Best Action for new Build?

Hey guys, I'm looking for a Savage short action to put into a chassis for a new build. Im pretty new to this but I built a heavy barrel target/varmint/SPR AR that groups fantastic and I'm having a lot of fun shooting it on paper and steel and I want to build something to stretch distances with. I am a DIY'er by nature so I thought a Savage was a great platform to build from.

I've been researching this but can't find a straight answer. Are any of the short actions inherently "better" or more sought after than another? I plan on using an XLR chassis that pretty much accepts any of them, so that should not be a big factor.

Sorry for the noob question. Any additional advice you have is appreciated as well!

A Stealth action is blueprinted at the factory and comes with a nice MDT chassis. If I were starting over, I would do that for one of my guns...

I am not sure is there is a "better" model unless it is treated differently during production. What I know is that many guys get a better recoil lug, barrel nut, bolt head, and maybe a bolt upgrade. That maximizes the floating bolt head design.

I wish they had used the BA or LRP action.

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Originally Posted by hereinaz

A Stealth action is blueprinted at the factory and comes with a nice MDT chassis. If I were starting over, I would do that for one of my guns...

I am not sure is there is a "better" model unless it is treated differently during production. What I know is that many guys get a better recoil lug, barrel nut, bolt head, and maybe a bolt upgrade. That maximizes the floating bolt head design.

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Originally Posted by Robinhood

I wish they had used the BA or LRPV action.

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Thanks guys. Maybe I miss stated my question. I am looking for a blank action to put into a build, either buying it on its own or on a gun that I can then part out the rest of it.

Other than the single shot target actions, are they all pretty much the same? I understand that there is center vs staggered feed and other differences... Are any iterations of them particularly sought after or thought of as "better"?

If not, I was thinking of starting with a Savage Stevens 200, as they are so cheap.

all the actions are the same the number designates the finish.
3# actions are long 2# actions are short
although there are some short action rounds that are built on a
long action and long ago they only made long actions

Good luck

A Cabela's special FV is a cheap one if you go new. You can sell the barrel.

Join the forum as a paid member and you will find actions for sale.

Savage Model 12FV from Cabelas...

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Originally Posted by 110fp

all the actions are the same the number designates the finish.
3# actions are long 2# actions are short
although there are some short action rounds that are built on a
long action and long ago they only made long actions

Good luck

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Partially true. the LRP and BA actions were/are repeater target actions( meaning they have a bottom loading port. In my opinion the most desirable action for all but single round competition.

The 4,4 centerfeed is currently the most desirable for repeater action.

Starting with a Stevens 200 for a donor is an excellent choice.

4.4" action screw spacing, center feed, probably has the most aftermarket support...stocks and such.

As for Me, I would not be caught dead with a bottom bolt release:-((. If I had to start a new build from a new rifle, it would have to be a Hog Hunter or any other Savage with a top bolt release.

Thank you all, this info is helpful.

That FV seems like a deal... Pretty close to what I see Stevens sell for.

Is that a top bolt release?

According to the picture, yes it is. Perhaps someone else can confirm. For a new Savage, that is an excellent buy, and also a great platform to build from. You might even want to just shoot that puppy for a while before You mess with it? ;-))

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Originally Posted by FW Conch

According to the picture, yes it is. Perhaps someone else can confirm. For a new Savage, that is an excellent buy, and also a great platform to build from. You might even want to just shoot that puppy for a while before You mess with it? ;-))

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Thanks! Form what I can tell (from Googling) it is as well.

I assume the 308 barrel will be easier to sell when I eventually change calibers?

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Originally Posted by R_Swanson

Thanks! Form what I can tell (from Googling) it is as well.

I assume the 308 barrel will be easier to sell when I eventually change calibers?

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That's what I was planning to do, but I'd bet the .223 barrel would sell too.

I'd go 12 FV for the top bolt release and small shank action. There are tons of .308 barrels out there so I'm not sure what caliber to tell you in terms of barrel resale. I didn't see what you're planning to re barrel to but if you buy a .223 rifle you'll need to swap to a .223 or .204 otherwise you'll be doing bolt head, baffle & mag swaps. Stay with the same bolt head & magazine family you plan to re barrel too.

I would say a 22-250 or .243 barrel may sell easier/quicker than a .308 as they tend to be barrel burners and popular with the prarie dog /varmint crowd but you never really know.

I see people recommending the Stealth rifles for these barrel swaps for the blueprinted action and chassis. Both strong reasons, the one thing to remember there is the stealth is large shank barrel and action so must be re barreled with a large shank barrel. I know a guy (me) who missed this and was bought a .308 Stealth to specifically screw a small shank 6x47 Lapua barrel onto. Now I've got a .308 stealth that I rarely shoot because I'm not really a .308 fan. Eventually I'll buy a large shank barrel in a 6 or 6.5 caliber so its not a huge problem.

The 12 FV action into a Choate stock with a custom barrel makes for an extremely nice sub $1,000 rifle, possibly sub $800 after selling the 12 barrel.

The FV I got was top bolt release. I got a .308 and sold that barrel on the forum in a day.

What is funny, is that after the merry go round that is my savage obsession, the action ended up with a .223 model 12 varmint barrel, after the requisite bolt change. Could have just started with it, but there would be no fun in that.

I like Boyds in the colored laminate, not the black cause it is plywood, not resin laminate.

Thanks everyone.

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Originally Posted by 6.5savageguy

I'd go 12 FV for the top bolt release and small shank action. There are tons of .308 barrels out there so I'm not sure what caliber to tell you in terms of barrel resale. I didn't see what you're planning to re barrel to but if you buy a .223 rifle you'll need to swap to a .223 or .204 otherwise you'll be doing bolt head, baffle & mag swaps. Stay with the same bolt head & magazine family you plan to re barrel too.

I would say a 22-250 or .243 barrel may sell easier/quicker than a .308 as they tend to be barrel burners and popular with the prarie dog /varmint crowd but you never really know.

I see people recommending the Stealth rifles for these barrel swaps for the blueprinted action and chassis. Both strong reasons, the one thing to remember there is the stealth is large shank barrel and action so must be re barreled with a large shank barrel. I know a guy (me) who missed this and was bought a .308 Stealth to specifically screw a small shank 6x47 Lapua barrel onto. Now I've got a .308 stealth that I rarely shoot because I'm not really a .308 fan. Eventually I'll buy a large shank barrel in a 6 or 6.5 caliber so its not a huge problem.

The 12 FV action into a Choate stock with a custom barrel makes for an extremely nice sub $1,000 rifle, possibly sub $800 after selling the 12 barrel.

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I plan on rebarreling eventually to a 6.5 creedmoor. I have read about all the advantages to the other 6.5 cartridges as well as the 6mm's which seem to be rising in popularity pretty fast, but I do not reload and the popularity of the creedmoor makes it so easy to find a round the gun will like and it should be cheaper to shoot. Of course, if I start reloading, all bets are off, haha. Therefore any .470 bolt face will be fine.

I wouldnt mind building this slowly, it would lighten the hit on the wallet and then I can pick parts I like as I go. I have a 308 tikka hunting rifle, so that would make things easier in some ways and for long range stuff the 30 cal must be a lot better than the 22 cal until I swap barrels. The 22-250 is intriguing because it would be fun to shoot and lighter recoil until I buy a barrel, but my AR I built that has gotten me into this shouldnt lose all that much to the 22-250 because I can get 77 grain match ammo so easily for it and the gun loves 69 gr or heavier bullets, so at distance it will buck the wind so much better than any factory ammo I have seen for the 22-250. They dont offer a 243 that I see, or I would be all over that.

Maybe I am typing just to convince myself, haha, but it seems like the 308 is probably a better option at this point. Any opinions based on my situation?

Oh, regarding the Stealth. Those do seem like good reasons. I am just not sure if that would be a good idea if I want to use a different chassis anyway. I definitely want an XLR over the MDT. The fact it comes in 6.5 creedmoor already and the blueprinted action is intriguing though.

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Originally Posted by hereinaz

The FV I got was top bolt release. I got a .308 and sold that barrel on the forum in a day.

What is funny, is that after the merry go round that is my savage obsession, the action ended up with a .223 model 12 varmint barrel, after the requisite bolt change. Could have just started with it, but there would be no fun in that.

I like Boyds in the colored laminate, not the black cause it is plywood, not resin laminate.

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Sweet! Thanks for the info. I am in AZ too, btw.

Cabelas has the 12 FV for 319 and there is a code to get 20 bucks off!!! Order it online and pick it up. 300 bucks for a full gun...

The code is spring2017, i think

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Originally Posted by FW Conch

According to the picture, yes it is. Perhaps someone else can confirm. For a new Savage, that is an excellent buy, and also a great platform to build from. You might even want to just shoot that puppy for a while before You mess with it? ;-))

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Yes it is, I have one, also segmented nut. Varmint acu trigger so it adjust down to 1.5 lbs without a spring change.

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Originally Posted by R_Swanson

Thanks everyone.



I plan on rebarreling eventually to a 6.5 creedmoor. I have read about all the advantages to the other 6.5 cartridges as well as the 6mm's which seem to be rising in popularity pretty fast, but I do not reload and the popularity of the creedmoor makes it so easy to find a round the gun will like and it should be cheaper to shoot. Of course, if I start reloading, all bets are off, haha. Therefore any .470 bolt face will be fine.

I wouldnt mind building this slowly, it would lighten the hit on the wallet and then I can pick parts I like as I go. I have a 308 tikka hunting rifle, so that would make things easier in some ways and for long range stuff the 30 cal must be a lot better than the 22 cal until I swap barrels. The 22-250 is intriguing because it would be fun to shoot and lighter recoil until I buy a barrel, but my AR I built that has gotten me into this shouldnt lose all that much to the 22-250 because I can get 77 grain match ammo so easily for it and the gun loves 69 gr or heavier bullets, so at distance it will buck the wind so much better than any factory ammo I have seen for the 22-250. They dont offer a 243 that I see, or I would be all over that.

Maybe I am typing just to convince myself, haha, but it seems like the 308 is probably a better option at this point. Any opinions based on my situation?

Oh, regarding the Stealth. Those do seem like good reasons. I am just not sure if that would be a good idea if I want to use a different chassis anyway. I definitely want an XLR over the MDT. The fact it comes in 6.5 creedmoor already and the blueprinted action is intriguing though.

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Exellent caliber choice in the 6.5 Creedmoor especially if you're not reloading. In light of that and the fact you want a chassis rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor I would get a Stealth in that caliber and start enjoying the lighter recoil and better ballistics right away. I bet you could sell the Creed barrel as easy as the .308 barrel or just shoot it till it's used up then rebarrel.

The 12 FV stock has very little resale value where the Stealth chassis would have a very good resale value to someone wanting to convert a stocked rifle to a chassis if you were to sell it to fund a different chassis.

Leaving you with the blueprinted savage action as a foundation. The large shank is "not" a problem and would probably be a + if you later decided to rebarrel to a short action magnum caliber.

I bet in the end of a part out to get what you want scenario you would have little or no more in a Stealth based semi custom and have a better action to show for it.

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Originally Posted by hereinaz

Cabelas has the 12 FV for 319 and there is a code to get 20 bucks off!!! Order it online and pick it up. 300 bucks for a full gun...

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Ended up buying one, I couldnt pass up the deal. I didnt see that code (they only seemed to have free shipping options), but I still very pleased!

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Originally Posted by RC20

Yes it is, I have one, also segmented nut. Varmint acu trigger so it adjust down to 1.5 lbs without a spring change.

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Awesome, thanks for confirming.

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Originally Posted by 6.5savageguy

Exellent caliber choice in the 6.5 Creedmoor especially if you're not reloading. In light of that and the fact you want a chassis rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor I would get a Stealth in that caliber and start enjoying the lighter recoil and better ballistics right away. I bet you could sell the Creed barrel as easy as the .308 barrel or just shoot it till it's used up then rebarrel.

The 12 FV stock has very little resale value where the Stealth chassis would have a very good resale value to someone wanting to convert a stocked rifle to a chassis if you were to sell it to fund a different chassis.

Leaving you with the blueprinted savage action as a foundation. The large shank is "not" a problem and would probably be a + if you later decided to rebarrel to a short action magnum caliber.

I bet in the end of a part out to get what you want scenario you would have little or no more in a Stealth based semi custom and have a better action to show for it.

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Yeah, that would have been a good plan, esp after looking at the prices of the Stealth, I thought they were selling for closer to MSRP. I figured I could shoot the 308 for a little while as I built up the gun, and then sell it fairly easily. It was too good a deal to pass up, haha. I think in the end I will probably be pretty close to the same price, if not cheaper with the FV build... of course sans a blueprinted action. With how accurate it seems people make these guns with just a decent stock, I guess I am betting on the hope that wont matter.



Thanks for the help everyone.