Savage Target Action vs. Stolle/Stiller et al

[SanFranShootr]

I want to begin "playing" with more accuracy at longer distances than my Win 70 .308 sporter permits (OK guys, please don't hurt yourselves by ROTFL). I'm not sure I ever will want to become a benchrest competitor however.

My thoughts were that a Savage action with AccuTrigger (at half the price of a benchrest action plus Jewell trigger) might be the basis of a rifle that'll give me 0.25-0.50 MOA. Then I could add a 27-30" heavy/varmint barrel in .308 Win (minimizing the need for extra dies, cases, cleaning rods etc) for 500-1000 yard shooting. I also toyed with the idea that I could get a second barrel chambered in .338 Lapua if I wanted to push the distances (I've shot a .375 H&H off the bench and I didn't think the recoil was horrible - so I assume that the .338 would be similar - I don't know why all these wimps are adding muzzle brakes - do they know something I obviously have no experience with?).

I would appreciate the comments and advice of those who know a lot more about these things than I do.

 

[jo191145]

Welcome to the forum

A Sav action can do what your asking. A good custom action should do it easier.

Sav's are cheaper. Customs can be resold for very little loss on the dollar.
Get a good deal on a Sav and I doubt you'd lose much reselling that also.

The Sav has interchangeable bolt heads. I know folks are figuring out right now how to go about getting them for 338's. Did'nt pay much attention myself, no need.
A custom you'll need a second bolt made for that action. An extra expense but also a good selling point to the right buyer.

Only advice I have is if you have any doubt the Sav action is capable of accuracy go with a custom or you'll be buying twice. Thats not necessarily a bad thing either.

I'll leave the recoil to the LR guys. I'm building a 20 Beggs this year and wondering if I should put a brake on the end or a tuner ;D

 

[p scully]

the savages are plenty good to suit your needs. i've used them for a few years in f-class with good results. but, my next rifle will be built on a custom action. reason being the trigger. i like the accutrigger but it's no jewell.

 

[cmillard]

i am partial to the stiller. they make a fine receiver!

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

The Savage action will do what you want it to do no problem. Get yourself a prefit barrel from Shilen, Pac-Nor, McGowen etc. and you will be fine. Good stocks can be obtained from several manufacturers as well. As far as muzzle breaks go, they are not only to reduce recoil. Some folks add muzzle breaks to barrels chambered in mild cartridges such as 22-250 and .243 Win so they can see the red mist effect from the vermin they just shot ! I don't see anything wrong with that !

Mike

 

[NorCalMikie]

Only bad thing about owning a Savage action is swaping barrels. Bet you can't swap just one. Bolt heads and barrels and the selection is almost unending. And the Accu Trigger isn't "that" bad.
Spend as much or as little $$ as you want and have fun doing it. ;D And when you outshoot the "big boys" with your funky little Savage..... 8)

 

[placek59]

Also don't limit yourself to just the accu-trigger on the savage. There are a handful of good replacement triggers out there depending on what you want. Rifle Basix makes a couple, one that can be tuned down to around 4oz. SSS makes a couple good triggers too (the Evolution, 2oz. version and a 12oz-2lb version, the Competition). Timney also makes one that I have no experience with and there may be some more.

A savage with a good prefit barrel like one of those mentioned earlier should give you .3moa pretty easily if you are capable. With a savage it is pretty easy to have a semi-custom capable of shooting better than most beginners can shoot, at a cost of much less than a custom action alone.

 

[280Ackleyrized]

Then there is a guy that works on nothing but savage. Could probably get things trued up and have a custom barrel installed for way less than a custom action. Id look hard at Brux for the barrel. And Timney makes a fine trigger

 

[bozo699]

SanFranShootr,
Welcome to the forum, You can buy a #12 chambered in .308 that you can compete with without any modifications done to it at all, I have a 6.5*284 that I have gotten many 7"and under groups @ 1K yards and if I had better glass and was better @ reading the wind I am sure it would shoot even better. As far as the WHIMP thing I am 6'2" and 265lbs and I HATE recoil, I don't think there is anything written that your not a real man if you use a brake. I don't like to hunt or hunt with people that use brakes because of the noise and most people can take the recoil in the field on live animals for a shot or two anyway, but on the bench leaning into a heavy recoiling rifle is a different story and anybody that says a large caliber rifle with no brake or or lead sled to help with the recoil doesn't hurt either has no feelings what so ever, is a liar, or has a huge case of little mans syndrome, Other than maybe George Forman you show me the man that can take another man punching him in the shoulder 15 or 20 times with out flinching when he see the next one coming I have a brake on my 6brx and I love it, like Mike said red mist, vapor trails, bullet impact, there great. As far as a .338 Lapua?.... I have shot quite a few of them, one of my gunsmiths specializes in them and each one he builds he brings down to my place to test shoot for accuracy and I have shot most of them and there not a fun or rather a easy gun to shoot with a brake, and definitely not easy to shoot without a brake, a 300 grain bullet and over 90 grains of powder is powerful on both ends good luck and good shooting to you.
Wayne.

 

[Rock Knocker]

Savage is a proven 1000 yard action. Talk to Jim Briggs of Northland Shooter Supply, he will save you money and has all of the information you need, he just helped me out a lot with a gun i just got the barrel put on today and i cant wait to shoot it.

 

[in2deep]

Yeah my cheapo Savage target action just shot factory Lapua ammo at 300 yards with several bullet holes touching and I don't know what i'm doing. 2 thumbs up for Savage.

 

[Switchbarrel]

Talk to Jim Briggs of Northland Shooter Supply, he will save you money and has all of the information you need.

I was looking at his site recently, a Target action with one of his Criterion (division of Krieger barrels) pre-fit barrels would be an excellent route to go for a, relatively speaking, inexpensive but most likely competitive setup.

-Rick

 

[normmatzen]

It is a lot of fun at a bench rest meet to out shoot actions that cost WAY more than my PTA from Savage!

It doesn't happen often enough, but then I'm old and can't read the wind very well!

 

[1shot]

Jo191145,
First and foremost, welcome to the forum. You will find a wealth of knowledge and also it’s share of B-S, (all in fun of course). Now, to answer your question from a very personal level. My shooting partner and I of 4 years now, buys the same components, parts, measuring equipment and everything else we need and split it all down the middle. The big difference is he shoots a Sav. Target, and I shoot Stolle BB Pandas. (OK, I have an Atlas action from Kelbly’s as well) My point being is he has a rifle that will do everything that mine will and at far below 50% of the cost. The big difference is he has to change barrels and sometimes bolt faces, while I just grab a different rifle. You have to ask yourself several questions like do I really need that $300.00 trigger or will the acu-trigger do the same thing for me. Do I need the barrel that is all the rage right now; or is the one I have allowing me to shoot to my ability? The point I’m trying to make is until your skill and knowledge of the discipline you choose to pursue out weighs the equipment you either have or are looking to buy, save your money and use it to shoot more. BTW, the reason I gave you the correlation between my partner and I is he was in the shoot off at the Nationals for one of the L-R matches, while I sat back and spotted for him as back up to make sure his scorer gave him what he deserved.
I hope all this helped,
Lloyd

 

[MarkS]

SanFranShootr,

The answer to you question? The custom actions come ready to go, nothing have to be done to them. The Savage needs to be timed and trued, but will not come close to the smoothness of a custom action. The Savage action is a great action, I have a LRPV. If you want to change boltfaces, it is a peice of cake for a Savage, but it will take another bolt for a custom action. The Savage will be a good for what you want to do. But if you stay with long range, you will go with a custom sooner or later.

Mark Schronce

 

[Steve Blair]

I have two 12F rifles and they shoot very well. My .308 shoots around .3-.4 at 100 yards. What you describe (except for the .338 part) can easily be done. That said, no Savage on earth will shoot with my Stiller Viper SS 6BR. No Savage costs that much, either. Buying quality custom actions, barrels, triggers, stocks and gunsmithing, you mostly get what you pay for.

 

[deadlyswift]

SanFranshootr,

To start I will say this. There are some great things going on with the Savage Actions. Shooting BR at the top level with a Savage target action? IMO only "I doubt it!" When I think of top level in BR I think of SAM HALL, and TERRY BRADY!! Can't say I can see a Savage Action shooting at that level. But you never know! I can say this much for the Savage target Action. I have a friend that won a Bronze at the SW Berger National match in FTR. He was shooting a Savage target Action! If you are leaning toward the Savage Action? Here is a great place to look into! http://www.precisionriflesales.com/ Ray Bowman is the owner and Gunsmith in charge! Ray has got a awesome thing going on with the Savage Action and the V Block! I want try to go into any details on this, but I will say you can find your answers by giving Ray a call. A phone call want cost you much if anything. Ray also builds many awesome rifles on Kebly, Bat, Barnard, and about any action you can name! Give Ray Bowman a call be honsest with what you want. If nothing else you will walk away with some honest info that you can Bank on!
Mark

PS. I am having my new FTR rig built on a Kelby Panda, but it was thought about long and hard! (Savage or Kelby?) Since I have Savages. I decided to go completely custom this time!
Good luck on your choices! I feel your pain! Been there done that ;D