Bolt Rifle build Help requested

[foxj66]

I have really enjoyed my Ruger Scout and I am looking to improve on it in some ways by building up a savage hog hunter (thinking more or less a scout type rifle with a regular low to medium power scope and DBM).

What I am looking for help on is on stocks, DBM and Scopes.

I would like the rifle to be fairly light shooting for 8 pounds or less unloaded. I really have no idea who I should look at for stocks or what styles would be good for an all around field rifle. Along with the stock I am unsure who I should be looking at for DBM.

On the scope I really like the vortex Razor HDII 1-6 but I wonder if there is something else I should look at as well. Budget is not a big concern as I will save for whats needed but I don't want some crazy amount into a 500 rifle so we will start the budget at 2500 for a scope and Stock/DBM.

I appreciate any help or ideas than can be offered.

[GJM]

Two comments:

1) Not sure what action you are using, but in my experience, if I am spending the money to do a custom rifle, I have always been happiest using a model 70 action.

2) I think DBMs are great on a gaming type bolt gun, and perhaps a tactical one, but are a major PIA on a hunting gun.

[foxj66]

Two comments:

1) Not sure what action you are using, but in my experience, if I am spending the money to do a custom rifle, I have always been happiest using a model 70 action.


2) I think DBMs are great on a gaming type bolt gun, and perhaps a tactical one, but are a major PIA on a hunting gun.

1) I will be using the savage Hog Hunter rifle and barrel, I plan to have a model 70 built someday (still gotta figure out exactly what I want) but this one is a project that I will be doing all the work on.

2) I will keep this is mind but so far I have liked it on the Ruger scout.

[GJM]

Understood, I didn't realize you were going with an existing model, as opposed to a hog hunting style rifle. Just hoogled it. How will you be using it, and what don't you like about the existing stock? What DBM options are there that fit the Savage action? If you are hog hunting with it, is that the ideal cartridge.

Not that it should keep you from doing it, but I suspect money spent on a custom stock and other mods to a Savage .223 will be unlikely to come back to you if you sell it down the road.

[foxj66]

Rifle is a 308. Factory stock is a flimsy cheap plastic thing that barely counts as a stock. I know Cdi, ptg, badger, manners they all seam to make dbm. I will use it has a host with my suppressor and hand loaded subs for paper punching. Shooting steel to 4-500 and deer rifle. Looking to focus on the hunting side and being able to use for target side .

[RoyGBiv]

American Rifleman had an interesting review of the Mossberg MVP platform in this months' issue.
http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/utility-rifles-mossbergs-mvp

I know less than nothing about bolt actions, but was impressed with the "utility" concept Mossberg was going after.
I liked the idea of AR mag compatibility in a utility bolt gun, even though I don't have a specific use for it. FWIW.

Probably best to ignore the RJF reference in the article. I'll bet that ship has sailed.

[okie john]

Rifle is a 308. Factory stock is a flimsy cheap plastic thing that barely counts as a stock. I know Cdi, ptg, badger, manners they all seam to make dbm. I will use it has a host with my suppressor and hand loaded subs for paper punching. Shooting steel to 4-500 and deer rifle. Looking to focus on the hunting side and being able to use for target side .

I get the impression that this build won't offer you anything that the Ruger doesn't already do. Is there a reason you've settled on the Hog Hunter? How will it be better than the Ruger Scout?

The requirement to use DBMs will influence which stock you choose because so few people make a stocks for a Savage with a DBM conversion. So the first thing I'd do is see who offers a DBM conversion for the 111 and what kind of mags you'll have to use. Then I'd compare that to who offers DBM conversions for other actions, especially the Remington 700 and the Winchester Model 70.

I've gone through the Scout Rifle cycle, to include exchanging several letter with Jeff Cooper and Finn Aagaard about it when they were both still alive. I find that a Model 70 Featherweight in 308 does pretty much everything I need to do with a rifle, which covers everything you described in your original post.


Okie John

[foxj66]

I don't see it offering much over the ruger, Except it will have my suppressor mount on it to use . I am using the hog hunter because I picked it up cheap. instead of building I have decided to mount up a 1-4 scope I have and put a suppressor mount on it for the time being.

[okie john]

I don't see it offering much over the ruger, Except it will have my suppressor mount on it to use . I am using the hog hunter because I picked it up cheap. instead of building I have decided to mount up a 1-4 scope I have and put a suppressor mount on it for the time being.

A Google image search shows lots of Ruger Scouts with suppressors. I think you remove the flash hider, no?


Okie John

[foxj66]

A Google image search shows lots of Ruger Scouts with suppressors. I think you remove the flash hider, no?


Okie John

I have had mine on it before, But for its use I hate having the mount on there and with the suppressor its ruins the balance of the rifle. I like it better with a thread protector.

[mtnbkr]

I have a Hog Hunter as well.

When I get back to my home computer, I'll post up a couple links with interesting info regarding stocks and such. There are a lot of good options. Other than not having a removable magazine and being a touch on the heavy side, I like mine as it is. The stock is kind of chintzy, but it works. I bought it for the open sights and wanted something simple, rugged, and foolproof. I'll mainly use it for crawling through mountain laurel thickets and/or as a camp gun. If I can find a Wal-Mart sourced load that shoots well, I may not even reload for it.

If you want it less than 8lbs with scope, you might want to weigh it first. Mine weighs about 7.5lbs as shipped from the factory.

I looked at the Mossberg Patrol rifles, but the LOP was a bit too short, the price was $200 more than I paid for the Savage, and the reviews regarding accuracy weren't inspiring.

I haven't done much with mine yet. It was shooting WAY high at 50yds, even with the rear sight all the way down. Savage sent me a label to return it and just sent it back to me. It now sports a taller front base. Their test target at 25yds was one ragged hole and dead center, so hopefully I'll have a shooter.

Chris

[okie john]

I looked at the Mossberg Patrol rifles, but the LOP was a bit too short, the price was $200 more than I paid for the Savage, and the reviews regarding accuracy weren't inspiring.

A guy at my club had one of these on the range last week, along with a bore scope, and I got to check it out. Nice concept but weak execution. The bolt travel was rough, like a 98k built in a slave labor camp. The bore had a lot of tool marks perpendicular to the rifling even after fire-lapping. He had four different types of mags, which ranged from barely-hanging-in-the-magwell to almost-a-crush-fit. When I asked how it fed, he just stared at me blankly.

You'd do a lot better by grabbing a 700 Youth at a big-box store and tricking it out with solid aftermarket parts.


Okie John

[mtnbkr]

Nice concept/weak execution was my impression of the Mossberg as well.

Anyway, here are the links I mentioned above:
http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?29487-What-the-Hog-Hunter-really-ought-to-be!
http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?21993-Stocks-for-Savage-Hog-Hunter-308

Chris

[foxj66]

Thanks for the links.

After reading the replies here I have decided its best to use it as is and find what really needs changed.

Thanks!

[Dan_S]

A guy at my club had one of these on the range last week, along with a bore scope, and I got to check it out. Nice concept but weak execution. The bolt travel was rough, like a 98k built in a slave labor camp. The bore had a lot of tool marks perpendicular to the rifling even after fire-lapping.



After briefly looking over a Mossberg bolt gun last month, my impressions were similar. I wasn't impressed with the tooling marks, and the general "clunkiness" of the gun.


Ruger: I wouldn't touch a Ruger with a ten foot pole. Partly on principal (issues with the company) and partly due to the fact that I do not believe that their quality is on par with some other options in a similar price range.

[okie john]

Ruger: I wouldn't touch a Ruger with a ten foot pole. Partly on principal (issues with the company) and partly due to the fact that I do not believe that their quality is on par with some other options in a similar price range.

I think they've improved since the old man left the company. They're certainly offering stuff that would have him turning over in his grave...


Okie John

[mtnbkr]

Saw this Hog Hunter at Savageshooters.com:

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af113/1Txhillbilly/Other%20Rifles/003_zpsbe8fa72b.jpg

Kinda sexy.

Chris