New Savage Target Action or Used Benchrest

[kmartin]

I am close to buying or building a new rifle.
I spoke with Bob White at shooters Corner and feel comfortable with anything he recommends.
However I was presented with a new possibility, the savage target action.

I can get a savage action match barrel etc and finish a full blown rifle for about $1100-1250.
How would this compare to a used bench gun? Cost $1500 up+++.

My limit for the gun is 2K.

 

[placek59]

Build the savage and put the leftover money toward a better scope. You can always sell the savage or part it out (and recoup lots of your money) if you get the urge for a full blown custom. Chances are, if you go with a used gun, it will need a new barrel too and you could easily be over your 2k budget without a scope or rings. Just my .02

 

[sdean]

Sooner or later you will want a custom action. I say buy once.

 

[trentalan34]

I was debating the same thing, but I got a deal on here for a barely used custom rifle with scope and accessories for less than you'll have in a Savage. I bought it planning to replace the barrel. I don't have to, but even if I did I would be under 2000.

 

[fdshuster]

kmartin: It is a tough call to make, but if you want to end up with a dedicated benchrest competition match rifle, then go with the used one built on a custom receiver.

Yes, you probably will have to replace the barrel, although I've seen used customs that came with barrels in as new condition, sometimes coming from estate sales where the original owner had the rifle built, then an illness (or worse) forced the sale.

And with the custom you should be getting a dedicated benchrest stock with the 3" wide forend, minimal drop on the underside of the butt, (both very important), custom match trigger (also very important especially when compared to your limitations with after-market Savage triggers/ good but not BR quality). The type of stock I'm describing could cost $500+.

And finally, again, if you want to go full house benchrest competition, I have never seen any rifles being used in these match's that were built on Savage receivers.

 

[ballistic64]

Hope you keep us up to date on your project Dave. What are you chambering it for?

 

[Gene66]

For my two cents worth, I have built four Savage target actions, a 6mm BR 1 in 12, a .243 1 in 10, both with Shilen premium barrels. I also built a .260 Remington and a 6.5 Creedmoor with Criterion barrels. I use the HS LRPV stocks. What I have seen so far, I prefer the Criterion barrel. After break in, which takes about 10 rounds, clean up is a brush 10 times, and 3 patches. Although break in groups are about, goes on ones, twos, and threes with a five shot group at 100 yards. This summer I will push it out to 2, 3 , 4 and 500 yards. Cost is average about $530 for the action, new price, Criterion barrels about $350, with target lug from Jim Briggs at Northlander, The last HS stock was from Stocky Stocks and it was the same a Savage LRPV stock for $319 shipped. There is nothing wrong with a Savage action. I have had nothing but good luck with this combination. I shoot for fun and I am not in competition, but I do get my share of varmints. Again this is only my two cents worth. Good shooting!

 

[slurpin dog]

I'm having a rifle built on a new sa savage sporter ss action, bolt jewelled, Sharpshooter trigger, with a Krieger ss 28" barrel, nut less, CDI bottom metal, ten round mag. and a Manners t4 stock. Completed cost with out any scope or mounting $1679. The completed rifle is 30 days out, the Manners is 4months out. Comtemplating a different route on stock, would cut cost $200. I know this is not a br gun, but will shoot way better than I ever will. If I would of had a Remington sa action I would have been more than happy to of used it. So I suggest building what you can afford and buy a scope you can't. Ron

 

[Dgd6mm]

kmartin, I have a Savage that I built a Tac rifle on with a Krieger barrel. A few years later I acquired a used BR rifle in a thumbhole stock with a Hall action, Krieger barrel chambered in the same caliber as the Savage. The used 1 was a deal I could not pass up and I have a little less $ in it. The Hall is smooth and the Savage is not, but I deal with it and they will both shoot .25 - 5 shot groups. Oh yeah they were chambered by the same Smith.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

My vote would be a used benchrerst gun.

 

[bozo699]

I have Savage target actions and there okay but there no custom bench rifle, I have bought several used customs from this site, never have been burnt and haven't got one yet you couldn't compete with, my last one is a three lug bat, edge stock, jewell trigger and a 13.5 Krieger chambered in 6ppc, came with dies and 25 pieces of brass for $1900, it will shoot in the 1's and 2's with his recipe, 500-600 rounds down the tube when I bought it, you couldn't build it for that, there on here all the time, treat yourself to a custom and you won't be sorry, shoot it for a season then re barrel it.
Wayne.

 

[82boy]

Well to start with, there is good and bad to both.

The Savage right out the box is not going to be anything near what a custom action is. To start the Savage action has a horrible bolt lift, it can be fixed with a Time and True (T&T) job from Sharp Shooters Supply, (SSS) and you will have a bolt lift as light and smooth as a custom action. Now you have to figure that cost ($125.00) and time into this. The second problem is the savage doesn't have a trigger that is even close to comparison to a nice 2 oz Jewel. The target accu-trigger is a complete wash. Now you can spend money and get a SSS evolution trigger which is close in feel to a Jewel 2 OZ trigger again now you have to add that cost into this. ($195.00 on top of the mandatory T&T job to get this trigger.) Now that you are at this point, you are close in cost to a new Kelby Atlas, or Stiller predator, without trigger. The Savage will hold its initial value, but you can not add the work to the price, it will be worth about 75% of what you paid cost of the action (Without work or trigger.) barrel and stock. The biggest problem with trying to make a savage fit a IBS/NBRSA 100-300 yard light gun class is weigh, and lack or light weight stock. Most stocks are laminate, and are just not suited for this type of shooting, but the do do well in long range IBS/NBRSA shooting.(600-1000 yards.) Now a skilled gunsmith can get a un-inletted stock that has a Remington tang to fit, and you would never notice, but stocks are not cheap, and inletting adds to the cost. You are also limited as far as going with a PPC, needed a special bolt head, only available at SSS. Just remember when you get done it is just a Savage.

Now moving onto the custom actions, you have to remember just about any used rifle you buy will need a new barrel. You are possibly getting someones problem child as well. You could get a tempermental gun that will make you want to bang your head against the wall, it may have to go to a gunsmith. The gun will be worth what you paid for it. When you figure in the cost of a used gun, and getting a new barrel for it, your almost at the cost of buying a new gun.

My suggestion would be to go to match's and buy a used gun that you can shoot before buying, or you know that it is good. Or take a bit more time and save a few more dollars and buy a new gun. Just going with my experince, the savage works great as a long range gun, and I would highly recamend building such a thing. Now I build a IBS/NBRSA 100-300 yard gun that will fit into a 10.5 light gun class, and I love this gun but I would not do it again. Dont get me wrong the gun is super competitive, but I prefer my Bats for this type of shooting.

 

[MarkS]

I have both, go custom.

Mark

 

[artbosco]

I am close to buying or building a new rifle. I spoke with Bob White at shooters Corner and feel comfortable with anything he recommends. However I was presented with a new possibility, the savage target action. I can get a savage action match barrel etc and finish a full blown rifle for about $1100-1250. How would this compare to a used bench gun? Cost $1500 up+++. My limit for the gun is 2K.

A Savage is still a Savage. I own a Savage that's been trued and timed, with a custom stock, custom trigger, customer barrel, etc., and I also own two custom built rifles. My suggestion ... if you've got faith in Bob White, go with his recommendation.

 

[littlerascal56]

I am kind of doing a project similar to Daves...building a Savage that will outshoot most of the custom's my buddies rifles. Started as a fluke, as I have been shooting Sako TRG's, M700's, FNH's, M70's and full blown custom tactical rifles for years. Bought this new Savage 12 BR in .308 for $750 cash, and darn thing outshot my custom at 800 yards. I sold the .308 barrel to another guy for $250, and ordered a McGowen 6BR Norma 28" 1:8 tube for it. Won't be in for another 4 weeks, but will post some targets when I get it put together. Going to shoot 105 AMAX bullets at 1000 yd. I hear good things about this action, and Team Savage seems do be winning a lot of F-Class matches against the custom shooters.