New Savage 11 budget build help and journal

[chromatica]

Next on my list of purchases for this build is a custom stock.

The last big purchase will be a new barrel.

Hey Wilkup,

I preceded you through the chute by just a few months when I built a precision .260 from a new Savage 11 Trophy Hunter in .308:
http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?27320-Show-amp-Tell-Model-11-Conversion&highlight=chromatica

In order to remove the factory barrel and install a new third party barrel, I needed an action vise:
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3819176.msg36250820#msg36250820

This project might give you some ideas about the mechanics of changing out a stock and barrel.

[outback andy]

Yea, I like the Vortex diamondbacks too, I have two 4-12X40 BDC @ 200.00 on sale its a good value..

[stangfish]

Buy once cry once! Please buy a used bushnell 3200/4200 if you must go cheap.

I know every coconut in the world that can read this and is paid member status will run and look(or buy) but for the OP there is a Weaver Grand Slam Tactical 3x10x40 Mil/Mil for 260 in the classified section. This fits your bill.

[CharlieNC]

I personally would not buy a bdc reticle which is some non-standard spacing and requiring a computer program to learn the non-standard hold overs. Mil dot or even moa reticle is easier to learn and can be applied to nice target scope later. My refurbished Buckmasters 4.5-14 mil dot is great for hunting and not too shabby for target too. Adjustable parallax is your friend, really a necessit.

[wilkup]

This project might give you some ideas about the mechanics of changing out a stock and barrel.
Thanks for the insight. I will most likely be PMing you when it comes time to get the new stock put on; I also have the newer trigger guard bolt release and was wondering how that would work. Thanks!

[JCalhoun]

wilkup,

Unless I missed it you didn't say what the distance and targets will be other than a dual purpose rifle.

Also, if you become a paid member you will get access to our classified where some pretty good deals can be had from time to time.

[wilkup]

Thought I replied to this earlier today, but I guess it didn't actually go through.

For hunting I plan on staying within 500 yards and if it's further out, I'll just have to "hunt" further in for my shot =)

For longer range target fun, I think 1000 yards is the max distance I'll be going for.

Depending on how my time spent with the Vortex hunting scope goes, I may end up purchasing a higher-power Viper series down the road for my target setup.

[wilkup]

Alright, I finally purchased a scope for the rifle =) I was hunting with a buddy the other evening and took a peak through a Bushnell he had on his rifle. I really liked the clarity and crispness of it so I did a little research on them. It's not exactly something I was looking to get but after seeing favorable reviews and getting to mess with it first hand, I went ahead and made the purchase.
It's a Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 4.5-14x44. I think this is going to be a great scope for hunting and might possibly work for long range shooting too =) I'll post pics when I receive it. I also ordered a Weaver rail for the rifle and plan on picking up a Boyds Prairie Hunter in the pepper color the next week.
I'll glass and bed the stock and action once I fit it to the gun!
Next on the list is a fluted barrel and I'm thinking I'll stay with the 260 Remington after all =) This prroject has evolved a lot in the past 2 weeks since purchasing the rifle and I've decided to make this a good looking to me hunting rifle for everything I go after, but have the option of using it for longer range shooting when wanted.

[handirifle]

I think my next scope will be the Burris C4. I like Burris scopes and bino's anyway, and with the new C4 model, once you send them in your hunting load ballistics, ie, bullet, velocity, caliber etc, they will create a custom turret for the elevation, and the horizontal crosshair has wind compensation built into it. I haven't priced them yet, so it might be out of my league. For me the $$$ for my Burris Fulfield II was near the top.

wilkup

Looks like, as most of us, once you actually get hands on a scope, it's hard to buy something else. Hope it serves you well. From all my readings, I have read of guys that quite often shoot at long range, in semi competition (like you and your buddies trying for your best) use fairly cheap scopes and can often do as well as guys with more expensive glass. That said, they all admit, the difference in ruggedness, durability, and maybe repeatability (as in shooting a square) are not up to par with the mega $$ stuff. But when they zero for the real long range (600+) shots, and left alone, they do fine. Someone like a sniper needs absolute repeatability, understandably, but someone like myself, once it's zereo'd it stays until I swap loads or have to remove it for some reason.

[wilkup]

Update on build idea and order status.

Still waiting on the scope and getting antsier by the day =)

Trying to get the stock situation figured out right now and am feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all. I looked at the Stockade website and found a couple stocks that fit what I'm looking for really well, but it sounds like the wait time on a finished stock can take quite awhile and I'm looking for something right now. I may end up purchasing one of these down the road if the Boyds ends up not working out.

Something else I've added to my list on this build is getting all the metal CeraKoted to keep it protected while hunting this fall (spend a lot of time in the rain/elements). Waiting for a quote from a local business on cost and turn around for the Savage Stainless color.

I will be rebarreling the gun and changing calibers to 308 because I can purchase heavy factory loads to cover all my bases for hunting and they have a high BC, which will work well enough for longer range shooting out to 1000 yards, until I begin my next project - reloading. I like the downrange energy the 308 offers over the other options I've been considering. I will be listing the new, unfired 260 barrel in the classified section later today. Planning to order an ER Shaw fluted Heavy Mag or Varmint by the end of this week.

Everything's moving right along for me, even if it's taken a little bit of an unexpected direction...

*Edit*
Barrel and stock will be listed as soon as my payment goes through, which I just found may take up to 5 days. Bummer.

[stomp442]

You do realize that the 260 shooting a 140 grain bullet will do anything the 308 can do with a heavy 200 grain bullet with less recoil. The 260 can provide a flatter trajectory and remain supersonic longer than the 308 and the energy and windage numbers are nearly identical between the two.

[wilkup]

For hitting steal or punching paper I would say the 260 makes more sense; but I want this to be a hunting round capable of taking down a big bull elk with. This need considered, the 308 brings far greater force downrange than the 260 is capable of and this is the reason I'm going with the bigger, heavier caliber change.

*Newton's 2nd Law of Motion*
F = ma
Where F is net force acting on object, m is mass of object, a is acceleration of object

260 Remington - Federal Premium 140gr Sierra Game King Boat Tail (best factory available load I could find)
F @ muzzle = (0.00907kg) (838.2m/s) = 7.60N ; F @ 500 yards = (0.00907kg) (528.2m/s) = 4.79N

308 Winchester - Double Tap 200gr Nosler Accubond (load I plan to use)
F @ muzzle = (0.01306kg) (777.2m/s) = 10.15N ; F @ 500 yards = (0.01306kg) (551.4m/s) = 7.20N F @ 1000 yards = (0.01306kg) (375.5m/s) = 4.90N

I don't have enough information on the 260 load to get the numbers at 1000 yards, but as you can see, the 308 is packing more force (hitting harder) at 1000 yards than the 260 is able to at 500 yards.

Sorry for getting all geeked out on this, I live math and physics every day and love real-world applications =) There's the long answer to why I chose 308 over 260 though.

[stomp442]

the 308 is packing more force (hitting harder) at 1000 yards than the 260 is able to at 500 yards.

Hate to say it but that's wrong. According to any ballistics calculator I can find the 260 is producing around 1350 pounds at 500 and 700 at 1000. The 308 is doing around 1500 at 500 and 700 at 1000. The greater BC and retained energy of the 260 really comes into play at longer ranges.

[BoilerUP]

The average 260 pushing 140s equals a 308 pushing 175s in energy around 600-650yd, and has more energy than the 308 beyond that.

Additionally, regardless of range the 260 has two intangibles that 308 does not - a combination of sectional density and velocity. A higher SD bullet moving at a higher velocity means more penetration..and with modern expanding bullets there's not a game animal in North America that a 308 can kill any deader than a 308.

Google "Pat Sinclair 260" and see all the game animals that guy has killed with a 260...brown bear, black bear, elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, etc///

Besides, the Swiss have been shooting moose with 6.5 Mausers for over a century...

[SlimySquirrel]

You may want to check the 308 vs 260 again mate... The 260 has the edge according to my research in both Hitting Power and BC.

Sounds like your project is coming along nicely... Always frustrating waiting for parts to arrive and other people don't seem to have the same interest levels as you !!

Looking forward to a picture post when it comes together.

[FW Conch]

So, does the "super math" prove that my 358Win. is better than both of them? I have all three, by the way, so I'm not overly concerned! :)

[wilkup]

First of hopefully many more pictures =)
Just got the new Weaver 1 piece scope mount installed!

http://sdrv.ms/152bkPK

[wilkup]

Are there any vendors on this forum who've got barrels for sale? I'm looking for a 24-26'' fluted #6 or #7 contour 308 Winchester barrel and would prefer not to wait a few months to receive it. Any advice?

I'm not interested in waiting on a stock right now either, but want to replace the one that's on before hunting season. Are the Hogue Pillar Bedded stocks for $150 a better value than the Boyds options? I want to replace the factory stock with something else for hunting this season before sending it in for a custom one. Would it make more sense to get the Fully Bedded Hogue for $280 and call it good?

[wilkup]

Ok, now I really need a barrel! My 260 barrel just sold in the classifieds sections! I called ER Shaw and was told their wait time on a barrel right now is 4-6 months!!! YIKES! Is this typical of all barrel companies?

[stomp442]

Look at the McGowan outlet or over at Jim at north land. Probably your best bet.