Hope I Made a Good Decision?

[scsims]

I've been wanting to build a semi custom LR rifle for sometime now, and have had my eyes on the 338 RUM or Edge.

I've have always been a Remington man and was actively looking for a sacraficial Rem 700 to pull the action for the build. With that said I have pondered the Savage 110 action, I have never heard anything bad about them and even more importantly they are cheaper.

While searching for the right Remmy today I was going from shop to shop and looking through the possibilites, just about everyone I talked to about what I was planning suggested a Savage 110 or Steven 200 magnum action. After looking at many Remingtons and not finding what I wanted for the price I took their advice and began to look at the Savage/Stevens guns. And in no time I found a used Stevens 200 7mm Remington Mag. So I made the plunge and was out the door for $275.

Now that I'm along for the ride with this Steven action I hope I made a good decision.

Will this make for a good start for what I'm wanting to build?

 

[jkrueger]

It is an excellent platform for many builds. I am constructing a 20 vartarg out of a stevens 200 SA right now. the action is identical to a savage short action but the trigger is not adjustable for creep. my suggestion would be to drop in an aftermarket trigger or add a take up adjustment screw (will need to be done at a machine shop) and go from there. The aftermarket for savage isnt quite as large as it is for the Rem 700 platform but there is a lot out there. Another big advantage of the savage platform is the fact that you can screw in a prefit barrel yourself with the right tools, and you can have multiple barrels that are fairly easy to interchange.


One last consideration you need to think about is do you want this to be a repeater? with the mentioned cartridges seating them out long enough to make use of all the available cace capacity will be longer than will fit in the magazine.

 

[scsims]

If I were to purchase a good stock, barrel and trigger, would a gunsmith take those components and build a LR rig with an accuracy garantee? Or are the garantees only with rifles that they would supply the parts?

Also were would i get the tools to remove the factory barrel, I would like to sell it?

 

[WildRose]

Depends on the Smith. If you have one in mind then I'd say talk to them befoe you start buying components because if you want them to gurantee the accuracy you'll have to let them pick the components/manufacturers.

 

[jkrueger]

Action Wrench #2 Remington 700 Savage 110

Barrel Nut Wrench Savage 10 110

these are the tools you need, along with appropriate headspace gauges, getting the factory barrel off is going to take some elbow grease

 

[angus-5024]

STOP!! do not buy anything but a trigger!
You have a very capable cartrige, go shoot it before you make the plunge into a semi-custom!
When I bought my first rifle (other than what my father gave me) I went straight to a .338 WBY and then a .338 RUM.Ill tell you this "300 grain bullets aint cheap!".

I now how several other rifles and get my fair share of LR trigger time, but for the first three years of my LR shooting endevor I was broke, and trying to buy bullets at more than a buck a pop was making it worse. I live in Canada so its pricier yet, but you can still shoot that 7 Rem alot cheaper than a .338 of any sorts.

I shoot a .280 REM also. heres a quick comparison.

.338 RUM brass- $68 CAD. bullets/50- $54. powder- around 95grains.

.280 brass - $28 to $40 (for the good stuff). bullets/100- $38. powder- around 60 grians.

If the barrel you have now shoots good or even OK, shoot it till its COOKED!

 

[WildRose]

STOP!! do not buy anything but a trigger!
You have a very capable cartrige, go shoot it before you make the plunge into a semi-custom!
When I bought my first rifle (other than what my father gave me) I went straight to a .338 WBY and then a .338 RUM.Ill tell you this "300 grain bullets aint cheap!".

I now how several other rifles and get my fair share of LR trigger time, but for the first three years of my LR shooting endevor I was broke, and trying to buy bullets at more than a buck a pop was making it worse. I live in Canada so its pricier yet, but you can still shoot that 7 Rem alot cheaper than a .338 of any sorts.

I shoot a .280 REM also. heres a quick comparison.

.338 RUM brass- $68 CAD. bullets/50- $54. powder- around 95grains.

.280 brass - $28 to $40 (for the good stuff). bullets/100- $38. powder- around 60 grians.

If the barrel you have now shoots good or even OK, shoot it till its COOKED!

Good point. Just put a good trigger on it, have it floated and bedded and shoot the hell out of it.

7mm Mag is more than enough gun for 95% of hunters and what they are capable range wise.

By the time a guy has shot a 7mm Mag enough to wear one out he may have just had enough practice to do justice to a more customized LR rig.

If it shoots well at all after trigger, floating, bedding, the next step up might be to move to a better stock than whatever factory stock this came with.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I get what you guys are saying about stop and shoot the gun however. He has been thinking about this for a long time, and drove are around all day for a reason. I say go ahead with your 338, get a barrel from Pac nor and build what you want. There are a few guys here with 338 EDGE rifles built from Savage rifles. But I think they are single shots, I may be wrong.

 

[D.ID]

I have a savage 338 edge built on a long action with accutrigger. It is my favorite rifle. I would continue with your plan. I do not like pencil barrels anymore. They are capable but the light weights are harder to shoot well. That being said, If I were you: Order your 338 barrel, buy a Rifle basics trigger. A savage barrel nut wrench and a action wrench. Ross Schuler makes an awesome and inexpensive brake that tames the 338 edge with 300 grain slugs down to nothing. Get a good stock Properly adjusted to fit you (I like the choate tactical @ about $200) Sharp shooter supply makes a single shot sled that will fit up inside the bottom of your stevens and give a beautifull and forgiving single shot load ramp. If you try to contact them the best way is to e-mail them and tell them your phone number and what you want and Amy will call you. (they are hard to get on the phone) Do NOT skimp on your scope rings (think overkill). Put a reliable scope on it (I use the old bushnell elite 4200T 6-24x50) with a one peice 20moa base. You will not regret going up to the 338 if you can afford to shoot it. My rifle is bargain basement compared to what most of these guys shoot but that set up in this caliber makes me and my targets look like a pro. I will warn you If you end up with a set up like mine, You Will be limited to 14-1500 yards in scope adjustment. if you have a more versatile scope, then vary soon: your only limits will be the reach of your range finder. Good luck.

 

[angus-5024]

I say shoot it because I assume budget is a factor, thats why a Stevens, right? I dont regrete getting my .338RUM fresh outta the gates, but I also think I would be able to afford alot more rounds down range had I gone withsomthing a little les $$ to shoot. 7mm pills are still high performers.

I had a need for a .338 RUM becuase I hunt in grizzly country alot, and though a .284 or .30 cal will kill a grizz, I felt more comfortable with the .338 (grew up shooting a .338 win mag.).
Fact of the matter is that most people dont need a .338... but want them. Cant blame them though.

 

[D.ID]

With all do respect and only for the purposes of comparison:
My 7mm loads cost about $1.48 first shot in virgin brass and $0.78 for each additional shot in that brass.
My 338 edge loads cost about $2.00 first shot in virgin brass and $1.10 for each additional shot in that brass. A real world difference of about 25% +/-

 

[scsims]

I apprecitate all the good feedback guys it's great food for thought. There is the possibility that a smaller caliber would suffice but I would most deffinitly change the stock, and bed the action. I'd have to replace the sporter barrel, I don't really like them either. The only rifle I have beside this one with a sporter is a Rem 700 .270 I bought as a boy. The rest have heavy contour barrels. I don't have a plethera of rifles but have .223, .243, .270, (2) 308s, 7.62 mosin. Used to have a 300 WM Encore, but didn't like the Encore system and traded it off for a bow.

So I'm still leaning towards something bigger with a muzzle break.

 

[KRP]

There are a few guys here with 338 EDGE rifles built from Savage rifles. But I think they are single shots, I may be wrong.

You are wrong, but I mean no offense by that as it's not a simple buy a couple parts and stick them in project. It takes some work but the 338/300 will feed from the mag in a Savage. I've done three of them and have parts for another. Hopefully I've got it figured out now and it doesn't take as much work(less trial and error!).

 

[clemens]

Savage makes a good strong rifle. I found a Stevens 200 with a nikon 6x18x40sf mil-dot at a pawn shop one fine day and thought this would make a great build or just shoot it as is till barrel goes south. The rifle was so light in weight with scope maybe 6 7lbs tops so even in 7mag could be a bit light for recoil control. My .02 cents worth the gov took other .98cts. I agree shoot it till its smooth inside, gonna have to do the same with my Win 70 .30-06 its only got 22" barrel need bi-pod for it but it will work for now. There are several savage 110 and 111 in .338 edge using DBM in the photo section. good luck