Savage 110xp or 10xp for 6.5 creedmoor build

[johnny-bravo]

I just became a member to snipershide not long ago and have 3 Remington 700's that are in my inventory but want to expand. I have been looking for a while at building a Savage as I hear many great things about them. This is what my big question is or maybe delima for the moment,

I have decided to build a Savage 10 in a 6.5 creedmoor and for the base of my build have found the walmart special to start with, at one store there is a 10xp in .308 for $447 and is the short action then on the other hand another walmart has a 110xp in the 7mm mag long action but its discounted for $397.
would it be worth saving a few bucks getting the 110 over the 10? can you change the longer bolt actioned 110's bolt face of .535" to the shorter action's size of .475"? or would it come out costing the same and being less of a headache just getting the 10xp. I will just add the 6.5 barrel at a later time just trying to get started on it.
The one benefit of having the longer action is later I can go 300WM or 300UM, 30-06 and so on....
What places carry the smaller bolt face and how many mods to it would i have to do? I read where someone had a problem changing bolt faces and were getting striker marks from the firing pin but later foud out the pins were adjustable, found that info here http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?14842-Bolt-head-swap

hope this is ok for a first post
thanks

[johnny-bravo]

ok, i guess this would be the stripped bolt head that i would need http://www.midwayusa.com/product/451988/savage-arms-bolt-head-short-action-savage-10-to-16-push-feed-right-hand-22-250-remington-243-winchester-260-remington-7mm-08-remington-308-winchester

[thirty06]

Either rifle will work. That is the wrong bolthead for a long action. You would want one for a 30-06 or 270.
Long action and short actions use different boltheads.
For your 6.5 the LA is totally unecssessary.

[johnny-bravo]

I didnt even think about the .270 LA head (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/461219/savage-arms-bolt-head-long-action-savage-110-to-116-push-feed-small-firing-pin-hole-right-hand-25-06-remington-270-winchester-30-06-springfield), same diameter as the .308 but for the long action as i need, good call. thanks
why is it totally unnecessary, can change out from short to long action calibers whenever i like

[thirty06]

I didn't mean it wouldn't work, but some times the shorter cartridges give feeding or ejection problems.
The LA is more versatile like you said.

[helotaxi]

Some people like using long actions for short action calibers because they have no restrictions other than the barrel throat on how long they can load a cartridge using a VLD bullet. In the case of the 6.5 Creedmoor, the case was shortened compared to the .260 Rem specifically so that VLDs could be loaded with the minimum amount of bullet in the case required to retain the bullet while remaining within 2.85" or there abouts. Essentially it was made to load the bullets out long and still fit in the magazine of an AR-10 pattern rifle. The 2.95"+ magazine length available in a Savage short action will acommodate most anything you can put together in a Creedmoor.

[johnny-bravo]

Other than the barrel, bolt face, magwell and follower, would there be anything else involved in the swap?

[johnny-bravo]

Would I need to chang out the magwell or will the 6.5 work in the 7mm mag?
Maybe use a spacer....

[helotaxi]

I believe that the Mag feed lips are going to be too wide to retain the Creedmoor. You'll probably have to get an -06 type magazine.

[Nandy]

If i were to have only one type action it will be a LA since I can build anything on it, yes, some cartridges will have to be single shot but it is doable. If you want to be able to have one locked and loaded and 1+ in the magazine you might have to go to the SA for some calibers. In my case I have a LA and still cant have more than 1 in the mag because my barrel likes them vld's close to the lands. It is alright by me, nowadays I only need that first shot...
As far as your specifics, I believe the SA in walmart that you mention does have the accutrigger. Does the 110 has accutrigger as well? If all the same I think your better off with the LA. I will probably be buying that same SA next year.

[taylorce1]

If you buy the long action forget the Creedmoor and go 6.5X284 Lapua (correction Norma) or 6.5-06. You'll need an 06 mag as well if you go with the LA. I think it would be cheaper in the long run just to buy the short action rather than buying the parts to convert a magnum to a SA cartridge. There are more cartridges than a guy could ever use that will work on the SA as well.

[johnny-bravo]

As it ends up, i was able to get the 110 in a .270 due to their mistake but i wasnt able to get a SA for that discounted price. The 110 came with the accutrigger setup and i now have the barrel nut soaking in Kroil. Just ordered a barrel nut wrench, to bad no local gun shops has one of these as a loaner.....
Why the 6.5 x 284 Lapua? I know little to nothing about that cartridge, ammo easy to get? I live in the hills and have to have everything sent in

[helotaxi]

6.5-.284 has a little more powder capacity but it isn't a common round at all. It's also the 6.5-.284 Norma, not Lapua. The Lapua rounds are x47 designations.

[taylorce1]

6.5-.284 has a little more powder capacity but it isn't a common round at all. It's also the 6.5-.284 Norma, not Lapua. The Lapua rounds are x47 designations.

You're right my bad, I had just been looking at 6.5 calbier brass from Lapua right before I made the post. However 6.5 Creedmoor and .260 Rem aren't all that common yet either. However brass and ammuntion for all three is readily available on line. Anyway I still say with a long action take advantage of he magazine and use a larger case.

[johnny-bravo]

I started to look into the 6.5x47 lapua, then i stumbled uppon this
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/949017/lapua-scenar-ammunition-65x47-lapua-123-grain-hollow-point-boat-tail-box-of-20
$64 for a box of 20..... YIKES!!!

[johnny-bravo]

Taylorce1, what do you meen by "taking advantage of a larger case"? the lapua is bigger than the creedmoor?

[jonbearman]

Ya gotta get into reloading eventually,it will pay for itself with in a few months of shooting.Buy a hornady reloading manual and start reading. It will be the best spent money you ever spent.Then you can taylor your loads as necessary.I shoot the .260 and it is a fine cartridge and a bit more powerful.They feed out of a long action centerfeed like butter. I dont know how good the creedmore would feed but I will bet it will with no hangup's.Powdervalley is a good place to start for reloading components. You can get a lee challenger kit for cheap and be able to reload the creedmore or .260 with ease.

[taylorce1]

Taylorce1, what do you meen by "taking advantage of a larger case"? the lapua is bigger than the creedmoor?

If you look back a to my original post in here I said take advantage of the longer magazine and use a larger case like the 6.5-284 Norma (I called it a Lapua) or the 6.5-06. I don't see any advantage of running a short action cartridge in a long action rifle. I really don't know your intended usage of the rifle but the only down side to running either of the larger cartridges will be shorter barrel life and more recoil. The advantages are faster velocities, flatter trajectories, less time to target, and more energy delivered if hunting.

I guess I just figured if you were looking at the Creedmoor you would be reloading. If you are buying ammunition I'd just buy a .308 in a short action or run a .30-06 in a long action. I see no advantage to running a the Creedmoor if you are going to be dependent on using factory ammunition.

[johnny-bravo]

I don't see any advantage of running a short action cartridge in a long action rifle..
The only advantage in this case is less money spent on rifle, as i stated in my op what the co$t differences were between the long and short

I have decided to build a Savage 10 in a 6.5 creedmoor and for the base of my build have found the walmart special to start with, at one store there is a 10xp in .308 for $447 and is the short action then on the other hand another walmart has a 110xp in the 7mm mag long action but its discounted for $397

I guess I just figured if you were looking at the Creedmoor you would be reloading.
Who said i didnt....? I actually have been buying reloading equipment so i can work up my own loads like the rest

If you are buying ammunition I'd just buy a .308 in a short action or run a .30-06 in a long action.
I have a Remington 700 in the .308 another one in a .300blk and a third in a 300WM(LA) also the Ruger M77 mark II in a .270, got all my actions covered already, now just building for fun besides I was under the impression that Hornady came out with the 6.5 creedmoor just so they can create unrivled factory "MATCH" ammo for it like no one else.... dunno, I could be wrong

[johnny-bravo]

jonbearman, I have read many threads on the 6.5's, I guess its been a big deal trying to figure out which is best, I am getting very close to changing my mind to the .260 as it looks like it would be the easiest to get ammo for or brass for reloading. I was at the local gun shop and ran across the 6.5x55 swedish and added another factor to the equation....lol
I am still unsure which barrel i will get for it but I started this going in believing Im gonna do the creedmoor, Im not sure now but thats ok, I like hearing or reading others "real world" experiences with other cartridges