Action Purchase

[Cat64]

I want to build a new rifle. It will be a 260 AI. I have already purchased the barrel (Criterion 28"). Now I want to buy the action. Just finished building a 6mm BR using the Savage target action (LBRP) and the original f-class stock. It shoots and looks great. I could not find anywhere at this time the same action for sale. My wife gave me some money for my B-day and now I have around $1000 to spend on an action. I love the RBLP concept. I looked around and checked many outfits selling actions but it appears most cost more and come without trigger and / or trigger guard. I am still debating if I want a single shot or not. Later I might want to use this action for longer cartridges. I am welcoming your thoughts.

 

[strike33]

The Stiller actions run about $950
Badger M2013 is $1,180

 

[Cat64]

Are they available and what is the lead time on those? Do they come with trigger?

 

[strike33]

Neither come with a trigger.
You can pick up the Stiller in stock from quite a few distributors Bugholes, thirdgenerationshootingsupply, accurateordnanace
Call Badger, last time I talked to them they had some ready to ship

 

[Cat64]

What trigger would be good and how much they run?

 

[strike33]

Trigger run from about 150-250 for a Timney or Jewel.
Timney for a hunting/ harsh environment and the Jewel for a target bench gun
you can spend more for the CG extreme or Huber

Thats one of the many advantages of utilizing a Remington clone (and Badger) action, There are many trigger choices for you.

 

[Cat64]

No hunting here. Jewel sounds more appropriate. Do they come with the trigger guard or that is another expense?

 

[strike33]

Thats another expense. You'll have to decide if you want a DBM or BDL style. What stock/chassis do you plan on. If you utilize a chassis they DBM are integral. There are as many types of DBM as there are actions. You will have to decide on which one before you order your stock.
PTG are the least expensive. I personally like the APA, R&D and Surgeon

 

[Cat64]

Glad you asked about stocks. I love the flat 3 inches wide forend and the flat butt at the end of the stock for smooth gliding on the rear bag. I might use a bipod as well. I am trying to decide for quite some time now if I want a single shot or something with a detachable magazine.

 

[strike33]

What's your primary purpose for the rifle?
I'm a fan of just about anything Manners. They are sure to have something that fits what your needs. Many forearm and butt options

 

[Cat64]

Bench shooting for 100 and 200 yds than prone from 300to 1000 yards. Target shooting...no hunting. Shooting from either a front rest or bipod and rear bag.

 

[buffybuster]

Bench shooting for 100 and 200 yds than prone from 300to 1000 yards. Target shooting...no hunting. Shooting from either a front rest or bipod and rear bag.

BAT Machine can fix you up.

 

[strike33]

As stated above BAT has all kinds of options. If the single shot is what you decide on then BAT will have an insane amount of options.
The Pierce and Stiller single shots have great reputations as well

 

[Cat64]

Somebody suggested a Shilen action for my Criterion bull barrel (260 AI). Anybody has experience with that action. Will it fit my barrel which I believe is a large shank?

 

[pinzmann]

After reading your last post, it got me to thinkin' when you mentioned large shank. Is your barrel a blank or has it been threaded already?

 

[Akhunter907]

I bet pre fit for sure. Only real decision is repeater or single shot. Stainless, etc

For trigger, just set up a SSS trigger for a friend. Imo. The best trigger out there for a savage.

 

[Akhunter907]

Oh and the Shilen action is a large shank. Forgot about that one. Change my vote to the Shilen. With a Jewell trigger. And a low boy laminate stock. F or ftr

 

[Cat64]

It is a large shank. Will that fit the Shilen action?

 

[Cat64]

What other actions will fit my Criterion large shank bull barrel?

 

[lw8]

Any thoughts on a Borden Action?

 

[Cat64]

I am not sure about Borden.

 

[MoBoost]

Savage LRPV Varmint Target .223 223 RBLP Action : Bolt Action Rifles at GunBroker.com

Sell the barrel and the bolt face, install yours and new PTG bolt face - DONE!


You can also look for Savage 18671 and just shoot the crap out of it.
(I believe Gene Sears has those in stock).

 

[Cat64]

Savage LRPV Varmint Target .223 223 RBLP Action : Bolt Action Rifles at GunBroker.com

Sell the barrel and the bolt face, install yours and new PTG bolt face - DONE

So, to change from the Target action with 223 bolt face to a 308 I would only need to change the bolt face? Where do I find those to purchase?

 

[Icallem]

I don't know about the large / small shank, but Sixfivesavage has a model 12 VBSS in the for sale section. If that action would work, you would have all the parts you need.

 

[MoBoost]

So, to change from the Target action with 223 bolt face to a 308 I would only need to change the bolt face? Where do I find those to purchase?

I guess PTG doesn't make left hand bolt heads (if you are planning to to stick with RBLP action you'll need left hand bolt) you can get a factory one:
Savage Arms Bolt Head Short Action Savage 10 to 16 Push Feed Left Hand

 

[Cat64]

I guess PTG doesn't make left hand bolt heads (if you are planning to to stick with RBLP action you'll need left hand bolt) you can get a factory one:
Savage Arms Bolt Head Short Action Savage 10 to 16 Push Feed Left Hand

Thank you for that. Nobody has in stock Savage standard caliber bolt head RBLP (18182) target action. I can find though the 223 bolt head RBLP (18183). So just to make sure...if I get the 18183 and change the bolt face with the one indicated above I will arrive to 18182 without any other necessary modification correct?

 

[Cat64]

I guess PTG doesn't make left hand bolt heads (if you are planning to to stick with RBLP action you'll need left hand bolt) you can get a factory one:
Savage Arms Bolt Head Short Action Savage 10 to 16 Push Feed Left Hand

Thank you for that. Nobody has in stock Savage standard caliber bolt head RBLP (18182) target action. I can find though the 223 bolt head RBLP (18183). So just to make sure...if I get the 18183 and change the bolt face with the one indicated above I will arrive to 18182 without any other necessary modification correct?

 

[MoBoost]

It's not necessary but you can either modify or change the the front baffle - 223 has an extra leg that limits the bolt throw (I usually just grind it off regardless).

223: Savage Arms Front Bolt Baffle Savage 10 Through 16 SS
308: Savage Arms Front Bolt Baffle Savage 110 Through 116 SS

Other than that, check/adjust firing pin protrusion, set the headspacing and go.

Of course you can just switch the barrels in your current (6mmBR) action and see if 6.5 is all what it's puffed up to be; and sorry man, hate to tell this to you - as far as paper punching goes you got it as good as it gets - that 260AI ain't going to do nothing but burn more powder and kick harder.

If I were you - I'd enjoy 6mmBR for what it is and spend the money on something different: be it a dedicated tactical gun, or hunting rig, maybe even auto-loader... or simply better glass.

I've been in your shoes and built a gun around a barrel before - you just end up with a franken-gun with no purpose, just a sum of parts and nothing to point at.

 

[Cat64]

It's not necessary but you can either modify or change the the front baffle - 223 has an extra leg that limits the bolt throw (I usually just grind it off regardless).

223: Savage Arms Front Bolt Baffle Savage 10 Through 16 SS
308: Savage Arms Front Bolt Baffle Savage 110 Through 116 SS

Other than that, check/adjust firing pin protrusion, set the headspacing and go.

Of course you can just switch the barrels in your current (6mmBR) action and see if 6.5 is all what it's puffed up to be; and sorry man, hate to tell this to you - as far as paper punching goes you got it as good as it gets - that 260AI ain't going to do nothing but burn more powder and kick harder.

If I were you - I'd enjoy 6mmBR for what it is and spend the money on something different: be it a dedicated tactical gun, or hunting rig, maybe even auto-loader... or simply better glass.

I've been in your shoes and built a gun around a barrel before - you just end up with a franken-gun with no purpose, just a sum of parts and nothing to point at.[/QUOTE

All very good points.

The reason I wanted the 260 AI was to shoot up to 1000 yards with more stability then the 6mm bullet. I have done some research and read good things about the ballistics of the 6.5 mm bullet and the AI idea. I would put a muzzle on that. Also wanted to shoot this mostly prone from a bipod rather then the BR from the rest. Ideas?

 

[Cat64]

It's not necessary but you can either modify or change the the front baffle - 223 has an extra leg that limits the bolt throw (I usually just grind it off regardless).

223: Savage Arms Front Bolt Baffle Savage 10 Through 16 SS
308: Savage Arms Front Bolt Baffle Savage 110 Through 116 SS

Other than that, check/adjust firing pin protrusion, set the headspacing and go.

Of course you can just switch the barrels in your current (6mmBR) action and see if 6.5 is all what it's puffed up to be; and sorry man, hate to tell this to you - as far as paper punching goes you got it as good as it gets - that 260AI ain't going to do nothing but burn more powder and kick harder.

If I were you - I'd enjoy 6mmBR for what it is and spend the money on something different: be it a dedicated tactical gun, or hunting rig, maybe even auto-loader... or simply better glass.

I've been in your shoes and built a gun around a barrel before - you just end up with a franken-gun with no purpose, just a sum of parts and nothing to point at.

And also what does "tactical rifle" really means? Never quite understood what makes a rifle/platform tactical.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I would say offhand that the 6BR already constitutes the main bulk of the rifle you seek. All I would add would be a properly chambered and threaded barrel and barrel nut configured in 260 Rem. Acquire a proper barrel nut wrench and barrel vise block and learn how to headspace a Savage barrel using a fired casing as a headspace gage.

I am not a fan of the AI modifications. Not saying they are a bad thing, I just don't prefer them.

My thinking is as follows.

The AI concept simply adds chamber capacity. Since the owner has chosen to increase capacity; it stands to reason that additional capacity will be used, primarily to create max loads. That's essentially going over what would already be a max load with the unmodified case.

This goes against my grain. it magnifies the chances of early throat failure. The .260 is largely adequate for 1000yd accuracy, and I have shot a 24" .260 to 1Km (1123yd) successfully. You would already have enough gun for 1000yd, and IMHO way more gun than is needed at 100 and 200yd. The 6mm BR is a super cartridge for those distances.

If the 6.5mm barrel you already have cannot be chambered for .260 Rem and mounted on your gun, find a buyer for it. Use the money to buy a (longer than 24", I prefer 28" for the .260) barrel as I suggest, and apply the remaining funds toward better optics and/or some handloading resources.

Really, once you have a Savage gun worked up to match shooting standards, why would you need two of everything it contains? The platform you already have is ideally set up for use as a switch barrel rifle.

So do that, rather than expending perfectly good resources in an effort to duplicate something that's perfect, and that you already have. I would use the money and the existing platform as a system, perfect that one system, and use my subsequent and/or leftover funding for ammo and/or reloading. When you want to shoot another chambering, just get another barrel chambered for a cartridge with the standard .473" bolt face diameter you already have. There are a lot of them.

Shooting's already expensive, why make it cost twice as much? One of these days, we all take a look at the gun cabinet and realize we're running out of space in there. When my Wife asks me why I own so many rifles, she had a valid point. But that doesn't really ever need to happen if we manage our resources more wisely.

Greg

 

[Capt Beach]

Greg made a very valid point...WHY? You can only shoot one at a time...WHY 2 very expensive platforms unless you just really want too(two)...the Savage 6BR on the TA you already have is LARGE shank (your 260AI Criterion barrel)...you might consider getting a really nice Pelican case and having a custom foam insert cut for your 6BR rifle, a spare barrel slot (or two) and a slot for an action wrench and a barrel wrench...add a couple of slots for appropriate head space Go/No Go gauges for each caliber, maybe even a slot for another fitted stock for the TA and have a true modular system utilizing the Savage Target Action as a base for everything...you can then sink the rest of the $$$ into high end components and reloading equipment, optics...$1000 buys a lot of Lapua brass, powder, primerz and boolits...actually much more than that...$1000 was the $$$ momma gave you to spend on the action...figure another $500-$1000+ on a stock, and upwards of $2K on higher end glass/rings/mount and $200 for a nice bipod if you go high end... so now we are talking about nearly $4K in components...

 

[Cat64]

Greg and Beach...you both raised very valuable points. In essence, as I was frantically zooming through sites and forum to acquire parts and knowledge for the 'new build, I had the same revelation. I since recanted on the whole concept and decided the wise approach is to stick 'with my guns' ( no pun...lol). I sent back the 260AI barrel as an exchange for another 6mm BR which is certain I will need at a later date. Next project, whatever that might be, will have to wait for now.

P.S. Greg, I learned the skill required to assemble the components for a Savage build. Jim Briggs was my gracious tutor explaining to mien minute detail all that is required. I applied it ad litteram and I am pleased with the end result.