounds to lift the bolt
- 2-lug design, with light and quick 90° bolt lift
- Dual ejectors
- Bolt face diameters available for a variety of calibers
- Floating bolt head allows for an exchangeable bolt head

SAKO STYLE EXTRACTOR

Inspired by the time-tested Sako and Tikka rifles, our extractor design redefines reliability. The full-diameter bolt eliminates safety concerns often associated with this type of extractor, providing a secure grip on each cartridge. Utilizing a dual-plunger system for ejection, it guarantees a straight, trouble-free exit from the ejection port, eliminating jams and blockages. Trust in precision with our Sako-style extractor.

FLOATING BOLT HEAD SYSTEM

Our Floating Bolt Head System guarantees consistent alignment, ensuring the bolt face remains perfectly perpendicular to the barrel and cartridge, even in dusty or dirty conditions. This innovative design simplifies caliber changes, empowering customers to switch calibers at home effortlessly, thanks to the compatibility with our Savage pre-fit barrel and barrel nut system – no gunsmith required. Enjoy versatility with ease.

OUR FRICTIONLESS THROW TECHNOLOGY

Our unique roller cocking piece minimizes friction between the cocking piece and the bolt’s rear ramp. Unlike traditional systems that rely on hardened steel, our roller design significantly reduces friction, making for the smoothest bolt lift in the market. This, in combination with our zero cock on close system, allows effortless one-finger operation, providing the lightest bolt lift available.

I was impressed with the fit and finish of the Pristine action as well as their smooth bolt release design.

Preparation

Spending time properly preparing for a rifle build helps ensure you have everything correct and saves you time at the range.

I obtained a tenon print and receiver drawing from Pristine and created my own drawing with my intended specifications.

I also printed off the SAAMI 6GT ammo and chamber specifications and ran the numbers through some proprietary chambering software I am working on. For this build, I turned to the PM-1440HVT-2, a machine setup for precision work.

About the PM-1440HVT-2

The Precision Matthews PM-1440HVT-2 is a great gunsmithing lathe, with the following stand-out features:

All Taiwanese built with Japanese spindle bearings
2.055″ thru-spindle capacity
Available cast iron ultra-rigid base
Variable Speed drive

If you’d like to know more about the PM-1440HVT-2, check out our full overview HERE.

Back to the chambering overview!

Machining

There is no margin for error when machining carbon fiber-wrapped barrels. Use drywall tape to protect the carbon from any material impregnation and scratches. I had 0.100” stainless left on the muzzle end and I had to be very careful with it.

I began my work on the breech-end, indicating the barrel to 0.0005” and pre-drilling the chamber area.

Next I indicated the barrel to 0.0001” and bored the chamber area true. Next came reaming off the lands in the neck area, turning the tenon, and threading the tenon.

I then cut the bulk of the chamber with the Alpha Munitions Legacy solid carbide reamer and verified all dimensions. I follow a very specific checklist so I can focus on the craftsmanship. After I completed the breech end, it was time to thread the muzzle.

I parted off the end of the barrel, threaded it ⅝” x 24, and cut a flat recessed crown with bevels.

Putting it Together

Pristine makes an internal action wrench but I used a generic REM700 external action wrench and Bravo barrel vise to secure the barrel to the action.

With this assembled, I added my 20 MOA Picatinny rail (with loctite!) and installed the two-stage TacSport PRO-X Bix’n Andy trigger.

This trigger has individually adjustable first and second stages and spans 10 ounces to 3.4 lbs. It has a removable safety lever (available right- and left-handed), and is also available as a single stage.

The Benchmark stock needed more clearance, so I set it up on my PM-949TV milling machine and removed more material from the barrel channel for more free-floating room. When this was complete, I torqued the barreled action into the stock and added the Hawkins DBM M5 bottom metal.

A Riton scope in Hawkins rings rounded out the build, pulled off our Bergara 7mm PRC.

Loading and Shooting

To get some initial trigger time, I turned to a 6GT load that had worked well for me before: 34.6 grains of Varget under a Berger 109 grain 6mm long range hybrid target bullet in twice fired Alpha Munitions brass. I used Federal 205 small rifle primers with a 2.600” COL.

The high comb of the Benchmark carbon fiber stock made it a bit difficult to boresight off the 100-yard bench, but I still managed to get on paper. After making some sight adjustments, my next three shots went into 0.320.”

All of this was captured by Longshot’s Hawk spotting scope camera. I fired a follow-up five-shot group that went into 0.669”. I didn’t observe any vertical stringing as the barrel heated up, which is a great sign for a carbon barrel.

I was particularly happy with the Bix’n Andy TacSport PRO-X from Bullet Central. It was very crisp and would do well as both a precision and hunting trigger. I used Piet Malan’s 6.5 Sherman Short for hunting South African game and truly enjoyed using a two-stage there. Though this gun is lightweight by design, recoil was still very manageable.

Check out the first 3-shot group shot through this rifle as a part of sight-in:

Conclusion

I love 6GT as a cartridge and look forward to adventuring with this versatile rifle. Pristine supplied great information that made my chambering process smooth and I was impressed by the Carbon Six barrel.

I’d like to try the Berger 105 grain Hybrid Target bullet as I develop a 6GT load specific to this rifle. These bullets produced my smallest group ever with my custom 6mm Dasher and I want to see what they can do through this gun. Stay tuned for more stories!