Custom Saber Tactical Menace Chassis Deer Build: Bergara 6.5 Creedmoor for Kentucky

This Field Notes post is my custom 2026 deer rifle built around the Saber Tactical Menace Remington 700 chassis, now complete and ready for the season. If you caught the Menace intro Field Notes back in July, you already know the chassis story. This post is the next chapter: the suppressor, optic, and ammo I paired with my own Bergara B14 Premier in 6.5 Creedmoor for an upcoming Kentucky trip with Keith from 68 Whiskey.

My Menace deer build packed out: Bergara 6.5 Creedmoor, Element Helix HD 1-8x24, and the Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB under the cover on the First Lite pack.

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Why an Over-the-Barrel Can on a 24 Inch Hunting Barrel?

The whole point of running a 24 inch Bergara barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor is squeezing every bit of terminal performance out of that cartridge, and the last thing I wanted for a backcountry-ready deer rifle was to hang a conventional suppressor that adds most of its full length out past the muzzle. On Instagram I called this the "Zero Dollar Tax Stamp Suppressor" moment for the build, which was just me being excited about the promo timing on this can for the Kentucky trip, not legal advice, so do your own homework on NFA paperwork and dealer requirements where you live.

The Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB solves the length problem with an over-the-barrel blast chamber that wraps rearward around the barrel instead of living entirely forward of the muzzle. Published specs from Dead Air put the can at 7.65 inches long by 1.76 inches in diameter, about 10.5 ounces of Grade 5 titanium, and only about 4.6 inches added to overall rifle length on barrels up to 1 inch in diameter, with an included Xeno Radial Brake. That lines up with what I said on the reel about only adding a few inches forward of the muzzle on this already-long hunting profile, so the rifle stays shorter, lighter, and hearing-safer without giving up the barrel length that makes 6.5 Creedmoor do its thing.

If you want the full manufacturer sheet, go straight to Dead Air's Nomad Ti OTB page or a dealer that carries it. We are not selling that can on sabertacticalinc.com, and I am not going to pretend we are.

The Nomad Ti OTB and cover laid out next to the Bergara barrel and Menace forend so you can see how the over-the-barrel can actually packs.

Menace Weight, Folding Stock, and QD Points for Backcountry Hunting

The reason this chassis works for a Kentucky hunt that might stretch to 200 or 250 yards, and for the swamp-edge Michigan woods where most of my shots are 50 to 100 yards, is that the Menace stays light where it counts. The product page lists a 4.6 pound base chassis weight, and on Instagram I rounded that to about 4.5 pounds, either way it is a hunting-first number once you drop in a Bergara B14 and glass instead of stacking competition weights. Fold the aluminum buttstock with the magnetic hold-back, clip a sling into the integrated QD points, and suddenly a Remington 700 footprint rifle is packing a lot shorter for the truck, the blind, or a walk through thick cover.

You still get the full-length ARCA rail with the jimped underside for bags and packs, M-LOK all the way out the forend, the Rubberized Vertical Grip and adjustable thumb shelf, tool-free length of pull, adjustable cheek rest, and the NV/thermal bridge if you want to clip something on later. I already covered that hybrid hunting and match design story in the July Menace Field Notes, so I am not going to rehash the whole development tale here.

Menace folding stock locked back on the First Lite pack, same packable setup this deer build takes into the woods.

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One Chassis, Rimfire Plinking and Centerfire Deer

One of my favorite parts of this Menace setup is how versatile the footprint is. I have this chassis set up for both Remington 700 rimfire and centerfire with Bergara B14 barreled actions, so the same stock, grip, ARCA rail, and folding buttstock can go from precision plinking with .22 LR to dropping deer with short-action centerfire. That is a huge deal for me because I do not want a safe queen hunting rifle and a totally different training rifle that feels nothing alike when I press the trigger.

The barrel inlet clears contours up to 1.75 inches, including TACOM HQ structured barrels, so the hunting contour Bergara sits in there clean, and if you ever want to go heavier for a match weekend you still have the counter-bored weight mounts and M-LOK real estate to do it. For this deer build I am keeping it light on purpose.

Right-side profile of the Menace, with the full-length ARCA rail and folding stock that make rimfire-to-centerfire swaps feel like the same rifle.

Why I Passed on High Mag and Chose an Element Helix HD 1-8x24 LPVO

For optics I deliberately passed on the high-mag glass I usually eye for prairie dogs and ELR work, because I wanted this deer rifle light with no giant 50 or 56 mm objective hanging off the front. I compared the Element Helix HD 2-12x42 I had been looking at, and I recently ran an Element Theos 2-10x42 on an AirForce Texan for a doe, but for thick Michigan cover and a Kentucky trip where the longest shot is maybe 200 to 250 yards, I landed on the Element Helix HD 1-8x24 LPVO.

It is a second focal plane scope with a 24 mm objective and a simple L4A fiber duplex reticle, and the way I am using it in the woods matches how an LPVO should work. At 1x the field of view feels close to naked eye, which is perfect for a deer that steps out at 20 yards. Past about 4x or 5x in thick brush you start burying yourself in the sticks and leaves, so I keep the magnification honest until I need 8x to count antler points. That is a hunting optic choice, not a competition optic choice, and it pairs really well with a light Menace chassis that already wants to stay nimble.

Federal +Peak 6.5 Creedmoor Ballistics Notes for This Build

Ammo for the Kentucky trip is Federal's new 80, 000 PSI +Peak 6.5 Creedmoor load, the 155 grain Fusion Tipped running about 2, 900 feet per second. With a 100-yard zero I am looking at roughly a 7 inch holdover at 250 yards based on the numbers I shared on Instagram, which covers the longest shot I realistically expect on this hunt with Keith. I am not inventing chronograph strings or group sizes beyond what I have already put out there, so treat that as the working dope for this specific Bergara and load until I get more data on the ground in Kentucky.

Between the 24 inch barrel, the Nomad Ti OTB keeping the overall package short and hearing safer, the Menace chassis keeping the rifle light and foldable, and the Helix HD 1-8x24 keeping the glass simple in thick cover, this is the deer hunting masterpiece I have been building toward all year.

T&K Made in USA cover laced over the Nomad Ti OTB so the can stays quieter and cooler in the field.

Element Helix HD 1-8x24 on the Bergara B14 Premier in the Menace, mag ring and ELEMENT mark visible.

Side-by-side: the Helix HD 1-8x24 I installed for this deer build, next to the higher-mag Helix HD I passed on for thick cover.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Saber Tactical Menace deer build for Kentucky?

It is my Bergara B14 Premier in 6.5 Creedmoor dropped into a Saber Tactical Menace Remington 700 chassis, topped with an Element Helix HD 1-8x24 LPVO, fed Federal +Peak 155 gr Fusion Tipped, and suppressed with a Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB. The trip is with Keith from 68 Whiskey, and the longest shot I am planning around is maybe 200 to 250 yards.

Why use a Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB on a 24 inch hunting barrel?

Because a conventional can would add most of its length past the muzzle on an already-long hunting barrel. The Nomad Ti OTB wraps the blast chamber over the barrel and, per Dead Air's published specs, only adds about 4.6 inches of overall length and 10.5 ounces while keeping hearing-safer suppression on a titanium can rated up through .300 RUM / 7mm Backcountry class cartridges.

Does Saber Tactical sell the Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB?

No. Dead Air is a third-party suppressor brand. Check Dead Air or authorized dealers for availability, pricing, and the legal process that applies where you live. On the Saber Tactical side we sell the Menace chassis, not suppressors or complete rifles; the Bergara, Helix HD, and Nomad Ti OTB in this post are parts of my personal custom build.

How much does the Saber Tactical Menace chassis weigh?

The product page lists a 4.6 pound base chassis weight. On Instagram I called it about 4.5 pounds, which is the same ballpark once you round. That light base weight is a big reason this build stays backcountry hunting ready with a folding stock and QD sling points.

Can the Menace run both rimfire and centerfire actions?

Yes. The Menace supports Remington 700 short-action footprints and compatible clones, including full-size Remington 700-pattern rimfire actions. I run Bergara B14 barreled actions in both rimfire and short-action centerfire in the same chassis so I can precision plink with .22 LR and hunt deer with 6.5 Creedmoor without changing the whole rifle feel.

Why choose an Element Helix HD 1-8x24 instead of a higher-magnification scope?

I wanted light glass with a small 24 mm objective for thick cover. At 1x the field of view is close to naked eye for short shots, past 4x or 5x in the woods you can bury yourself in brush, and 8x is enough to count antler points for the distances I expect on this hunt. I passed on bigger 50/56 mm objectives and higher-mag options like the Helix HD 2-12x42 for this specific deer setup.

What ammo are you running in the Bergara 6.5 Creedmoor?

Federal's new 80, 000 PSI +Peak 6.5 Creedmoor, 155 grain Fusion Tipped at about 2, 900 fps. With a 100-yard zero I am working with roughly a 7 inch holdover at 250 yards based on the numbers I shared when I finished the build.

Final Thoughts

That is my custom Saber Tactical Menace deer build as it sits heading into Kentucky: short enough to stay handy thanks to the Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB, light enough to carry thanks to a 4.6 pound Menace chassis with a folding stock, versatile enough to swap rimfire and centerfire Bergara actions, and simple enough behind the glass with a 1-8x24 Helix HD for thick cover. Huge shout out to Keith from 68 Whiskey for the upcoming hunt, and if you want the chassis that made this whole hybrid hunting and match idea real, grab a Menace and build your own. The Menace chassis is the Saber Tactical piece of this build; the barreled action, suppressor, and optic are components I sourced separately for my own rifle.

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