Bolt actions, MOA and Quality

[Metzger]

Savage target action, savage 110 action, remington 700 action, etc...

These are some to name a few. Does a medium(enthusiast, under $450) quality really affect accuracy in the short and long term? Is it worth really spending the extra $ to get a target action for 1/3 MOA given the other parts and shooter do their job?

I would like to build a 260 rem with an action that is from a savage
A decent barrel fluted And a field stock on a budget shooting for under 1100 and atleast 1/3 moa.

 

[Jud96]

Savage target action, savage 110 action, remington 700 action, etc...

These are some to name a few. Does a medium(enthusiast, under $450) quality really affect accuracy in the short and long term? Is it worth really spending the extra $ to get a target action for 1/3 MOA given the other parts and shooter do their job?

I would like to build a 260 rem with an action that is from a savage
A decent barrel fluted And a field stock on a budget shooting for under 1100 and atleast 1/3 moa.

If you like Savages and are partial to them, build the rifle on a Savage action. In my opinion there's no reason you need a custom action unless you're shooting benchrest. If you have a Savage action with a good barrel like a Hart, Shillen, Lilja etc. and a good stock and its all put together right and bedded, it should definitely shoot 1/3 MOA. Using good target bullets with a good load this should be easily attainable. You can get a Savage action for around $400, a barrel is around $400 with the fluting, and a Boyds stock is $100. Now you're around $900 and don't have a trigger, scope, mounts and bases, and I'm assuming you are having a gunsmith put it together so you have to pay him.
Now I'm not trying to come off harsh, but customs are pretty expensive. If I were you and wanted to stay around $1100 and have a Savage, check out the Savage Long Range rifle in .260 Remington. These run around $900-1100 and they are already put together and ready for a scope. Once they are bedded they will shoot superb. You could also check out the new Remington 700 Long Range for $700 but they're only chambered in .25-06, .30-06, 7mm Remington Mag., .300 WIN Mag, and .300 RUM. I believe they are a better deal because they come from the factory with a B&C stock that has aluminum pillars and an aluminum bedding block already. All the hard work is done and the stock only needs surface glassed and the recoil lug bedded. The Remington will also shoot outstanding and that's why they're my proffered rifle.

 

[Metzger]

Yes no scope mounts.

What am I looking at as far as cost to install a barrel right?

 

[Jud96]

Yes no scope mounts.

What am I looking at as far as cost to install a barrel right?

To be honest, I wish I could tell you. We do all our work ourselves so not sure what a gunsmith charges for this work. My Uncle use to be a smith but that was 15+ years ago and he did a lot of barrel changes but his prices then are surely cheaper than today. He still builds rifles but from the ground up and those prices very on many factors.

 

[Mateo]

As gunsmith in canada charges $300. But there are guys with their own lathe in gun clubs that will do it for less if you track them down and befriend them. But then you start to wonder if it's done right.

 

[Mikecr]

The only way you'll end with anything, at any cost, that's 1/3moa in 260Rem -is pure luck.
And with a scope (costing more than $1100), and reloading equipment and components for 1/3moa?
Well, on the cheap it's back to pure luck.

You can screw a good barrel onto anything for 1MOA. But 1/3MOA is a vastly different matter.
By far most gunbuilders, including some of the best in the world, would not guarantee 1/3moa in 260Rem, even with way more expensive guns.