TheCZKid
Silver $$ Contributor
Back in 2018 I purchased a used AR upper in 20 Practical with a 24" White Oak Armament stainless bull barrel, and all the dies as a package. I have been loading for it and have a decent 40 grain Vmax load which shoots maybe .375" or .5" groups if I do my part. Been working on better 32 Vmax load (currently trying to beat .5" to .6"), but wondering if a bolt gun would make for a more accurate format than my AR? Intended use is for sage rat, coyotes, and hopefully some day prairie dog hunt (bucket list).
I have built AR's, but never a bolt gun. I don't have a huge budget, so I was thinking of using a small chassis Savage action maybe that was a 223, buying the 20P barrel, and head-spacing it myself. For the stock I'd probably use a Boyds, and then glass and pillar bed it. I've done that on bolt guns, so I feel confident I can work on this new project.
It appears most folks on this site have more money than I can invest. I won't be buying a custom-shop made Remington 700 style action, and all that. I have some Savage rifles which have proven very accurate. I like that they can be built by myself. The floating bolt face works well, so I don's see the need to blueprint the action and bolt face. I figure the main cost will be a really good barrel.
Now the first question might be, which Savage action is correct for this project? I see Long Shank, Short Shank (I assume this is the one I want for 223 / 20 Practical), then large and small diameter, and center feed or stagger feed. Then there's the model 10 or 110, 11 and 12 designation. I really can't figure out this stuff, and so I'm stuck in even looking for any used guns with a correct action.
Ideally, I'd think it was great to build a 20 Practical that could take a removable magazine, like a Pmag or other, but I don't know if there is such an animal. I thought of looking for a used "donor gun" and change out the barrel, and so on, but I don't know which guns out there have the right action. From what I read, you don't want the Savage Axis as it's not good to build from.
I have built AR's, but never a bolt gun. I don't have a huge budget, so I was thinking of using a small chassis Savage action maybe that was a 223, buying the 20P barrel, and head-spacing it myself. For the stock I'd probably use a Boyds, and then glass and pillar bed it. I've done that on bolt guns, so I feel confident I can work on this new project.
It appears most folks on this site have more money than I can invest. I won't be buying a custom-shop made Remington 700 style action, and all that. I have some Savage rifles which have proven very accurate. I like that they can be built by myself. The floating bolt face works well, so I don's see the need to blueprint the action and bolt face. I figure the main cost will be a really good barrel.
Now the first question might be, which Savage action is correct for this project? I see Long Shank, Short Shank (I assume this is the one I want for 223 / 20 Practical), then large and small diameter, and center feed or stagger feed. Then there's the model 10 or 110, 11 and 12 designation. I really can't figure out this stuff, and so I'm stuck in even looking for any used guns with a correct action.
Ideally, I'd think it was great to build a 20 Practical that could take a removable magazine, like a Pmag or other, but I don't know if there is such an animal. I thought of looking for a used "donor gun" and change out the barrel, and so on, but I don't know which guns out there have the right action. From what I read, you don't want the Savage Axis as it's not good to build from.
