Help, looking for something a little different

[arcticfern]

I stumbled into a .223 Savage 110 Long Action. Yes it is a long action. I am looking to make this into something fun. Barrel, Stock, new bolt...anyone have an idea. I know what I don't know, so I'm looking for help. My first thoughts were a 20 tactical.

Thanks, MAJ J

[WeldNFool]

My ideas wouldn't be your idea or might not be what you are looking for. I'm doing my first rifle build and have spent the last two months looking at stocks, barrels, calibers, etc. Gathered all the info and have an image in my mind down to the color of the paint on the stock, who is doing the painting, details in the paint and so on.

Where do you want to go with your build? What's your budget? Intended use of the rifle? Hours behind this screen looking at components is where I started.

[Robinhood]

long action? 6.5-06

[wildcat hunter]

My Savage 110 is a long action, its a 250 Savage. I like it because the magazine allows me to seat the bullets out further to get closer to the lands.
Its quite accurate with Berger 115's. My wifes model 14 is short and I cannot get the longer cartridge in the magazine. I load Sierras 90gr and 100gr for it - shoots good as well.

[mogwai]

is not a 223 a fun gun? Shoot the snot out of it.

[Rosco]

223AI? I mean why fool with changing the bolt head.

[thatguyshm]

I've looked into the tactical/practical and could never get beyond the barrel prices. For a fun gun, just a bit pricey. I'm sure you recoup that in the first year once you factor in bullet prices and powder capacity, but I just haven't gone that route yet.

Do you want a short action length cartridge that has inherent accuracy that you can press into the lands? A big bore to launch low and slow? A hunting rifle? Paper puncher? Tacticool peice?

Slight direction and the collective minds here can get you going.

SHM

[kmmoran]

Before you commit too much r&d time to this rifle trying to figure what to do with it, I'd recommend you pull the action out and check the magazine length. I've got an old 110 long action in 260AI that started life as a 223, and the cutout for the magazine was for a short action sized one. The magazine itself was blocked internally to 223 length, but the outer dimensions were of a short action. That leaves you with 3 options - stick with 223 class cartridges, replace the blocked short action mag with an actual short action mag for 308 class cartridges, or machine the magazine opening to long action dimensions and add a 30-06 class magazine.

I machined it out, but it's not really cost effective unless you do the work yourself. At least once you know the mag length you'll have a solid place to start building your rifle.

http://www.savageshooters.com/content.php?154-Staggered-Feed-Magazines

and

http://www.savageshooters.com/content.php?128-Savage-Action-Lengths


from the FAQ:

"Long Actions:
The action screw spacing on Savage long actions has remained the same since it's introduction in 1958. However, this does not mean they are all the same as the magazine port length in the bottom of the action can be one of three different lengths depending on the cartridge the action was originally made for.

From 1988 to 1997 all Savage bolt-action rifles were made on long-actions. Those chambered for short-action cartridges have a shorter magazine port cut to work with the existing short-action magazine boxes from previous years. As such, even though the action is technically a long action you can not mount a long-action cartridge magazine to it without having the magazine port lengthened.

Additionally, larger cartridges such as the .375 H&H and the Remington Ultra Mag cartridges required a longer magazine box and consequently a longer magazine port in the bottom of the action. As such, changing from a .30-06 length box to one of these cartridges will also require that the magazine port be lengthened."