New trigger or trade up?

ilmonster

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Aug 5, 2012
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I currently own a Remington 700 SPS Tac in .223 I use at the club I belong to to shoot paper and steel. The club has 25 – 200 yd. ranges. I have found that Hornady 75 BTHP Match ammo will group around ½” MOA out to 200 yds. if I do my part. I have taken the original Tupperware stock off the Remington and replaced it with a B&C Medalist stock (free floated). The rifle is topped by a Vortex 5-15x44 mil-dot scope in TPS rings on a TPS 0’ rail. I reload, and last year began to load for .223 and am testing to find the right powder amt. for the 75 gr. BTHP’s to meet or beat the factory Hornady rounds.

So far I’ve been real pleased with it. My conundrum is I want to replace the stock X-Mark Pro trigger (which is adjustable and not too bad) with a Timney 510 (I have an .22 Anschutz 1416 w/a 2 stage trigger that has spoiled me!). My question is this. Before I spend yet more dollars on this rifle, would it be a better use of dollars to consider a Savage model 12 VLP as I can 1) get it for around $710 through a deal at work (40% off Savages), 2) it has a 1:7 twist that would allow me to try even heavier bullets (my Rem 700 is 1:9), 3) comes free floated from the factory, 4) has the Accutrigger which I’m assuming is better than the stock Rem. X-mark trigger and 5) has a 26” barrel which would get me some addt’l velocity?

The range I belong to is only out to 200 yds. There is another range open to the public near me that goes out to 300 yds. I’m planning on trying that this spring. There is a 600 yd. range in the state, but that would be a 2 hr. drive. So my question is, based on me only shooting out to 300 yds. on any kind of regular basis, is it worth selling my current rig for the Savage to get a better trigger and faster twist, or should I keep the Rem 700, spend yet some more money on a Timney trigger and call it a day? Or a third option would be to get a Tikka T3x that has a better trigger (from what I read) and comes with a 1:8 twist barrel for quite a bit more money?

p.s. the optics and my Harris bi-pod would be transferred to any new rifle I might buy.
 
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If youre only goign to 600 absolute max then I wouldnt bother trying to run the heavier bullets. The 1-9 twist should push the nosler 70 rdf alright and thats got a great BC, better than many of the heavier bullets that you would need a 1-8 twist for. I would just get a timney and enjoy what you already have.
 
You've already got a rifle that will shoot 1/2 moa with 75's and only shoot to three hundred. I would go the timney route and I am a proponent of factory savage rifles for bang for the buck. I have had great luck with savages but you are never sure what kind of shooter you will you get with a bone stock rifle. You have a known shooter and just want to upgrade the trigger. If you really like two stage triggers look at the timney Calvin elite trigger tech etc. The accutrigger is a little bit like a two stage with the sear engagement blade as the first stage.

You can spend ALOT of money getting to a 1/2 moa or better rifle and sounds like you're already there
 
Good catch Spife, I brain farted thinking the TT special was two stage. Just a lighter version of the regular single stage. Nit pick the hell out of it that's how it works around here!
 
Thanks for the reply's. I don't need a two stage necessarily, just a lighter trigger than I can adjust the stock trigger to. Sounds like the Timney 510 it is. Other thoughts welcome though.