Upgrade an FV-SR or go straight to a CZ 457?

[claytonm]

Hey all,

I've been trying to do more shooting practice with a .22 rifle and I have a 2-3 year old Savage MKII FV-SR that I have been using. I have found the standard stock (this is not the tacticool version) to be entirely too low for a decent scope sight picture but have been making due. I'm not really blown away by it's accuracy either, but am sure that could be me.

I am considering upgrading this gun to either a Boyds AT-One or Pro Varmint (old Tacticool) stock w/ adjustable cheekpiece, or even the new MDT LSS option for .22 rifles.

However, before I spend the money on this rifle, I was kind of wondering if I was really just going to be polishing a turd and should instead just spring for a CZ 457 and just build from there. I can likely pick up a 457 Pro Varmint for ~$100 more (probably less) than an MDT LSS and it may be a better base to start with and grow from?

 

[littlepod]

What are your long term goals? What do you plan on shooting? NRL22 like matches?

 

[padom]

My buddy upgraded his to a Boyd's stock and it's very accurate with CCI SV

 

[claytonm]

What are your long term goals? What do you plan on shooting? NRL22 like matches?

Probably no matches in the near future, likely just fun and as a 'trainer'-ish setup for my larger rifles.

 

[littlepod]

I went this route, basically as a "trainer" for my larger rifles, so I would choose something that allowed you to make it there. CZ457, Tikka T1X, and V22's all have good options for simulating common centerfire setups. Again it depends on what kind of training. I plan on PRS type matches, so practicing on tank traps, barricades, etc. I want things to be as similar as possible.

 

[billmeek]

If you want to correct the height of the stock inexpensively to see if that it your issue, you can build a cheek rest using a few strips of camp pad, some Vet tape (like veterinarian use to wrap horses legs), and if you want to get a little fancy, a strip of adhesive backed felt. The felt is nice because when it gets dirty or frayed you can just pull it off and easily replace it. I have the same setup on a couple of Savage FV-SR rifles and one of my 10/22s. Besides being cheap to build, requiring no permanent modification of the stock, they are also comfortable to boot.



Or just go buy one of the bolt-on check risers like:

Black Kydex Adjustable Cheek Rest Stock Riser .060" For Scoped Rifle | eBay

This USA made Kydex is cell/smooth finish and is the industry standard for holsters and sheaths. Black in color with a flat (matte) texture, our standard line of cheek rests will give you a perfect cheek weld for higher mounted optics on your precision rifle or slug gun.

www.ebay.com

Even if you buy another rifle, you should fix the cheek weld on the FV-SR.

 

[littlepod]

I used this for a long time when I first started shooting - https://www.amazon.com/Beartooth-Co...ds=beartooth+cheek+rest&qid=1570823099&sr=8-1

Then I upgraded to an adjustable comb stock.

 

[Nodakplowboy]

I have a Tacticool on a Savage .17HMR and a AT-One on a CZ 455, also in Hummer. My preference is the AT, easier to carry in the field, adjustable LOP and cheekrest.

Both are good stocks, both rifles are very accurate, I just find myself reaching for the 455/AT more often.

 

[claytonm]

If you want to correct the height of the stock inexpensively to see if that it your issue, you can build a cheek rest using a few strips of camp pad, some Vet tape (like veterinarian use to wrap horses legs), and if you want to get a little fancy, a strip of adhesive backed felt. The felt is nice because when it gets dirty or frayed you can just pull it off and easily replace it. I have the same setup on a couple of Savage FV-SR rifles and one of my 10/22s. Besides being cheap to build, requiring no permanent modification of the stock, they are also comfortable to boot.

View attachment 7162302

Or just go buy one of the bolt-on check risers like:

Black Kydex Adjustable Cheek Rest Stock Riser .060" For Scoped Rifle | eBay

This USA made Kydex is cell/smooth finish and is the industry standard for holsters and sheaths. Black in color with a flat (matte) texture, our standard line of cheek rests will give you a perfect cheek weld for higher mounted optics on your precision rifle or slug gun.

www.ebay.com

Even if you buy another rifle, you should fix the cheek weld on the FV-SR.

See, I thought about buying one of the cheek risers to try out, but maybe I'll try wrapping grabbing some foam and wrapping the stock, good idea.

 

[claytonm]

Both are good stocks, both rifles are very accurate, I just find myself reaching for the 455/AT more often.

Do you think you reach more the for 455 BECAUSE of the stock and less because of the actual rifle?

 

[Nodakplowboy]

Do you think you reach more the for 455 BECAUSE of the stock and less because of the actual rifle?

Hmm, good question. I prefer the AT stock and CZ magazines. The Savage is the same model as yours, only in Hummer and at the range will out shoot the CZ by a small margin. Sloppy answer, range time Savage, field time CZ.

I've been in your boat and rather than sell the Savage just upgrade to something a little more refined and keep the Savage as is. One can never own enough rimfires.

 

[Eoddave27]

You are in a very similar situation to me this past year. I had a Savage FV-SR that I bought and immediately dropped in a Boyd’s tacticool stock. I didn’t even try to use the factory stock. It was absolute junk. The rifle in the Boyd’s stock shot amazing. The accuracy was pretty remarkable considering what it cost.

This year I started shooting 22 PRS style matches. I started the year out with my MKii and every match I had reliability issues. 99% of the issues were magazine related. I tried doing the fixes for the magazines online. The rifle would function fine while practicing and it would take a dump in the middle of the next match. Ultimately I just got frustrated and sold it to a friend with the stipulation that he needed new magazines. My replacement rifle was a Tikka T1x in a KRG Bravo. It made all the difference in my scores at matches. All the malfunctions were killing my scores. I also didn’t have confidence in the rifle.

In addition to the Tikka I just bought a CZ 457 as well just because I wanted one ? it is the Pro Varmint model. The two rifles are just about equal in accuracy. I plan on eventually putting the CZ in a chassis which should make the two rifle about identical.

If your Savage functions well and you are just using it for target shooting you are probably fine just putting it in a new stock. My Savage was accurate from day one but as I said I never shot it in the factory stock. If yours is lacking in accuracy now I don’t know if a new stock or chassis will make a significant difference. Maybe someone who has transferred it from stock configuration to a after market stock can comment on the difference it made. If it were me, I would set the Savage aside as a back up rifle and buy myself a CZ or Tikka though.

 

[fdkay]

Buy the pro-varmint then upgrade the stock to the new KRG Bravo made for the CZ

 

[pepelefrog]

Do you guys know how much does the Pro Varmint stock weight? I cannot find it on Boyd's website.

 

[billmeek]

I think the weight is 2.85 lbs.

 

[Alabusa]

Love my FV-SR and At-One

Got an At-One Thumbhole ordered for my 22-250.

 

[308ftWIN]

You can get the MDT chassis on sale right meow.

Shop All Events Currently Available at Dvor.com

www.dvor.com

I have a Savage B22 in the MDT and another B22 in a Boyd's ProVarmint. MDT wins as far as I am concerned.

 

[claytonm]

You can get the MDT chassis on sale right meow.

That’s actually a hell of a deal considering the chassis just came out, it’s been a while since I shopped DVOR, any catch to their deals?

 

[claytonm]

Thanks so much for all of the feedback guys. I’m not 100% sure which way I’ll be going but I’ll probably end up owning both at some point eventually, haha.

 

[grumpysome]

I have a Savage FV-SR that I've put quite a bit of time and money into trying to make it shoot well. I just finished the final upgrade and am waiting for the wind to settle down to see if I acomplished anything. At this point in time I wish I would have bought a CZ and been done with it. It would have to be better than my Savage.

The Boyd's pro-varmint is a heavy stock. It's large enough to accept most centerfire actions and I think Boyd's just uses the one basic pattern for any rifle they offer it for. I don't remember the exact weight of the stock as it came from Boyd's,. I do remember that assembled with a 6x24x40 scope the FV-SR weighed over 8 1/2 pounds. Pretty heavy for a short barreled 22 rimfire. After giving the stock a serious shave and haircut to remove the excess wood I have it down to slightly over 7 pounds with a Bushnell AR scope on it.

 

[308ftWIN]

That’s actually a hell of a deal considering the chassis just came out, it’s been a while since I shopped DVOR, any catch to their deals?

I think you have to sign up for a free account. Subjects you to their daily/weekly emails. But I'm sure if you get tired of it, unsubscribing isn't the worst.

 

[claytonm]

I think you have to sign up for a free account. Subjects you to their daily/weekly emails. But I'm sure if you get tired of it, unsubscribing isn't the worst.

Right, I already had an account and had unsubscribed from the emails a while ago. I was just impressed at the discount on the chassis as I remember their discounts not being too exciting in the past.