Upgrading from my beginner rig

L

Little Yoshi

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 29, 2010
120
0
55
Odenton, MD
#1
Hey! I have been shooting for about a year now and I think it's time to jump up from my beginner stick: Savage Model 10 PC with a SWFA SS. Don't get me wrong, I love my Savage and I recently shot just above .6MOA with it.
smile.gif
But my next step is a semi-custom rifle, with <span style="font-weight: bold">no</span> "bells & whistles" to get into tactical comps. Not at a point where I want to spend $3K-$4K on a rifle... So I figured the semi-custom way was the way to go.

Originally, I was going to buy a 700PSS and send it off to have it accurized. Now, I may want a different stock too. My question: Can I buy the cheapest Rem. 700, the stock & barrel I want, and send it off to be worked on? Is it cost effective? Does it make sense?
 
#2
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

If money is no object, and you really want a blueprinted semi custom rifle, then it makes sense.

But a good SPS Tactical, or 5R dropped into the stock of your choice will shoot really well, way good enough for tactical comps, for a lot less money.

You can always shoot it for a while, and then have it smithed.
 
#3
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

Why not just use the Savage action you have already unless you are bound and determined to switch to the 700 action?

My first custom rifle was a Savage 10fp that I sent to be dolled up. New barrel, new Mcm. stock, blueprinted and trued action...you get the picture. It was a great shooter.

My point is, you already have an action to start with. Save the money you were going to spend on the donor 700 and put it towards the rifle build using your savage. Most major stock manuf. are producing stocks inletted for the Savage. Aftermarket supplies for the Savage are plentiful. The same bells and whistles that you can do on the 700, you can do on the Savage.

Just a thought.

B.
 
#4
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

To really answer your question, yes.
You can buy the cheapest 700 ADL model (usually about 350 bucks)with the proper boltface and have it worked over.

Understand that you will have to do something for a magazine/floorplate.

If your intention is to put it in a stock to use detachable mags, then this is the cheapest route to go.

If you are going to end up with the standard hinged floorplate, then buy the base model SPS in BDL.

I did the math once and came out to about 1800 dollars to buy an ADL, get it worked over and CDI bottom metal installed in a B&C stock. This was figuring on having Hart do it with their prices at the time.
 
#5
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

due to the fact that it is a savage 10 PC you can't really use the that action on your next build. If it was the FP you could but because of the mounting points and bolt release on the PC your stuck with it the way it is.

My recombination would be to start with the Rem 700 of your choice (sps, sps tactical or even the 5R) and begin upgrading it. The nice thing about the Rem 700 is that rifle can grow as you grow. Start with a new trigger and stock. Eventually you can swap out the barrel and get the action tuned.

Right now I'm running an sps tactical that I dropped into an AICS and added a Timney trigger too. Eventually I plan on doing more to it but it is working quite well for now.
 
#6
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

Since you are already a savage fan, you could look into one of the new releases directly from savage, and or call their custom shop and have them put one together for you. MY .02
 
#7
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

Thanks for all the information... Now have quite a few options.

I am leaning toward a SPS Tactical and have it dropped in the A5, bedded, and trued. So, I have it as:

$550'ish - SPS Tactical
$750'ish - A5
And then the labor... Including "accurizing" it.

I am guessing, cause I know nothing about the "smithing" part, under $2K? Does that equate?
 
#8
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

Have you thought about your optics yet? The SS isn't a bad scope but, at this point, I feel your money would be better spent upgrading the optics then on having a smith work on your action.
 
#9
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njlohmann</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Have you thought about your optics yet? The SS isn't a bad scope but, at this point, I feel your money would be better spent upgrading the optics then on having a smith work on your action. </div></div>

I have. I currently have the <span style="font-weight: bold">SWFA SS 10x42M</span>. Considering the <span style="font-weight: bold">SWFA SS 5-20x50 Tactical 30mm Riflescope</span>, NightForce or a Horus as my next scope.

Do you think that's all I need to take me to the next level?
 
#10
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

To have an action trued and barrel installed is usually in the 600 to 800 ballpark.

Unless you really want to have the short barrel rifle to shoot before you have the work done on it, I would look at the SPS Varmint model. It is a little cheaper and the only two differences are barrel twist and length. The 1-12 will stabiize the 175 grain SMKs just fine and you save yoursekf a bit of money.
 
#11
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

I know that you are not looking to get into a custom gun, but if you are planning to have the action worked from the get go, then you are far better off investing in a custom action. You will basically have the same amount of money in it.

For what you are asking, you are better off picking up a Rem 700 SPS Varmint or tactical and dropping it in an aftermarket stock. Once you shoot the factory barrel out of it, then have it trued and the barrel replaced.
 
#12
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

due to the fact that I don't actually know what "level" you are on right now I cannot honestly say. I can only tell you what I would do.

One thing you need to understand is that a rifle is a "System" A very good rifle (1/2 moa or better) with low quality glass is not as good of a weapon system as an average rifle (1 moa) that has high quality glass.

That is why I have a Nightforce NXS on My savage 10 PC in .223 Although it literally cost twice what the rifle did, I feel it improves the whole "System" more then some smith work could.
Same with my Remington 700 in 308. I spent my money on an AICS and another Nightforce rather then spending it on a smith.

I would be willing to bet that that rifle, just the way it is, after being dropped into an A5 (even without bedding) will shoot just fine. That is why I would recommend you to spend that money on some higher quality glass than on smith work.
 
#14
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Little Yoshi</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So, this is where I am lost... All I have to do is buy the rifle and aftermarket stock and drop it in myself? I don't need a smith? It's that easy? </div></div>

I have 2 Rem 700's in AICS stocks.

Undo two bolts, move action, tighten two bolts, a few minutes.

It is that easy.
 
#17
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

You do realize you can buy a PDC, XLR, or McRee chassis for your Savage and just bolt it in as easily as the 700 in AI chassis? You'd have AICS mags to use AND the ability to rebarrel your rifle. More importantly, do you reload?
 
#18
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

Swapping Savage barrel is easy, bedding is easy, get a trigger and a quality stock (Mcm,mcree, pdc, xlr,pdc). You now have a hammer and about 2500 bucks to spend on glass. It is that easy. Ask me how I know. Here is a pic for shits.

IMG_4724-1.jpg
 
#20
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fngmike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You do realize you can buy a PDC, XLR, or McRee chassis for your Savage and just bolt it in as easily as the 700 in AI chassis? You'd have AICS mags to use AND the ability to rebarrel your rifle. More importantly, do you reload? </div></div>

Nope! Had no clue.
smile.gif
And, I just started reloading.
 
#22
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

Savage 10fcp can be bought in a McMillan or hs tactical stock. Savage model 12 long range precision comes in an hs with the target accutrigger. Looking at $900-$1100 for these guns.
Worth a look as well, especially if that McMillan suits your needs.
 
#24
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

here's my .02cents after owning at least 20 custom rifles of all types.

If your on a budget stick with the savage and put it in xlr, so far it is the best chassis system i have tried for savage.

If your willing to spend around $2k on a trued remington 700 in a mcmillan you would be crazy not to at least look at the sako trg for $2500. if you have to have the remington don't waste your money improving he factory barrel get a new custom barrel that will be guarenteed to shoot good.
 
#25
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JWV</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There are also guys who do full blueprinting on Savages for 95 bucks. Food for thought. </div></div>

Can you direct me to said person(s) for future reference?
 
#26
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

Take from this what you want, as it may not apply to you or anyone else, and I am certain it is only one way to skin this cat. For me, this allowed skill progression, and spread out the financial outlay into more manageable pieces. I did not see any reason to lay out a few $K for the crappy skills I had when I started this journey.

My knowledge and skills are nothing compared to most guys here, but I am doing the same thing you are right now. I am upgrading my stock (beginner) rifle to a personalized "rig". Some may tell you it is a "build" until the smith work is done, Some may say it's "custom", but to me it is just my "rig". Here is the order and reasoning for how I am going about this process.

1. Base Rifle - Gotta start somewhere right? - You need to decide if you are doing Rem or Sav, then go from there.
2. Trigger upgrade, or adjust what you have. Cheapest off the bat accuracy improvement.
3. Start Reloading - you can tailor make the load for what your rifle likes to shoot. Second most cost effective accuracy upgrade.

Then you get as much trigger time while saving for the hardware upgrades. I do these as I get the cash for the next upgrade.

4. Stock - upgrade the stock if needed to what you are wanting. Hunting style, A2, 3, 5, whatever your style is.
5. Barrel - While getting comfy with your new stock of choice, continue shooting out your pencil barrel while saving for a bbl of your contour and bore choice.
6. Assembly - Smith to cut chamber to your dimensions and mount on your receiver. Now with the trigger time you have put in and the hand loads your new barrel shoots most accurately, you better have a pea shooter.
7. Optics - With your new system capabilities (loads, rifle, shooter) you will extend your ranges. For this you will need to upgrade your optics to the best you can afford. My next optic, should be the last one I ever buy. Especially once my wife finds out how many shoes it could have been.
smile.gif

8. Smith work - I put this last as my understanding of lapping the bolt, blue printing the action, etc get you minimal accuracy gains compared to the prior upgrades. This will probably be done when replacing the barrel again.


ETA: Good luck on your journey, this is fun stuff!
 
#27
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dvsdev</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JWV</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There are also guys who do full blueprinting on Savages for 95 bucks. Food for thought. </div></div>

Can you direct me to said person(s) for future reference? </div></div>

http://www.centershotrifles.com/services/
 
#28
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

Thanks again for the info! Here's what I've decided...

Gonna go with an XLR for my Savage and buy a good optic for it. In the meantime, I am going to start assembling the components for my Remmy 700 build. Of which, I want to have completed by next summer. So, in the end, I'll have both. That's a win-win as far as I am concerned.
smile.gif
 
#29
Re: Upgrading from my beginner rig

I always thought I'd spend money on a custom build once I got halfway decent with the bolt gun. But I've figured out all I really need to do is upgrade my FCP-K. Saving money while ensuring my rifle grows along with me. I vote keep the action and just build on it. A $3000 custom isn't going to make you Bob Lee Swagger. A good basic rifle and scope platform, sound instruction, and a mountain of ammo might, however.
 
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