Turning my savage into a precision rig

[PaulCR]

OK, so i have a youth model (i believe...) savage .243 bolt action that I would like to gradually part out into a precision rig as I become more proficient with it. It is an acutrigger but plain wooden stock, not acustock model. First off how do I go about determining what model and receiver it uses?
What would your advice be as far as upgrades to the gun? Yes I know the spend your money on ammo song but I enjoy projects, especially gun related ones and after my AR build i have not had one, and 1911s seem pretty tool heavy.
I am thinking currently a Manners stock, undecided on adjustable or not, and the new folding models are sexy as hell, but more pricy.
Once I replaced the stock what would it entail to get a detachable mag system going?
I want to upgrade my glass eventually to something Mil/Mil with enough mag to reach me to 1000yds if i ever so wish to do so. I also want FFP, a nice reticule and illumination. I am thinking Nightforce, Vortex, or Leupold, depending on fundage. My current scope is a base line Nikon 3-9, and while it is nice, it doesn't have the features im looking for (no exposed turrets ) so cant really shoot to more than one zero.
I also plan on replacing the barrel at some point, and caliber with it. 260, 6.5 creedmore or .308? thoughts on those options?
I like the acutrigger for now, so that will be a later upgrade I think.
A new bolt handle would also be nice.

So zombie squad, tell me. What order would you do these upgrades in? Stock first, then save for scope etc? or save all for really nice glass (NF) and then part out the other stuff?
Basically what has the most bang for buck here? I was thinking i would shoot my .243 barrel until I need better or shoot it out (hot round, shouldn't take too long), and then have the action trued etc when i get the new barrel put on.

My vision for the gun is a light (ish) gun that can be easily carried around and handled, probably in 18-20''. I think perhaps a 260 would work well for this, as it has the velocity to spare. What profile barrel would you recommend?


Thanks
Paul

[sigboy40]

You seem torn on what type of rifle you want. Do you want a light, quick handling rifle? Or do you want a precision gun?

They really are two different things.

To answer your initial question, buy glass first. Buy the best glass you can afford, that fits the kind of rifle you want. Barrel profiles and stocks need to be matched to each other, and would best be purchased at the same time.

Now that I answered your question, please answer one for me.

Can you hit any target that you can see, from any reasonable shooting position, in all weather conditions, from 0 to 300 yards? If the answer is no, there is no reason to spend any money customizing your rifle until you can.

[TacAir]

Another low cost 'upgrade' is to float and bed the rifle.

And something that you could do for your self.

[SRO1911]

Reloading equipment - I have yet to see a savage rifle that would not shoot out of the box, provided you feed it right. Then good glass, bed and float. You can tune your loads to your rifle a lot easier than you can try to tune the rifle ot someone else's loads

[ultra magnus]

You seem torn on what type of rifle you want. Do you want a light, quick handling rifle? Or do you want a precision gun?

They really are two different things.

To answer your initial question, buy glass first. Buy the best glass you can afford, that fits the kind of rifle you want. Barrel profiles and stocks need to be matched to each other, and would best be purchased at the same time.

Now that I answered your question, please answer one for me.

Can you hit any target that you can see, from any reasonable shooting position, in all weather conditions, from 0 to 300 yards? If the answer is no, there is no reason to spend any money customizing your rifle until you can.

Kind of what I was thinking. What's the point of paying big bucks to marginally improve mechanical accuracy if you can't wring it out?

[PaulCR]

Im not going to claim to be some crazy navy seal sniper here but im confident enough in my shooting ability. As for the 300 yards, i usually don't shoot in inclement weather with my hunting rifle but speaking generally if i can see it with my bare eyes (not through scope) within 3 i can hit it. My title seems to have been rather misleading. I do not want a dedicated precision rig, so much as a 'tactical' style rifle that is not too heavy to be shot offhand (not for many shots, but still possible) without much difficulty, but still be able to reach out and take those really long shots. I understand that this wont be a super light gun, my light weight comment was meant in relation to other long range rifles. I will be getting into long range shooting (haven't done much of it as of yet), as I will soon have more time and access to long ranges. Essentially i want to gradually upgrade this rifle as i grow into it, or have it there to grow into.

Thanks for the bedding the stock idea, I had not considered that, actually forgot you could do this on wooden stocks. I will be bedding and free floating the barrel soon as one of my issues with the stock was the lack of these traits.

The first place i will put money into this gun i think will be glass, as the I see the Nikon as quite limiting, as well as a bipod to help in prone.

Once I shoot out the barrel (correct me if i am wrong here, but this will be after several 1000s of rounds) I plan to upgrade the barrel and stock, and have a gunsmith give it a one over. After so many rounds I would expect to be at a level to where I could see the improvement (would have to be to even notice it is happening, no?)


So is there any major flaws you can spot out with this plan?

[ultra magnus]

Im not going to claim to be some crazy navy seal sniper here but im confident enough in my shooting ability. As for the 300 yards, i usually don't shoot in inclement weather with my hunting rifle but speaking generally if i can see it with my bare eyes (not through scope) within 3 i can hit it. My title seems to have been rather misleading. I do not want a dedicated precision rig, so much as a 'tactical' style rifle that is not too heavy to be shot offhand (not for many shots, but still possible) without much difficulty, but still be able to reach out and take those really long shots. I understand that this wont be a super light gun, my light weight comment was meant in relation to other long range rifles. I will be getting into long range shooting (haven't done much of it as of yet), as I will soon have more time and access to long ranges. Essentially i want to gradually upgrade this rifle as i grow into it, or have it there to grow into.

Thanks for the bedding the stock idea, I had not considered that, actually forgot you could do this on wooden stocks. I will be bedding and free floating the barrel soon as one of my issues with the stock was the lack of these traits.

The first place i will put money into this gun i think will be glass, as the I see the Nikon as quite limiting, as well as a bipod to help in prone.

Once I shoot out the barrel (correct me if i am wrong here, but this will be after several 1000s of rounds) I plan to upgrade the barrel and stock, and have a gunsmith give it a one over. After so many rounds I would expect to be at a level to where I could see the improvement (would have to be to even notice it is happening, no?)


So is there any major flaws you can spot out with this plan?

Do you reload this round?

[PaulCR]

I do not reload as of yet but .243 is easily available. I plan to be reloading by the time i would swap the barrel

[ultra magnus]

I do not reload as of yet but .243 is easily available. I plan to be reloading by the time i would swap the barrel

From a quick look ammo wasn't really available for less than about $1 a round. If you don't have a source for cheaper stuff, then you may want to consider a whole new gun. If you are planning on shooting a barrel out with $1 a round ammo and THEN upgrading, you could probably sell your current gun, switch to a cheaper caliber, buy the same amount of ammo, and get a "precision" gun, for the same price as just the ammo to shoot out the .243 barrel.

[munchie3409]

Why would you pay someone to work on your Savage? Buying a Savage will allow you to do most of the work yourself and save time and money. I'm a big fan of Savages due to being able to do most of the work myself. If you do want some work done...get in touch with Kevin Rayhill...that guy is awesome with Savages...he is a talker on the phone and won't take months to complete the work...unlike Fred at SSS. I had Kevin do his T&T job and he had it done the same day he received my action.

If I were in your shoes...I'd get great glass first and foremost. A stock isn't going to help you shoot better, but good glass will certainly help with your shooting. If I were starting all over again...I'd ditch the thought of getting a 308 barrel. I'd go with either a 243 or a 260. The 243 shooting 115gr DTAC bullets will be a hammer and so will the 260. The 243 barrel will need to be replaced sooner than the 260, but it's an impressive caliber.

Don't get me wrong I love my 308 and the only reason why I'm sticking with it is because I have so many reloading components, but if I were to start from scratch, I'd get a more efficient caliber from the start. I've taken my 308 beyond 1,000 yards and it does very well, but the 243 and 260 are just better performers.

Manners makes some really nice stocks...so does McRee and XLR...IMO, the McRee and XLR chassis are better than Manners/McMillan because it's more modular. I have an order for an XLR chassis for my TRG...they are not inexpensive, but offer a lot of modularity.

While you are talking about upgrades...don't forget a good base such as a Kenn Farrell or EGW base...having a good 20MOA base is a must that compliments good rings and optics.

As far as optics...you cannot go wrong with NF...especially if you get their F1 model with zero stop. I personally have a Bushnell/Horus HDMR and it's a great optic and I dig the Horus reticle. I also have an SS 5-20 and it's also a very nice optic. Get in on the FB deal today is the last day if you want one. I prefer hash marks over traditional mil dots....as I find the MD to be too big and cover up too much.

[brothaman]

... I thought being a .243 made it a "precision rig". Just get good glass, bed and float the stock, paint the fucker black for that "tacticool" factor,... and shoot that bastard. Oh,... and reloading helps keep it cheap.

Most folks (myself included) need more trigger time, not more gun.

[PaulCR]

Munchie- I will be doing the work myself. Im going to be honest here, most of the reason I want to be messing with the thing is that I'm a tinkerer and kinda cant help myself when it comes to projects despite most practicality . Once I build my AR, it opened my eyes so to say to 'home gunsmithing (homefully not bubuing )'.

Bear in mind this will be a long term thing, I am in no position to drop several grand on this right now. But a bit here, and a bit there I can do. Think several years. Not to mention i have other things coming down the pipe fundage wise (reloading being the primary one).

So plan as of yet is to bed and float the stock (once i have enough laid aside for a replacement-trip to the gunsmith amusing i fuck it beyond repair ), and then divert that $ for some nice glass (how is vortex?). Later on stock barrel etc., and reloading somewhere in there as well.

Also, what does it take to get a mag system going? And is there any way to put an extended bolt handle on without choppy choppy?

Paul

[minengr]

Well, I had a really nice reply, then I lost it. So here are the cliff notes. IME, your bigges imporovents will come from reloading. Lapua brass, reloader 15, and 87gr vmax is where I'd start. I've also heard very good things about punching it out to 243ai, filling with re 15, and the 105amax. But the latter is a more advanced course.