Custom .22 Creedmoor Build A to Z

When I built my .22 Creedmoor on a Stiller Predator action, my goal was load development and precision. With that complete, it was time for a lighter rig featuring the Stiller Wombat!

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About the Stiller Wombat Action

Seeking a lightweight rifle for varminting, I settled on the skeletonized Stiller Wombat action.

It is available with a long magnum, short magnum, and short standard .308 bolt face.

From Stiller Actions:

Named after nature’s cuddliest little death machine, the all-new Wombat Action from Stiller is unique, lightweight, and deadly accurate.

Weighing in at just 23 ounces, the Wombat features a skeletonized stainless steel action body that reduces weight while maintaining the industry-leading tolerances that Stiller is known for, in a design that’s never been seen before.

The in-house manufactured 2-lug bolt features a 3-piece assembly that allows the bolt handle and bolt knob to be customized and personalized to the individual shooter.

Comes standard with a 20 MOA rail.

Both the recoil lug and rail are pinned.

Bill of Materials

In addition to the Stiller Wombat with short standard .308 bolt face, I used a Proof Research 20” 1:7 barrel blank from OTM Tactical, Manson reamer and gauges, and Bix’n Andy TacSport X

Watch the video below for more details on Bix’n Andy triggers!

I set it all in a Foundation Gideon stock with Hawkins Precision Hunter DBM and Hunter Mag. (Larger capacity AICS mags are also compatible.)

I chose 1:7 so I could have a direct comparison to my heavier 1:8 .22 Creedmoor build.

Though there are lighter options available, I settled on one of my favorite optics, the Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25×56.

Machining

With such a short barrel, I decided to use my six-jaw chuck on my Precision Matthews TL-1660 lathe so that I could secure both ends and employ my barrel extension.

The TL-1660 is a great gunsmithing lathe, with the following stand-out features:

Ultra Precision, made in Taiwan
16″ swing, 60″ between centers capacity
D1-6 high precision spindle
English and Metric threading without gear changes
One shot lube on the carriage
3-Phase 5hp motor

The first step was to thread the muzzle.

I parted off the unused section of the barrel, taking care to leave some stainless steel before the carbon wrap, and proceeded with a standard muzzle-threading job.

After checking the threads with a thread micrometer, I added my barrel extension and chambered the rifle.

Watch the video for full details!

Assembly

I do not have a laser engraver at the mountain shop, so I decided to put the rifle together and engrave the barrel later.

I used the Short Action Customs’ modular barrel vise to secure the barrel to the action and added the Picatinny rail.

Next, I employed the Rock Vise, using it to hold the barreled action upside down for easy access to the trigger pins.

I installed the Bix’n Andy trigger and set the assembly in the Foundation Gideon.

For some reason the front action screw was a little bit long so I had to shorten it on the lathe.

The final step was to mount the Leupold Mark 5HD.

Shooting

As always, I zeroed the rifle at 100 yards with help from the Longshot Ranger.

I tried several factory rounds, but was disappointed in the performance— all over one inch.

Load development is critical with this cartridge, which pushes everything to the limit. I tried a variety of bullets and finally settled on the Hornady .22 caliber 75 grain A-Max.

Five shots landed in a 0.480” group.

To simulate a hunting scenario, I fired the four shots from my magazine at a target the size of deer vitals at 511 yards.

Caldwell’s Flash Bang target indicators confirmed subsequent impacts.

Conclusion

This shorter, handier rifle is ideal for use with a suppressor and much easier to carry hiking and up in the mountains.

Its low recoil and ballistics make it an ideal rockchuck and coyote cartridge. This project confirmed that load development, particularly bullet selection, is critical with the .22 Creedmoor. What twist rate and bullets are working best for you?