Build or buy factory

[missingstrands]

Hi, I am trying to decide to buy a factory rifle or to build a rifle on a savage receiver. I am interested in a hunting rifle but with extreme accuracy. 1"MOA at 100 yards is not accurate enough IMO. I am trying to find a sub 1/2 MOA rifle maybe even 1/4 for around $1000(rifle only). Even if I buy a factory rifle I will glass bed the action, likely change triggers, depending on rifle possibly get a muzzle break installed.

I am currently looking at:
Savage 111 long range hunter in 6.5x284 Norma
Remington 700 long range in 7mm

Or build from Savage 10/110 receiver
Kreiger or Pac Mor barrel(7mm or 6.5x284)
Bell and Carlson M40 Stock

Thoughts what is my best option to push the 1/2 to 1/4 MOA

Oh for what its worth, I know most of the time I am capable. I want a gun that performs this good and if I do something that is on me not the gun.

 

[FEENIX]

Hi, I am trying to decide to buy a factory rifle or to build a rifle on a savage receiver. I am interested in a hunting rifle but with extreme accuracy. 1"MOA at 100 yards is not accurate enough IMO. I am trying to find a sub 1/2 MOA rifle maybe even 1/4 for around $1000(rifle only). Even if I buy a factory rifle I will glass bed the action, likely change triggers, depending on rifle possibly get a muzzle break installed.

I am currently looking at:
Savage 111 long range hunter in 6.5x284 Norma
Remington 700 long range in 7mm

Or build from Savage 10/110 receiver
Kreiger or Pac Mor barrel(7mm or 6.5x284)
Bell and Carlson M40 Stock

Thoughts what is my best option to push the 1/2 to 1/4 MOA

Oh for what its worth, I know most of the time I am capable. I want a gun that performs this good and if I do something that is on me not the gun.

Welcome to LTRH and enjoy!

IIWY, I'd go with your second option and go with Krieger barrel (chambering is a personal choice and depends on your application(s))

Your 1st choice is very good as well but also boils down to personal choice. Savage rifles are hard to beat for it's out of the box accuracy and DIY friendliness.

Good luck!

Ed

 

[ohiohunter]

x2 on second idea.

Here is my build. Stevens action, CBI prefit, new nut, should've upgraded lug but didn't (didn't know any better), Mcmillan htg edge. Result 0.3" 280.

I've not seen prefit kreiger barrels, and a kreiger vs pac nor is mercades vs kia. I would skip the gunsmith costs of chambering and get a CBI prefit, they are a spin off company of kreiger and I've not read any negative experiences yet. Apply savings to good stock.

Though my savage shoots well if I were to do it again I'd have a R700, but based on your budget the savage seems best.

I'd cut the B&C stock and upgrade to a light weight mcm or manners, keep it as an adl. Look into northlandshooterssupply.com and get a nut and lug, they might even have an action. The stock may put you a hair over budget but you'll be glad you did, trust me, savage stocks aren't floating around every corner like r700's.

I'd run a 7mm over 6.5 esp if you chase bigger than deer sized game. I'd run a 284 on a long action to run 180's or a 280ai with an 8 or 9 twist, 195's (if you choose) will need the faster twist.

edit.. you're in utah, personally I'd run a 300 magnum if you really want to reach out and touch an elk w/ authority.

 

[dsculley]

I will second ohiohunter's suggestion. I just built a new rig with a CBI prefit (6.5x47 Lapua) and I could not be more pleased. I was at the range working on load development one day. There was a guy that had a custom rig that he had a couple of hundred rounds through. He was disappointed because the company guaranteed 3/8" with factory ammo (6.5 Creedmoor) and he was not getting that level of precision even with handloads. I was shooting a rig that cost much less and getting the precision he was looking for and I was still in load development.

You won't be disappointed with a CBI barrel. I would get the upgraded recoil lug and barrel nut as well. I have not had to find out for myself, but it seems CBI has good after-purchase customer service. I was on a forum where a guy who had purchased a CBI barrel was not satisfied with the barrel. Someone from CBI responded to his post and invited him to return the barrel for replacement so they could determine if something was out of spec on his barrel. They seem to care about the product and the reputation of the company.

I am happy with the CBI. Bottom line is any barrel from a reputable maker should shoot well (I was initially torn between the CBI and the Shilen), and there are many good barrel makers. If you take your time with the build, make sure everything fits correctly and is properly torqued you can take that Savage action and make a rifle you will be very pleased with.

FWIW

 

[FEENIX]

.. you're in utah, personally I'd run a 300 magnum if you really want to reach out and touch an elk w/ authority.

Amen to that!

 

[Deleted member 46119]

IIWY:

If you've built up a gun before, go custom.
or
If you have a smith to do the work and trust him, go custom.

If you've never built up a gun before, go with the Savage and learn about building one up.

300WM is hard to beat. 7mmRM is great. 6.5-284 to me is unknown but has a fine reputation.

 

[toddc]

Why spend big money on what is just a factory rig like the Savage LR or Remmy LR?

Buy a cheap LA Savage. There are a lot of 7RM and 300 WM lightweight Savages on the used market. IDK why a 6lb mag w no brake is always at a pawnshop....but they are.

Remove action and throw the rest into the parts bin.

Add recoil lug, stock, barrel and trigger of your choice. I reuse the nut and just home true it.

Still cost less than the 2 factory options, with a real barrel and stock.

Most of my Savages come in under $1000 with bases and rings, but I usually run Boyds or Choates.

Also you might look into a Remage. Criterion and Mcgowen are carrying barrels and nuts for that setup now and stocks are a LOT more plentiful for the Remmy. You could even run a Remage setup on a REAL action like a Stiller or other R700 clone.

That is the ONLY way you can RELIABLY get under .5 MOA under $1k or $2k for that matter.

I have built Savages with Douglas, Critierion, Mcgowen, Hart, Lilja, Kreiger and even EAB and they have all ended up under .5 MOA.

 

[missingstrands]

Thanks for the helpful information. I really appreciate it. Based on everyone's comments I am going to do the semi custom thing. Probably 7mm

 

[TX Badger]

Hi, I am trying to decide to buy a factory rifle or to build a rifle on a savage receiver. I am interested in a hunting rifle but with extreme accuracy. 1"MOA at 100 yards is not accurate enough IMO. I am trying to find a sub 1/2 MOA rifle maybe even 1/4 for around $1000(rifle only). Even if I buy a factory rifle I will glass bed the action, likely change triggers, depending on rifle possibly get a muzzle break installed.

I am currently looking at:
Savage 111 long range hunter in 6.5x284 Norma
Remington 700 long range in 7mm

Or build from Savage 10/110 receiver
Kreiger or Pac Mor barrel(7mm or 6.5x284)
Bell and Carlson M40 Stock

Thoughts what is my best option to push the 1/2 to 1/4 MOA

Oh for what its worth, I know most of the time I am capable. I want a gun that performs this good and if I do something that is on me not the gun.

I went through the exact same debate a few years ago, but was not sure I how far this interest would go so I went the cheaper route. Now I'm hooked. I ended up going Savage Long Range hunter and liked my 25-06 so much that I bought a 7 rem mag in the same set up. They shoot.

I just built my first rifle- Savage action, CBI barrel in 260 ai, nut, and lug all from Northland Shooter Supply, Manners stock. It's showing great promise. However, if I had it to do all over again I think I would go with a custom action from the very beginning. Spend/cry once. I am a believer in Savage/floating bolt head concept and the accutrigger is great, but your stock and after market options are limited. It's too bad, I do not think it should be that way, but arguing with the reality of the situation is futile. I would look seriously at the Shilen action. If it performs as advertised it is the best of both worlds. A lot of the Savage function in a 700 footprint.

I now have 3 rifles that I really like, but probably could have gotten by with 2. A short and a long custom action with barrel nuts and the ability to easily swap barrels would cover all I want to do. People on this site will argue, fight, and name call about this topic, but these really are all good options.

1. custom action- expensive but will last forever and you can get any accessory you want. Most accuracy potential.

2. Savage action- less expensive, comes with a great trigger so that saves cash, floating bolt head eliminates the need for blueprinting so that saves cash too. Lots of things are not compatible which sucks.

3. 700 action- TO ME, this is the worst option. Yes, you have the accessory options but by the time you swap the trigger and have it blueprinted you have spent nearly as much as option 1.

my $.02

 

[roninflag]

Remington 700 donor 500; Krieger barrel 350 plus 150 installed.

 

[roninflag]

my 6mmbr I have less than that in it. including a shilen trigger. shoots under 1/2 " easily.. so does my 6.5-284 and my 7mm rem mag. all rem 700.

 

[roninflag]

the 700 long range is a good place to start if you are happy with the stock.

 

[missingstrands]

roninflag, I never even thought of the going with the 700 LR because I do like the stock. The plan is to build this over the next year. This would allow me to play with the 700 LR as is and slowly change out the barrel as I go. It would allow me to really put the money into a good barrel/brake/fluting later, but still shot it until then.

I was looking at a used Savage 111 for $350 as the starting point. Then add the B&C m40 stock. for $272. Total $672

or I could buy the Brand new 700 LR for $639 and be at the same point. The only difference is the cost is the trigger replacement. Probably go with the Timney Calvin Elite for an additional 200.

In the long run after Barrel change out to drive down the MOA, I will probably be happier.

Thanks

 

[jrock]

I second the aftermarket barrel idea if you like the savage action you are building on. If you were going to do option 1, I'd go with the 700 LR and get it on sale.