budget build let me know what you think

[jhunter77]

Right now I am stuck on the 30-06. I know there are better rounds but its mild kicking and packs a little more than the popular 308. I also have dies and brass.

So I am thinking

Remington long range hunter 30-06 $659
Vortex viper hst 4-16x44 MOA $569
Timmeny trigger $135

rings and bases add between 70 and 230 to the deal.

What do you think of this set up? Are there better values than the above? Any issues I should be aware of?

I am a Savage fan but cant find one in 30-06 with a bull barrel, heck If I could find one with a burnt out barrel already with a decent stock and scope I would barrel it myself.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Sounds good to me. I just recommended the same set up to a buddy of mine last week. You should shoot it first and see how it groups. If you think you can squeeze better accuracy out of it, after you find the right ammo to feed it, then the next step would be to bed it. Always follow KISS! Also, why don't you go to wal mart and buy a savage 110 for 400 bucks and then re barrel it? You don't need a used savage to do that. Either way I like where you're going.

 

[Darkker]

Well.....
On Savage shooters.com there is a long action for sale for $325 with a standard .470 bolt face. Buy a mcgowen, or gunshack shaw for another 300.

Yes there is much better glass than that, dollar for dollar.
Don't ever buy miss-matched reticle/turrets. Do moa-moa, or mil-mil. Personally I like my adjustment to always be constant, so I use a first focal plane scope. In any case, the Primary Arms 4-14X FFP scope has WORLDS better glass than the SWFA 3-15. And it's only $230, instead of $700.

 

[FearNoWind]

Yeah, that'll work. The 30-06 has lost it poplularity since the introduction of wildcat and modern high accuracy calibers have become so common but it's an excellent choice for big game hunting and is capable to taking any game on the north
American continent. I still shoot one and I've never apologized for it. Get a set of Burris Z-Rings with inserts and a good picatinny style mount and you're ready to go.
I've written adnauseam about my experience with the power adjustment ring on the Vortex being VERY stiff so you may want to check that out before making a commitment to that scope. But I have found it to be a very good scope and certainly one that I'd use.

 

[jhunter77]

Thanks for the advice!

I was hoping for a moa moa scope. is the primary arms glass that much better than Vortex? I think primary just offers mil on mil

With the savage I would still have to find a decent stock correct?

 

[Darkker]

You are correct, PA is only mil-mil; but an explanation may help you. Before I switched, I was like everyone else in that: I had only used SFP scopes, didn't know that my adjustments were only working correctly at one magnification, thought I had been shooting much farther than I really was, had some scopes with a mil-dot reticle and moa turrets without understanding.... You get the idea.

So if you are hesitant to move away from MOA because you think you have to "learn" a new system, don't be; you don't have to learn anything. With a FFP, mil-mil, all you need to be able to do is see. PA uses a true Marine Corp. 0.1 mil, so:
At ANY magnification, the distance between mil-dots is always the same, and your turrets adjust in .1. So 10 clicks per mil dot. However many mil-dots you missed by in the scope is what you adjust.

Personally, short of the razor, vortex doesn't have stellar glass for the price paid; nor tons of adjustment range. What vortex has is a Leupold type warranty, for a couple pesos less. It has also been my experience out here (lots of friends have them), that the warranty will get used, multiple times often.

Yes, you will need a stock. Since the dawn of time Savage has made the worst plastic stocks on earth. There wood aren't terrible, I just personally don't like the ergo.

 

[FurTaker]

I had only used SFP scopes, didn't know that my adjustments were only working correctly at one magnification, thought I had been shooting much farther than I really was.

I'm pretty sure your click adjustments are not affected on a SFP scope. That the only thing it affected was the reticle sub-tensions for holdovers/ranging?

Correct me if I'm wrong

 

[cohunter14]

I'm pretty sure your click adjustments are not affected on a SFP scope. That the only thing it affected was the reticle sub-tensions for holdovers/ranging?

Correct me if I'm wrong

You are correct.

I also think you are on the right track jhunter. Personally, I think Vortex makes the best scope out there for long range hunting in that price range and there are a ton of people on here who would agree.

The one recommendation I would have is to do some research on the Viper PST. I was in your shoes awhile back and ended up finding new PST's for the same price range as the HST's (I got my 4-16x50 for $525). The advantage of the PST includes a thinner reticle, the reticle is etched, and you can also get it with a 50mm objective instead of the 44mm that the HST comes in. It also has an illuminated reticle, but I don't know if that would ever really be useful.

 

[7magcreedmoor]

Just bought a new Stevens for $360 to use for my next build, previous ones using Savage 111s. Stocks from Boyds are laminated wood, easy to work with, good solid base for the rifle without the 500 dollar price tag. I have several Vortex Viper HSLRs, all doing well for me. Pic rails from EGW, rings from Burris with offset inserts. Barrels from PacNor (not cheap, but excellent quality). Brakes from JP, timed with their jam-nut. Triggers from RifleBasix. Some parts could be found cheaper, some you could spend a great deal more, but this recipe works well for me.

 

[gusd]

I may be wrong but doesn't that rifle come with an ex mark pro trigger? So you could save some money and skip the new trigger. Budget build right?

 

[pburton]

I think that you are on the right track. That setup will definitely get you where you want to be to start out. I love my Vortex HST's. They are great scopes for the money. I just wish that the 4-16 came in a 50mm objective. As far as triggers go, I was a big fan of Timney until I tried a Jewell. I know that you are on a budget but for an extra 100 you can go from a good trigger to a great trigger. Look at Redhawkrifles.com, they have the Jewell for 225. But that is just my opinion. Save up a little and have the action bedded and load your own rounds and you should have a great shooter. Good luck and happy shooting..

 

[jhunter77]

Thanks for all the great info. Are there any leupolds that fall under 500 with MOA that would have the magnification to reach out even if it lacked some of the bells and whistles that the Vortex did? Thanks

 

[pburton]

Over the last several years the Leupolds of similar price of the vortex viper HST have been pretty poor quality. The eye relief is not very good and the glass clarity is not very good at all. Also they do not have the reticle options and their cds reticle is ok if you only hunt in one area. But a change in elevation, temp, or any other factors will throw this off greatly. Leupold's higher end scopes are still pretty good but you are talking a lot more money. If you are questioning Vortex, maybe consider Zeiss. Again these are just my opinions and limited experiences. Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Thanks for all the great info. Are there any leupolds that fall under 500 with MOA that would have the magnification to reach out even if it lacked some of the bells and whistles that the Vortex did? Thanks

I use Nikons and my shooting pretty much maxes out at 750 with their 1 inch tubes and BDCs. If I could do it all over again I would do a vortex with a 30mm tube and 20 MOA base to get me to a grand. I'm pretty satisfied with my Nikons but I always wonder...vortex, night force, kahles, U.S. Optics?!?! What could I really accomplish? I would try the vortex. I shot them on my buddies rifles and it was easier to shoot and make corrections out to a 1000.