[Lead Slanger]

I'm saving up for a mid/long range target rifle. I know what I want (I think), but I'm not sure which route would be the best to take.

Here's what I'm wanting....

Savage Model 12 LRPV - Right bolt, left port in .260 Rem

Here's the problem.... Savage doesn't make the LRPV (Long Range Precision Varminter) chambered in .260 Rem. They make it in the LRP (Long Range Precision), but the LRP has a detachable box magazine which I don't want. I would like for the action to be the single shot, right bolt left port. Well.....Savage will put that combo together for me, but it has a MSRP of $1,741. I can buy the action like I want, sooo how much cheaper could I build a rifle for? I figure with a MSRP of $1,741, I'll be paying $1,200 or $1,300??? Surely I can build a rifle with the exact Savage action I want, a 26" heavy barrel and a good stock for a lot less than that. Any rifle builders in the house? Oh yeah, the LRPV is in stainless....I'd be perfectly happy with a blued rifle.

Any insight into the cost of building your own rifle will be much appreciated.

 

[brimic]

I'm saving up for a mid/long range target rifle. I know what I want (I think), but I'm not sure which route would be the best to take.

Here's what I'm wanting....

Savage Model 12 LRPV - Right bolt, left port in .260 Rem

Here's the problem.... Savage doesn't make the LRPV (Long Range Precision Varminter) chambered in .260 Rem. They make it in the LRP (Long Range Precision), but the LRP has a detachable box magazine which I don't want. I would like for the action to be the single shot, right bolt left port. Well.....Savage will put that combo together for me, but it has a MSRP of $1,741. I can buy the action like I want, sooo how much cheaper could I build a rifle for? I figure with a MSRP of $1,741, I'll be paying $1,200 or $1,300??? Surely I can build a rifle with the exact Savage action I want, a 26" heavy barrel and a good stock for a lot less than that. Any rifle builders in the house? Oh yeah, the LRPV is in stainless....I'd be perfectly happy with a blued rifle.

Any insight into the cost of building your own rifle will be much appreciated.

The Savage 12 F-Class rifles are single shot, and IIRC have an opposite ejection port. The only problem is that they only come in 6mmBR and 6.5x284, no 260s Rems..., they do come with their better Target accutrigger though (the one with the orange safety blade).
They are amazingly accurate though, a lot of guys that I shoot with have them in 6BR.

 

[Spike12]

I think factory new rifles are so good these days that unless you're pretty serious or just want to play a proper factory job is damn good.

 

[MZ5]

I was faced with basically the same question earlier this year (buy off-the-shelf or assemble myself). I was looking for a medium to medium-heavy bbl that I could hunt with, though the gun would be heavier than most prefer, but also that I could shoot in the monthly precision rifle matches (normally a 700 yd max, but occasionally out to 1100).

I didn't really want to be an assembly-man this time around, so I chose to go the factory Savage route. It was a significant mistake. This barrel is so unbelievably, HORRIBLY rough that the gun wouldn't shoot 2 dozen rounds before groups opened and wild flyers were taking off. That doesn't work for me because a match is ~50 rounds. It would then take literally HOURS to clean it up so it'd shoot again. That's hours of KG-12 and/or Boretech Cu+2, followed by hours on the Foul-Out. All just to get rid of the copper. That doesn't work for me in any way, under any circumstances. After a few hundred rounds, it was absolutely no better. I ended up lapping the barrel, and coating it with DynaBore Coat. Now I can get it clean in half an hour-ish with KG-12. Maybe an hour; depends on how long I let it soak.

The point is that I specifically wanted to avoid this kind of crap. If I wanted the easy headspacing of a barrel nut system, I should have just bought a Marlin, an aftermarket barrel, and a Boyds laminate stock. It'd have been cheaper and WAY less headache. Or, I should have bought a Ruger Target Model.

Whereas you're looking for a specific action type that Savage makes, I'd stay away from their factory bbls. You may get a good one, or you may get a rough one, but your chances of a rough one from Savage (as opposed to almost any aftermarket source, including Shaw) are a whole lot higher.

IMO

 

[brimic]

Whereas you're looking for a specific action type that Savage makes, I'd stay away from their factory bbls. You may get a good one, or you may get a rough one, but your chances of a rough one from Savage (as opposed to almost any aftermarket source, including Shaw) are a whole lot higher.

Mine is on the opposite end of the spectrum (Savage 10FP), I could shoot 100 rounds through it and get little to no copper fouling. I had heard that Some savages had rough barrels, and was completely prepared to walk my rifle down to the end of my street to Bartlein Barrels to have it rebarreled, but I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[Lead Slanger]

I was faced with basically the same question earlier this year (buy off-the-shelf or assemble myself). I was looking for a medium to medium-heavy bbl that I could hunt with, though the gun would be heavier than most prefer, but also that I could shoot in the monthly precision rifle matches (normally a 700 yd max, but occasionally out to 1100).

I didn't really want to be an assembly-man this time around, so I chose to go the factory Savage route. It was a significant mistake. This barrel is so unbelievably, HORRIBLY rough that the gun wouldn't shoot 2 dozen rounds before groups opened and wild flyers were taking off. That doesn't work for me because a match is ~50 rounds. It would then take literally HOURS to clean it up so it'd shoot again. That's hours of KG-12 and/or Boretech Cu+2, followed by hours on the Foul-Out. All just to get rid of the copper. That doesn't work for me in any way, under any circumstances. After a few hundred rounds, it was absolutely no better. I ended up lapping the barrel, and coating it with DynaBore Coat. Now I can get it clean in half an hour-ish with KG-12. Maybe an hour; depends on how long I let it soak.

The point is that I specifically wanted to avoid this kind of crap. If I wanted the easy headspacing of a barrel nut system, I should have just bought a Marlin, an aftermarket barrel, and a Boyds laminate stock. It'd have been cheaper and WAY less headache. Or, I should have bought a Ruger Target Model.

Whereas you're looking for a specific action type that Savage makes, I'd stay away from their factory bbls. You may get a good one, or you may get a rough one, but your chances of a rough one from Savage (as opposed to almost any aftermarket source, including Shaw) are a whole lot higher.

IMO

Very good post my friend. I appreciate you taking the time to post it.

After doing a little research (and I mean a little), I think that is the route I'm gonna go. I can come out cheaper & have the exact rifle I want that will (or should) shoot as good or better than a factory Savage. Plus, I'll be able to say that I built that. (No matter what Obam....oh nevermind)