New Savage donor

[TiGuy]

After exploring many avenues, I have decided to get a savage 12FV as a donor rig to shoot p-dogs this spring and eventually turn it into a 6BR. Question is, which caliber should I get in order to have the proper boltface dimension down the road. It's available in .223, .22-250, .243, .308 or 204 Ruger?

Yes, I'm also looking at Rem 700's too, but I love my Savage 12VLP 22-250 accutrigger.

I agree that in the end it could be cheaper to save up for a custom action etc. and build a true custom rig, but I really don't have the patience for that right now.

I could get a savage target action for about a hundred bucks less than buying a whole rifle...but a whole rifle is a lot more fun to shoot that a bare action!

Any suggestions on caliber would be appreciated.

 

[82boy]

Well a 6br uses a .273 bolt head so a 22/250, 243, 308 action will work. The only problem with the br is it will not feed from the mag, so it will have to be a single shot.

The target actions use a diferent barrel shank size than the 12fv.

 

[trappst]

To make the swap as easy as possible,no bolt head replacement), you'll need a .473" bolt face. A rifle chambered in 22-250, 243, 308, 7-08 will all work just fine.

The only thing you'll need to watch out for is the changes that Savage has made to the magazine,s). The newer rifles are now using a center feed style mag that works great but the aftermarket has not caught up yet. Meaning, aftermarket stocks are not readily available for the new design.

If you can find an older 12FV with the older staggered feed blind mag, you'd be golden!

HTH

 

[memilanuk]

You need a .473 bolt face - .22-250, .243, or .308. The others,.204, .223) use a .378 bolt face.

The beauty of a Savage is that even if you did get a .223 or .204, it would take about $15 and 15 minutes to swap out the bolt head from one to the other.

Get what you want to shoot now, and worry about the upgrade later.

FWIW, the 12FV is a small shank action and the Target Action is a large shank action,i.e. the barrels are not interchangeable).

If it's going to be used for a single-load varmint hunting / target shooting application, I'd really recommend the Target Action, with the Target Accutrigger, precision ground recoil lug, etc. Save yourself a little time & money on those two upgrades.

FWIW, Savage is supposed to be coming out with a couple 6mm BR models later this year,summer/fall). Might want to hold off a bit if you can.

Good luck,

Monte

 

[Varminator]

The bolt face is pretty much the same on a .243,.308 and on the 22-250.
Except the base on the 22-250 is .469 in. Wikipedia,.243/.308 is .471 in. Rim is .473 in. for 6BR,22-250,.308 and .243. I have a Varmint rifle that was a 22-250 that shoots and cycles 6BR flawlessly with a Mike Bryant style mag modification I did myself.
><MM>

 

[TiGuy]

Thanks guys...I appreciate the feedback, keep it coming. Any input if I would be smarter going with a Rem 700 SPS instead?

Price is about the same, I still love the accutrigger but the Rem seems to have a lot more fans as far as converting towards a competitive action, and a lot more options in custom triggers and direct replacement barrels etc. Stocks don't matter to me since I will be making my own,I do custom woodworking). This will be a couple year long "project" so which has more down-the-road potential to be my first true BR rig?

 

[Travelor]

You will be better off money wise in the long run to just buy a new single shot action,12 LRPV) and a SSS stock and aftermarket barrel.

And yes, the bolt faces can be exchanged iw no great work, so the first caliber makes no difference as the 12 LRPV actions are all the same - long actiosn even with the 12 model number.

 

[TiGuy]

Well, I found a 12FVSS in 22-250 new for 540 locally...but they also have a Rem 700BDL SS in 7mm Rem SAUM new for a bit less than that! What are the possibilities to rechamber the SAUM to a NORMA type 6mm? Will a magnum boltface hinder this thing from being a 6BR?

 

[savet06]

If it's a 7mmSAUM a rechamber won't make the bore go down to 6mm. I wouldn't hesitate to go with the savage. I have two of them that shoot very well, and the 12FVSS will do just what you need it to.
Send it to Fred Moreo to have him work the action over, or simply get one of his stocks and go to town.
You won't be disappointed.
Mike

 

[Hanic]

Travelor's advise is exactly what I did and it worked out real good. If you have the time to wait,3 months?) for the barrel, buy the action off the shelf and use the wait to make your stock. If you can't wait you can buy a new Savage action with a new Savage take off barrel from Northern Supply. Then you'll be working midnights to finish your stock. I'd recommend the Savage over the Rem because you can get a new caliber for the price of a barrel and possibly a bolt head. Think of the cost one one good rifle with a great scope and 3 or 4 extra barrels in your safe vs the cost of 4 or 5 complete guns including scope. Just my thoughts, hope it helps, Hank

 

[koger]

Heres my two cents worth. I have built a lot of custom rifles over the years, mausers, win 70's, rem 700's. Knowing what I do now and with the parts being available i would go wit the savage. I have 2 fACTORY VARMINTER, A 223 AND 22-25O AND a custom 22-250 and a 6.5/284 that i built for Fclass and recently built a 6mmAI and I am building a 6xc for another guy. they are easy to work on, shoot great and are affordable. The 6mmAI i built is shooting in the high .2's with the 3rd load tried. I strongly reccomend Benchmark Barrels if you havent tried them, about 20 round break in, dont foul, and shoot lie the dickens.Contact Kevin Rayhill at Stockad Gunstocks.com. Sam Koger